– NJPW G1 Climax 28 is an annual tournament that this year takes place from July 14 to August 12. Wrestlers are split into 2 Blocks of 10 and fight each person in their allocated Block. 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 for a loss. The two wrestlers at the top of Block A and Block B will face each other in the NJPW G1 Climax 28 Final, August 12 in Tokyo at the Budokan.
Below are the results from the day 12 of the tournament and updated Block B standings:
Tonga Loa & Bad Luck Fale defeated Shota Umino & Michael Elgin
Hangman Page & Chase Owens defeated Togi Makabe & Toa Henare
YOSHI-HASHI & Sho defeated Jay White & Yoh
EVIL & BUSHI defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & David Finlay
Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado defeated Kazuchika Okada & Gedo
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 12
Block B
Round 6
Tomohiro Ishii vs Tama Tonga
Immediately the extra man factor comes into play, Ishii tried to wrestle with eyes in the back of his head. However the Stone Pitbull was having none of it, he threw Tonga Loa into the ring before striking him with chop and forearm combinations and clotheslining him back out. Tonga nearly capitalised with a close fall, but Ishii reversed the Bullet Club OG’s next attempt into a brainbuster.
However we then fell straight back into the standard OG tactics of this G1. The referee went down, Tonga Loa came in with a chair and started walloping Ishii with it. Ishii is no normal human however, he himself got his hands on the chair and took out Loa. Then managed to kick out of a Tongan Twist onto the steel chair and constantly reverse the Gun Stun. Even Bad Luck Fale struggled to take him down, when the big man eventually did Ishii still kicked out of Tama’s pin!
Eventually the wearing down from the rest of the Firing Squad had done its work, Ishii fought them off but he wasn’t able to avoid the Gun Stun. Tama Tonga picks up the win as the fans boo with a hush once again.
Winner: Tama Tonga (2 Wins 4 Losses = 4 Points)
Juice Robinson & SANADA
In start both guys match each other for pace and agility. The two doged each other’s crossbody to the outside, before leathering each other with strikes and only just in time realising the count was at 19. They both rolled into the ring, but Juice sent SANADA outside quickly and nailed the crossbody over the top.
SANADA tried to hit a quick Skull End submission on Juice and run back for a count out victory, but that was a naïve tactic given Juice’s tenacity to keep on going. The injured hand was nearly the deciding factor again, however the United States Champion was able to keep on countering the Cold Skull’s counters. He reversed SANADA’s attempts of locking in the Skull End by flipping over and locking in a Skull End of his own!
In the end SANADA tried to hit Juice’s Pulp Friction finisher, but the flamboyant pirate reversed and we end back in the spinning windmill. Until Juice clocked SANADA with one hell of a stiff left hand and swiftly hit Pulp Friction for the win.
Winner: Juice Robinson (2 Wins 4 Losses = 4 Points)
Toru Yano vs Tetsuya Naito
Toru Yano sprinted to the ring in his entrance and quickly undressed for the match. However the tranquilo Naito hadn’t even taken off his cape yet, nevermind the rest of his suit. So Yano put his shirt back on, before getting increasingly frustrated at Naito’s pace of undressing. Yano’s impatience really cost him and Naito was able to outsmart him at every turn. When he pulled out the tape to tie up Naito, the LIJ leader was able counter and instead tie the Chaos man to the guardrail.
So Yano struggled and eventually just beat the count, with the guard rail as he never able to get free. But that story continued, Naito in his calm state had Yano’s number every single time. Even though he lost the encounter with the turnbuckle pad, Yano’s biggest string of offense came after successfully whipping his opponent into the exposed turnbuckle. But that only resulted in a two count, so Yano turned on Wrestler Yano and tried to win properly!
Yano got many close falls, however the tactic of properly wrestling didn’t entirely work out. Tranquilo Naito was able to just wait his time and hit the Destino for the three.
Winner: Tetsuya Naito (5 Wins 1 Loss = 10 Points)
Kenny Omega vs Zack Sabre Jr
Both guys showed off how strong their ground game is, quickly reversing each other’s attempts to mount anything. ZSJ tried to ground his opponent every chance he got, but Kenny’s defence was on point and he managed to stop any real damage being put on. But Sabre Jr had his tactic, he was going after the injured heel with all of these attempts. The Brit was playing the long game.
Kenny Omega wasn’t helping himself either, attempting Topes and Moonsaults off of barricades. Eventually the champ’s determination to put on a show caught up to him and ZSJ started putting on real pressure, twisting Omega’s leg and wearing it down with stiff kicks. When Omega got some momentum and tried to hit the You Can’t Escape combo, his knee caused a second of hesitation and that was enough for Sabre Jr to catch the B Block leader in a Triangle upon landing.
This story continued to the end, Omega did get offense in, but ZSJ was able to smoothly counter the attempts at the most impactful into a submission hold. The Suzuki Gun member countered two attempts at a One Winged, before then catching a V-Trigger kick and rolling through into yet another submission.
Finally Omega was able to hit the V-Trigger and he rolled Sabre Jr up in a School Boy pin, just kicked out at two. The IWGP Heavyweight Champion then quickly transitioned into a pin holding down both arms, 1, 2, 3! Omega’s streak continues! But only just, ZSJ seemed to have his number for quite some time.
Winner: Kenny Omega (6 Wins 0 Losses = 12 Points)
Hirooki Goto vs Kota Ibushi
In the start Goto had his opponent well scouted, grounding him whenever the athletic man tried anything fancy. To get into the match Ibushi would have to step up with his strikes and kicks, which he gladly accepted. Ibushi hit a dropkick so strong it launched Goto out of the ring, he then pounced up to the top rope and hit a beautiful Golden Triangle.
Goto was still grounding Ibushi with his stiff forearms and strikes, but Ibushi had his foot in the door and was able to find the momentum to get in a lot more offence. However the Chaos member’s first mistake was going for the big moves too early, he tried to hit an Ushigoroshi and the Golden Star flipped out onto his feet and rocked him with a backflip kick.
Goto’s insistence on forcing a striking game paid off though, when Ibushi tried to match him in that regard the NEVER Openweight Champion was able to unsteady his opponent enough to hit the Ushigoroshi. However, as the match went further Ibushi’s athleticism became a stronger and stronger factor. Resulting in Goto taking bigger risks Like attempting a Code Red off the top rope, only for Ibushi to land on his feet and initiate another striking exchange.
The match became very even, however Got seemed to be coming out with the final blows. In the end nailing Ibushi with a Shouten Kai, but only for a two count. He then started to headbutt his opponent, assumably trying to wear him down hit that next big move. However Ibushi then caught Goto with a kick to the head, he wasn’t able to capitalise but things were even again.
Ibushi hit a standing Shooting Star before Goto could get up, kick out at two. A Last Ride from Ibushi slammed Goto down to the mat with force, kick out at two again! Ibushi became visibly frustrated and went for the Kamigoye, Goto dodged but Ibushi didn’t give up and eventually got his opponent back in position and slammed that knee into his opponent with the Kamigoye. 1, 2, 3. Ibushi is back on the winning lane.
Winner: Kota Ibushi (4 Wins 2 Losses = 8 Points)
Block B Standings
Kenny Omega (12 points)
Tetsuya Naito (10 Points)
Kota Ibushi (8 points)
Zack Sabre Jr (6 Points)
Hirooki Goto (4 Points)
Juice Robinson (4 Points)
SANADA (4 Points)
Tama Tonga (4 Points)
Tomohiro Ishii (4 Points)
Toru Yano (2 Points)
G1 is back Thursday August 2 for the Block A round 7 match ups: Michael Elgin vs Bad Luck Fale, Togi Makabe vs Hangman Page, Jay White vs YOSHI-HASHI, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs EVIL and Kazuchika Okada vs Minoru Suzuki.
Full results of the show will be posted here on LOP shortly after.
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 1 (July 14 2018) – Jay White vs Kazuchika Okada
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 2 (July 15 2018) – Kenny Omega vs Tetsuya Naito
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 3 (July 16 2018) – Jay White vs Hiroshi Tanahashi
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 4 (July 19 2018) – Kenny Omega vs Hirooki Goto
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 5 (July 20 2018) – Kazuchika Okada vs Hangman Page
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 6 (July 21 2018) – Hirooki Goto vs Tomohiro Ishii
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 7 (July 22 2018) – Kazuchika Okada vs Togi Makabe
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 8 (July 26 2018) – Kota Ibushi vs SANADA
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 9 (July 27 2018) – Kazuchika Okada vs YOSHI-HASHI
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 10 (July 28 2018) – Kenny Omega vs SANADA
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 11 (July 28 2018) – Kazuchika Okada vs Michael Elgin
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