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 16 of the tournament and updated Block B standings:
Togi Makabe & Toa Henare defeated Michael Elgin & Shota Umino
Hangman Page & Chase Owens defeated YOSHI-HASHI & Sho
Bad Luck Fale & Tonga Loa defeated Minoru Suzuki & El Desperado
EVIL & BUSHI defeated Jay White & Yoh
Hiroshi Tanahashi & David Finlay defeated Kazuchika Okada & Gedo
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 16
Block B
Round 8
Juice Robinson vs Tomohiro Ishii
Ishii let Juice take it to him with chops, you can only play the Pitbull at his own game so long. Ishii got the better of the exchange, however Juice got back in after the fridge with legs got cocky and tried to hit ‘something’ running off the ropes. Juice countered and reverted to an even back and forth ‘to you, to me, to you, to me’ swing of momentum.
As with most even exchanges, eventually Ishii won out and he lifted Juice to the top turnbuckle before suplexing him back down. But Juice wasn’t going to give up so easily, he blocked Ishii’s attempts at a follow up and managed to hit a Juice Box Gutbuster. He then followed up with a Powerbomb, resulting in only a two count but the flamboyant one was now on top.
Ishii seemed to be simply soaking up the offence, until a left jab from Juice’s broken hand collapsed the big lad. This seemed to take the US Champ by surprise, he didn’t capitalise quick enough and when he went for Pulp Friction the Stone Pitbull rocked him back with stiff lariats. Juice got back in, but everything fell apart when he tried to block a lariat from Ishii with his broken hand. Not recommended, Juice wasn’t blocking that next one.
Ishii sent the flamboyant pirate down with a stiff forearm, kick to the head and lariat. Before lifting him up and nailing the Brainbuster for the three.
Winner: Tomohiro Ishii (4 Wins 4 Losses = 8 Points)
Hirooki Goto vs Zack Sabre Jr
The match very quickly spilled to the outside, Goto slamming ZSJ against the barricade. That didn’t last long though, the Suzuki Gun man very quickly turn it around and contort the Chaos warrior’s arm into a submission on the outside. Goto only just got back in before the 20 count and ZSJ trapped him straight in another submission.
Submission after submission after submission, Goto was on the receiving end of everything. ZSJ had complete control of the match. Goto seemed to injure his right hand in the outside brawl and he struggled to get a foot in the match. Eventually he did via reversing Sabre Jr’s Octopus Stretch into a GTR, but he wasn’t able to capitalise. ZSJ reversed Goto’s attempt at a reverse GTR and rolled his opponent into a European Clutch Pin for the win.
Winner: Zack Sabre Jr (5 Wins 3 Losses = 10 Points)
Kota Ibushi vs Tama Tonga
When Ibushi’s music hit Tonga left the ring and ran into the crowd to the right of the stage, when the Golden Star was on the ramp the Bad Boy snuck up and attacked him from behind. Tama continued to beat him down on the outside whilst taunting the camera, there was a fair bit of swearing. Eventually he rolled Ibushi into the ring and was able to maintain control thanks to the outside beat down prior.
Ibushi was finally able to use his athleticism to get back into the match, hitting a damn near perfect dropkick on the Tongan. However Tama Tonga seemed to have Ibushi’s number, using his misdirection to get back in and was even able to put a stop to an attempt at the Golden Triangle Moonsault.
Tama took the fight into the crowd, but made a huge mistake when he accidentally introduced Ibushi to something he could moonsault off of. Ibushi knocked Tonga down and ran away, to only reappear in the audience on the balcony above. Ibushi walked along the rail on the edge of the balcony before high fiving a fan and moonsaulting down onto his opponent and the Young Lions below.
Back in the ring Ibushi climbed to the top to finish things off, when Tonga Loa grabbed him by the leg. Ibushi successfully fought off the Tongan, but Tama was able to capitalise. However Ibushi was on point, even after Tonga had a string off offence, the Golden Star was able to take out Loa once again and get back in.
Which obviously calls for Bad Luck Fale. The ref ‘accidentally’ got knocked and the big man ran down to slam down Ibushi for good. Then Omega ran down! Standing V-Trigger to the head of Fale, but then Loa speared down the IWGP Heavyweight champ. Then Ibushi took out the Tongan spokesman and blocked Tama’s attempt at a sneaky Gun Stun. The Golden Star called for the Kamigoye, however Tonga reversed and hit a Pop-up Gun Stun. 1, 2, 3! Oh no!
After the match the Tongans continued to beat down the Golden Lovers, Fale Powerbombed the champ and they three stomped them down. Finally a barefoot Hangman Page and Chase Owens ran down, armed with chairs and swinging wildly and chasing away the Tongans. Their Bullet Club foes retreated, but the damage was already done.
Omega was down on the mat, beaten and not really moving. However it was time for his match! Was he even going to be able to compete?
Winner: Tama Tonga (3 Wins 5 Losses = 6 Points)
Toru Yano vs Kenny Omega
After deliberation Red Shoes the ref called for the match to go ahead, much to Page and Owens’ dismay. Toru Yano came down doing his normal DVD shilling shtick, with the crowd seemingly trying to inform him of the situation. How nice of those Japanese fans. When he got to ringside the Chaos man finally started to listen and saw Omega down on the mat. So got in the ring and undressed as quickly as possible, trying to usher the announcer to the end of his introductions as quickly as possible.
Finally the bell rang and Yano sprinted to the cover, 1, 2, kick out! Taking no precautions the trickster took off all the turnbuckle pads, then whipped Omega into all four corners. But on the fourth Owens laid across the top, stopping Omega contacting. Yano kicked the Virginian Bullet Club man off and went to whip again, this time Owens put one of the turnbuckle pads in the way. Only to remove it when Yano ran at Omega in the corner.
It was now Omega’s time to whip Yano into the corner. Yano pleaded Omega not to hurt him before attempting a low blow, but the champ read it and stamped on his hand. Mischevious Yano always finds a way though, he got back in and then lined up the turnbuckle pads in the center of the ring. He called for a suplex, Omega countered, but Yano countered back and suplexed his opponent onto the turnbuckle pads! Which obviously did nothing as it was a really pleasant landing, so Omega just sat up looking confused as what Yano was thinking.
However, then things got real. Yano picked up a turnbuckle pad, Omega did as well and the two battled it out. Embodying the toughness of Ishii, the two took it turns to hit each other with the pads. Until they just started swinging wildly, Omega won out and went to whip Yano to hit him with the pad on the rebound. But Yano caught the swing and hit a Dragon Screw Whip! On the turnbuckle pad… it sent Omega flipping out the ring though.
Yano then pulled out the dastardly tape and tied Omega to… Ren Narita the Young Lion! He then dumped the Young one over the barricade like an anchor so Omega couldn’t escape, before running back to the ring to start the count. With the help of Page and Owens, Omega lifted Narita over the barricade and into the ring by 18 and Omega just beat the count of 20. But he was still tied to the Young Lion!
Yano jabbed at them both, then with the two groggy against the ropes he went to run at them but he was met by a dual clothesline. Narita slipped out and Omega hit a V-Trigger, but when he went to German Suplex Yano the trickster grabbed hold of the ref. Toru quickly reversed and went for a suplex of his own, so Omega grabbed the ref too. Only for Mr Mischievous to hit a low blow, hitting both with one swing. How talented that man is.
Which turned out to be a huge mistake as in ran the Tongans! Gun Stun to Yano whilst Loa and Fale beat down Page and Owens, followed by a Gun Stun to Omega. Tama Tonga then pulled Yano to cover Omega and slid away before the ref recovered from the low blow. Seeing Yano on top, Red shoes counted. 1, 2, 3. Toru Yano beats Omega!
Winner: Toru Yano (2 Wins 6 Losses = 8 Points)
Tetsuya Naito vs SANADA
A very even match up as both guys know each other’s offence so well. Both guys countering and reversing into moves of their own, neither really able to fully grab the momentum. To try and change, Naito took the fight to the outside and hit a running dropkick on the ramp on a sat SANADA. But back in the ring the match was still pretty much even, if Naito had one flow SANADA would have the second.
Naito went to hit Gloria, but SANADA blocked. However the Cold Skull was unable to block the second after Naito hit a Frakensteiner launching his fellow LIJ stablemate off the top rope and followed up with Gloria. Dropping SANADA right on his head, Naito knew it wasn’t going to be enough though and went for the Destino. Which was blocked by SANADA, he lifted Naito’s feet onto the ropes and spun him round with an elevated Dragon Screw neckbreaker.
SANADA followed up with a springboard dropkick and Dragon Suplex, Naito just survived. The Cold Skull was in control, but Naito is LIJ’s leader for a reason. The tranquilo one fought back, then he went to run the ropes and spring at SANADA. But the Cold Skull swatted him away and locked in the Skull End submission. SANADA rolled onto his back to wrench in the move, however Naito immediately rolled out and went for the Destino. Which was caught in a Fireman’s Carry by SANADA, he then spun Naito out for a TK- reversed into Destino! 1, 2, kick out!
Naito lifted him back up for a second Destino, but SANADA reversed and hit his own Destino! And what a Destino it was. 1, 2, Naito kicked out. SANADA locked in Skull End and fell to his back, locking Naito in with his legs trapping with the body scissors. Tetsuya Naito couldn’t got out and SANADA had the submission truly locked in. Which was when SANADA went to finish the match like he has already numerous times this tournament, he let go of the hold and climbed to the top for the Moonsault. But Naito rolled out of the way and SANADA crashed to the mat.
Both guys slowly climbed to the feet and started laying into each other with stiff forearms, Naito won out and was able to ground SANADA with that flying forearm. He quickly went for the Destino, but the Cold Skull caught him and reversed into Skull End. Which was reversed back, then SANADA slid out and rolled Naito up in an Honour Roll! 1, 2, Naito kicked out right before the 3.
Realising how close they were getting that 30 minute time limit, Naito tried to take SANADA down. He launched the Cold Skull into corner and the man landed hard, so Naito quickly hit him with a German Suplex sending the man crashing onto his head. But SANADA stood straight back up! Naito ran at him and SANADA caught him, flipped round and went to lock in Skull End. However Naito flipped over himself and hit the Destinooooo. 1, 2, 3!
Winner: Tetsuya Naito (6 Wins 2 Losses = 12 Points)
Block B Standings
Kenny Omega (12 points)
Tetsuya Naito (12 Points)
Kota Ibushi (10 points)
Zack Sabre Jr (10 Points)
Tomohiro Ishii (8 Points)
Hirooki Goto (6 Points)
SANADA (6 Points)
Tama Tonga (6 Points)
Juice Robinson (4 Points)
Toru Yano (4 Points)
G1 is back Monday August 10 for the Block A Final Round match ups: Togi Makabe vs Michael Elgin, YOSHI-HASHI vs Hangman Page, Bad Luck Fale vs Minoru Suzuki, Jay White vs EVIL and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada.
Full results of the show will be posted here on LOP shortly after.
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 15 (Aug 5 2018) – A Block Kazuchika Okada vs EVIL
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Day 14 (Aug 1 2018) – B Block Naito vs Ibushi
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