NJPW’s G1 Climax 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 day 17 of the tournament and final Block A standings:
Tomohiro Ishii & Sho defeated Toa Henare & Shota Umino
Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa defeated Toru Yano & Gedo
Hirooki Goto & Yoh defeated Juice Robinson & David Finlay
Tetsuya Naito & SANADA defeated Zack Sabre Jr & TAKA Michinoku
Kenny Omega, Matt Jackson & Nick Jackson vs Kota Ibushi, Marty Scurll & Chas Owens – No Contest after The Tongan’s interfered.
NJPW G1 Climax 28
A Block
Final Round
Togi Makabe vs Michael Elgin
Big lads hitting big shoulder tackles, big chops and big suplexes. The chops only got heavier the further the match went on, with Elgin getting the better of things and going on to hit kicks as well as more of those other three things! Big Mike seemed on top, however after one suplex Makabe got straight back up and one of his own. Then followed up with a stiff lariat for a close fall.
The momentum had shifted and Makabe went straight for the Spider German Suplex from the corner. Elgin powered out, hit some more kicks on a dangling Makabe and lifted him up for a huge Splash Mountain Power Bomb. Only a 2, Makabe just wouldn’t stay down. Even after Elgin started hitting some stiff elbows and forearms, the King Kong Gorilla just kept fighting back.
After coming back again from some stiff forearms from Elgin, Makabe blocked and countered into a Death Valley Driver. He then climbed to the top rope and dropped down onto Elgin with the King Kong Knee Drop for the three.
Winner: Togi Makabe (3 Wins 6 Losses = 6 Points)
YOSHI-HASHI vs Hangman Page
YOSHI-HASHI seemed to have taken charge early on, however he was immediately in trouble after Hangman caught him in the ropes and dropped him with painful looking neckbreaker on the apron. Page then followed up with an impressive shooting star off the apron before rolling the Chaos man back in.
Page now had control and YOSHI-HASHI was stopped right in has tracks again and again. He kept fighting back, getting some momentum back after countering into a neckbreaker of his own. YH had a short time on top, but it didn’t last long and only a minute or so later Page rocked him with an elbow and German Suplex. Once again the Chaos man had to fight from the back foot.
Whenever YOSHI-HASHI tried something more impactful, Page had all the answers. Including trying to kick the Bullet Club man down to the outside, Page blocked and flipped back in with the Buck Shot. And when YH climbed to the top rope, Hangman stopped him with a dropkick then spun him round and dropped him on his head with a second rope neckbreaker.
Page started toying with HASHI, slapping his head completely in control. He lifted the Chaos man up for the Right of Passage, but YH blocked and tried to lift him into a Powerbomb. However Hangman countered again, he went for the Right of Passage and was blocked once more. YOSHI-HASHI went for Karma, blocked, Right of Passage, also blocked. Page rocked him with an elbow and went for Right of Passage once more, reversed by YOSHI-HASHI who flipped him into a Destroyer! 1, 2, kick out!
YOSHI-HASHI went for Karma to finish of the match, but Page fought out with stiff elbows. Hangman looked like he’d gotten free, however HASHI caught him with a Backbreaker. Then went straight back for another attempt at Karma, this time he hit it for the three!
Winner: YOSHI-HASHI (2 Wins 6 Losses = 4 Points)
Bad Luck Fale vs Minoru Suzuki
Fale went to kick the announcer, however Suzuki took advantage went after the big man. Immediately brawling to the outside, the two fought against the barricade until Fale chocked Suzuki with a wire and climbed back into the ring. Not long after Suzuki got back in, however, he took Fale back outside. He launched the big man into barricade before throwing chairs at him and attempting to do more before the ref stopped him.
After ushering off the ref he whipped Fale into the barricade one more time and swung a chair hard at his head! Suzuki took him back into the ring to capitalise, a kick to the corner and a follow up PK kept the big man grounded. Fale fought back with a mighty slam and huge elbow, now it Suzuki’s time to be grounded.
Fale went to end things, however when he lifted up Suzuki the King caught him in an arm bar. He torqued right back and the big man was in trouble, which was obviously a call for Tonga Loa to pull out the ref and interfere. They beat on Suzuki, Fale hit a splash, 1, 2, kick out! Suzuki used the momentum to get right back in, whilst El Desperado kept Loa at bay.
Suzuki hit a combo on the big man, followed by two huge right elbows and locked in a chokehold. Tonga Loa tried to interfere but El Desperado grabbed hold of him, Suzuki went to hit the Gotch Style Piledriver. Which of course meant down came Tama Tonga to hit the man in the back and hit a Gun Stun. Yet another automatic DQ for the Tongans.
After the match Suzuki grabbed a chair and ran up the ramp to chase after the Tongans.
Winner: Minoru Suzuki via DQ (5 Wins 4 Losses = 10 Points)
Jay White vs EVIL
The two went at each other strong, however things spilled to the outside after White hit a Saito Suplex to the outside with EVIL landing hard. Switchblade whipped EVIL into the barricade before going back to the ring for a count out attempt. EVIL got back in, but was immediately stomped on and White started taunting him.
Which gave EVIL the door to get back in and himself whip White into the barricade. Different to White, the King of Darkness immediately took the action back into the ring and hit a Fisherman’s Buster before going for a pin attempt. EVIL looked on top, however White rocked him with a closed shot and snapped him with a German Suplex. White called for the Blade Runner, but EVIL raked the eyes before he was anywhere close to actually hitting the move.
EVIL charged at White, Switchblade pulled Red Shoes in but EVIL was able to stop himself before colliding with the ref. Which was when White hit the LIJ man with the low blow. Blade Runner from Whi- no! EVIL hoisted his opponent onto his shoulders and slammed him back down with Darkness Falls. He was unable to capitalise, but the the Ingobernable one was back in the match.
The King of Darkness went to Suplex White, the Kiwi tried to block with stiff elbows, but it wasn’t enough and he was suplexed backwards onto his head. EVIL followed up with a monstrous running lariat and quickly covered. 1, 2, kick out from White. The Chaos man was in trouble and EVIL sensed it. He called for the Everything Is Evil STO, but Switchblade met him with elbows. EVIL went for a spinning elbow, Jay White caught him and now it was EVIL’s turn to be suplexed backwards onto his head!
White staggered to his feet and rocked EVIL with the Kiwi Crusher and the LIJ man just survived the pin. White slipped to the outside to grab two chairs from under the ring, but EVIL outsmarted him in the ring and knocked the man down with a lariat. EVIL grabbed one of the chairs and motioned at Jay White, however the referee stopped him and tried to take away the chair. Switchblade crept up behind and hit another Neck Tie Suplex, dropping EVIL backwards onto his head again.
The New Zealander called for the Blade Runner once more, but EVIL countered into Everything Is Ev- no! White shoved his opponent into the referee, sending Red Shoes crashing down. White grabbed a chair, when he swung EVIL ducked and hit Everything Is Evil. But the referee was just getting up, he saw then pin and crawled over. 1, 2, 3! It was enough, EVIL won and the main event is now winner takes all!
Winner: EVIL (5 Wins 4 Losses = 10 Points)
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada
The match seemed to be starting out cautiously, however Okada quickly switched and went for Shotgun Dropkick and Tanahashi equalled his pace. No one hit any moves, but the tension of the situation was immediately apparent. Both being wise guys, they slowed things down with some chain wrestling for a minute. And only a minute it did last, it wasn’t long before they began leathering each other with stiff forearms.
A pattern was emerging though, Tanahashi tried to ground Okada and slow things down with holds and submissions. Whilst Okada tried to pick up the pace and tire his opponent. Tana was also purposefully targeting the Rainmaker’s legs, he hit submissions on them, aimed his kicks there and wrapped Okada’s leg round the ring post.
Okada tried to break back into the match by going big with the Tombstone, however Tana rolled out and the Chaos leader instead hit him with a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. Now it was Okada’s turn to wear down his opponent, he took the match outside and slammed Tanahashi’s leg down on the ringside area. Back in the ring Okada jammed the Ace’s knee into the mat, before contorting the leg in ropes and following up with a dropkick.
Okada may have become a tad cocky though, Tana got back in, grounded Okada and was able to hit a Senton from the corner. Tanahashi himself may have been too eager, he went for the Slingblade and Okada was able to block and drop him hard with a DDT. Realising he was in trouble, Tana hit a dropkick to that left leg he’d been working on. Then Okada flew at him with a Shotgun Dropkick and a HUGE dropkick off the top!
Okada called for the end, he went to lift Tana up for the Tombstone but the Ace reversed into a Tombstone of his own. Both guys lay exhausted on the mat as the 15 minutes half way point was announced in the arena. They slowly got to their feet and started exchanging forearms, Tana appeared to have won out with a combo but Okada fought back with some stiff uppercuts. Then just as it looked as if Okada had the better of things, Tana dropkicked him off the apron and into the barricade!
Tanahashi climbed to the top turnbuckle, waited for Okada to get to his feet before- High Fly Flo to the outside! Tana immediately clutched at his knee in pain, before climbing back into the ring to recover. Okada only just beat the count, but Tana caught him in the ropes and whipped the leg with two Dragon Screws. The Ace then locked in the Clover Leaf and The Rainmaker was in real trouble.
Tana sat down and Okada, then stood and lifted him into a Styles Clash! The Ace climbed to the top rope, High Fly- no! Okada rolled out the way. The two slowly staggered to their feet, but Okada was just in wait as he nailed a dropkick to the back of The Ace’s head. Tana was then able to stop getting hit by the next dropkick, but got absolutely nailed by the one after that.
With no hesitation Okada picked up Tana for the Rain ma- no, reversed into a Slingblade! Both guys slowly stuttered to their feet before exchanging elbows, however Okada wasn’t messing and rocked Tana to the ground. The Rainmaker quickly went for a Tombstone, but Tana also grabbed round the waist and now both guys were fighting to hit the move. Eventually Okada won, but Tana slipped out and hit a spinning neckbeaker. The Ace then held on and lifted Okada back up as the 25 minute mark was announced in the arena.
Only 5 minutes were left to get something out of this match. Tana whipped him with another twisting neckbreaker and another, before calling out to the crowd. He nailed the Slingblade and went for the pin, 1, 2, kicked out at the last second by Okada. Tana raced to the top rope once more, High Fly- dropkick from Okada! Followed by Tombstone from Okada and he called for the Rainmaker as the 27 minute mark was announced.
3 minutes left, Okada wound Tana up for the Rainmaker lariat. However Tana ducked, went for a Dragon Suplex which was blocked by Okada. Another Rainmaker, ducked again and Tana rebounded off the ropes into a hell of a dropkick from Okada. Rainmaker, Tana avoided again! But Okada grabbed him and knocks him down with a Twisting Rainmaker.
Okada looked up and screamed to the heavens, as the crowd were going mental. He picked up The Ace for The Rainmaker once mor- Inside Cradle from Tana! 1, 2, and Okada breaks free. Another Rainmaker attempt, ducked once again and into a Dragon Suplex which Tana nailed and bridged for the pin. 1, 2, th- kick out! That was damn close.
1 minute left! Okada goes for the Rainmaker again, but Tana’s fighted back with elbows. Okada never let go of Tanahashi though, he whipped him back the Rainmaker but The Ace met him with a slap to the face instead. 30 seconds! Tana rolled to the apron and quickly climbed to the top , High Fly Flo to the back of Okada. 1, 2, kick out! Tanahashi rolled to the apron again and the time limit is reached.
A 30 minute draw, meaning Tanahashi wins the block and advances to Sunday’s final against the winner of B Block.
Winner: 30 minute draw: Tanahashi (7 Wins 1 Loss 1 Draw = 15 Points) Okada (6 Wins 2 Losses 1 Draw = 13 Points)
G1 Climax 28
Final A Block Standings
Hiroshi Tanahashi (15 Points)
Kazuchika Okada (13 Points)
Jay White (12 Points)
EVIL (10 Points)
Minoru Suzuki (10 Points)
Bad Luck Fale (6 Points)
Hangman Page (6 Points)
Michael Elgin (6 points)
Togi Makabe (6 points)
YOSHI-HASHI (4 Points)
G1 is back Saturday August 11 for the Block B final round match ups: Toru Yano vs Tama Tonga, Juice Robinson vs Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii vs SANADA, Tetsuya Naito vs Zack Sabre Je and Kenny Omega vs Kota Ibushi.
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 16 (Aug 8 2018) – B Block Naito vs SANADA
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