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. Where the winner will earn an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match at Wrestle Kingdom 13.
Below are the results from the Final day of the tournament:
Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Michael Elgin defeated Ayato Yoshida, Shota Umino & Yuji Nagata
Bad Luck Fale defeated Toa Tenare
Taichi & Takashi IIzuka defeated Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI
Hangman Page & Cody defeated Juice Robinson & David Finlay
NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Championships
Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa & Taiji Ishimori defeated Marty Scurll, Nick Jackson & Matt Jackson
Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA & BUSHI defeated Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & El Desperado
Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & Jay White defeated Kenny Omega, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens
Rey Mysterio, KUSHIDA & ? vs Kazuchika Okada, Sho & Yoh
G1 Climax 28 Final
A Block Winner
Hiroshi Tanahashi
vs
B Block Winner
Kota Ibushi
Tana tried keep Ibushi grounded at the start, a slower pace which likely favoured the veteran. Ibushi was more than happy to conserve energy and play the same game, but he was eventually the man to pick things up. Ducking a lariat from Tana and the stiff kick that shortly followed took The Ace down. However, Tanahashi’s tactic was to work the legs of Ibushi, this came into play as he was able to deliver a dropkick to the legs of the Golden Star and straight go back to the ground game. Tana continued to work the legs and knee of Ibushi.
Kota’s way to get back in was to increase the pace, however with the work on the leg everything took that little bit extra effort. Ibushi dropkicked Tana out of the ring, went for a Golden Triangle Moonsault, but Tana moved out the way. The Ace jumped onto the apron with a dropkick to the legs, but Ibushi jumped up and caught him with a double stomp right to the chest!
Back in the ring the two entered a striking exchange, with Tana trying to fight his way back into the match. Eventually he caught one of Ibushi’s kicks and spun him round with the Dragon Screw. Ibushi’s attempt to increase the pace had worked, Tana hit a running dropkick to the corner and Ibushi immediately jumped on top with another double stomp. So Tana sent him flying out the ring with another dropkick.
Tanahashi wasn’t able to follow up however, he climbed to the top and Ibushi stopped him in his tracks. The Golden Star carried him off the top and ran across the ring for a lawn dart, Tana countered into a Slingblade! The two entered an exchange of elbows, with Tanahashi winning out and Ibushi was against the ropes. Tana ran at Ibushi, but the Golden Star ducked and Tana went over the top. However the Ace held on and skinned the ca- no, Ibushi caught him half way, brought him back in and sat down dropping him right on his head!
Ibushi couldn’t capitalise and Tana hit another Dragon Screw out of instinct. Then The Ace locked in the Clover Leaf and sat down, really applying the pressure. Making The Golden Star pull himself to the ropes, before Tana dragged him back to the middle to do it all over again. Kota met the challenge, but Tana shortly after twisted the leg in the ropes with another Dragon Screw.
Kota fell to the outside and Tana went to say hello in the form of a High Fly Flo flying down from the top rope. Ibushi only just managed to drag himself back into the ring before the 20 count. Tana went for the Slingblade and reversed with a headscissors, sending the Ace to the outside. Then Ibushi nailed a 180 moonsault! The Golden Star rolle d The Ace back into the ring, hit a springboard dropkick and lifted his opponent onto the top turnbuckle. Ibushi went for a Frankensteiner, but Tana slapped him down to the apr- no! Ibushi sprang straight back up with a springboard Rana!
Kota slowly got to his feet and suplexed Tana back down with a German. Then he went for Kamigoye, Tana dodged and rolled him up, 1, 2, kick out. And Ibushi hit Tanahashi with the Bomaye! Both men slowly climbed to their feet, Tana initiated the chops but a mean streak switch had been flipped in Ibushi. The Golden Star struck back with one hell of a chop and followed up with palm strikes to the face. Tana got back up and asked for Ibushi to bring it, which he did, continuously slapping the face of The Ace. But the Ace kept charging forward and made it all the way to the corner.
Tana slapped Ibushi, Ibushi slapped back, Tana, Ibushi, Tana, Ibushi. Slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap! Both guys hitting the living crap out of eachother! Ibushi eventually looked like he’d fallen, but he rotated back round with one hell of a lariat! The two collapsed to the floor, a minute to recover before getting straight back up and striking each other all over again. Upping the ante with stiff elbows rocking each other, until Tana hit a string of uppercuts and Ibushi responded with one hell of a palm strike to the chest.
Before Ibushi could capitalise, Tana reversed into one hell of a Slingblade! 1, 2 Ibushi just kicked out. The Ace climbed to the top, High Fly- no! Ibushi got up the knees and Tana crashed hard. Bomaye to the back of the head from Ibushi! Followed by a standing moonsault into the double knees! So many exclamation marks!
Now Ibushi went back to the lawn dart, driving Tana into the corner head first. Tana rolled to the apron, big mistake. Ibushi grabbed him in a german and suplexed him back in over the top rope! Followed up a might Last Ride, 1, 2, Tana somehow kicked out! Kota quickly recovered and went for the Kamigoye, Tana dodged but the Golden Star caught him in another straight jacket German. Ibushi maintained wrist control, Kamig- no! Tana stopped him and hit the Twist and Shout spinning neckbreaker. And another Twist and Shout!
Tanahashi climbed to the top rop, High Fly Flo to the back of Ibushi. Tana flipped him over and immediately climbed back to that top rope, but when he looked up Ibushi was back on his feet! High Fly Flo to the standing Ibushi, then straight back to the top for Tana. A third High Fly Flo connects, 1, 2, 3! Tana wins!
G1 Climax 28 Winner – Hiroshi Tanahashi (3rd G1 Climax win)
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Final A Block Day 17 (Aug 10 2018) – Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi
NJPW G1 Climax 28 Final B Block Day 18 (Aug 11 2018) – Omega vs Ibushi
Follow @TheDamnImplicat
Email Imp – theimplicationsyt@gmail.com