NJPW G1 Climax 33 rolls on with Day 16 featuring final Round 7 action between D Block competitors.
The tournament’s format and structure slightly different this year: 4 blocks, 8 wrestlers per block, 2 progress out into the Quarter Finals and it’s a knockout format from there.
A 20 minute time-limit for the matches, something to kick up the pace of the action.
Also, Eddie Kingston is on commentary for the night! A nice little treat for us all.
With that explained, let’s proclaim this year’s “Born in the ring!” tournament slogan and get to these results.
REFRESH FOR UPDATED RESULTS AS THE SHOW ROLLS ON.
D BLOCK
Toru Yano vs Alex Coughlin
The War Dogs mixing it up by having Gabe Kidd attack Yano from behind during his tag partner’s match, combining that chaos with Coughlin’s usual tearing apart of the barricades.
Yano successfully fighting off Kidd as a charging Coughlin is instead tripped onto the chair. The unique scenario of YTR being the one to fight off cheeky shenanigans, getting serious for a second and dragging Gabe up the ramp via a chair. Not your steel kind either, a strait up chair with joined legs.
Coughlin then getting launched all over the crowd, into multiple different seating areas as rows of fans vacate just in time. It’s rare, but serious Yano does show his face every now and then.
In the ring Coughlin used a corner pad-less turnbuckle whip to get back into the match, Gabe Kidd returning shortly after with ref Marty knocked to the outside. The War Dogs setting up a table at ringside as Coughlin teases Suplexing his opponent over the top rope and through it, but we’re in that unique scenario of serious Yano fighting back as we instead get damn forceful barricade whips
Kidd Powerbombed through the table and if anything our boy Toru went too far into that serious state, amped up and going for Coughlin with a pair of scissors. The referee doing everything he could to stop the man, giving Alex the room to swing on in with his NJPW Strong Tag Team Championship and clobber Yano over the head.
WINNER: Alex Coughlin (6 points)
D BLOCK
Shane Haste vs Jeff Cobb
Haste a man of the people signing his orange top hat and giving it to a kid. All fun and games before the bell, but a loss here for Jeffery Cobberton could snatch qualification right away from him.
Early on, the big and powerful Olympian showed off by pairing that muscle with his insane athletic ability. Dropkicking Shane out to the outside with a smile, but soon paying for it as the Aussie hit one damn impressive Powerbomb onto the apron.
Hey, Haste’s big and strong too!
Back in the ring, Cobb just standing up out of submission, the man’s strength just insane as the TMDK man answered back with a series of stiff kicks. The United Empire hoss just pissed off, replying with his own series and hitting clothesline after clothesline in the corner.
Sure, yeah, why not just follow that up with a Standing Moonsault, Jeff. Yer beast, yer.
A running knee charging Haste back in, the follow up Release Suplex arguably even more impressive than his earlier Powerbomb. Lifting Cobb up for a Death Valley Bomb was a step too far, instead leading into a sweat-flying strike battle, but the Aussie was making his mark on this match.
The action spilling ringside and up the ramp, Haste trying to show just how big and strong a boy he is with another Powerbomb. This time going to power the man on down onto the entrance ramp, instead finding himself flipped right over.
Shane completely changing tact and doing everything he could to just stop Cobb from getting back into the ring. In the end hooking Jeff’s ankle and flat out holding on to the man as the referee’s count hit 20.
Sacrificing the win for himself, but Haste majorly helping out his TMDK stablemate, Zack Sabre Jr.
DRAW: Shane Haste (5 points) Jeff Cobb (9 points)
D BLOCK
Hirooki Goto vs Zack Sabre Jr
Zack Sabre Jr. arguably the last man a rib-bruised Goto would want to have faced in his final G1 bout of the tournament, an opponent who specialises in zoning in on a weak point and wearing you down.
The start of this match playing out in that exact fashion, every time Goto tried to fight back he was tangled right back down to the mat. A mixture of submission switches and strike up kicks as those ribs took a hell of a punishment.
Goto’s fight emerging via a charging lariat, not able to go super-fast as he at least nail a Suplex on the Brit. Drilling the TMDK leader on down and unwisely climbing to the top rope, Sabre Jr cutting him off and leading to Goto improvising with an impressive Tarantula danging over the top rope.
ZSJ completely drained by it, Goto now able to fly off the top with that diving elbow… right into the trap! Zack doing his best to capitalise as his opponent did what ever he could to get his feet to the ropes.
A strike exchange followed as Goto through the fire he had left, clobbering the man down but unable to follow up with the GTR. Those flames still burning as bounced right back to his feet following a Suplex, Sabre Jr doing whatever could to show he could battle that fight too.
Both men rising back to their feet for more. Goto kicking out at 1 after a Lariat, only to crash his opponent down with another of his own. ZSJ taking that personally and drilling him with a Zack Driver as the two collapsed on down to recover.
Rising to their feet for a damn equal strike exchange, the fierce warrior zoning in as he caught ZSJ with stiff kicks to the mid-section. Setting up for the GTR, but sneaky kept slipping out, first with underhooks and second via a roll out into a Gedo Clutch pin attempt.
Goto roaring with a charge, but the warrior was caught in one more of Zack’s traps as he did everything he could to wrench back the man’s arms. ZSJ contorting the man more and more, using the back of those hurt ribs to create the room to hook both those arms and force the verbal submission.
ZSJ officially into the next round as he goes to celebrate in the crowd in cheer of finally getting out of a G1 block.
WINNER: Zack Sabre Jr (10 points)
MAIN EVENT
D BLOCK
Tetsuya Naito vs Hiroshi Tanahashi
With Jeff Cobb’s draw earlier in the night, Naito must win to qualify. A Tanahashi win eliminates Naito on points, whilst does a draw also does because Cobb beat him in the first round of the tournament.
The crowd cheering loudly for both men after the bell, Tanahashi almost securing the quickest win in tournament history with a cradle getting a 2 and a half kick out.
Mr Tranquilo wisely slowing the pace riiight down, rolling outside and taking a breather. Back in the ring, he opted for getting a little cheeky and yanking on the beautiful hair of the Ace. Three times using the luscious locks to his advantage, on the third following up with a Basement Dropkick to send the man crashing into the barricade.
Naito draining his opponent, but also well aware that he only has a finite amount of time. The tactics he’d use in this situation outside of the G1 can’t be used quite the same within the confines of the 20 minutes time-limit. That slight rushing of action giving Tana the space to fly back into the action.
Tanahashi springing back to life, following up with his Sommersault Senton and calling for the Slingblade. The elevation of pace completely different between the two men, but that does mean the LIJ leader was nowhere near worn down enough to get caught in the Sling.
Naito using the slow moments to work on the neck, that coming to use in this second half of the match. The same can be said for Tana though, he’d been creating a weak point on the knee and was then able to Dragon Whip counter when needed.
Mad man Tanahashi going for the ultimate risk, nailing Ace’s High off the top rope to the outside! It taking till the referee’s 10 count was half way to get to his feet and roll his opponent back in to the ring.
Now Naito was worn enough to be caught with the Slingblade, Tana moving as swift as he can as he followed up with Ace’s High. Springing right back to the top for the follow up High Fly Flow, but Naito’s there with his knees up just in time.
Both men slowly rising to their feet and exchanging forearms, gritted smiles as they know what’s about to happen. Standing tall and throwing those strikes into the 5 minute remaining call.
That work on the neck the difference as Naito’s strikes work perfectly, setting up the Esperanza DDT perfectly. Tana crashed onto his head and soon after entering desperation, calling back to the start with a series of cradle pin attempts. Each cover getting closer and closer.
Tanahashi seemingly doing what he can to avoid having to fly from on high once more. Going for the cover after a second Slingblade, a Straight-Jacket German bridging into another damn near pin.
Naito fighting back and delivering stiff elbows to that neck once again. Angering Tana with a spit to the face, the Ace swinging in and getting his head trapped, sending Eddie and Kevin speechless on commentary following a stiff AF Spinning DDT spun off the ropes and drilled Tana right on his head with a THUD.
1, 2, 3 and Naito qualifies! Finishing top of the block after beating fellow qualifier ZSJ in their match earlier in the tournement.
WINNER: Tetsuya Naito (10 points)
“Buenos noches!” After the match as Naito sends us off with his promise of intent. “Assen na yo” and into the Los Ingobernables de Japon roll call.
UPDATED BLOCK STANDINGS
D BLOCK
Tetsuya Naito – 10 points
Zack Sabre Jr – 10 points
Jeff Cobb – 9 points
Alex Coughlin – 6 points
Hirooki Goto – 6 points
Hiroshi Tanahashi – 6 points
Shane Haste – 5 points
Toru Yano – 4 points
PREVIOUS NJPW G1 CLIMAX 33 RESULTS
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 1 Results 7/15/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 2 Results 7/16/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 3 Results 7/18/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 4 Results 7/19/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 5 Results 7/21/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 6 Results 7/23/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 7 Results 7/25/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 8 Results 7/26/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 9 Results 7/27/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 10 Results 7/30/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 11 Results 8/1/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 12 Results 8/2/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 13 Results 8/5/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 14 Results 8/6/23
NJPW G1 Climax 33 Day 15 Results 8/7/23
