The annual NJPW G1 Climax tournament rolls on! Day 3 of the action between A & B Block competitors. The first two shows from over the weekend were available to view for free over on NJPWWorld, but from here on out, in the words of Kevin Kelly, “… you’ve gotta pay, you bums!”
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.
The shows feature 8 matches each, 2 blocks getting through a round of match-ups. Finally, there’s a 20 minute time-limit for the matches this year, something to kick up the pace of the action… for everyone except EVIL (I’ll never get that time back).
With that explained, let’s proclaim this year’s “Born in the ring!” tournament slogan and get to these results.
A BLOCK
Kaito Kiyomiya vs Chase Owens
Chase Owen’s proves he’s not trustworthy as immediately goes on the attack after a faux-respect handshake. The Bullet Club Canadian going full heel as he stomps and snaps poor the poor NOAH lad.
Kiyomiya forced into the position of having to fight his way back in from the early going, his bursts cut continuously off by Owens. The reversals becoming more inventive, however, determined to find his way back in.
Chase getting annoyed and going for the Package Piledriver too early was his undoing, countered with a Headscissors and taken over into trouble. Owens managing to kick out but in that moment the match had completely swung, finding himself crashing down and having to kick out again.
Leaving him open and set up for Kiyomiya to nail the Shining Wizard and take the win.
WINNER: Kaito Kiyomiya (4 points)
B BLOCK
KENTA vs Great O’Khan
Two cheeky chaps who like to tactically wear down their opponents. Quickly spilling over to ringside, the first 5 minutes of the match taking place outside the confines of the squared circle.
KENTA walloping his opponent with the DEFY World Title to set up the crowd area beating. Some folk might complain about empty seats, but for KENTA that just means an entire row of weapons! Launching O’Khan into a row of chairs, before playing the referee so he can straight up take a swing with one to the man’s back.
The United Empire man weakened, but able to get his fight back inside the ring. Getting his fight back to, yes that’s right, take KENTA to ringside! I don’t expect Jeremy Donovan of the Keeping It Strong Style podcast to give this many stars. Over the barricade! Into a row of chairs! A chair around the neck and into the wall!
Okay, so maybe it was closer to the first 10 minutes of this match taking place outside the ring.
Back inside the flow repeats, as the beaten up lad finds his momentum back, only this time it’s KENTA. The Bullet Club man finding his feet, but the match swinging into a back n’ forth flow.
Great O’Kahn on top with the referee down, but gets him back up to secure his win. The time taken to do that turning out to be a mistake, the claw locked in on KENTA, but when he lifted to slam the man down he found himself caught in a headscissors roll up. KENTA successfully stealing the win.
WINNER: KENTA (2 points)
A BLOCK
Hikuleo vs Gabe Kidd
Kidd once again attacking his opponent on the ramp during their entrance. This time their walk n’ brawl spilling right into the middle of the Yamagata fans. Hikuleo finding his fight back, but Kidd’s too smart for that, lamping the bloke across the head with a chair. Don’t worry Gabe soon paid for it, soon after getting himself slammed onto a pile of chairs of his own making.
The match finally beginning with Hikuleo driving us under way, Gabe constantly showing his brawling fight, but it was now in the face of a very tall man throwing him back down.
A rough landing off an over-head sent Gabe Kidd crashing onto his head. If anything the landing angering the War Dog enough to snap into a focused enough fury to stop Hikuleo in his tracks. Fighting off every attempt from the big lad and eventually nailing the Piledriver for the win.
WINNER: Gabe Kidd (2 points)
B BLOCK
Tanga Loa vs TAICHI
The crowd firmly behind TAICHI as the match gets underway into a strike exchange test of strength. Honestly, at this point it’s just nice to see a match actually take place in the ring.
Don’t worry, it still spilled out to ringside for a minute, but there ain’t no walk n’ brawls in this one. TAICHI using the outside to emphasise his wearing down of his opponent’s surgically repaired knee.
The Tongan doing what he can to use his power to slam his way back in, but as he charges he’s evidently limping. The man fighting through the pain to keep on slamming TAICHI down, but whenever speed is needed there’s a window of room for his opponent.
TAICHI doing exactly that and OFF COME THE PANTS. Loa catching the Buzzsaw kick that followed, but didn’t account for the leg sweep to that injured knee. Breaking down into both lads just charging at each other with lariats, Loa the one winning out, but in hyping himself up to deal the next blow how found himself flying over in the Dangerous! Suplex.
The two hyping themselves up into that final NJPW style sprint, Loa continuously winning the duels of strength. Looking like he might have the momentum to snatch the win after he countered a charging opponent with a Spear. That wasn’t to be, however, as the Just 5 Guys member slipped out of the Ape Shit and quickly rolled him over with the TAICHI Clutch pin for the win.
WINNER: TAICHI (4 points)
A BLOCK
Yota Tsuji vs Ren Narita
Our second colliding of two of New Japan’s young Reiwa musketeer stars. A calmer start for Tsuji as he shows Narita he can also tangle in the Son Of Strong Style’s world.
The LIJ man trying to up the game into his more suited style, but Narita was always there to cut that pace right down. The Shibata student also giving his opponent plenty of room, perhaps too much as Tsuji knocks him off the apron and follows up with his incredible Tope Suicida. The lad crashing right him and Ren right over the barricade, just getting right up after like it was nothing.
Tsuji flying with force around the ring, Narita fighting his way back in after that Tope Suicida took him down for a minute. The strike exchange working to his favour and allowing him to take the sting out of Tsuji’s momentum once again.
Tilt-A-Whirl counter to a charging Narita, into the point making deep Boston Crab, Yota trying to beat his opponent with the Young Lion finisher.
Tsuji still on top as the 5 minutes call is made. Both lads with a string of counters as that desperation starts to kick in, Narita winning out first with a beautiful suplex. However, that momentum was not sustained as Tsuji hits one damn high bomb counter to the attempted follow up suplex.
Yota’s Stomp not enough to secure the win, his Spear countered with a jumping knee. 1 minute left and Narita floats over to try and strike Tsuji, who wallop and grounds him with an awesome knee, Superkick and headbutt spree.
The LIJ man collapsing back down, unable to follow up. Then taking Narita to the corner, the time counting down as Yota keeps getting fought off. Eventually caught in a choke, but before Narita can follow up with a dive the time limit bell sounds.
The two still charging at afterwards, toppling each other over the top rope to the outside. Ren Narita now having wrestled 40 minutes over two matches.
DRAW
B BLOCK
YOSHI-HASHI vs Will Ospreay (IWGP United States Champion)
Will Ospreay with blood in his mouth after an early impressive dive, YOSHI-HASHI certainly started out strong and needed taking down a notch. The United Empire leader doing a great job of gaining control and slotting his opponent into that position of having to fight back up.
The IWGP Tag Team champion was able to do exactly that, halting Ospreay from nailing his heavy hitters. The back n’ forth strike exchanges a good fight, but not exactly swinging in either man’s favour. Ospreay with an amazing spin out of a Final Cut, using the flow to nail his second attempt of the OsCutter.
The 10 minute announcement is met with a charging flow from both men, YH winning out with a stiff lariat. Brain buster! Kick out. Canadian Destroyer! Kick out. Ospreay only just surviving the CHAOS man’s burst.
The United States Champion desperately fighting off Karma, the repeated attempts met with stiff elbows. Ospreay back in control after a Spanish Fly, but that state constantly switched back n’ forth. The Hidden Blade met with a Lariat, the follow up to the corner then halted back. YOSHI-HASHI driven down with a great looking switch by Ospreay in an Electric Chair span round into a Powerbomb.
Ospreay then following up with a damn beautiful Corkscrew from up high and that’s enough to cover the three.
WINNER: Will Ospreay (2 points)
A BLOCK
Shota Umino vs SANADA (IWGP Heavyweight Champion)
A very handsome battle.
Umino trying to meet that slower, tranquilo, flow the champion brings in the early going. Gladly accepting more ringside fun times, then not rushing when back inside the ring. SANADA the one to bring back the bursts to snatch his momentum back.
Somewhat surprisingly it’s Umino who’s the one wearing his opponent down, taking the action ringside to help slow the pace. Wrenching on SANADA’s arm, weakening him before rolling back into the ring for an awesome diving Dropkick off the top.
The IWGP Champion finding his run of steam, but Umino was still doing his best to counter those bursts. Catching SANADA and launching him with an Exploder Suplex, using that momentum to nail the Slingshot DDT shortly after. The young star even having answers for the champion’s bigger swings, rolling through successfully after SANADA’s Moonsault into the Skull End.
Umino showing that smartness, but not really getting close with any near falls. Charging in with the running spinning Neckbreaker, back SANADA kicked out relatively easily. The champion then able to find his way to properly lock in Skull End, Shota finally caught and drained.
The fight in the end didn’t die, however, instead leading into a back and forth flow for the final 5 minutes. SANADA going for Deadfall, nope. Shota steps up for his Enziguri, nope. SANADA Shining Wizard, nope. Umino finding some space, but he’s unable to follow up into anything substantial. SANADA findig his way and swinging in to finally hit Deadfall for the win.
WINNER: SANADA (4 points)
MAIN EVENT
B BLOCK
Kazuchika Okada vs El Phantasmo
ELP showing he can hang with Okada in the early stretches. Interacting with the crowd to piss off Okada, getting them chanting and when the lock up goes to the ropes patting him on the chest to that beat.
Okada coming off heelish, but Phantasmo did follow through with his promise to try and twist The Rainmaker’s nipples off. I too, would be somewhat peeved.
The Headbanga’s dive to the outisde cut off easily, however, allowing Okada to DDT him right onto his head and leave him stumbling ringside to beat the count. Kazu able to assume full control and wear ELP down.
The Canadian worn down but fighting back, eventually spilling over to ringside and allowing him to give his opponent a receipt ringside DDT. Taking too much time to capitalise on that and being met with a Shotgun Dropkick to swing the play right back. Properly cemented after his attempted Springboard attack was met with Okada’s beautiful standing dropkick.
The Rainmaker going for his titular finisher, met with continuous evasions from ELP. First able to hit a dropkick and go for a second time, but on the third attempt Phantasmo caught him and followed up with the Lionsault.
Leading into a true back and forth flow, counters galore as ELP finds his flow. An inverted Death Valley Driver planting Kazu down, the Superkick then the perfect set up to nail the CR2 for one damn close near fall.
Okada rolling to the outside to avoid the Thundersplash, only to be met with a Moonsault. Meaning ELP’s nowable to swing with his own momentum too for the final stretch, your fast paced classic NJPW main event final run.
Counters back and forth as Phantasmo’s sudden Tombstone had a potential upset in sight, but it wasn’t meant to be. Okada slipping out of the Canadian’s second CR2 attempt and slamming the man down with the Landslide, the modern set up for The Rainmaker succeeds to do so once again.
WINNER: Kazuhcika Okada (4 points)
UPDATED BLOCK STANDINGS
A BLOCK
Kaito Kiyomiya – 4 points
SANADA – 4 points
Chase Owens – 2 points
Gabe Kidd – 2 points
Ren Narita – 2 point
Shota Umino – 1 point
Yota Tsuji – 1 points
Hikuleo – 0 points
B BLOCK
Kazuchika Okada – 4 points
TAICHI- 4 points
KENTA – 2 points
Tanga Loa- 2 points
Will Ospreay – 2 points
YOSH-HASHI – 2 points
El Phantasmo – 0 point
Great O’Khan – 0 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
