Tag: g1 climax 34 results

NJPW G1 Climax 34 night 18 live results: Semifinals

Posted on by Chick Fritts

Shingo Takagi vs. Zack Sabre Jr., and Yota Tsuji vs. David Finlay square off in today’s G1 semifinals.

Sabre vs. Shingo in today’s main event will decide the A Block representative in Sunday’s finals, with Sabre the top point scorer in the Block, and Shingo winning a playoff match to secure his place in the semis.

Finlay vs. Tsuji will decide B Block’s representative in Sunday’s finals, with Finlay the top scorer in the Block, and Tsuji winning a playoff match to earn his semifinals berth.

Today’s winners will meet Sunday for the right to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom in January.

Today’s undercard:

  • Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Great-O-Khan, HENARE & Francesco Akira
  • Taichi, DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku vs. Taiji Ishimori, Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Oleg Boltin, Toru Yano, Ryusuke Taguchi & Tiger Mask vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, Ren Narita, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • Shota Umino, El Phantasmo & Jado vs. Konosuke Takeshita, Jeff Cobb & Callum Newman
  • Hirooki Goto & Tomoaki Honma vs. Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee
  • YOSHI-HASHI & Shoma Kato vs. Robbie Eagles & Mikey Nicholls

**********

Undercard Results

Mikey Nicholls & Robbie Eagles defeated Shoma Kato & YOSHI-HASHI

Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee defeated Hirooki Goto & Tomoaki Honma

Callum Newman, Jeff Cobb, & Konosuke Takeshita defeated El Phantasmo, Jado, & Shota Umino

EVIL, Ren Narita, SHO, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Yujiro Takahashi defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Oleg Boltin, Ryusuke Taguchi & Tiger Mask

Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Taiji Ishimori defeated DOUKI, Taichi & TAKA Michinoku

Francesco Akira, Great-O-Khan & HENARE defeated BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito

**********

G1 Playoff Results

B Block Final: Yota Tsuji defeated David Finlay

The B Block finally opened with a back-and-forth strike exchange that quickly worked its way into the corner. Tsuji won out by dropping Finlay with a shoulder tackle, knocking Finlay to the floor. Tsuji maintained his early lead, dropping Finlay before locking in body scissors to wear down Finlay.

Finlay dropped Tsuji against the turnbuckle to turn the match on its head. He followed up by whipping Tsuji into the corner and hitting a backbreaker to secure a strong lead. Finlay then turned to some work on the mat, until a Tsuji backbreaker sent him to the floor. When Tsuji tried to follow up with a tope, Finlay cut him off with a forearm to maintain his control.

On the floor, Finlay repeatedly drove Tsuji into the barricades. He then grabbed tables from under the ring that he attempted to drive Tsuji through with a powerbomb. Tsuji avoided the bomb and hit a tope in response to gain control for himself.

Back in the ring, Tsuji landed a rana, tackle, and lung blower to cement his control. Finlay fired back with a sliding strike to reset the match, but Tsuji landed a curb stomp to stay ahead. Tsuji then placed Finlay on the top rope, where a struggle ensued. After neither connected with a move, both worked their way to the apron, back to the tables set up by Finlay.

Tsuji attempted a curb stomp through the table but Finlay avoided the match-ender. Now, on the outside, Finlay grabbed Tsuji and threw him into the post, retaking control. Back in the ring, Finlay hit a pair of Irish Curse backbreakers, each scoring a nearfall.

Tsuji escaped the Dominator, leading to both men hitting the ropes. Tsuji then landed a devastating knee that nearly ended the match. Tsuji followed up by putting Finlay back on the top rope and hitting the Spanish fly for another nearfall. The falcon arrow and curb stomp followed Tsuji’s attempt to finish, leaving him in a strong position for his rope-assisted stomp.

Finlay avoided Malo Crash and hit Dominator to reverse the match’s momentum once again. Finlay then attempted to powerbomb Tsuji through the tables on the floor again, but Tsuji avoided disaster, leaving both men positioned on the apron. Tsuji managed to drop Finlay on the apron, sending him to the floor while keeping his G1 alive.

Tsuji hoisted Finlay up to drive him through the tables himself. After Finlay fought back, Tsuji threw him into the corner post. Finlay answered with a sudden burst of energy, which he used to powerbomb Finlay through one of the tables; the second one did not break. At this point, the referee began his count, which Tsuji beat at 19. Once Tsuji entered the ring, Finlay hit Oblivion for a two-count.

After Tsuji kicked out, a frustrated Finlay began to unload on Tusji with closed fist strikes, forcing the referee to intervene. Finlay hit a powerbomb for another nearfall. Finlay then landed a buckle bomb/powerbomb combination for another. Finlay, now more frustrated, hit two more buckle bombs but failed to hit the powerbomb on the follow-up. Instead, Tsuji reversed into a quick pin.

Once Finlay kicked out of the pin attempt, Tsuji hit him with a Gene Blaster; Finlay barely kicked out. Tsuji followed up with a curb stomp and Malo Crash for another nearfall. Tsuji then set up for another Gene Blaster but Finlay reversed into a pin. When Tsuji kicked out, Finlay reversed into Overkill. Tsuji blocked the finish, leading to back-and-forth strikes. Tsuji hit Finlay with a headbutt and a deadbolt suplex to earn enough distance from Finlay to set up his finish. He then hit the Gene Blaster and pinned Finlay to win the match.

Tsuji has won the B Block and advanced to the finals of the G1 Climax.

A Block Final: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Shingo Takagi

Tonight’s main event opened with some light grappling from ZSJ. As the pace increased with a bit of striking, Shingo tried to hold his own, but ZSJ was able to establish control nonetheless.

A neck crank from Shingo opened the door for some Shingo offense. He followed up by dropping ZSJ on his neck before whipping him into the barricades on the floor. Shingo then drove ZSJ into the apron before stomping him on the floor, establishing solid control.

ZSJ landed a head screw and a dropkick to turn the match around after spending a long time on the back foot. He followed up with targeted offense on the mat, drawing in strikes from Shingo. Shingo’s strikes were powerful enough to rock ZSJ, leading to a DDT and a suplex.

Shingo maintained his lead with a powerful offense, landing suplexes and potent strikes to keep ahead of ZSJ. ZSJ fired back by pulling Shingo to the mat and driving his knee into the mat. ZSJ followed up with a targeted attack on the knee, keeping Shingo grounded.

Shingo eventually landed a lariat to end ZSJ’s brutal attack. He followed up with a superplex which rolled through into a magic screw. ZSJ tried to answer with his signature groundwork, but Shingo responded with a simple choke to maintain his lead. Shingo then powered through and landed Made in Japan.

When Shingo attempted his finish, ZSJ avoided the end. Eventually, Shingo landed a partial pumping bomber, leading into a quick trade of pins. ZSJ was able to take advantage of this exchange by hitting a Zack Driver, but he was too exhausted to follow up.

ZSJ began to kick at a grounded Shingo. After landing a PK, ZSJ scored a nearfall. Shingo tried to respond with another hold, but ZSJ returned to attacking the leg, forcing Shingo into the ropes.

Shingo tried striking down ZSJ in the middle of the ring, but ZSJ pulled him to the mat and stomped his arm in response. After Shingo escaped ZSJ’s followup submission attempt, Shingo hit a pumping bomber, but he failed to cover ZSJ.

Shingo tried for his finish, but ZSJ transitioned into a choke. Shingo broke ZSJ’s choke by dropping him on his back, but ZSJ transitioned into a triangle immediately afterward. Shingo powered out and landed Last of the Dragon but ZSJ kicked out.

Shingo, growing desperate, began to club ZSJ with clotheslines in the middle of the ring. ZSJ responded with strikes of his own. ZSJ won out by hitting a Zack Driver, but Shingo kicked out. ZSJ then locked in a knee bar in the middle of the ring, which after an extended struggle, forced Shingo to tap out.

ZSJ has won the A Block and is in the finals of G1 Climax.

The finals are set—Yota Tsuji vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

NJPW G1 Climax 34 night 17 live results: Playoffs begin

Posted on by Chick Fritts

Two playoff matches on today’s NJPW G1 Climax 34 show will decide the semifinals set for Saturday, August 17.

In the main event, Yota Tsuji will face Konosuke Takeshita in a B Block battle. Takeshita won the previous singles meeting between the two earlier in this year’s tournament. The winner will advance to Saturday’s semifinals to face top B Block scorer David Finlay.

In the semi-main, Shingo Takagi takes on Great-O-Khan in a matchup of the second and third place finishers in A Block. The winner will face top A Block scorer Zack Sabre Jr. in the semifinals on Saturday. Shingo is 4-0 in his career against O-Khan, including a victory in this year’s tournament.

The undercard today:

  • Zack Sabre Jr. & Hartley Jackson vs. David Finlay & Gedo
  • Shota Umino, El Phantasmo & Jado vs. EVIL, Ren Narita & Dick Togo
  • Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI vs. HENARE & Callum Newman
  • Jeff Cobb & Francesco Akira vs. Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano vs. Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Tomoaki Honma & Katsuya Murashima vs. SANADA, Taichi, DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku

**********

Undercard Results

SANADA, Taichi, DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku defeated Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Tomoaki Honma & Katsuya Murashima

Taiji Ishimori challenged DOUKI for the IWGP Junior Championship

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano defeated Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee defeated Jeff Cobb & Francesco Akira

HENARE & Callum Newman defeated Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI

EVIL, Ren Narita & Dick Togo defeated Shota Umino, El Phantasmo & Jado

Zack Sabre Jr. & Hartley Jackson defeated David Finlay & Gedo

**********

Shingo Takagi defeated Great-O-Khan

Shingo was the first man to establish control by driving O-Khan into the corner and dropping him with a tackle. A suplex from O-Khan allowed him to take control from Shingo. O-Khan then used targeted holds and strikes to begin wearing down the arm of Shingo, perhaps to prevent the pumping bomber later in the match.

A DDT from Shingo opened the door for a rally. This lasted for a while, but O-Khan fired back with more grappling and more targeting limb work.

A quick side suplex from Shingo reset the match. Shingo followed up with a superplex. He then tried for Made in Japan but couldn’t get O-Khan up. After that didn’t work, he tried for pumping bomber, and each time, his targeted arm prevented the move from properly connecting. O-Khan then grabbed the arm and carried Shingo to the mat.

A pump kick from O-Khan opened the door for an Eliminator attempt. Shingo slipped free and hit the pumping bomber, but O-Khan kicked out. O-Khan then clubbed Shingo with a lariat and tried for a lariat again, but again, failed to connect.

Shingo tried for another bomber but was stuffed, leading to back-and-forth headbutts. O-Khan caught Shingo with a punch and transitioned into an arm breaker in the middle of the ring, nearly forcing the submission.

O-Khan went for an Eliminator attempt that Shingo reversed into a DDT. Shingo hit a German suplex and a pumping bomber with his other arm for a nearfall. He then landed Last of the Dragon and pinned O-Khan to win the match.

Shingo advances to face Zack Sabre Jr. in the Semi-Finals.

Yota Tsuji defeated Konosuke Takeshita

Takeshita secured an early lead, which he used to work over Tsuji on the mat. He tried following up with a senton from the top, but his injured knee slowed him down, allowing Tsuji to reverse and take control of the match. Tsuji then launched into an all-out attack on the knee after the door was opened.

Tsuji’s deliberate offense kept Takeshita grounded. Takeshita used Tsuji’s own speed to catch Tsuji with a lariat to reverse the match’s momentum. Takeshita followed up with a superplex before covering Tsuji with chairs and landing a senton to the floor.

Tsuji caught Takeshita with a backbreaker and a tope to re-assert his control. Takeshita fired back with a German before a double lariat left both men grounded.

Tsuji landed Raging Fire for a nearfall. He tried to close with Gene Blast, but Takeshita cut him off with a knee strike. Takeshita then climbed to the top, where Tsuji met him. Takeshita won out with a lariat, scoring him a nearfall of his own.

Takeshita tried for multiple lariats, but Tsuji refused to fall. Tsuji fired back with his own lariat and knee strike, followed by a barrage of slaps, a headbutt, and a curb stomp. When Tsuji tried his top rope stomp, Takeshita reversed into the blue thunder bomb.

Takeshita tried for Raging Fire, but Tsuji slipped free and hit the Gene Blaster. Takeshita used the rope to escape the pin, keeping his G1 alive. Tsuji tried for another, but Takeshita sidestepped it and hit a German. Before Takeshita could follow up, Tsuji bounced back, hit a second Gene Blaster, and won the match.

Tsuji will face Finlay in the semi-finals.

NJPW G1 Climax 34 night 13 live results: Shingo vs. EVIL

Posted on by Chick Fritts

Night 13 of the NJPW G1 Climax 34 tournament features A Block matches in Yokohama.

In the main event, Shingo Takagi (6 points) takes on EVIL (10 points) in a battle of former LIJ stablemates. It will be the sixth career singles meeting between the two, with Shingo currently holding a 3-2 edge.

In the semi-main, Zack Sabre Jr. (10 points) faces Gabe Kidd (6 points). It’s the fifth career singles meeting for Sabre & Kidd, with Sabre up 3-1 all-time.

Shota Umino (6 points) takes on Jake Lee (6 points) in another A Block battle on today’s show.

SANADA (8 points) vs. Great-O-Khan (6 points) is the second tournament bout of the show.

Tetsuya Naito (8 points) vs. Callum Newman (4 points) kicks off the tournament matches on today’s event.

Today’s undercard:

  • Yota Tsuji & BUSHI vs. Yuya Uemura & TAKA Michinoku
  • Jeff Cobb & Francesco Akira vs. David Finlay & Gedo
  • Hirooki Goto & Tomoaki Honma vs. El Phantasmo & Jado
  • Konosuke Takeshita & HENARE vs. Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
  • Boltin Oleg & Toru Yano vs. Shoma Kato & Katsuya Murashima

**********

Recommended Matches

SANADA vs. Great-O-Khan – This was a fun match built around limb work. While SANADA isn’t at his strongest selling an injury, O-Khan more than made up for that with a focused performance.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Gabe Kidd – This was a fantastic clash of styles. Kidd and ZSJ meshed well here, leading to a firey battle to determine the fate of A Block.

**********

Undercard Results

Boltin Oleg & Toru Yano defeated Shoma Kato & Katsuya Murashima

Konosuke Takeshita & HENARE defeated Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Hirooki Goto & Tomoaki Honma defeated El Phantasmo & Jado

Jeff Cobb & Francesco Akira defeated David Finlay & Gedo

Yota Tsuji & BUSHI defeated Yuya Uemura & TAKA Michinoku

**********

A Block Results

Tetsuya Naito defeated Callum Newman

This match was what you’d expect from a Naito opener in 2024. It wasn’t horrible, but nothing I’d seek out.

Newman rushed Naito on his way to the ring. Naito tried to hold on outside the ring but a dropkick sent Naito into the barricade, leaving Newman with an early lead over the IWGP champion.

Once the match entered the ring and officially began, Naito dumped Newman to the floor and removed his entrance vestments. He then pulled Newman back in the ring and began to focus on Newman’s neck.

Naito tried for his super hurricanrana, but Newman flipped onto his butt instead of his head. Newman followed up with a pair of kicks to gain some momentum over Naito, but a spinebuster and more neck work ended his rally.

Newman reversed Destino into a knee strike, setting up an OsCutter attempt that he missed. Naito then tried for Destino again, hit it, but only scored a nearfall. To close, Naito hit another Destino and pinned Newman to win the match.

Naito’s victory leaves him with 10 points.

Great-O-Khan defeated SANADA

This match was surprisingly great. I was focused and played to O-Khan’s strengths quite well.

O-Khan opened the match by trying to catch SANADA off guard, initially by pushing him into the ropes before transitioning a choke into a spinning backbreaker of sorts.

After missing an early attempt at Eliminator, O-Khan ate a SANADA magic screw reversing the momentum of the match. SANADA then tried for the rounding body press but landed on his feet, jamming his knee on the landing. This opened the door for a targeted O-Khan attack, forcing SANADA to the floor.

On the outside, O-Khan continued to focus the leg with attacks against the barricade and on the floor. The assault continued in the ring, with O-Khan utilizing multiple holds to establish control in the ring.

A pair of dropkicks bought SANADA some separation. He followed up with a quick plancha to establish control, but his leg stopped him from taking full advantage. SANADA tried for Skull End, only for O-Khan to reverse into a leg hold. SANADA slipped free and hit a partial shining wizard that did more damage to SANADA than O-Khan.

O-Khan delivered a couple of kicks to the back of SANADA’s knee but SANADA managed to answer with a TKO. The follow-up shining wizard was blocked by a stiff right from O-Khan, resetting the match.

O-Khan tried to get the eliminator, but SANADA slipped free. The response O’Connor roll from SANADA was reversed into a sleeper. O-Khan transitioned into a German suplex, but SANADA landed on his feet, leaving him free to hit the shining wizard to the back of O-Khan. SANADA hit a second shining to set up Deadfall, but O-Khan reversed into a facebuster. O-Khan then landed eliminator and pinned SANADA to win the match.

O-Khan keeps his G1 alive with this win, advancing to 8 points.

Jake Lee defeated Shota Umino

Umino reversed the expectations by rushing Lee as the match began. He then pursued Lee to the floor, where he tried having a War Dogs-style fight with Lee. Lee, unsurprisingly, won out here, drove Umino into the barricade, and hit Umino with a chair.

Back in the ring, Lee used basic holds to maintain his control, slowly working over Umino. After an extended period on the back foot, Umino landed a dropkick to gain a bit of momentum. The followup apron DDT and fisherman suplex scored Umino a nearfall.

Lee caught Umino with a knee strike to the midsection to force Umino back to the mat. Lee then kicked Umino while he was down, leading to a count that nearly ended the match.

Umino caught a knee from Lee and dropped him with a forearm. Umino then teased Lee with strikes, leading to an exchange in the middle of the ring. Lee won out and hit a German, only for Umino to answer with Blaze Blade. Umino followed up with ignition, scoring a nearfall.

On his second attempt, Umino hit death rider for a false finish. He picked Lee for another, but Lee reversed into a back suplex. Lee then turned back to his wear-down offense long enough to hit a chokeslam and score a nearfall.

Umino cut off the FBS with a Blaze Blade. He followed up with a second Blaze Blade, but the death rider followup was stuffed. Lee then landed Face Break Shot and pinned Umino to win the match.

Lee’s win puts him at 8 points, while this loss mathematically eliminates Umino from playoff contention.

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Gabe Kidd

This match was fantastic. ZSJ was the perfect foil to Kidd’s ego.

Kidd tried chopping down ZSJ early. ZSJ responded by trying to take Kidd to the mat, but Kidd kept chopping. ZSJ fled to the floor, and Kidd continued to chop.

After dozens and dozens of chops, Kidd challenged ZSJ to sit in the ring and trade slaps. After landing a few back-and-forth palm strikes, Kidd bit ZSJ. This fired ZSJ up, leading to a rally.

After being on the receiving end of some high-impact ZSJ strikes, Kidd landed a lariat and a brainbuster. ZSJ responded with some targeted offense, focusing Kidd’s arm to maintain control. Kidd powered through with a suplex to reset the match.

After a short back and forth on the mat, Kidd hit ZSJ with Emerald Flowsion. He then attempted a moonsault, but ZSJ caught him in a triangle. Kidd fought out heavy strikes, but only after receiving heavy damage.

ZSJ tried for the Gotch piledriver, but Kidd stuffed it. When Kidd tried to answer, ZSJ caught him with the Zack Driver. A rebound lariat from Kidd led to another back-and-forth, ending with a choke from ZSJ. Kidd responded by saying he’d never tap out, flipping off the crowd, and passing out.

This win guarantees ZSJ’s spot in the playoffs with 12 points. Kidd has also been eliminated from contention.

Shingo Takagai defeated EVIL

This was horrible.

EVIL rushed Shingo as the match began, taking the match to the floor immediately. He drove Shingo into the barricade and attacked him with chairs to establish a strong lead.

After a long time on the back foot, Shingo hit a leg whip to gain some footing. Takagi’s rally was fairly uneventful, lasting until EVIL landed a lariat to retake control.

Shingo challenged EVIL with a quick strike exchange, ending with a sliding bomber that left Shingo ahead. When Shingo tried to follow up, EVIL bumped the referee and gouged EVIL’s eyes. Dick Togo then hit the ring, helping EVIL take control.

Hiromu ran to the ring to help Shingo but was overwhelmed without backup. A man dressed as BUSHI then appeared only to attack Shingo. Another BUSHI showed up, leading to the reveal that the original was Kaneamaru. From here, House of Torture destroyed Shingo with basically no pushback.

Shingo escaped Everything is Evil and landed a pumping bomber to buy some time. Shingo followed up with Made in Japan, but Dick Togo rang the bell early, breaking up the followup pin.

The referee was bumped again. Kanemaru then hit Shingo with his whiskey bottle, setting up the Magic Killer. Hiromu hit the ring again, causing enough distraction for Shingo to avoid Kanemaru’s whiskey misting. BUSHI then hit the ring and misted EVIL himself.

LIJ cleared the ring of HoT, leaving EVIL alone with Shingo. Shingo hit the pumping bomber. He then transitioned into Last of the Dragon and won the match.

Shingo now rests at 8 points, staying alive in the G1.

NJPW G1 Climax 34 night 12 live results: Goto vs. Finlay

Posted on by Chick Fritts

A sold-out Korakuen Hall in Tokyo hosts B Block action on night 12 of the NJPW G1 Climax 34 tournament.

In the main event, Hirooki Goto (6 points) faces David Finlay (8 points). It will be the first career singles meeting between the two, as Goto looks to stay alive, while Finlay aims to keep his spot atop B Block.

In the semi-main, Yuya Uemura (6 points) faces Ren Narita (6 points). Uemura and Narita were part of the same class of Young Lions and thus have met 12 times previously in singles bouts, with Narita winning all 12.

HENARE (6 points) will take on Yota Tsuji (6 points) in another B Block bout on the show.

Konosuke Takeshita (6 points) faces El Phantasmo (4 points) in more B Block action.

In the night’s opening tournament bout, Jeff Cobb (8 points) will face Boltin Oleg (4 points) with Cobb trying to keep pace atop the B Block.

Tonight’s undercard:

  • Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi vs. EVIL & Dick Togo
  • Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma vs. Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee
  • SANADA & TAKA Michinoku vs. Great-O-Khan & Callum Newman

Tonight’s show streams live on NJPW World beginning at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.

**********

Recommended Matches

Jeff Cobb vs. Oleg Boltin – This was one of my favorite matches from the tournament. With every outing from Oleg, he looks better than the last.

Konosuke Takeshita vs. El Phantasmo – This was the most over-the-top match of the tournament. It was filled with intensity and passion. It’s easily one of the standout matches from this year’s G1.

Hirooki Goto vs. David Finlay – Again, if you’re looking for a traditional New Japan main event, it seems like Goto is your man this G1. He more than delivered tonight with a classic, emotional performance.

**********

Undercard Results

Great-O-Khan & Callum Newman defeated SANADA & TAKA Michinoku

Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee defeated Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma

Tetsuya Naito & Shingo Takagi defeated EVIL & Dick Togo

**********

B Block Results

Jeff Cobb defeated Oleg Boltin

This match was fantastic. What started as a wrestling showcase escalated into a war of convincing power moves and desperation.

This match opened with grappling, showing off both guy’s amateur backgrounds. Oleg won out in the initial scramble, forcing Cobb to the floor. After returning to the ring, Cobb caught Oleg with a strike instead of grappling, changing the flow of the match. Oleg responded by throwing Cobb across the ring and laying into Cobb with strikes of his own.

Cobb answered Oleg by kicking him on the mat to establish a lead. When Cobb attempted his standing moonsault, Oleg moved out of the way to reverse the momentum once more. Both men traded dropkicks to stay on even footing as the match continued to heat up.

Oleg eventually caught Cobb with a belly-to-belly suplex. This opened the door for a substantial sequence from Oleg, ending with a splash that scored him a nearfall. Oleg then tried to follow up with his gut wrench throw, but Cobb slipped free and did the move himself to retake the lead.

Cobb tried for a lariat, but Oleg caught him with another massive suplex. Oleg then hit Cobb with his gut wrench throw and a Boltin Bomb for a nearfall. With the end in sight, Oleg tried for his finish, but Cobb slipped free. This led to a back-and-forth for control, initially favoring Cobb.

Cobb tried for the Aloha Maker, but Cobb reversed into the Kamikaze. This scored another nearfall for Oleg. When Oleg tried for another, Cobb slipped free, leading to back-and-forth lariats. Cobb’s lariat won out in the end, leaving him free to hit Tour of the Islands and win the match.

With this win, Cobb leads B Block with 10 points. It also eliminates Oleg from playoff contention.

Konosuke Takeshita defeated El Phantasmo

This match was insane. It was filled to the brim with wild action all at an absurd pace. This was, without a doubt, the best performance I’ve ever seen from ELP and a fantastic outing from Takeshita.

ELP started this match with confidence, landing a dropkick before gesturing to the crowd. Takeshita fired back with the Takeshita line and some taunting of his own. ELP then tried a strike, but Takeshita ducked, leading to an awkward headbutt in the midsection, leaving both men flustered. Takeshita followed up with a DDT and an Irish whip to establish a substantial lead.

ELP ducked a knee from Takeshita, sending Takeshita to the floor. ELP followed up with a reckless suicide dive and a stunning moonsault into the floor seats to completely reverse the momentum of the match. ELP then took a moment to celebrate in the crowd before returning to the ring with a springboard senton and moonsault for a nearfall.

ELP tried for a crossbody, but Takeshita caught him, reversing into a dazzling blue thunder bomb. Takeshita then walked to the floor, where he grabbed a table. Takeshita then posted the table outside the ring. ELP faught back on the apron, preventing Takeshita from driving him through the table. They then fought to the top rope, where ELP landed an avalanche rana and a Thunderkiss 86 for a false finish.

Takeshita escaped the CR2 once, but ELP followed up with a quick sequence that allowed him to hit it on his second attempt; Takeshita kicked out. ELP then tried for sudden death, but Takeshita fell to avoid the finish. Takeshita rolled to the outside, where ELP caught him with a pump kick that left him lying on the table from earlier. ELP then climbed to the top rope, but a moment of hesitation allowed Takeshita to meet him on the apron. Takeshita then grabbed ELP and hit him with a disgusting bastard driver through the table.

A now bloody ELP barely beat the count. Takeshita tried following up with a finish, but ELP slipped free and hit the sudden death for another false finish. ELP then struggled to engage in a strike exchange before trying for another quick pin and hitting another superkick. As ELP tried for his finish, Takeshita reversed into the bastard driver position, but ELP rolled through into a pin attempt. Takeshita powered out, hitting ELP with a wheelbarrow German. Takeshita then took ELP’s head off with a lariat, only for ELP to kick out at one. Takeshita then hit the power drive knee, but ELP kicked out again. Finally, Takeshita hit Raging Fire to win the match.

This win leaves Takeshita with 8 points and eliminates ELP from contention in B Block.

Yota Tsuji defeated HENARE

This was another entertaining match. I’d say it was the weakest so far, but it was still more than solid.

This match opened with a relatively slow feeling-out process, with both men looking to prove their strength. HENARE established an early lead that he used to strike down Tsuji methodically. Tsuji answered HENARE with a sudden curb stomp that led into a tope that turned the match on its head.

Tsuji tried for a suplex that HENARE stuffed. HENARE then hit a suplex of his own. When he tried to follow up in the corner, Tsuji caught him with another curb stomp. Tsuji then followed up with a Samoan drop from the top rope.

A strike exchange allowed HENARE to fight his way back into the match. The Bezerker Bomb left HENARE in a seemingly strong position until Tsuji dropped Henare with a lariat to reverse momentum once again. Tsuji launched into a short rally that ended with a lariat from HENARE, resulting in a match reset.

A knee strike from Tsuji turned into an intense strike exchange. HENARE ended it with a rampage, scoring him a nearfall. HENARE then hit a knee of his own but couldn’t land Streets of Rage. The pair traded headbutts before HENARE ran at Tsuji. Tsuji then sprung up, hit HENARE with the Gene Blaster, and pinned HENARE to win the match. 

Tsuji’s win leaves him in solid position with 8 points.

Ren Narita defeated Yuya Uemura

This wasn’t great, but there are defintly worse House of Torture matches. Uemura’s personality and selling carried this match to a watchable level, so that’s something.

Narita jumped Uemura as the match began. He then drove Uemura’s legs into the ringpost and the floor before throwing him into the barricade to establish a strong lead. Back in the ring, Narita continued to target Uemura’s leg.

Uemura eventually fired up, chopping at Narita in the corner. Narita answered by gauging at Uemura’s eyes. When Uemura tried fighting back, he collapsed under the weight of his own body.

A sudden arm drag and dropkick from Uemura acted as a soft reset for Uemura, but the damage to his leg prevented Uemura from taking full advantage. He still managed to land a suplex before climbing to the top rope, where Kanemaru pushed him to the mat. Narita then locked in the knee bar, re-establishing a substantial lead.

Narita tried for the guillotine knee but missed. This allowed Uemura to knock him to the floor and hit a plancha, reversing the match’s momentum. He followed up with a crossbody for a nearfall and a German suplex for another.

Uemura tried for the deadbolt suplex, prompting Narita to bump the referee. Kanemaru missed the follow-up whiskey misting, and Uemura ejected him from the ring with a dropkick. Narita tried for a pushup bar shot, but Uemura blocked him and hit a dragon suplex to maintain his control.

Uemura tried for the deadbolt again. This led to Narita hitting the referee again and a low blow. Narita then landed the double cross and pinned Uemura to win the match.

Narita advances to 8 points.


Hirooki Goto defeated David Finlay

This was another classic Goto match, and a very good one at that.

In the opening back-and-forth, Goto dumped Finlay on the floor. He followed up with a tackle in the ring, but Finlay answered with a drop on the rope and a leg sweep to reverse momentum. The match then worked its way to the floor, where Finlay slammed Goto into the barricade and bit Goto’s forehead.

Back in the ring, Finlay began to pick apart Goto with a deliberate offense that lasted until Goto landed a massive lariat to reset the match. Goto followed up with a back suplex, but a lariat from Finlay sent both men back to the floor.

Finlay removed the padding on the outside and attempted a powerbomb on the exposed floor. Goto stuffed the move and dropped Finlay on the floor himself. Finlay answered by throwing Goto into the barricade again, maintaining a lead.

In the ring, Finlay continued to bite Goto, drawing the referee’s attention. This allowed Goto to fire back with a lariat and a ushigoroshi to retake the lead. A reverse GTR and a lariat set up the normal GTR, but Goto failed to connect. Instead, he landed a rope-assisted Shoto for a nearfall.

When Goto tried for the GTR again, Finlay slipped free and landed Oblivion. After Goto kicked out, Finlay hit a turnbuckle powerbomb and a traditional powerbomb for a nearfall. Finlay then tried for his finish, but Goto stuffed it, transitioning into Shouten Kai.

With Goto reversing the momentum, Gedo tried distracting the referee long enough for Finlay to use his shillelagh. Goto cut him off with a headbutt. Goto then threw the shillelagh to the floor and dropped Finlay with a GTW for a nearfall.

Goto attempted GTR, but Finlay reversed into Oblivion. On the decent, Goto caught the knee, blocking Finlay’s finish. Goto then dropped Finlay with a headbutt and hit Finlay with GTR to win the match.

Goto joins the crowded 8-point club, keeping his G1 very much alive.

NJPW G1 Climax 34 night two results: Tsuji vs. Finlay

Posted on by Chick Fritts

Nine tournament matches are set for night two of NJPW’s G1 Climax 34.

In the main event, Los Ingobernables de Japon’s Yota Tsuji will face Bullet Club’s David Finlay in a B Block matchup.

Tsuji and Finlay have squared off once before in singles competition in their careers, with Finlay scoring the victory.

18 of 20 competitors will be in action on tonight’s card, with B Block’s Konosuke Takeshita and Jeff Cobb the only tournament wrestlers not taking part in today’s show. As with yesterday, every bout in today’s lineup is a tournament match.

The full card for Sunday’s show:

  • B Block: Yota Tsuji vs. David Finlay
  • A Block: Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
  • A Block: Shota Umino vs. Shingo Takagi
  • B Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Yuya Uemura
  • A Block: Jake Lee vs. EVIL
  • B Block: El Phantasmo vs. Ren Narita
  • A Block: Great-O-Khan vs. Gabe Kidd
  • B Block: Oleg Boltin vs. HENARE
  • A Block: SANADA vs. Callum Newman

**********

Recommended Matches
HENARE vs. Oleg Boltin – This was a rad hoss match. I really can’t get enough of Oleg.

Yuya Uemura vs. Hirooki Goto – This is probably the match with best executed narrative of the tournament so far. It also seems as if Uemura is also finding his footing again, so that’s exciting.

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tetsuya Naito – This is one of the better Naito matches as of late. It’s exactly the kind of match he needs to be working. It’s filled with slick sequences and felt like it could end any moment.

Yota Tsuji vs. David Finlay – If you enjoy main event New Japan, this is for you. It built to a crescendo filled with reversals and potential finishes.

SANADA defeated Callum Newman

SANADA worked a somewhat meaner match here tonight than usual, building on his shocking sub-five-minute loss from last night. The match itself was a fine little thing. I would say it outperformed my expectations.

Newman and SANADA opened the match with a basic feeling-out process until a dropkick sent SANADA to the floor. Newman attempted a dive in follow-up but missed, allowing SANADA to answer with a magic screw. He then dropped Newman on the barricade before bringing the match back to the ring.

In the ring, Newman connected with a stomp to the back that opened SANADA up to a bit of offense. It only lasted a moment, though, as SANADA cut him off with a magic screw, bringing the match back into the hands of the former World’s champion.

SANADA hit a shining wizard but missed the rounding body press, leaving Newman free to answer with a sudden knee strike. Newman followed up with a quick dropkick in the corner, but the double stomp follow-up whiffed. SANADA tried to reply with a shining wizard, but that missed, too. After Newman overshot another kick, SANDA managed to lock in skull end, but Newman reversed into a cutter. Newman attempted to close with the OsCutter, but SANADA cut him off, landed Deadfall, and pinned him.

SANADA secures his first win of the tournament, putting him at 2 points.

HENARE defeats Oleg Boltin

This match was great. It was super simple, to the point, and fantastically executed.

A powerful collar-and-elbow opened this match. Once that proved insufficient, they moved to trading strikes. Once that wasn’t enough, they moved to tackles. Oleg’s tackle was enough to knock HENARE to the floor, securing the first lead of the match.

HENARE answered Oleg’s lead with high leg kicks. Once Oleg fell to his knees, HENARE took off his head with a kick to the jaw. HENARE then placed Oleg in the corner and unloaded with more strikes. Oleg answered with a powerful slam, which forced HENARE into the corner.

Oleg threw HENARE across the ring before attempting his finish, but HENARE slipped free. HENARE then landed a kick from the rope, knocking Oleg to the mat. HENARE followed up with a disgusting knee strike that rattled Oleg’s jaw.

With the finish in sight, HENARE waited in the corner, but somehow, Oleg cut him off with a dropkick. Oleg responded with a kamikaze, scoring a convincing nearfall. To my knowledge, this was the first time someone has kicked out of that move.

Having survived Oleg’s finish, HENARE slipped free of the second attempt, leading to a struggle for control. HENARE tried for a submission but couldn’t get it; instead, a back-and-forth strike battle followed. HENARE won out with a strong kick and a flying headbutt. He then landed Streets of Rage and pinned Oleg to win the match.

HENARE now leads B Block with 4 points.

Gabe Kidd defeated Great-O-Khan

I almost enjoyed this match, but it had too many issues in the end to look past. O-Khan’s performance was above average, and Kidd was decent. The structure of the match really hurt it, though. There was just far too much going on.

Kidd dared O-Khan to wrestle as the match opened but caught him with a few strikes as soon as there was an opening. O-Khan answered Kidd’s cuteness with a throw, a suplex, and a lariat that knocked Kidd to the floor. O-Khan then drove Kidd into the barricade, daring Kidd to a brawl instead of a match classic, to which Kidd accepted.

Kidd and O-Khan brawled from one side of the crowd to the other. By the time they emerged, Kidd had control. He then led O-Khan back to the ring, where he drove O-Khan into the post before calling out Hiromu Takahashi.

As soon as the match returned to the ring, O-Khan dumped Kidd to the floor. O-Khan landed a plancha, securing a lead before throwing Kidd into a barricade and a sea of chairs. O-Khan then tied up Kidd with chairs before dragging him back to the ring.

Back in the ring, a suplex attempt led to both men falling over the top rope and crashing over the top rope back to the floor. As the count began to climb, the men started trading strikes, meandering away from the ring. Once the count hit 19, they sprinted together to beat the referee.

Back inside, they traded strikes and German suplexes before O-Khan hit a GFO to establish a lead. He then tried for the eliminator but failed, leading to a scramble for control. In the end, Kidd won out with a massive lariat that won him the match.

Kidd is on the board with 2 points.

Ren Narita defeated El Phantasmo

ELP has lost all his friends, and he is sad. That is the story of his G1.

A quick boot from Narita opened this match, catching the depressed ELP off guard. He managed to rebound with a dropkick to reset the match in his favor.

After knocking Narita to the mat and landing a plancha, ELP started trying for more and more dives. Eventually, ELP missed, opening the door back up for Narita. Narita whipped ELP into the barricade and hit him with a chair after distracting the referee.

Back in the ring, Narita began to brutalize ELP’s leg. As ELP fought back through the attack, he continued to use acrobatic offense while attempting to sell the damage done to his limb (until he fired up and began jumping on it).

After stomping on Narita in the corner, ELP grabbed Narita’s pushup bar. Narita dared him to use it. After thinking about it, he decided not to. Narita tried to follow up with the Double Cross, but ELP reversed. Narita still maintained control, though with a quick guillotine.

Narita climbed to the top rope, where ELP cut him off with a rana. ELP followed up with a Thunderkiss 86 for a nearfall. Before he could follow up, the referee was shoved to the ground. Narita then hit Double Cross and won the match.

Ren Narita has slipped his first 2 points.

EVIL defeated Jake Lee

Ah, this is what I’ve come to expect from Jake Lee and EVIL. This match was slow, tedious, and filled with cheap cheating. This was horrible.

Before the action could begin, EVIL offered Lee a “Too Sweet” in traditional Bullet Club fashion. It looked like Lee would accept, but instead, he poked EVIL and Dick Togo in the eyes, Three Stooges style. He then threw EVIL to the floor and threatened to stomp Togo below the belt before letting him go.

Once the match officially began, Lee choked EVIL against the rope, leading to him fleeing almost imidatly. When Lee followed him, EVIL whipped him into the barricade and choked him with cables. Back in the ring, EVIL maintained his lead by distracting the referee and utilizing Togo.

After minutes on the back foot, Lee fought back with a Boston crab. This led to a fake bell ring, a ref bump, and Togo hitting the ring. Lee managed to fight through the interference as the referee recovered, leading to a chokeslam for a nearfall. During the scuffle, EVIL managed to rake Lee’s eyes, leading to him missing the Face Break Shot. Once he missed his finish, Togo threw powder in his eyes, EVIL landed Everything is Evil and pinned Lee to win the match.

EVIL is now the A Block leader with 4 points.

Yuya Uemura defeated Hirooki Goto

This was a rock-solid generational gap match. Goto tried his best to learn Uemura, but failed.

Goto wrestled Uemura to the ground as the match began, but Uemura held his own in the opening scramble. Goto then tried to ground Uemura with a shoulder tackle, but Uemura fired back with a dropkick. Uemura then placed Goto in the corner, where he unloaded with strikes that forced the referee to become involved. This unsportsmanlike behavior upset Goto, leading to a fiery response filled with harsh strikes.

Goto continued his act of discipline by locking in a Bostin crab in the middle of the ring. Once Uemura escaped, he landed an arm drag and a dropkick to reset the match. Uemura flew too close to the sun again when he climbed to the top rope; Goto avoided his dive and responded with a quick Ushigoroshi to regain his footing once more.

After a strike exchange, Goto hit a GTW for a nearfall. When Goto tried following up with a knee strike, Uemura caught him and answered with a headbutt. He tried for the deadbolt suplex, but Goto reversed, leading to a quick back and forth with both men slipping in and out of each other’s finish. In the end, it was Uemura who was able to hit the deadbolt suplex, which won him the match.

Uemura keeps the pace with 4 points.

Shota Umino defeated Shingo Takagi

I didn’t love this. The mid-match pacing felt sluggish, and it picked up at the end. This was the second-longest match of the tournament so far, and I felt every second.

This match was all Shingo until the final stretch. The narrative was that Umino refused to quit, but Shingo outclassed him in every way.

Umino rushed Shingo as the match began, hitting him with a dropkick and a flurry of forearms in the corner in an attempt to gain an early advantage. Shingo fired back with forearms of his own to fight out of the corner. From here, the pair fought to the apron, where Shingo dropped Umino on his back before whipping him into the barricade.

Back in the ring, Shingo utilized basic holds to wear down Umino. Umino answered with a sudden DDT to the apron. When Umino attempted to follow up, Shingo suplexed him into the corner, retaking control. He then used slightly more impactful offense to stay ahead until Umino landed an exploder suplex from the top rope.

As soon it looked like Shota had a chance, Shingo landed a lariat to retake the lead. This time, he landed a superplex, a sliding lariat, and a senton, all in quick succession. A quick DDT from Umino allowed him another moment to breathe, but again, Shingo responded by driving him into the corner moments later. The pumping bomber that followed was the icing on the cake.

Knowing that the end was in sight, Shingo landed another pumping bomber. He then hit Made in Japan, but Umino kicked out. When he tried for Last of the Dragon but, Umino wiggled free. Umino then managed to hit another DDT to buy even more time.

Shingo managed to hit another partial pumping bomber, but Umino fired back with a half-dragon suplex. Umino then landed Blaze Blade for a nearfall of his own. When Umino tried for Death Rider, Shingo blocked, leading to a quick back and forth. Shingo then ran at Umino; Umino caught him and landed the Death Rider, leaving him with the win.

Umino has earned his first 2 points.

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Tetsuya Naito

This was a match that managed to cover Naito’s growing weaknesses exceptionally well. The sequences were slick and smart, and it felt like it could end at any moment. Great stuff.

ZSJ offered Naito a LIJ salute to open the match; Naito responded by spitting in ZSJ’s face. ZSJ then clobbered Naito with some elbows before Naito tried for a quick pin. This led to a sequence of rapid pin attempts from both men, any of which could’ve believably ended the match.

An exchange on the mat that initially favored Naito eventually left ZSJ in control. ZSJ then leveled Naito with uppercuts before returning to some methodical grappling. When Naito tried to challenge ZSJ’s control, ZSJ tied him up in the rope and dragged him to the floor to continue his assault.

A quick hangman’s neckbreaker to the floor put Naito in control for the first time in this match. Naito then turned to the neck, as you would expect. But just as Naito found his groove, he paused, allowing ZSJ to catch him and bring him to the mat.

ZSJ worked over Naito until he was able to land PK. ZSJ tried to follow up with the Zack Driver, but Naito reversed into Destino. This took so much out of both men that it effectively reset the match.

From a standing position, both men began trading strikes. This lasted until Naito dropped ZSJ with elbows to the neck. Two quick pin attempts followed. Once that didn’t work, another short strike exchange happened. Then ZSJ trapped Naito in a pin and won the match.

After the match, ZSJ posed Naito’s belt before he walked to the back.

ZSJ is still undefeated, having defeated the reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and earning his 4th point in A Block.

Yota Tsuji defeated David Finlay

Tonight’s main event opened Tsuji, landing a rana that sent Finlay to the floor and a follow-up rana. Tsuji then whipped Finlay into the barricade to establish a strong lead, which he maintained by locking in a Boston crab.

Finlay spat in Tsuji’s face to buy some separation, which he used to drive Tsuji to the top of the ring post. He then tossed Tsuji across the ring before landing some knee strikes to Tsuji’s midsection. A stomp from Tsuji in the corner seemingly stopped Finlay’s offense, but he quickly responded by shoving Tsuji to the ground. On the outside, Finlay shoved Tsuji into the barricades and threw him into the ring post. Back in the ring, Finlay landed a Dominator for a two-count.

When Finlay tried for Oblivion, Tsuji reversed into a suplex. He then delivered a second stomp. When two stomps proved insufficient, Tsuji tried a third. A brutal knee and a power drive from Tsuji seemingly furthered this lead by setting up the Gene Blast.

When Tsuji attempted tried for his Gene Blast spear, Finlay rolled through and hit Oblivion; Tsuji kicked out. Finlay followed up with three powerbombs, setting up Overkill. When he tried for the Overkill, Tsuji rolled him up, nearly stealing a win. Finlay answered with a lariat.

After five forearms from Finlay, Tsuji threw a headbutt that rocked Finlay. This opened the door for a sudden Gene Blast, but Finlay rolled onto his stomach. Tsuji didn’t waste time, though; he followed his spear with his rope-assisted stomp Malo Crash and pinned Finlay, winning the match.

Tsuji ends the night by getting points on the board. He sits at 2 points.

A Block Standings

EVIL – 4 Points
Zack Sabre Jr. – 4 Points
SANADA – 2 Points
Callum Newman – 2 Points
Gabe Kidd – 2 Points
Jake Lee – 2 Points
Shota Umino – 2 Points
Shingo Takagi – 2 Points
Great-O-Khan – 0 Points
Tetsuya Naito – 0 Points

B Block Standings

HENARE – 4 Points
Yuya Uemura – 4 Points
Oleg Boltin – 2 Points
Ren Narita – 2 Points
Yota Tsuji – 2 Points
Jeff Cobb – 2 Points
Konosuke Takeshita – 2 Points
David Finlay – 0 Points
Hirooki Goto – 0 Points
El Phantasmo – 0 Points