Tag: g1 climax 35 results

NJPW G1 Climax 35 results: Semifinals

Posted on by Corey Michaels

The NJPW G1 Climax 35 tournament reaches its penultimate night with semifinals action.

IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. and Konosuke Takeshita square off in the main event with a place in Sunday’s finals hanging in the balance. Sabre earned a bye into the semis with his first place finish in B Block, while Takeshita earned his way in with a win over David Finlay in the quarterfinals on Thursday.

Tonight’s other semifinals bout features EVIL vs. Yota Tsuji. EVIL earned his spot in the semis by finishing with the highest point total in A Block, while Tsuji defeated Shota Umino in Thursday’s quarterfinals to move on.

The winners of tonight’s bouts will square off tomorrow in the G1 finals with a spot in the Wrestle Kingdom main event potentially on the line. Last year’s G1 winner Sabre chose to cash in his title shot at King of Pro Wrestling last October rather than wait for the traditional January 4 Tokyo Dome challenge. Sabre defeated Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP World title last October.

**********

  • El Desperado, Ryusuke Taguchi, Shota Umino, YOSHI-HASHI & Yuya Uemura defeated Master Wato, Satoshi Kojima, Taichi, Toru Yano & YOH
  • House of Torture defeated Oleg Boltin & Tomoaki Honma
  • United Empire defeated El Phantasmo, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuya Murashima
  • Daiki Nagai & Shingo Takagi defeated War Dogs (David Finlay & Gedo)
  • House of Torture defeated War Dogs
  • House of Torture defeated TMDK
  • EVIL defeated Yota Tsuji
  • Konosuke Takeshita defeated Zack Sabre Jr.

Main Card – Tag Team Matches

El Desperado, Ryusuke Taguchi, Shota Umino, YOSHI-HASHI & Yuya Uemura defeated Master Wato, Satoshi Kojima, Taichi, Toru Yano & YOH

(Fun 10-man tag to open the show. Everyone hit their best strengths. Kojima and Taichi’s moments were a real chuckle, on par with Yano and Taguchi’s comedic proclivities.)

Uemura and Taichi locked up, with the former eating a big boot from the latter. Deep arm drag by Uemura saw Taichi dragged into the corners, with Umino soon on the receiving end of a kick. Kojima and Taichi had an awkward intense stare after Yano tagged himself in. Kojima eventually made it in, were he rained down chops on Umino’s chest.

YOSHI-HASHI and Desperado bore down on Kojima, who escaped to YOH. Suplexing Desperado, YOH dropped to one himself. Taguchi delivered two Funky Weapons to topple Wato. YOSHI-HASHI nearly tricked Taichi into taking out Kojima, who repeatedly tried shaking Taichi’s hand. Uemura and Umino coordinated to plummet Wato to the mat. Taguchi hit Wato with a Bomaye.

Desperado assisted Taguchi by slingshotting Wato and YOH onto the top rope. Wato fell down, while Desperado pulled YOH by the leg. Taguchi took advantage of the situation by rolling up Wato. Three taps later and Taguchi won the match for his comrades.

House of Torture (Don Fale & Yujiro Takahashi) defeated Oleg Boltin & Tomoaki Honma

(With his recent, crushing loss to EVIL in the G1 Climax A-Block coupled with this loss, there might be a slight change in Boltin. With commentary mentioning to keep an eye on Boltin’s post-match comments in the night, I wonder what it could be.)

A bitter Boltin didn’t even bother taking off his shirt or NEVER Openweight Championship; he charged Fale in the corner and chopped him down. Fale fired back with strikes but stumbled to his opponent’s dropkick. Fale dropped him with a charging lariat and tagged Takahashi in. Honma tagged in after his partner stunned Takahashi with a shotgun dropkick.

Takahashi rolled out of the way of Honma’s Kokeshi. Boltin halted Fale’s rampage for Honma to deliver one Kokeshi. Mid-Kokeshi, Fale caught Honma by the throat, hit him with a stiff clothesline, and an elbow drop for the pinfall.

Post-match: Fale and Takahashi dispatched an irate Boltin, with Fale faux-pinning his downed former opponent.

United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan & Jakob Austin Young) defeated El Phantasmo, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuya Murashima

(Newman’s being positioned as the big star of this triumvirate while Khan’s longer tenure glues the group’s dynamics in place. This match was emblematic of that in the wake of departures like Jeff Cobb, Will Ospreay, and Aussie Open’s. Murashima is coming to his own, displaying more than intensity and drama; he’ll go far in NJPW.)

Khan grappled with the Ace, ultimately driving him into the corner. Tanahashi rebounded with a flying crossbody with further assist from Phantasmo and a senton by Murashima. Tanahashi, Phantasmo, and Murashima did an air guitar pose, the latter of which had such a good time doing it that he didn’t notice Young and Newman taking out his partners. After singlehandedly dispatching United Empire, Murashima resumed excitedly playing the air guitar until Tanahashi calmed him down.

Khan sat atop Tanahashi’s shoulders on the top rope, pressing his full weight. He pulled the Ace to the ring’s center for Mongolian chops that instantly fell his opponent. Phantasmo soared into the United Empire on the outside, dragging Khan back into the ring for a Senton + Lionsault combo. Scouting Phantasmo, Khan caught his Canadian opponent with a punch. Sturdy as he was, Newman flipped in the air by Murashima’s power, landing to Tanahashi’s Slingblade and Murashima’s bulldog powerslam.

Newman charged for Murashima, with some trouble. However, he inevitably sent the Young Lion on his back with a crushing Firebolt. This earned Newman and his United Empire co-horts the win.

Daiki Nagai & Shingo Takagi defeated War Dogs (David Finlay & Gedo)

(Unafilliated (LIJ) coming to Nagai’s aid more and more keeps me invested in this new iteration of the group. Post-Naito and BUSHI, its as though Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi, and Yota Tsuji are filling a void left behind and the hungry Nagai could be that foil.)

Finlay swiftly dragged Nagai to the ropes, where the pair struck the other with elbows in repetition. Ruthlessly, Finlay battered the Young Lion and hit him with a Senton. Spinning around Nagai atop his shoulders, Finlay dizzily stumbled to a tag with Gedo.

Nagai struggled back to his feet, grounded firmly by Gedo’s neck hold. Takagi tagged in, but had little luck when Gedo and Finlay unified their sights on him. Nagai came to Takagi’s aid, resulting in a plancha to Finlay. Gedo hit the ground stunned after Takagi’s Dangerous Driver. WAR Special locked in, Gedo submitted to the merciless hold of Takagi.

House of Torture (SANADA & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) defeated War Dogs (Drilla Moloney & Taiji Ishimori)

(House of Torture win, but at least I got a kick out of Ishimori noticeably taking out Kanemaru on the outside away from the camera. Combined with the whiskey spray from the War Dogs and the sound the guitar made on Moloney popped me. That said, I hope the resulting blood wasn’t too serious. He staggered off in the end as it streamed down his face.)

SANADA was dressed from head to toe in a full-body reflective suit. Glimmering in the light, he looked like a human disco ball.

Both teams wasted no time as they brawled before and after the bell. Moloney and Ishimori went to work on Kanemaru in the corner. SANADA pulled Moloney away, bashing him against the hard, blue steel guardrails near the crowd. Kanemaru and SANADA applied pressure with their legs, driving Ishimori into the corner turnbuckle. Ishimori leapt to a comeback with a dropkick to Kanemaru.

Moloney with the tag, scouted SANADA’s each move temporarily downed him. Kanemaru prevented any follow-up courtesy of a leg pull. Ishimori equalized Kanemaru on the outside, loudly and off-camera. SANADA clutched the referee when Moloney hoped to suplex him. Kanemaru sought to spray whiskey in Moloney’s eye but he ducked in time. The War Dogs imbibed the whiskey, spraying it into the House of Torture. SANADA blasted Moloney’s skull with his guitar, deeply embedding it. This earned House of Torture a pin.

House of Torture (DOUKI, Ren Narita & SHO) defeated TMDK (Hartley Jackson, Kosei Fujita & Ryohei Oiwa)

(Fujita and Oiwa didn’t get much time, but Jackson put up a valiant effort. I wasn’t a fan of this match once it became clear and predictable, try as everyone might.)

House of Torture struck Fujita and Oiwa, but had a hard time with Jackson. SHO and DOUKI bullied Fujita on the outside. Narita added to this in the ring, driving Fujita’s head along the rope. DOUKI overwhelmed the exhausted and worn Fujita, capitalizing with a double-stomp. Wearily, Fujita turned the tables at last with a dropkick.

Oiwa blasted off with a fury, dropkicking Narita and punishing him with utmost focus on the left arm. Even though he raked Oiwa in the eye, he found himself again in the throes of agony courtesy of another arm hold. SHO joined Narita to torment Oiwa, both men dropped to a double-clothesline.

Jackson threw his weight at Narita. Suffering knee targeting, Jackson’s friends aided him into landing a senton on Narita. Clinging the referee to the rope, Narita distracted him so SHO might harm Jackson more with a wrench. Thanks to this, a poke in the eye, and DOUKI’s pipe, House of Torture quelled Jackson’s Jagged Edge. Narita locked in a figure-four leglock to tap Jackson out.

G1 Climax Semifinal Matches

EVIL defeated Yota Tsuji

(Disappointed with the finish. It feels like a crime. And voice my misgivings as I might, I think there’s nothing stopping NJPW from booking EVIL versus Zack Sabre Jr at Wrestle Kingdom 20.)

Tsuji got the better of EVIL initially, but Dick Togo pulled him into the steel guardrail outside. EVIL flung him into it, toppling over someone in a production desk. Wrapping a microphone around Tsuji’s neck, EVIL demanded he declar him the winner. Shingo Takagi and Daiki Nagai joined Tsuji’s side to urge him back up. There htey stayed through the match.

EVIL hoped to take advantage of the recent woes he inflicted on Tsuji, but he persevered. Sinking in a figure-four leglock, EVIL inevitably relinquished his hold. Hurling his opponent in the corner, he powerbombed the limping Tsuji. The two battled for a vertical suplex, with Tsuji grittily pulling through.

In his spirited comeback, Tsuji chopped down EVIL. In his ire, EVIL beamed Tsuji into and over the steel guardrail. Dick Togo kicked Tsuji’s leg into the barricade and fled behind Don Fale after Shingo Takagi gave chase. EVIL cinched in a deep Darkness Scorpion. Red-faced and unrelenting, Tsuji dramatically gripped a rope break.

Tsuji curb stomped EVIL, earning him enough time for a reprieve. A Spanish Fly begat an urgent rebound by Tsuji, leading EVIL to fling the referee in the way of a Gene Blaster. With the referee incapacitated, Fale and Togo frantically took out Nagai and Takagi so they could assault Tsuji. EVIL’s allies and Tsuji’s allies gave each other low blows. Tsuji and EVIL traded counter after counter. Attempting to send EVIL from the top rope, Tsuji tragically fell to Fale’s low blow. EVIL locked in one last Darkness Scorpion, enough to render Tsuji unconscious.

Post-match: Referee Kenta Sato rejected Takagi and Nagai’s appeals to overturn the finish, as Tsuji hadn’t tapped out.

Konosuke Takeshita defeated Zack Sabre Jr.

(Takeshita pulled out a miracle here. Off the cusp of the last match, he became Western fans’ last hope against EVIL with this win. Admittedly, NJPW should be investing more in their younger stock; they’ve quite an impressive crop to do so with. However, Takeshita makes his NJPW dates, and does more than I think most people realize. He is contracted to NJPW, after all. Him winning the G1 and potentially the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship would not be a bad call.)

Sabre started off this rematch by getting the best of Takeshita. However, the Alpha reversed this with a shoulder hold of his own. Sabrearms were tied around his neck as he struggled to maintain calmness. Soon, Sabre shouldered Takeshita to send him down. There, he cranked the arm of his opponent and bent his fingers back. Takeshita wriggled to a rope break.

Sabre aimed for a Penalty Kick on the ring apron, but Takeshita countered him with a DDT to the floor ringside. A German Suplex rendered Sabre momentarily stunned, and a flying shoulder tackle brought him back down. Sabre dodged Takeshita’s knee, kicking the back of it as he did so. To rub salt in the wound, he tied Takeshita’s weak leg against a bottom rope. Following a modified stretch to agonize it further, Sabre stomped on the knee.

Takeshita’s adrenaline propelled him to demolish Sabre with two consecutive exploder suplexes. Sabre snatched a comeback as he clutched an armbar. This essened the affect of a lariat. Out of nowhere, Sabre survived a Blue Thunderbomb to engage a triangle choke. Takeshita wept for frantic rope break attempts as Sabre tied his legs together. A loud clap followed a Rolling Elbow from Takeshita. He stole a Zack Driver to no avail. Desperately, Sabre tried many different holds and pins, but Takeshita escaped via a German suplex.

Sabre avoided a knee, landing a Zack Driver followed by an armbar. He maintained this with urgency as Takeshita miraculously earned a rope break. A lariat overturned Sabre’s Penalty Kick. The men sparred with Sabre slapping the taste out of Takeshita’s mouth. On the top turnbuckle, Sabre maintained a hold on Takeshita’s left arm but fell to the mat in Takeshita’s transitioned Raging Fire. A Powerdrive Knee and another Raging Fire tore Sabre apart for the pinfall.

Post-match: The entire House of Torture spilled to ringside. EVIL teased entering the ring, but smugly backed away and his lackeys joined him.

(I stress again the urgency of elevating the young, hot talent. So many could’ve qualified for the playoffs, semifinals, and finals. EVIL, no matter what his popularity in Japan may or may not be, should not be in this position in 2025. Hope beyond hope, Takeshita’s NJPW schedule could see him be a bigger deal in AEW and NJPW. The stars of the past cannot be relied on forever, especially in today’s wildly changing wrestling climate.)

NJPW G1 Climax 35 results: A Block’s final night

Posted on by Corey Michaels

NJPW G1 Climax 35 reaches the conclusion of A Block matches on today’s show in Hamamatsu.

The top three competitors in A Block will advance to the playoffs, beginning Thursday. The Block winner receives a bye into the semifinals set for next Saturday.

Eight of ten competitors in A Block have some chance of advancing to the playoffs entering today’s show. Only two competitors can seal their own fate with a victory.

Yuya Uemura (10 points) faces David Finlay (8 points) in today’s main event. If Uemura wins, he’s in the playoffs. Finlay needs to win and get help to advance.

EVIL (10 points) faces Hiroshi Tanahashi (8 points) in the semi-main. EVIL is in the playoffs with a victory. Tana needs to win and get help to make the playoffs.

Yota Tsuji (8 points) and Callum Newman (8 points) meet in the third tournament match of the show. Each needs to win and get help to advance.

Ryohei Oiwa (8 points) faces SANADA (6 points) in the second tournament bout tonight. SANADA is eliminated from contention, while Oiwa needs to win and get help to remain alive.

Boltin Oleg (8 points) vs. Taichi (6 points) is today’s tournament opener. Taichi is eliminated, and Boltin needs to win and get help to keep his playoff hopes alive.

**********

  • War Dogs defeated Daiki Nagai & Shingo Takagi
  • TMDK defeated Shoma Kato & YOSHI-HASHI
  • United Empire defeated Katsuya Murashima & Shota Umino
  • House of Torture defeated The Don Callis Family
  • Oleg Boltin defeated Taichi
  • SANADA defeated Ryohei Oiwa
  • Yota Tsuji defeated Callum Newman
  • EVIL defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi
  • David Finlay defeated Yuya Uemura

Main Card – Tag Team Matches

Bullet Club War Dogs (Drilla Moloney & Taiji Ishimori) defeated Daiki Nagai & Shingo Takagi

(Moloney has the killer instinct, and matches the power presented by Takagi. This will make their upcoming B-Block matches interesting with both men currently tied at 8.)

Moloney and Takagi locked horns until a shoulder tackle gave the latter control. Ishimori and Moloney isolated Nagai from his partner. Nagai blasted Ishimori with a Spinebuster. Moloney ate a lariat from Takagi. Ishimori held Nagai deep with a Bone Lock, which ultimately resulted in the Young Lion tapping out.

TMDK (Hartley Jackson & Zack Sabre Jr.) defeated Shoma Kato & YOSHI-HASHI

(Only a brief taste of Sabre and YOSHI-HASHI. Very brief, I might say. The story I saw coming out of this is that despite Jackson getting the better of him, Kato’s heart wouldn’t let him stay down for long, no matter what size his opponent is. Plus, he changed tactics early on whereas some Young Lions might’ve stubbornly stuck to the same method.)

Jackson swiftly leveled the playing field with both YOSHI-HASHI and Kato lain flat. Sabre worked on the neck of young Kato. YOSHI-HASHI drove Sabre into the mat with a DDT. Kaito unwisely attempted to flip Jackson over his shoulder but changed strategy to a leg hold that knocked down the girthy giant. Jackson compressed Kato’s midsection with a devastating senton. In the center of the ring, Jackson flattened Kato with a Jagged Edge, warranting a pinfall.

United Empire (Great-O-Khan & Jakob Austin Young) defeated Katsuya Murashima & Shota Umino

(Young was almost a non-factor in the match following his August 8 tag with Callum Newman against Yota Tsuji and Daiki Nagai. Khan’s much maligned ruined knees during this tournament didn’t deter him, however.)

Khan denied a thirsty Umino of a chance to lock up, lending a still-hurt Young to suffer his knee to the Roughneck. To give his weakened partner more of a chance, Khan laid ruin unto Umino, hurling him into the barricade. Mongolian chops and his patented top rope sit-down may have rocked Murashima, but the Young Lion sent him flying with a pounce. He aligned with his more senior partner to level Khan. Tenzan Tombstone Driver and a vice grip wrought enough agony for Murashima to tap out.

House Of Torture (Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) defeated The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita & Rocky Romero)

(Standard House of Torture fare, albeit without weapons or the accursed interference. Romero sold believably. Takeshita was presented as formidable and likely to handle Narita in the B-Block, but even the numbers game may prove too much for him.)

House of Torture struck first after the bell, with Narita disposing of Takeshita into the chairs in the crowd. He and Kanemaru targeted Romero’s knee. Takeshita returned, sending Narita downward with an exploder suplex. Romero briefly had control on Narita, but his knee gave out during a Sliced Bread attempt. Narita tapped Romero out with an Indian Deathlock.

G1 Climax A-Block Matches

Oleg Boltin (10) defeated Taichi (6)

(Boltin’s matches excite when he’s up against someone who is either more cunning than him or relatively close in strength. Taichi was just that, so seeing how Boltin had to pull through on sheer will made this a battle for survival that tested the merits of his tenacity.)

The more-experienced Taichi controlled the early goings, but a Dangerous Backdrop, Boltin Shake, and backbreaker incurred a deep woe into Taichi’s ribs. Boltin’s momentum came to a screeching halt after an enzuigiri laid him out. A Dangerous Backdrop lent Taichi a moment to recuperate. Boltin landed a short-range Kamikaze, softened by his worn back and hobbling knee. Taichi rocked Boltin with a roundhouse kick. Boltin swung a brief comeback through a Kamikaze. He then unleashed another, full-force Kamikaze to pin Taichi.

SANADA (6) defeated Ryohei Oiwa (8)

(SANADA played spoiler to Oiwa’s last chance to stay in the G1 so dirtily. At least he can live in the solace that he dragged Oiwa down with him; neither man advance in the tournament. Foreshadowing this in the tag match against Oiwa and Hartley Jackson on August 8, it paid off in a different way for the House of Torture member. I may not like it, but we move on.)

Try as he might, SANADA struggled to escape Oiwa’s headlocks. Even when he tried a Side Headlock Takedown, SANADA found himself in Oiwa’s grasp. SANADA ruined Oiwa’s neck following a DDT to the floor from the ring apron. Oiwa transitioned SANADA’s Skull End to another headlock. Firmly locking hands across SANADA’s waist, Oiwa flung his opponent about with suplexes. After some Eddie Guerrero-esque shenanigans with his guitar, SANADA blasted Oiwa with the musical instrument for the pinfall.

Yota Tsuji (10) defeated Callum Newman (8)

(Selling not just the wear and tear of the G1 Climax, but the disappointment of elimination, Newman did admirably here. Walker Stewart on commentary mentioned a Tsuji win may cost Oleg Boltin the oturnament here, so in any event this match still gives hope to someone moving forward in the tournament at this juncture in tonight’s show.)

Newman, having been told he was eliminated from the finals, sourly and halfheartedly struck Tsuji. Soon, it annoyed Tsuji so much that he pitched Newman into a row of chairs. Sensing Newman’s exhausted state and his strength in fast-paced action, Tsuji slowed the match to a crawl as he worked his opponent’s neck. As Newman steadily gained momentum, Tsuji quelled it with a double-stomp. Spanish Fly by Newman thwarted a potential Gene Blaster.

From the top rope, Newman crushed Tsuji’s midsection with a double-stomp. Tsuji unsheathed a Gene Blaster, short-range, leaving Newman retching by the ropes. Marlowe Crush from Tsuji punished Newman to the point of collapse. Seventeen Crosses gave Tsuji the vital three seconds to win.

EVIL (12) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi (8)

(Deflating. Heartbreaking. And yet expected. The August 8 tag match where EVIL swore to make the match fair and honorable didn’t carry over. I wouldn’t have minded the loss had it been clean. However, the silver lining is that this win helps push Yota Tsuji further in the tournament as well.)

A Flying Crossbody provided confidence to Tanahashi, but EVIL suplanted this by stealing the Ace’s Dragon Screw Legwhip. He then focused on Tanahashi’s notoriously spent knees. Hope was within Tanahashi’s clutches after a senton, but EVIL caught him in a Figure Four Leglock. EVIL dropped Tanahashi with Darkness Falls. Tanahashi crawled for a rope break to stop a Darkness Scorpion. Twist’n’Shout and a Slingblade incapacitated EVIL, but not enough to roll away from a High Fly Flow.

Dick Togo and Don Fale strutted to hand EVIL a steel chair. He implored them to leave, to which Tanahashi assisted by handing the referee the chair. Distracted, the referee missed EVIL throwing powder into Tanahashi’s face. House of Torture assaulted Tanahashi. EVIL pinned Tanahashi with Darkness Falls, thus eliminating him from the tournament.

Main Event G1 Climax A-Block

David Finlay (10) defeated Yuya Uemura (10)

(Match of the night. I’m gutted that Uemura is out, but Finlay’s had an incredible year. Already a fan of these two, my appreciation for each grew in this match. The desperation, the drama, it oozed right out of the screen, where their deepest desires and biggest moves were pure adrenaline made manifest. Making an insane comeback earlier in the tournament, Finlay’s underdog story continues, but where will it take him?)

Uemura sent Finlay into the barricade at ringside and worked his shoulder in the ring. Finlay got revenge by sending Uemura into the barricade. Uemura wriggled to a rope break in an escape from Finlay’s rear naked choke. Finlay tossed out a lariat that sent both men to the outside; the War Dog then lobbed Uemura into the ring post.

Northern Irish Curse courtesy of Finlay slammed Uemura on the mat. He flew too close to the Sun, however, as he tried sending Uemura to the outside but was ironically flung there himself from a rope-assisted hurricanrana. Uemura writhed in pain after a Backbreaker, yet he escaped a pin from Finlay’s Dominator. Fully extending Finlay’s arm, Uemura maintained pressure, pulling back as far as he could. In this tormenting stretch, Uemura even pulled Finlay’s leg.

Finlay plummeted Uemura with two Pop Out Powerbombs and an Oblivion. Uemura tried a Dragon Suplex and Hiroshi Tanahashi’s High Fly Flow, to no avail. Finlay saved himself with two Overkills to put away Uemura.

(This was an important night in this year’s G1 Climax. Oleg Boltin was out despite his victory. Callum Newman’s disappointment carried into his match with wrinkles added to his personality. SANADA spoiling Ryohei Oiwa left a bad taste in my mouth. Hiroshi Tanahashi’s loss would’ve done the same, had it not meant Yota Tsuji would progress. EVIL’s win meant so much in the layout of the G1 Climax, as did the winner of David Finlay versus Yuya Uemura. With the three winners of the A-Block settled, B-Block will settle that section.

The G1 Climax is nearly at its end, and so much is on the line with the future of New Japan Pro Wrestling.)

NJPW G1 Climax 35 results: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Shota Umino

Posted on by Corey Michaels

The NJPW G1 Climax 35 tournament reaches the home stretch today with a B Block show from Yokohama Budokan.

Konosuke Takeshita faces Shota Umino in the main event of today’s show, the next-to-last night of B Block action. With only the top three point totals advancing to the playoffs, Umino needs a victory to control his tournament future. He enters the bout with 8 points in a four-way tie for fourth place. Takeshita has 10 points as part of a three-way tie atop the B Block.

Shingo Takagi faces Ren Narita in the semi-main event today. Shingo enters the bout with 6 points in a two-way tie for eighth place in the 10-person block. Narita has 10 points.

IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. and his 10 points take on Drilla Moloney and his 8 points in tonight’s second tournament bout.

YOSHI-HASHI with 8 points faces the mathematically eliminated El Phantasmo and his 6 points in tonight’s first tournament matchup.

A series of tag matches previewing Sunday’s A Block card fill out today’s undercard. The show streams live on NJPW World beginning at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.

**********

  • Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano defeated Masatora Yasuda & Taichi
  • House Of Torture defeated TMDK by disqualification
  • Daiki Nagai & Yota Tsuji defeated United Empire
  • House Of Torture defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuya Murashima
  • Tomoaki Honma & Yuya Uemura defeated Bullet Club War Dogs
  • El Phantasmo defeated YOSHI-HASHI
  • Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Drilla Moloney
  • Shingo Takagi defeated Ren Narita
  • Shota Umino defeated Konosuke Takeshita

Main Card – Tag Team Matches

Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano defeated Masatora Yasuda & Taichi

(Taichi convincingly looked dejected, despite striking hard and true. Boltin certainly looks more confident in the G1 Climax since last year.)

Taichi led Yasuda in a united front against Boltin, but he overpowered his way out. Yano removed a turnbuckle pad, propelling Yasuda into its corner. It wasn’t easy, but Yasuda toppled Boltin with a hurricanrana and a dropkick.

Taichi directed a kick to Yano, who tumbled out of the ring. Boltin unleashed a belly-to-belly suplex to Taichi. An Axe Bomber was his response. Yano sent Yasuda down with a slam. Yasuda silently agreed to Taichi slamming him onto Yano. Yasuda fell victim to a successful schoolboy pin, losing the match.

House Of Torture (SANADA & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) defeated TMDK (Hartley Jackson & Ryohei Oiwa) by disqualification

(I admit, I’m a sucker for the classic Guerrero style antics.)

Oiwa outwrestled SANADA’s grapple attempts. Offering his hand to shake, SANADA watched as Oiwa was taken to the barricade by Kanemaru whereas Jackson retaliated against SANADA. Into the crowd SANADA dragged Oiwa, ruthlessly beating him with a defenseless water bottle.

Kanemaru and SANADA clobbered Oiwa in the corner. Jackson attempted to garner a comeback with a Jagged Edge but SANADA pulled the referee in to complicate it. Evoking the spirit of Eddie Guerrero, SANADA slapped his trusty acoustic guitar, tossed it to Jackson, and lay on the mat. The referee caught Jackson holding the guitar (despite sheepishly hiding it behind his back. TMDK was then disqualified.

Daiki Nagai & Yota Tsuji defeated United Empire (Callum Newman & Jakob Austin Young)

(I’m stoked for Newman and Tsuji on August 10’s series of A-Block matches. Here’s to hoping nothing too worrisome is afflicting Young.)

Newman had the advantage with high speed and lucha libre offense, yet fell onto Tsuji’s knees once caught. Nagai maintained his team’s control with a dropkick to Young. He retorted with one of his own. Tsuji dropped Newman with a scoop slam and jumped on his prone opponent. A Gene Blaster by Tsuji put Young away for the pinfall.

Post-match: United Empire attacked Tsuji and Nagai. Tsuji dragged Newman to the front. Young was already taken to the back; he had to be checked on earlier in the match.

House Of Torture (Dick Togo & EVIL) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuya Murashima

A generous EVIL offered to fight fair for Tanahashi’s final G1 Climax season.

(Okay, they actually did it. House of Torture put on a clean match. I fully expect this to not be the case tomorrow and will probably be proven wrong. But for all intents and purposes, this was an enjoyable change of pace with a huge subversion of expectation.)

Seemingly true to his word, EVIL asked Togo not to interfere in the early goings. Tanahashi and Murashima took turns tagging in to work Togo’s arm. Murashima caught Don Fale attempting to distract him, to which EVIL instructed Fale to back away. Togo nearly resorted to underhanded tactics, but thought better of it.

Murashima hoped to work EVIL’s leg, but ate a lariat for his efforts. Togo kept Tanahashi on the outside as EVIL locked in a Darkness Scorpion to Murashima, tapping him out.

Post-match: EVIL shook Tanahashi’s hand as Fale and Togo evacuated. Both teams parted ways amicably.

Tomoaki Honma & Yuya Uemura defeated Bullet Club War Dogs (David Finlay & Gedo)

(Finlay’s epic G1 comeback clashes against Uemura’s strong performance thus far come August 10. Their interactions may not have invested me in this match, but this head-to-head clash still compels me to wait in anticipated breath for the next round of A Block matches.)

Uemura looked to have Finlay’s number, wearing him down for Honma’s Kokeshi, which ultimately failed. Gedo worked on Honma’s face, but he and Finlay missed their own stolen Kokeshi. The veteran finally landed a Kokeshi on both fallen opponents. Finlay plopped Uemura with a Backbreaker, lending him to Gedo for his patented Gedo Clutch.

Uemura pulled Gedo in for a Deadbolt, but he escaped only for a deep arm drag. Armbar then in place, Uemura tapped Gedo out for the victory.

G1 Climax B-Block Matches

El Phantasmo (6) defeated YOSHI-HASHI (8)

(There wasn’t much sauce to this match. Both are entertaining wrestlers, but there was no heightened drama or stakes, nor any levity. The Kanagawa fans in attendance may have enjoyed this, but I did not so much. Not bad by any stretch, just painfully average.)

YOSHI-HASHI locked in with Phantasmo, leading to a struggle between the two. Phantasmo kicked YOSHI-HASHI to the outside and followed with a plancha. He leapt to a moonsault from the top rope to YOSHI-HASHI on the outside, who evaded just in time. This rattled Phantasmo’s legs momentarily.

Phantasmo confidently planted YOSHI-HASHI with a Brainbuster. YOSHI-HASHI turned the tide with a dropkick and a baseball kick to render Phantasmo horizontal. Phantasmo fired back with a springboard senton and a springboard moonsault. YOSHI-HASHI returned fire with a dragon suplex and a lariat. He aimed for an Ushigoroshi but failed.

Panic settled in the wrestlers as they urgently pulled out their deepest moves. Phantasmo landed a CR2 to no avail. He then plummetted YOSHI-HASHI with a Burning Hammer. A Thunderkiss ’85 put away YOSHI-HASHI for good, gifting Phantasmo the pinfall.

Zack Sabre Jr. (12) defeated Drilla Moloney (8)

(Sabre’s mixture of technical wrestling, mocking attitude, and cunning makes him dangerous and this match exemplifies this. Moloney’s a powerful beast, but when up against calmer, out-thinking opponents, that won’t account for much.)

Moloney powered out of Sabre’s rapid succession of holds after the bell. However, Sabre regained and maintained control with utmost flexibility with a headlock takedown. Moloney suplanted this with headscissor holds and a short piledriver.

Sabre mockingly tossed his forearm repeatedly into Moloney’s jaw, resulting in the latter throwing in a louder, thunderous forearm to stagger him. Moloney attempted to counter a Zack Driver, only to have his neck twisted by Sabre’s ankles.

The maintained control held by Sabre soon ended with a sit-out piledriver and a Gore. Baiting Moloney into a forearm exchange, Sabre surprised him with a Zack Driver and moved to working onhis arm. In the nick of time, Moloney caught a Penalty Kick, using it to land a powerbomb. He sought to do another one, but Sabre took advantage of Moloney’s weakened bicep, tapping him out in a triangle hold.

Shingo Takagi (8) defeated Ren Narita (10)

(So much happened in this match and I only covered half of it. Takagi and Narita had an action-filled thrill ride that commanded full attention the whole way through.)

Yoshinobu Kanemaru shocked Takagi from the darkness to batter him on the outside.

Enjoying this reversal of fortune, Narita flung Takagi into the chairs before the fans. He clobbered Takagi’s knees with steel chairs and left him for dead in a canyon of chairs. Desperately hobbling to the ring, Takagi collapsed once more thanks to Kanemaru attacking the leg en route to the ring.

Narita tied Takagi’s leg to the rope, pulling hard to strain the knee. Fortunately for him, Daiki Nagai came to his aid by pulling Narita to the outside. Referee Marty Asami fell into Takagi as he hyped up the crowd. Kanemaru took advantage of this with a chair shot. Takagi dropped Narita from the top rope as blood cascaded from his nose. Narita quelled Takagi’s providence with a hold to aggravate the already soft knee.

Takagi nearly choked out Narita for the win, had it not been for Kanemaru ringing the bell. A low-blow and Made in Japan almost gave Takagi the win, but Kanemaru pulled Asami away from the pin. He then attempted to spray whiskey in Takagi’s eyes. Nagai stopped Narita from using his board. Takagi successfully pinned Narita after a Last of the Dragon.

Main Event G1 Climax B-Block

Shota Umino (8) defeated Konosuke Takeshita (10)

(Takeshita has more than proven his ability to deliver classic matches in NJPW. But here, Umino felt like a star. His perseverance and heart won out after a grueling battle where tenacity overcame the stoic, yet raging wildfire that is Takeshita.

Takeshita quickly proved indominatable against the tenacity of Umino. He then went to work on Umino’s neck. Umino turned the tables with a fisherman’s suplex but the Brainbuster he took the prior day took effect. He sent Takeshita a-whirling with two dragon screw legwhips. Takeshita endured stomps to his knee and stumbled mid-Irish Whip.

Umino went for a facelock and drove Takeshita’s knee into the mat. Takeshita caught Umino and wrenched control with a powerbomb and an STF. At ringside, Umino dispatched Takeshita’s knee onto the floor and delivered a hateful lariat across the barricade. Takeshita dropped Umino on the hard blue floor among the crowd with a Brainbuster. Narrowly beating the 20-count on way to the ring, Umino was instantly greeted with a lariat.

Umino heaved Takeshita with a fisherman’s suplex, met by a German suplex by Takeshita. A Tornado-DDT gave him further room for control. Takeshita weathered a heated forearm exchange to send Umino spiraling from the top rope. Umino replied with a superplex in the corner. Snapping Umino’s neck, Takeshita reeled his opponent in for a Crossface Chickenwing. Faded, but not out, Umino weakly kicked out of a pin. A Blue Thunderbomb couldn’t even do the trick.

Catching Takeshita’s leg mid-kick, Umino knocked Takeshita down with a lariat. Takeshita countered Umino’s Second Chapter into a Brainbuster. A second attempt at a Second Chapter did the trick, with Umino getting the win over the Alpha.

(The B-Block stumbled at first, but each match progressively improved on the last. If Umino continues with matches like this, I’ll be a fan again.

NJPW G1 Climax 35 results: Yota Tsuji vs. David Finlay

Posted on by Joseph Collins

The NJPW G1 Climax 35 tournament continues today at a sold out Korakuen Hall for an A Block show.

In the main event, Yota Tsuji faces David Finlay. Tsuji is part of a five-way-tie for first place in A Block with 8 points, while Finlay is part of the five-way-tie for sixth place with his 6 points. Finlay must win to have a chance to advance to the playoffs. Tsuji has won three of their four previous singles matches.

Yuya Uemura faces Ryohei Oiwa in the semi-main event in a battle of two of NJPW’s hopeful next generation of stars. Both have 8 points entering today’s card.

Hiroshi Tanahashi faces SANADA in another A Block battle on the show. Each has 6 points and must win to remain alive in the tournament. This will be their eighth career singles meeting, with SANADA holding a 4-3 edge.

EVIL faces Boltin Oleg in another matchup of two wrestlers with 8 points each.

Taichi and Callum Newman square off in the night’s first tournament bout, with both sitting at 6 points and needing a victory to salvage any playoffs hopes.

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

**********

Live from a sold out Korakuen Hall in Tokyo.

Walker Stewart & Chris Charlton were on commentary.  

Jado & El Phantasmo defeated Shoma Kato & YOSHI-HASHI (5:37)

YOSHI-HASHI superkicked Phantasmo into a bodyslam from Kato for a near fall. Kato tried to get a pin with a backslide, but ELP rolled through right into a C2 for the win. After the match, ELP put his Television Title belt on the shoulder of Aaron Wolf who was standing at ringside. He then took it back and put it on the shoulder of a young fan in the crowd.

Zach Sabre, Jr. & Hartley Jackson defeated Drilla Moloney & Taiji Ishimori (7:32)

Ishimori did a fantastic job overselling a senton from Jackson. Ishimori dodged an avalanche in the corner to get the tag to Moloney. Moloney no-sold an avalanche and slammed Jackson, then popped Sabre with a right hand. Ishimori went for a roll up but Sabre countered into a rollup with a back bridge to get the pinfall. Moloney & ZSJ went nose-to-nose after the match.

Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Ren Narita vs. Daiki Nagai & Shingo Takagi (6:40) 

The House of Torture team jumped the Unaffiated team before the bell rang.  Narita and Shigo brawled right into the crowd and Takagi got the advantage and the crowd behind him. Back in the ring, Takagi took down both his opponents with a double clothesline. Nagai got the tag and Kanemaru got a near fall with a suplex. Takagi ran in with a clothesline on Kanemaru to set up a spinebuster from Nagai. Kanemaru locked Nagai in a Boston Crab for the submission. Of course, the House of Torture guys jumped Tagaki after the match; Kanemaru spat whiskey in his face and Narita hit him with a push-up bar. 

Rocky Romero & Konosuke Takeshita defeated Tomoaki Honma & Shota Umino (5:35)

Honma did not move around well out there. Honma missed a headbutt on Takeshita. Romero took out Umino on the floor. Takeshita and Romero tried to doubleteam Honma but Umino broke it up. Honma tried for a running headbutt, but he ran right into a forearm from Takeshita. Takeshita locked in a crossface chicken wing on Honma for the submission. 

After the match, Takeshita and Umino went at it and brawled into the crowd, and Takeshita dropped Umino with a brainbuster on the floor. Umino had to be helped to the back, casting the chances of tomorrow’s main event of Takeshita v. Umino in doubt.

Now time for the A Block matches, where everyone has either 6 points or 8 points. We should start to get some separation in the field after tonight… right?

Callum Newman (4-3, 8 pts) defeated Taichi (3-4, 6 pts) (12:48)

Taichi was eliminated from the playoffs with a loss. This match told a tremendous story, as this was essentially an elimination match for both guys. It was a war of attrition where both guys took the best shots the other had to offer and kept refusing to go down.

Taichi and Newman exchanged kicks for the first three minutes of that match. Taichi laid in two really solid ones that knocked Newman down. He tried to kip up, but crumpled back down. Newman then floored Taichi with a forearm. Taichi rocked Newman with a forearm, then snapped his head back with a kick. Taichi went to take off his long pants, but Newman stopped him, pulled off Taichi’s long pants himself, and then spat in his face. Taichi then absolutely leveled him with a forearm. 

Taichi hit a backdrop suplex for a near fall. Newman caught Taichi with a solid shot to the ribs and Taichi sold it like he’d been shot. Newman followed that up with a sliding knee, and came off the top with a double stomp for a near fall. 

Newman went for a springboard cutter, but Taichi caught him with a forearm to the back. Taichi followed up with an Axe Bomber, and a lariat got a near fall. Newman escaped a back suplex and caught Taichi with a dropkick. Newman hit a v-trigger and poisoned rana. Newman hit Taichi with what looked like a single underhook death rider, but Taichi sat up before Newman could cover. Newman followed up with a kamigoya. Taichi, even though he realized he was done, spat in Newman’s face! Newman finished Taichi off with another modified death rider for the pinfall.

EVIL (5-3, 10 pts) (w/ Don Fale & Dick Togo) defeated Boltin Oleg (4-4, 8pts) (9:46)  

There were times where it looked like Oleg would overcome the 3-on-1 advantage the House of Torture had, but it was not to be. This House of Torture stuff is literally torture to sit through. 

Of course the House of Torture guys jump Oleg before the match. Fale and Togo set up a table on the floor for EVIL to ram Oleg’s head into. Back in the ring, EVIL hit a fisherman’s suplex for a near fall. Oleg ran through EVIL with a tackle, but Fale tripped up Oleg when he ran the ropes. EVIL dragged Oleg into the crowd. 

While in the crowd,  EVIL and Togo went for a double suplex. Oleg escaped and floored EVIL with a chop. Oleg drug both EVIL and Togo back to ringside. Back in the ring, EVIL caught Oleg with a pair of lariats, but he wouldn’t go down. Oleg hit a belly to belly and a fireman’s carry slam for a near fall. Oleg hit a pop-up F5.

EVIL trapped the ref in the corner and Oleg accidentally hit him with an avalanche. The ref was out, which set up more interference from Togo and Fale. Fale put Oleg through a table with a splash off the middle rope. A new ref came to the ring, and EVIL put Oleg away with Everything is Evil. EVIL pinned Oleg in pieces of the table. 

Hiroshi Tanahashi (4-4, 8 pts) defeated SANADA (3-4, 6 pts) (2:37)

This was another must-win match for both guys and with his loss, SANADA is elimiated from the playoffs.

Tanahashi gave SANADA an opening early when he played his air guitar, and SANADA slid in with a knee. SANADA missed a moonsault. Tanahashi went to the top for the High Fly Flow, but SANADA pushed the ref into the ropes, causing Tanahashi to crash to the mat and the ref to crash to the floor.  With the ref down, SANADA grabbed his guitar and just murdered Tanahashi with a guitar shot to the head. Don’t they have concussions in Japan? Anyway, SANADA casually brought the ref back in the ring and when he went to cover… Tanahashi snapped him up in a small package and got the pinfall! Tanahashi had to be helped to the back after the match.

Yuya Uemura (5-3, 10 pts) vs. Ryohei Oiwa (4-4, 8 pts) (17:54)  

Uemura controlled Oiwa early with a top wristlock. Oiwa went for an abdominal stretch, but Uemura countered into one of his own, then went back to the wristlock. Oiwa escaped and hit a dropkick, then went to a side headlock. Uemura escaped briefly, but Oiwa went back to the hold. Uemura tried to escape with a back suplex, but Owia held onto the side headlock to maintain control. 

Uemura finally backed Oiwa into a corner and escaped with shoulder blocks and chops. Uemura whipped Oiwa across the ring, and when Uemura charged him in the corner, Oiwa escaped and went back to the side headlock! Owia then transitioned from that into a cravat. Uemura escaped that with an armdrag, but Oiwa then caught him with a head scissors. Uemura broke that hold by making the ropes. Uemura was finally able to create some space and knock Oiwa down with a cross bodyblock. 

Uemura picked up the pace with arm drags and a dropkick. Uemura hit a bulldog for a near fall. Uemura went back to Oiwa’s wrist with a short-arm scissors. Oiwa escaped but Uemura then went into a hammerlock. Oiwa leveraged himself out of that and sent Uemura into the turbuckles. Oiwa caught Uemura with a back elbow and a lariat, then hit a doctor bomb for a near fall. 

Oiwa came off the top with a falling splash for a near fall as we approached the 15 minute mark. Oiwa went to a chinlock, but Uemura escaped with a backdrop suplex. Uemura hit a dropkick and an enziguri. Oiwa rolled through into a German suplex with a bridge for a near fall. 

Oiwa went for a discus lariat, but Uemura went with Oiwa’s momentum into a cross-arm breaker. Oiwa tired to turn that into a pin attempt, but Uemura escaped. Oiwa countered that into a sleeper. Uemura escaped and went for a rana, but Oiwa countered with a powerbomb into a jackknife cover for a near fall. Oiwa hit a lariat, then went for a discus lariat. But, Uemura turned that into a deadbolt suplex with a bridge and got the pinfall. 

This was tremendous! Go out of your way to see this one.

David Finlay (4-3, 8 pts) (w/ Gedo) defeated Yota Tsuji (4-3, 8pts) (15:20)

Going into the main event, Charlton said on commentary that if Finlay wins, “most of the block stays alive” but if Tsuji wins, “then we’re down to 4.” For sure though, if Finlay loses, he’s out of contention for the playoffs. So the result never really felt in doubt. 

Tsuji left himself open for a shot from Finlay by giving him a clean break. Tsuji sent Finlay to the floor after a spinning backbreaker. Finlay caught Tsuji going for a dive through the ropes with a forearm to take control. 

Back in the ring, Finlay took control with a camel clutch. Tsuji countered a clothesline with a reverse STO. Tsuji sent Finlay to the floor with a sliding dropkick, then hit Finlay with a tope suicidia.

Back in the ring, Tsuji hit a splash in the corner. He tried to come out of the corner with a suplex, but Finlay reversed it and suplexed Tsuji into the turnbuckle. Finlay slowed the pace down with forearms. Tsuji escaped a dominator. Tsuji got a near fall after a suplex into a sitout powerbomb. 

Finlay and Tsuji exchanged forearms in the middle of the ring. Finlay caught Tsuji with a lariat for a near fall. Tsuji escaped a powerbomb with a rana, then hit a superkick and a spear for a near fall. 

Tsuji jumped off the top rope into a powerbomb from Finlay. Finlay hit another powerbomb for a near fall. Finlay went for Overkill, but Tsuji escaped that with a powerbomb. Tsuji hit a bucklebomb. He went for a bucklebomb, but Finlay countered into his own bucklebomb. Tsuji went for a spear, but Finlay countered into a small package for two. Finlay went for Oblivion, but Tsuji countered that into a small package for two. Finlay finally hit the Oblivion for a near fall. 

Finlay sprung off the top rope with a stomp to the back of Tsuji’s head. He went for Overkill again, but Tsuji escaped. Tsuji charged in for a spear, but instead charged into a knee from Finlay. Finlay finally hit the Overkill to get the pinfall. Started out slow but got really good by the end.

After the match, Finlay told the crowd they were witnessing the greatest combat in G1 History. Gedo took the mic and told the fans Finlay was going beat everyone in his path and that New Japan needs a rebel.

A Block Standings:

10 points: EVIL, Uemura. 
8 points: Boltin Oleg, Callum Newman, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryohei Oiwa, David Finlay, Yota Tsujo  
6 points: Taichi, SANADA

Newman/Taichi and the last two matches were really good. There’s a very crowded field of potential candidates to make playoffs in the A Block.

NJPW G1 Climax 35 results: Shingo Takagi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Posted on by Joseph Collins

Osaka hosts today’s NJPW G1 Climax 35 event featuring four B Block matches.

IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. faces Shingo Takagi in today’s main event. Sabre is part of of a seven-way-tie for first in B Block with his 8 points, while Shingo stands alone in eighth place in the Block with 6 points. Shingo must win to have any hope of advancing to the B Block playoffs. Sabre holds a 4-3 edge in their seven previous singles matches.

In the semi-main, Drilla Moloney faces El Phantasmo. Moloney is part of the logjam at the top of B Block with 8 points, while ELP is one of two wrestlers (Gabe Kidd, out injured) mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

Great-O-Khan takes on Ren Narita in a matchup of two wrestlers with 8 points each in today’s second tournament bout.

YOSHI-HASHI (8 points) vs. Konosuke Takeshita (8 points) kicks off today’s tournament action.

A series of tag previews for Thursday’s A Block show fills out today’s undercard.

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

**********

Live from Osaka, INTEX Osaka Hall 5. 

Walker Stewart & Rocky Romero were on English commentary. 

Jakob Austin Young & Callum Newman defeated Taichi & Masatora Yasuda (11:45)

Newman and Taichi had a striking battle that Taichi ended with a nice lariat. The young lions squared off, and Yasuda caught Young with a dropkick. Yasuda went for a submission with a Boston crab. While Taichi and Newman brawled on the floor, Young came back with a twisting vertical suplex, and then finished off Yasuda with Jakob’s Ladder (a Sliced Bread #2) to get the pinfall. Newman taunted Taichi after his victory. 

Toru Yano & Boltin Oleg defeated Dick Togo & EVIL (w/ Don Fale)

EVIL invited Oleg to join the House of Torture by giving him a t-shirt. Oleg put on the House of Torture t-shirt, then dropkicked his oppoents anyway to start the match. Fale squashed Oleg against the ring barricades on the floor. EVIL choked out Oleg with a tag rope. Yano got the tag and the ref got bumped. With the ref down, Fale came in and the House of Torture team triple-teamed Yano. Oleg broke the triple team up and clotheslined Fale to the floor. Oleg caught Togo with an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Yano hit Togo with a low blow and rolled him up for the pinfall. 

Yoshinobu Kanemaru & SANADA defeated Kaysuta Murashima & Hiroshi Tanahashi (6:25)

SANADA left Tanahashi laying after they brawled into the crowd. Tanahashi made it back to the ring before behing counted out. SANADA missed a moonsault and Tanahashi caught him with a slingblade. Tags were made on both sides. Murashima overpowered Kanemaru with a suplex and a powerslam for a nearfall. Kanemaru went after Murashima’s injured knee with kicks and a single leg crab. Kanemaru switched to a figure-four leglock. SANADA held back Tanahashi from making the save, and Murashima tapped out. 

Hartley Jackson & Ryohei Oiwa defeated Shoma Kato & Yuya Uemura (5:59) 

The opening sequence between Uemura and Oiwa was tremendous. Jackson blocked a double suplex from his opponents. They softened him up with a double dropkick and were able to get the double suplex on a second try. Jackson squashed Kato with a senton for a near fall. Oiwa hit Uemura with a nasty lariat. Kato tried a couple of roll-ups on Jackson but couldn’t hold him down. Jackson floored Kato with a lariat, then hit a death valley driver for the pinfall.

Gedo & David Finlay defeated Daiki Nagai & Yota Tsuji (6:32) 

The young lion Nagai tried to step up to Finlay and it did not go well. Nagai fared much better against Gedo. Finlay and Tsuji had a brief exchange. Nagai hit Finlay with a great dropkick. Finlay blocked a monkey flip, but Nagai caught Finlay with a crossbody for a near fall. Finlay blocked a small package attempt and turned it into Oblivion and got the pinfall. 

Konosuke Takeshita (5-2, 10 pts) defeated YOSHI-HASHI (4-3, 8 pts) in a G1 Climax 35 B Block Match. 

Takeshita worked over YOSHI-HASHI’s back early. YOSHI-HASHI caught Takeshita with a dropkick to the knee. YOSHI-HASHI hung Takeshita up in the ropes and hit a dropkick for a near fall. Takeshita hit a boot and dropped his opponent with a backbreaker. YOSHI-HASHI escaped a suplex with a hangman’s neckbreaker. Takeshita and YOSHI-HASHI exchanged strikes. Takeshita got a near fall with his inverted tombstone. YOSHI-HASHI countered a suplex attempt with a vicious swinging DDT. 

YOSHI-HASHI hit an avalanche clothesline in the corner. He went to the top but was way too slow getting there, and Takeshita caught up with him. YOSHI-HASHI hit a sunset powerbomb out of the corner and got a nearfall with a jackknife cover. Takeshita came back with a pair of exploders for two. YOSHI-HASHI blocked a knee strike and caught Takeshita with an inverted driver for another near fall. The crowd really started to get behind YOSHI-HASHI, and he floored Takeshita with a lariat. YOSHI-HASHI hit a swanton bomb for another near fall. Takeshita came back with a knee strike for a near fall. Takeshita then hit the Raging Fire for the pinfall. Takeshita is the first to 10 points in the tournament with this victory.

Ren Narita (5-2, 10 pts) defeated Great-O-Khan (4-4, 8 pts) vs.  in a G1 Climax 35 B Block Match (12:38)

Narita attacked O-Khan on the floor before the bell could ring. Nariata took him into the crowd and went after his knee. Narita grabbed the bell hammer while the referee tended to O-Khan. Narita hit O-Khan with the hammer. O-Khan finally got into the ring and Narita went to work on his leg. O-Khan hit overhead chops, but Narita went to the leg again to take control. 

Narita kept working over the knee. O-Khan caught Narita with a shoulder throw and immediately crumpled into a pile on the mat. O-Khan managed a fireman’s carry and an overhead belly to belly suplex. O-Khan went to a head and arm choke. All of sudden, Yoshinobu Kanemaru rang the ring bell, but there was no submission. O-Khan thought he won, and while the ref checked on Narita, Kanemaru snuck in from behind and hit O-Khan in the knee with his whiskey bottle. 

O-Khan went for a claw slam, but Narita countered into a knee bar. While Kanemaru distracted the ref again, Narita hit O-Khan in the knee with a push-up bar and locked in another knee bar. The bell rang, but O-Khan hadn’t submitted. This time it was Jakob Austin Young ringing the bell. This distraction allowed Khan to take control. O-Khan took out Narita and the ref with a claw slam. Kanemaru tried to interfere again, but Young cut him off. O-Khan and Narita went to the top where Narita spat whiskey in his face. Narita hit a low blow, then locked in one more kneebar to get the submission. What an overbooked mess. 

El Phantasmo (3-5, 6 pts) defeated Drilla Moloney (4-3, 8 pts) in a G1 Climax 35 B Block Match (5:14)

Phantasmo was playing spoiler here. Phantasmo came out quickly with a running dive and a moonsault to the floor. He tried for a springboard senton, but Moloney got his knees up and hit a gore for a near fall. Moloney folded Phantasmo up with a powerbomb for a near fall. Moloney went to the top, but Phantasmo cut him off. Moloney went for the gore again, but Phantasmo blocked it. Moloney went for a dominator, but Phantasmo countered by landing on his feet. Moloney hit ELP with a piledriver. Phantasmo caught Moloney with a Canadian Destroyer and the CR2 for a near fall. ELP hit a second CR2 and then a piedriver. Phantasmo hit the Thunderkiss 86 Splash and got the pinfall. I’m not sure why this only got half the time of the House of Torture mess.

IWGP World Champion Zack Sabre, Jr. (5-2, 10 pts) defeated Shingo Takagi (3-4, 6 pts) vs. in a G1 Climax 35 B Block Match (20:48)

This was a tremendous main event. Takagi was eliminated from winning the tournament with a loss. 

Lots of great mat work to start with neither man gaining an advantage. Takagi caught Sabre with a knee in the midsection. Sabre went to work on Takagi’s leg. Takagi went for a scorpion deathlock, but Sabre countered with a kneebar as Takagi stepped through. Sabre ground his heel into Takagi’s knee. 

Sabre went for a spinning toehold. Takagi kicked him away and caught Sabre with a DDT. Takagi hit an avalanche clothesline, suplex, and a senton for a near fall. Takagi got the crowd to rally behind him. He tried for Made in Japan, but Sabre blocked it. Takagi went for the sliding lariat, but Sabre countered it and snapped Takagi’s arm. 

Sabre went after Takagi’s arm. Takagi tried to counter with a coke, but Sabre countered. Sabre locked in a modified octopus, then transitioned into a knee bar. Takagi got to the ropes to break. Sabre went for a Zach Driver, but Takagi countered with a twisting suplex. Takagi hit a superplex but was too hurt to make a cover. Takagi hit Made in Japan for a near fall. Takagi tried for Last of the Dragon, but Sabre blocked it. Sabre hit a Zach Driver but the impact had both men down at the fifteen minute mark. 

Sabre and Takagi started to exchange headbutts, but Sabre put an end to that with a running kick. Sabre hit a series of kicks, then went back to the arm. Takagi hit a Zach Driver of his own, and then a Burning Dragon for a near fall. Takagi drove in some elbows. Sabre went for a sleeper. Takagi fell back to break the hold, but Sabre locked it right back in. Takagi went for a cradle to escape, but Sabre countered with his own cradle. Sabre hit a DDT out of the corner and a Zach Driver for a near fall. Takagi kicked out, but Sabre went right into a knee bar. Takagi struggled to get out to the ropes, and just when it looked like he’d have to tap out, he rolled himself into the ropes to break. 

Sabre hit three lariats on Takagi, who wouldn’t go down. Takagi hit a pumping bomber and Sabre went down. Takagi hit a sliding forearm and another lariat. Takagi hit the Last of the Dragon, but Sabre turned into Takagi’s pin attempt with a cradle of his own and got the pinfall, ending Takagi’s chances in this year’s G1.

So as the night ends in B Block, Konosuke Takeshita, Ren Narita and Zach Sabre Jr. in a three way tie in at the top with 10 points. Drilla Moloney, Great-O-Khan, YOSHI-HASHI and Shota Umino have 8 points. Shingo Takagi and El Phantasmo only have 6 points and are eliminated.






NJPW G1 Climax 35 results: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yota Tsuji

Posted on by Corey Michaels

NJPW’s G1 Climax 35 tournament continues today with an A Block show from Fukuoka.

Hiroshi Tanahashi faces Yota Tsuji in the main event tournament match. Tanahashi is part of a three-way-tie for last place in A Block, while Tsuji is part of a three-way-tie for first place. Tanahashi has 4 points, while Tsuji stands at 8.

The next G1 tournament win for Tanahashi will give him 100 for his unparalleled career.

David Finlay and his 4 points face EVIL and his 8 points in today’s semi-main event.

Yuya Uemura with 8 points and coming off a victory over Tanahashi, faces SANADA and his 4 points.

Taichi faces Ryohei Oiwa in a battle of 6 points on the show.

The other competitors with 6 points also square off with Boltin Oleg vs. Callum Newman.

A series of tag matches previewing the next B Block show on Tuesday round out today’s undercard. The show begins at 4 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World.

**********

Main Card – Tag Team Matches

The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita & Rocky Romero) defeated Shoma Kato & YOSHI-HASHI

(YOSHI-HASHI, given his G1 record this year, doesn’t inspire hope in me to win this to enter the semi-finals, let alone the finals. The B-Block matches on August 5 may change that, but I look to Takeshita to maintain his dominance.)

Takeshita tossed YOSHI-HASHI around at ringside, while the nimble Romero used aerial kicks keep Kato down. Kato ran the ropes at Takeshita’s request, eventually knocking the Alpha down. YOSHI-HASHI kept up the momentum, but Takeshita’s shoulder drove him away. Romero pinned Kato after a Sliced Bread.

House Of Torture (Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) defeated United Empire (Great-O-Khan & Jakob Austin Young)

(Whether to instill further doubts in Khan or to sow seeds of an epic babyface comeback, Khan’s knee and arm injuries add drama to his G1 journey. Plus, it’s a smart plan by House of Torture—wear down your opponent so they’ll be easy to handle the next night. Khan sold his wounds well.)

Sensing the still-present damage to Khan’s arm courtesy of Zack Sabre Jr the previous night, Narita targeted his right arm. Kanemaru, meanwhile, later focused on Khan’s left knee. Young left Narita dazed after he gained control and floated into a Tornado-DDT. Kanemaru yanked the referee down while he applied utmost pressure to Young in a figure-four leglock. Narita kept Khan at bay while Young tapped out to the leglock.

Post-match: Kanemaru and Narita brought in a steel chair to add further punishment to Khan’s knee.

Bullet Club War Dogs (Drilla Moloney & Taiji Ishimori) defeated El Phantasmo & Jado

(It’s hard to say who will walk away with additional points tomorrow. Moloney’s on a hot streak right now, but Phantasmo in 2025 has a certain flair about him.)

Ishimori suffered at the hands of Jado and Phantasmo, with the former landing a DDT. Moloney feigned a ripcord to subvert Phantasmo into a series of chops. Phantasmo aimed for a CR2 but rolled away to Jado after a Spinebuster. Ishimori played dead after Jado’s clothesline, only to pull him in for a roll-up for the win.

TMDK (Hartley Jackson & Zack Sabre Jr.) defeated Daiki Nagai & Shingo Takagi

(Nagai came into his own in this match. Takagi’s support went a long way, too. With whatever happens with the remnants of Los Ingobernables de Japon, I hope Nagai finds his place with them.)

Sabre and Takagi wrestled to a standstill. Nagai had no such luck against Jackson. Sabre popped in for his own technical pressure on the Young Lion. Jackson returned for a senton, but Takagi saved Nagai. Together, they neutralized Jackson. Nagai even narrowly toppled Jackson with a Canadian Destroyer!

Sabre came to Jackson’s aid, but Nagai snatched him for a Spinebuster. Jackson’s girth prevented a powerslam by Nagai, and he responded with a senton. He then followed up with a Jagged Edge to Nagai.

G1 Climax A-Block Matches

Oleg Boltin (7) defeated Callum Newman (6)

(Boltin is his own beast, but Newman pulled out a hard-fought effort. Despite the back issues, he made Boltin fight for the win.)

Boltin rolled to the outside after a hurricanrana by Newman. Outside, he withstood the unforgiving blue steel barricades. Chops and slams by Boltin aggravated Newman’s injured back. Newman transitioned Boltin’s Kamikaze to a semi-successful hurricanrana. Boltin landed a standing Kamikaze.

Newman pressed into Boltin’s midsection with a stomp from the top rope. He rolled through Boltin’s suplex. With swiftness, Boltin caught Newman, who had full momentum, and planted him with a Kamikaze for the win.

Ryohei Oiwa (7) defeated Taichi (6)

(Taichi is 6-6 in his G1 win-loss record, so he can’t get too comfortable. While I support him, I’m also investing in Oiwa stock.)

Equally strong, Taichi and Oiwa repeatedly reached an impasse. Taichi broke this with a kick. Oiwa gained the upper hand, pummelling Taichi with a scoop slam and a senton. An enzuigiri handed Taichi a comeback. Oiwa escaped a Black Mephisto to drop Taichi with a Doctor Bomb. Dangerous Backdrop provided Taichi with a moment to breathe.

A weary war of stiff forearms wore weaker, but Taichi’s wrist control kept him in control. An Axe Bomber cemented it. Taichi cut off any offense Oiwa might have wanted with enzuigiris each time. However, in the nick of time, Oiwa sent Taichi falling with The Grip. This earned Oiwa the pinfall.

SANADA (6) defeated Yuya Uemura (8)

(Perhaps the only match I wasn’t fond of. Were it not for the House of Torture, this bout would’ve had the makings of a great match.)

Within minutes, SANADA had wrist control, but it shifted to Uemura. SANADA regained it, but a deep armdrag swung it back in Uemura’s favor. SANADA opted to other forms of offense, but Uemura would return wrist control in his favor with more arm drags. Shining Wizard by SANADA broke the cycle. Choosing something new, Uemura plunged SANADA with a back suplex.

Uemura tried for an armbar. SANADA propelled Uemura into Referee Marty Asami, leading him to proceed with a low blow. Uemura rolled out of the way of SANADA’s guitar shot. After Asami missed a capture pin, Yoshinobu Kanemaru slid into the ring to spray whiskey in Uemura’s face.

SANADA finally blasted Uemura with his guitar; Kanemaru took advantage of this by rolling Asami back over and directing his attention to SANADA’s pin. This lent SANADA the pinfall.

David Finlay (6) defeated EVIL (8)

(Surprisingly great. This naturally warranted a lack of referee during the more plunder-heavy moments of this match. Moreover, the odds stacked against Finlay gave the Bullet Club leader the support of fans needed to propel him to victory. Throughout his G1 journey, at this juncture, Finlay needed this win.)

Finlay cut EVIL’s entrance short as he drove him into the crowd. EVIL tubmled onto the floor as Finlay landed upright, clotheslining him to the outside. Don Fale and Dick Togo joined EVIL in tossing Finlay into the barricade, even knocking over a commentary desk. Both opponents traded profanities on the microphone as EVIL choked Finlay with the wire.

Referee Red Shoes prevented EVIL from using a steel chair, leading to the House of Torture leader to toss it to Gedo. This lent Fale and Togo to aid EVIL by removing the turnbuckle pad. Landing in the exposed iron of the padless corner, Finlay fired back with an Irish Curse. Fale attempted to squish Finlay in the corner but instead landed Red Shoes. He, EVIL, and Togo struck Finlay with a steel chair as a Young Lion carried Red Shoes to the back.

EVIL and his henchmen were singlehandedly thwarted by Finlay, with Fale shockingly sent back in a vertical suplex. Fueled by adrenaline, Finlay nearly spelt doom for EVIL with a powerbomb, stopped only by a low blow. EVIL grabbed a steel chain to choke Finlay and adorned his lariat with its unforgiving metal. Spear by Finlay downed EVIL. Gedo handed Finlay a shillelagh. Kenta Sato replaced Red Shoes as referee. Finlay defeated EVIL with an Overkill.

Main Event G1 Climax A-Block

Hiroshi Tanahashi (6) defeated Yota Tsuji (8)

(Hope for The Ace is on the horizon. Tanahashi gaining his 100th G1 win bolsters the heightened stakes of the tournament. Can he keep up this momentum? He’s made career history, but will he end his career on the highest note possible? This is what the G1 is about, beckoning fans to speculate where things will go from here.

As far as the match goes, Tanahashi had his undying charisma driving the match, fully weaving his age and weakening knees into the storyline and the match structure. Tsuji was no slouch either, making Tanahashi look like a billion yen. To fill his Gene Blasters with so much dread that they’re hardly seen, he had the potential of a threat, supplanted by the legend.)

Tanahashi clenched hold of Tsuji’s wrists, broken by a rope break. Tsuji worked Tanahashi’s knees, most painfully exemplified by a horizontal Dragon Screw Legwhip. Karma found Tsuji, as Tanahashi sprang his own Dragon Screw Legwhip. Scoop slam reintroduced Tsuji to the mat, followed by a top rope senton. Tsuji countered a Slingblade with a backslide and a knee to the Ace’s face.

Tsuji aimed to send Tanahashi reeling with a vertical suplex but fell to the mat after a Twist’n’Shout. Tanahashi ended a standoff by stopping Tsuji’s Gene Blaster with a Slingblade. The Ace countered another Gene Blaster into a Snapdragon Suplex. Despite his best efforts, Tsuji bore the brunt of three High Fly Flows and lost the match.

(All but one of the G1 matches hit on all cylinders. Whether it’s the youthful clash of Oleg Boltin and Callum Newman, the continuance of the War Dogs versus House of Torture between David Finlay and EVIL, Taichi falling behind Ryohei Oiwa, or Tanahashi gaining his 100th G1 win, there was much to enjoy. Sadly, the House of Torture had to get a win, with SANADA taking out Yuya Uemura, with interference. But that pales in comparison to the hype of the tournament as it heats up.)

NJPW G1 Climax 35 results: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Great-O-Khan

Posted on by Corey Michaels

Four B Block matches are set for today’s NJPW G1 Climax 35 event in Hiroshima.

In the main event, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. faces Great-O-Khan. It’s the fourth career singles meeting between the two, with Sabre winning all three previous matchups. O-Khan is part of a four-way tie atop B Block with 8 points, while Sabre has 6 points in a three-way tie for fifth place in the Block.

Drilla Moloney and his 8 points face Konosuke Takeshita and his 6 points in today’s semi-main event in a first-time singles meeting between the two.

Shingo Takagi takes on El Phantasmo in another tournament bout on today’s show. Both are tied for eighth place in B Block with 4 points. Shingo has won two out of three previous singles meetings with ELP.

YOSHI-HASHI and Shota Umino square off in today’s first tournament matchup. YH has 8 points, while Umino has 6 points.

Five tag team bouts previewing the next A Block matchups round out today’s undercard. The show begins at 3 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World.

**********

Main Card – Tag Team Matches

Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano defeated United Empire (Callum Newman & Jakob Austin Young)

(Yano is underrated when it comes to matches like these: playing the fool so well that everyone thinks his comedy is part of the act, but it lets him outsmart others. That’s the secret of where the genius of his character lies. Also, though quite brief, the momentary exposure of Boltin and Newman leaves tomorrow’s A-Block matches enticing; it’ll be interesting how these young foreign NJPW talent fare one-on-one.)

Newman started off with some momentum against Boltin after some kicks, but a shoulder tackle and a Boltin Shake shook him off. Young equalized Yano and joined Newman in overwhelming Boltin. Yano tore the turnbuckle pad and threw it at Young. Feigning hurt against the exposed turnbuckle, Yano used Young’s momentum during an Irish Whip to drop and roll him up for the pin.

TMDK (Hartley Jackson & Ryohei Oiwa) defeated Masatora Yasuda & Taichi

(Yasuda’s brilliance is budding, as seen in this match. Jackson selling for him despite being monstrous held the idea that the rookie could chip and tear at the beast to one day slay him. Good stuff.)

Evenly matched, Oiwa and Taichi wrestled to a stalemate. Hiroshima cheered Yasuda on as he attempted a flip on Jackson. Despite suffering the full weight of Jackson falling on him, Yasuda avoided Oiwa with a hurricanrana and dropkick.

Though their partners wrestled to another standstill, Yasuda gained some offense with high dropkicks on Jackson, and ate a burning lariat for his efforts. Jackson dropped courtesy of Taichi and Yasuda’s unified vertical suplex.

Jackson’s senton may have crushed Yasuda’s midsection, but his Jagged Edge gave him the pinfall over the Young Lion.

Shoma Kato & Yuya Uemura vs. House Of Torture (SANADA & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

(Soon, Milano is going to have enough and beat somebody up if people keep involving him in their matches. The way the match went, in storytelling structure, it seems Uemura might triumph over SANADA tomorrow in the A-Block matches.)

A callous SANADA battered Uemura, dragging him into the crowd (and through Milano Collection, again). Abandoned for a hopeful 20-count, Uemura sprinted to beat the timer. Kato may have started with spirit against Kanemaru, but the veteran was wiser and merciless in his approach, dropping the upstart repeatedly on the mat.

Locking in a Boston Crab, Kanemaru dragged Kato into the center. Pulling back and sinking low, he forced a tap-out by the Young Lion.

Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuya Murashima defeated Daiki Nagai & Yota Tsuji

(Some nice levity to this match. The flex-off, Murashima having too much fun with the air guitar, it added to the fun. Tanahashi and Tsuji should have a nice match tomorrow. Tonight reads that we’ll see the Ace pass the torch to another Reiwa Musketeer.)

Following a flex-off, Tanahashi’s seasoned expertise saw him topplle Tsuji with a flying crossbody. The Ace and Murashima then teamed against Nagai; Murashima was so amped up about it that he got carried away with the air guitar pose that Tanahashi had to calm him back down.

Several spiteful chops and a dropkick by Nagai wore down on Murashima. Using Murashima’s momentum against him, Nagai planted him with a Spinebuster. Murashima barreled into a comeback, pouncing on Nagai. Tanahashi intercepted Tsuji with a Dragon Screw Legwhip. Together, Tanahashi and legal man Murashima held Tsuji and Nagai in Boston Crabs; Murashima sank his Crab in deeper upon a crawling Nagai to tap him out.

House Of Torture (Dick Togo & EVIL) defeated Bullet Club War Dogs (David Finlay & Gedo)

(Thankfully a short House of Torture match. However, credit where it’s due, the aftermath of the Bullet Club Civil War added to the match’s drama, especially in those closing moments.)

No time was spared in this match, as EVIL and Finlay reignited their Bullet Club war to the Hiroshima crowd. Don Fale played equalizer, taking out Finlay on the outside. Togo and EVIL tormented Gedo, where Fale joined them. Gedo pounded Togo with a Fistdrop. Togo ripped away the turnbuckle pad and EVIL whipped Finlay into it.

Fale and Togo held Finlay down as he locked eyes with EVIL who tapped Gedo out with a Darkness Scorpion.

G1 Climax B-Block Matches

Shota Umino defeated YOSHI-HASHI

(Hiroshima loved this one and I appreciate it as well. Umino’s quietly been putting on classic G1 performances, contrasting his rough early 2025.)

YOSHI-HASHI withstood Umino’s early fire, sending him across the barricades. Increasingly confident, YOSHI-HASHI fell victim to Umino targeting his knee. Basement dropkick by YOSHI-HASHI brought Umino’s trajectory to a screeching halt.

Umino applied pressure to an STF, to which YOSHI-HASHI could barely crawl out of. YOSHI-HASHI planted Umino with a Canadian Destroyer. A right-handed lariat cut the head off of YOSHI-HASHI, with a knee to drop him. YOSHI-HASHI reversed Umino’s Northern Light’s Suplex with a DDT. After an intense trade of lariats and kicks, each more devastating than the last, Umino pinned YOSHI-HASHI after a Second Chapter.

Shingo Takagi defeated El Phantasmo

(After a solid opener, Takagi and ELP elevated the show with a classic. Starting with goofy banter, the pair quickly heated up the scene with a display that left Hiroshima in applause.)

Phantasmo interacted with the audience for an extended period, soon wearing out Takagi’s patience. Tijeras courtesy of Phantasmo flipped Takagi over, giving way to offense on the blue steel guardrails at ringside. Takagi’s right hand stopped Phantasmo’s floaty offense with a quick yet effective punch. He flipped the Canadian with a Driver onto the ring apron.

While Takagi did incur a Step-Up Enzuigiri, he delivered a Pumping Bomber. Unidentified Flying Opponent sent Takagi crashing back down. The heat of the match began to boil, as Takagi planted Phantasmo with Made in Japan. Phantasmo swung a comeback with a Poisonrana and a CR2. Failing a Sudden Death, Phantasmo soared from the top rope but narrowly suffered a sliding Pumping Bomber.

CR2 by Phantasmo was reversed into poisonrana, followed by a Pumping Bomber. Takagi stole a CR2, hit Phantasmo with another Pumping Bomber, and sealed the deal at last with a Last of the Dragon.

Konosuke Takeshita defeated Drilla Moloney

(The match was already a great watch, but that final stand fueled on pure rage and hate elevated this. Moloney embodied a protagonistic fire and spirit that made it all the more heartbreaking when Takeshita stopped his endeavors.)

Moloney and Takeshita immediately went to war, soon spreading to the audience and into the chairs surrounding. Takeshita endured chops and promptly downed Moloney with a stiff forearm. Moloney barreled Takeshita out of the ring and into the barricade. Exploder suplex by Takeshita stopped Moloney’s control, with a Brainbuster providing additional damage.

Takeshita rolled out of the way of an elbow drop, resulting in Moloney landing loudly and painfully on the mat. Blue Thunderbomb by Takeshita added more salt in the wound. Moloney slammed Takeshita with a Spinebuster, and succeeded with a fruitful Elbow Drop. Invoking the name of the injured Gabe Kidd, Takeshita incurred Moloney’s wrath that ended with a powerful lariat. Takeshita survived a Drilla Killa, ending the match in a Raging Fire for the win.

Main Event G1 Climax B-Block

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Great-O-Khan

(What an excellent, unique showcase! Sabre had to cut away Khan’s most powerful asset, his arms, to take the win from Khan. Had he not have succeeded in wearing down Khan’s arm, Sabre would not have eked out this victory. Khan’s matches have this flair of an unstoppable force, but in this, his kryptonite cracked his skin. This is the ruthless Zack that should have had his defenses since his first NJPW World Heavyweight Championship reign.

Cautiously dancing around the other, Sabre and Khan grappled to a few impasses. Even when they got physical, they were evenly matched, with both men working the other’s arms and both men falling after boots to the faces at the same time. Khan implemented his Claw during a Cobra Twist. Sabre grounded Khan with a cross-armbar.

Finding a sweet spot in Khan’s left arm, Sabre battled with Khan for control until a back suplex broke his hold. Sabre prevented Khan’s Mongolian Chops but wound up slammed mid-air and flung around like a ragdoll.

Firmly ensnaring his limbs around the arm of his opponent, Sabre was raised up and slammed. The aches of the arm-targeting were evident in Khan’s half-Mongolian Chops to Sabre. Enduring strikes in succession, Khan brought his forearm into Sabre’s midsection, momentarily downing him. Bristling past Sabre’s Tornado-DDT, Khan blasted him with an Eliminator. Following an unsuccessful Zack Driver, Sabre held Khan in an armbar.

(Each B-Block match tonight brought something new that told a different story, each of which still commanded full attention. Heading over halfway into the tournament, and everyone is becoming more pronounced in their viability as a potential finalist. As I type this, I’m finding myself changing my favorites to win.)

NJPW G1 Climax 35 live results: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Ryohei Oiwa

Posted on by Corey Michaels

NJPW G1 Climax 35 continues today in Nagoya with a show featuring five A Block matches.

In the main event, company president Hiroshi Tanahashi faces the up and coming Ryohei Oiwa in a matchup of two wrestlers with 4 points each in the tournament. It will be the first career singles meeting between the two.

In the semi-main, EVIL and Yuya Uemura go head-to-head in another first-ever singles matchup between them. EVIL is tied for the A Block lead with 6 points, while Uemura has 4 points.

SANADA and Taichi will square off in another A Block battle. SANADA has 2 points, while Taichi has 4. These two have met seven times in singles matches in their careers, with SANADA holding a 6-1 edge.

David Finlay and Callum Newman go one-on-one in the show’s second tournament bout in yet another first-time meeting. Both enter the bout with 2 points each.

In the first tournament match of the night, Yota Tsuji faces Boltin Oleg, with the winner in position to take the A Block lead with a victory. Both are tied with EVIL with 6 points atop A Block to this point.

A series of tag team matches previewing the next B Block matches fills out today’s undercard. The show begins at 4 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World.

**********

Tag matches

El Phantasmo & Jado defeated United Empire (Great-O-Khan & Jakob Austin Young)

(Phantasmo was in great form for an opener. His banter with Young was hilarious.)

Khan seemed to have early control after the bell when he grappled with Phantasmo. Jado had the misfortune of Khan applying the pressure of his weight seated on the top rope turnbuckle. Jado clenched a comeback after a lariat, to which Phantasmo followed up on with a plancha to Khan and Young. Back in the ring, Phantasmo landed a Canadian Revolution 2 on Young for the win.

Katsuya Murashima & Shota Umino defeated Daiki Nagai & Shingo Takagi

(Murashima has great potential. Hopefully soon, he’ll have a great stable to join. Umino was actually pretty fine here. Nagai is settling in well with Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi, and Yota Tsuji in the Los Ingobernables de Japon remnants.)

Nagai tagged in Takagi after quickly gaining an advantage over Murashima. Umino got the better of Takagi with a Fisherman Suplex, but ate a lariat for his troubles. Murashima briefly had control until Nagai unleashed a Spinebuster and a Boston Crab. Exchanging lariats, Takagi eventually overwhelmed Umino. Murashima tapped Nagai out with a Boston Crab.

BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Drilla Moloney & Taiji Ishimori) defeated House Of Torture (Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

(Easily digestible. This knew what it had to be and didn’t overstay its welcome. Moloney and Ishimori were splendid.)

Narita and Kanemaru bore down on Ishimori, who escaped with a big boot to the former. A huge dropkick by Moloney to Narita kept him in solid control, later followed by a Spinebuster. Kanemaru avoided Ishimori’s offense by throwing the referee in his way and locked in a figure-four leglock. Ishimori reversed another figure-four leglock into a cradle and later a Gedo Clutch for the pinfall.

TMDK (Hartley Jackson & Zack Sabre Jr.) defeated The Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita & Rocky Romero)

(Using TMDK to combine their efforts on Romero was a smart play. In that, they forced Takeshita to work more on a handicap basis, even when Romero was active. This also paid dividends in the end for Jackson to put Romero away. The prospect of Sabre and Takeshita leaves me salivating; they have every potential for a barn-burner.)

Jackson used his strength and Sabre utilized his submission maneuvering to promptly weaken Romero. Sabre continued bullying Romero, taunting Takeshita in the process. Takeshita flew in with a kick to Sabre, but couldn’t faze Jackson with one so he threw in a stiff forearm. Following a dense octopus hold, Sabre was rendered incapacitated with Takeshita’s lariat. Jackson smashed Romero with a Senton. Romero gave a valiant last stand, but ultimately fell to Jackson’s Jagged Edge as Sabre and Takeshita brawled against a barricade.

G1 Climax 2025 Block A Matches

Yota Tsuji defeated Oleg Boltin

(Holy heck. This started off tonight’s Block A matches right. Tsuji and Boltin left my blood flowing on this one.)

A Boltin Shake dizzied Tsuji in the early goings. Further overbearing on Tsuji, he wrenched in a Boston Crab. Boltin crashed over the barricade courtesy of Tsuji’s Tope Suicida. Boltin and Tsuji battled for leverage, with a Gene Blaster superseding a German suplex. A Kamikaze by Boltin caused considerable damage. Nagoya’s voice grew resonant as the pair battled on the top rope, but Tsuji grounded both men and won via a Gene Blaster.

Callum Newman defeated David Finlay

(Newman getting this win is definitely good for his NJPW resume, putting him in a good place. As El Phantasmo and Walker Stewart brilliantly illustrated on commentary, Finlay is desperate to get a win over Hiroshi Tanahashi like the other leaders of Bullet Club and despite his ruthlessness in this match, this thought haunted him the entire time. Good stuff.)

Newman wasted no time, dropkicking Finlay, raining down punches, and another dropkick—Finlay couldn’t even take off his jacket. From the ring, Finlay sent Newman flying to the outside. Irate, he tossed Newman through the chairs amid a dispersing Nagoya audience. Refusing to lose, Newman endured the many punishments of Finlay. A big boot lent Newman space to recover. A superkick + lariat combination seemed to have given a harder grip on the match, but an Oblivion wrought devastation on his opponent. Finlay sought a powerbomb, but Newman transitioned it into a sitout pin for the victory.

SANADA defeated Taichi

(I wasn’t a fan of this. Granted, Milano Collection A.T. and Masatora Yasuda were some pleasant surprises to this.)

Interrupting his own theme song, Taichi went to work on SANADA with no hesitation. Matching this energy, SANADA brought Taichi to the outside, leaving Nagoya to once more be inconvenienced out of their seats. Milano Collection A.T. on commentary came to Taichi’s aid, throwing SANADA into a chair. With some kicks, Taichi at last had some momentum, until Yoshinobu Kanemaru accosted him. SANADA reached for an underhanded tactic, but attempted a top rope move instead. This gave Taichi room for offense, ending with a backdrop.

SANADA grabbed Referee Marty Asami to trounce a Black Mephisto attempt. Taichi’s jackknife pin was close, but Kanemaru pulled Asami ahead of the 3-count. Low blow by SANADA, combined with a Shining Wizard would have given him an easy win, had it not been for an intervening Young Lion Masatora Yasuda. Taichi hesitated slamming SANADA’s guitar over his head, wasting enough time for Kanemaru to return with a Whiskey Mist. SANADA finally used the guitar on Taichi for the win.

Post-match: SANADA and Kanemaru looked as though they would assault Taichi more, before Yasuda met them in defense of Taichi. They gave him a beatdown and left.

Yuya Uemura defeated EVIL

(House of Torture matches are actually good when they get a comeuppance. Uemura being the hopeful, shining beacon for that despite the drama and the shenanigans made up for this being the stable’s second consecutive match.)

Uemura showed promise once the bell rang, but EVIL and Don Fale teamed up to torment him on the outside. EVIL worked Uemura’s back, yet that didn’t stop him from delivering a back suplex. Dick Togo distracted Uemura, giving EVIL ample opportunity to toss his opponent to the outside for a beatdown by Fale and Togo. Uemura caught EVIL with an armbar, to which Fale distracted the referee. Togo followed this with a chairshot to Uemura’s back.

Fed up with the distractions, Uemura dove onto Fale and took out Togo. EVIL fired back with Darkness Falls and a lariat. Deadbolt Suplex gave Uemura the 3-count pinfall.

Main event — G1 Climax Block A

Ryohei Oiwa defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi

(My enjoyment of Tanahashi’s retirement run stems from how sincere his desperation gets; he doesn’t need to do it with meandering promos or low blows. He does it all with in-ring storytelling. It’s endearing: he faces his matches in his twilight like a young man in the dawn of his career. Oiwa benefits from this immensely, as he’s one of the young stars that evokes what Tanahashi was in his prime.)

Tanahashi and Oiwa were evenly matched in their lock-ups, but Oiwa showed flashes of brilliance with a headlock takedown. Tanahashi grounded his opponent, working Oiwa’s legs. A dropkick supplanted the Ace, yet the harm done to Oiwa’s legs still remained evident. Oiwa withstood a big forearm and a Twist’n’Shout to toss the veteran from the top rope to the center of the ring. Tanahashi halted Oiwa’s upward trajectory with a German suplex. Oiwa swung a comeback, catching Tanahashi mid-air with a wristlock.

Oiwa stole the Ace’s High Fly Flow, succeeded with a Doctor Bomb. Clenching in a sleeper hold, Oiwa tossed a spinning lariat. Defying a cradle by Tanahashi, Oiwa pulled out another spinning lariat, this time putting Tanahashi down for good. With a pinfall, Oiwa progressed in the G1 Climax.

The tag matches tonight were fun, but not required viewing, save for TMDK versus the Don Callis Family. The Block A matches profited from Boltin and Tsuji’s war, Newman’s upset over Finlay, Uemura surviving the House of Torture, and Tanahashi’s stand against Oiwa. The structure, storytelling, and finish for Taichi versus SANADA left a sour taste in my mouth, sweetened only by Yasuda and Milano’s assistance.

NJPW G1 Climax 35 live results: Shingo Takagi vs. Konosuke Takeshita

Posted on by Corey Michaels

NJPW’s G1 Climax 35 tournament rolls on tonight with four B Block matches in Ota.

In the main event, Shingo Takagi faces Konosuke Takeshita in one of the more highly-anticipated matchups of the tournament. Takeshita enters the match with 4 points, while Shingo has 2 points, with his only win so far coming via forfeit due to Gabe Kidd’s injury and withdrawal.

Three more B Block matches are set for the show.

Shota Umino and Ren Narita will match up in the semi-main event. Both enter the contest with 4 points thus far in the G1.

Zack Sabre Jr. will take on El Phantasmo in a battle of two wrestlers each with 2 points.

B Block leader YOSHI-HASHI and his 6 points will face Great-O-Khan (2 points) in the night’s first tournament bout.

A series of tag team matches previewing the next A Block battles fill out today’s undercard.

The show kicks off at 2 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World.

**********

Pre-show

The NJPW roster joined ringside during a tribute to the late Hulk Hogan who passed away on July 25, 2025 at the age of 71.

Main card

Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano defeated Daiki Nagai & Yota Tsuji

(Nagai has shown promise thus far with the LiJ alumni during this early stretch of the G1.)

Boltin had the early advantage over Tsuji, culminating in a Boltin Shake. Nagai joined Tsuji in planting Boltin with a 2-on-1 suplex. Yano removed the turnbuckle pad, as is his wont, but Nagai outsmarted him right into the exposed corner. Spinebuster by Nagai whittled down the veteran, but resulted in a Demon Killler powerbomb, giving Yano and Boltin the victory.

United Empire (Callum Newman & Jakob Austin Young) defeated BULLET CLUB War Dogs (David Finlay & Gedo)

(Optimistic win for the United Empire’s junior members.)

Newman forewent the formalities during Finlay’s entrance as he interrupted. The pair brawled, with Finlay tossing Newman into chairs amid a fleeing crowd. Back in the ring, he controlled Newman’s arm, with Gedo offering additional punishment. Young fended off Gedo using his legs; a dropkick rattled him further. Neman saved Young from Finlay’s Dominator before they combined their offense to him and Gedo. Young pinned Gedo via Jakob’s Ladder to win the match.

House Of Torture (SANADA & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) defeated Masatora Yasuda & Taichi

(If Taichi were to start a new stable, Yanemaru would be a great addition.)

House of Torture immediately went to work on Yasuda and Taichi, the former of which wore on SANADA. Taichi found himself dragged to the chairs as SANADA clobbered him with a water bottle (before politely handing it back to the commentator he stole it from). Yasuda had no choice but to withstand the wrath of Kanemaru and SANADA until landing a scoop slam despite his softened knee. Wrist control and spry legs gave Taichi an edge that overwhelmed Kanemaru and SANADA. Once more into the Ota crowd, SANADA send Taichi into a commentary table.

At last, Taichi swung a comeback in the form of a lariat to SANADA. Kanemaru landed on his shoulders following Yasuda’s heightened dropkick. With a Boston Crab vigorously in place on Yasuda, SANADA tapped him out.

Post-match: Unsatisfied for the first two times, SANADA returned Taichi into the crowd.

House Of Torture (Dick Togo & EVIL) defeated Tomoaki Honma & Yuya Uemura

(I’d have preferred a Uemura win, but that’s just me. As far as House of Torture matches go, this didn’t overstay its welcome.

Re-using their teammates’ game plan from the previous match, House of Torture swarmed their opponents. Honma flattened Togo before paying homage to Hulk Hogan. Togo regained command of the match in working Honma’s arm. EVIL and Don Fale rung the ring bell to distract the referee after Togo landed an Italian Fistdrop to Honma. Uemura was unleashed next, yet EVIL tossed him to Togo and Fale for extra damage. Gritting his teeth through the pain, Uemura battled past his abdomen pain working in tandem with Honma to wear down EVIL. Togo broke up Honma’s pin to EVIL after a successful Kokeshi. Magic Killer by House of Torture to Honma gave the stable yet another victory.

Post-match: EVIL, Togo, and Fale wrenched the knee of Uemura, even as Young Lions attempted to pull them away.

TMDK (Hartley Jackson & Ryohei Oiwa) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Katsuya Murashima

(While building Tanahashi and Oiwa up later, NJPW put Jackson to good use in giving Murashima a spot to shine and show his character’s strength and cunning.)

Oiwa locked up with Tanahashi, with the Ace geting the upper hand twice. He followed with a flying crossbody. A Twist’n’Shout gave Tanahashi confidence, but Oiwa powered out. Murashima sought to test his girth and strength against Jackson but quickly lost his composure. A senton by Jackson winded Murashima. Jackson bullied young Murashima until he fired back with a pounce. Oiwa held Tanahashi on the apron to watch as Jackson dropped Murashima with a Jagged Edge for the win.

G1 Climax B-Block

Great-O-Khan defeated YOSHI-HASHI

(Yoshi-Hashi’s story during this year’s G1 Climax remains compelling, a desperation to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, so setbacks like these set the drama up quite well.

Khan’s strength hinted at early benefits, but YOSHI-HASHI double-palmed him to the mat. Dropping YOSHI-HASHI onto the ring apron, Khan punctuated this devastating enviornmental-assisted assault with his trademark sit on a precariously perched YOSHI-HASHI on the tope rope. Gaining speed, Khan fell victim to a Head Hunter by a defiant YOSHI-HASHI. Refusing YOSHI-HASHI’s fisherman suplexes and tombstone piledrivers, Khan landed a DDT but couldn’t capitalize. Clutching Khan’s wrist, YOSHI-HASHI weakened Khan only to run into Khan’s Pop-Up eliminator. YOSHI-HASHI unfortunately ran into Khan’s Claw, ultimately finished off by his Eliminator.

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated El Phantasmo

(Immediately one of this year’s G1 Climax’s best matches. A wonderful story build on respect, told with desperate moves in the final stretch to create a perfect drama.)

Phantasmo wriggled out of Sabre’s every technical maneuver. In one particular pin attempt, Sabre bridged out. Each man traded holds in an attempt to pin or submit the other. With unwavering neck control, Sabre dragged Phantasmo around. In a sudden comeback, Pantasmo shot Sabre outside with a dropkick.

Tope Suicida from Phantasmo flipped Sabore over the barricade and into the seats. Phantasmo landed a Tornado-DDT but didn’t pin Sabre in time for the pin. Phantasmo driver nearly gives the Canadian a win, as did his theft of Sabre’s Zack Driver. Bullied by Sabre, Phantasmo fought his way to a comeback, with a Thunderkiss 85 seeming like a sure shot before Sabre drove his knees up. Following a nasty Zack Driver, Sabre’s spider-like reflexes wrapped his limbs around Phantasmo for an octopus-hold that tapped Phantasmo out.

Ren Narita defeated Shota Umino

(Narita’s always better outside of the grasp of House of Torture. It’s pleasing to know that is a constant, because it makes his other matches better.

Lurking on the outside, Narita soon saw himself laid flat on the floor. Playing possum while grabbing his worn knee, Narita reversed Umino’s fortune with tosses into the steel barricade. Reversing the momentum, Narita gained control of Umino’s wrist, bending it against the steel barricade. Narita worked the arm of Umino, wrenching it back, pulling it closer to out of socket. Fisherman Suplex and a STF failed Umino, but agonized Narita. Grounded, Narita pulled back as much as he could on Umino’s arm. After pulling Narita back into the ring for a STF, Umino was distracted by the ring bell, sounded by Yoshinobu Kanemaru. Swiftly evading Narita’s weaponry,

Using a board that Kanemaru gave him, Narita nearly struck Umino with a stick. Double cross rendered Umino further unconscious, yet still kicking. A flying knee stomp to the back of Umino’s skull ended the match in Narita’s favor.

Main event

Konosuke Takeshita defeated Shingo Takagi

(I didn’t think anything tonight would eclipse El Phantasmo versus Zack Sabre Jr, but Takeshita and Takagi stole the show. Ota became unglued and the atmosphere grew beyond electric. Not only did Takagi lose his breath, but I did too.

Locking up, Takagi and Takeshita’s strengths were evenly matched, leading to a test of wills. Takagi had an edge in his experience, but Takeshita’s prowess lent him a comeback, as seen with a flying shoulder-tackle. A diving senton took the breath out of Takagi. Sensing a Blue Thunderbomb, Takagi wriggled out of Takeshita’s clutches and flipped him with a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. Reading Takeshita like a book, Takagi goaded his opponent so he could dodge and down him with a DDT.

Using DDTs of his own, Takeshita landed Takagi nastily on his neck a few times. A Sliding Pumping Bomber bore down on Takeshita. An Exploder Suplex reawakened Takeshita’s chances, with a series of German Suplexes by Takagi. Pumping Bomber on the top rope plummetted Takeshita to the mat, but Takagi couldn’t win from his Made in Japan. Takeshita fell to a Pumping Bomber and a Last of the Dragon, but much to Takagi’s chagrin, neither could pin the Alpha. He burned Takagi with a Raging Fire, but he escaped to the ropes. In an epic closing sequence full of finishers and explosive moves, Takeshita choked the life out of Takagi’s breath. Eyes bulging madly, Takagi was fully ensnared in Takeshita’s rear-naked chickenwing; unwilling and unable to give in, the referee declared Takeshita the winner.

Tonight’s G1 Climax was not exactly full of bombastic spectacles, save for El Phantasmo versus Zack Sabre Jr and Shingo Takagi versus Konosuke Takeshita. Yet, because of these two matches, this show is recommended viewing.

NJPW G1 Climax 35 night one live results: 10 tournament matches

Posted on by Corey Michaels

The biggest tournament of the year in pro wrestling kicks off today.

NJPW’s annual G1 Climax begins in Hokkaido with an all-G1 show featuring 10 tournament bouts.

In his final G1, Hiroshi Tanahashi finds himself in the main event of today’s show against Taichi in an A Block matchup.

IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. faces Ren Narita in B Block in today’s co-main event.

Yota Tsuji and SANADA will go one-on-one in A Block action.

Gabe Kidd takes on Konosuke Takeshita in an intriguing B Block matchup on today’s card.

David Finlay and Ryohei Oiwa match up in another A Block tilt.

Shota Umino and El Phantasmo will square off in B Block.

Yuya Uemura and Boltin Oleg in an A Block matchup is fourth on today’s card.

Great-O-Khan faces Drilla Moloney in B Block.

EVIL and Callum Newman go one-on-one in A Block in the second match in today’s lineup.

Kicking off today’s show and the G1 as a whole, Shingo Takagi vs. YOSHI-HASHI in a matchup of veteran stalwarts in the opening contest.

**********

YOSHI-HASHI defeated Shingo Takagi

A shockingly quick match. Last of the Dragon is a deadly move, so escaping that with a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it move was so nice. Clean match, setting the vibe for the unexpected efficiently.

Takagi sent YOSHI-HASHI’s early momentum to a screeching halt with a DDT and a vertical suplex. He continued this with a dropkick, before countering a lariat with a thrust kick and sneaking his own lariat. YOSHI-HASHI’s fortitude fell after a lariat and a Pumping Bomber. Fortunately for him, he reversed Takagi’s Last of the Dragon into a Crucifix Driver for the pinfall.

EVIL defeated Callum Newman

Obvious EVIL win from the start, typical House of Torture shenanigans. However, EVIL and Newman worked well together despite a lack of strong chemistry.

EVIL gained swift control thanks to underhanded tactics while Dick Togoand Bad Luck Fale assaulted Newman on the outside. Newman gained a comeback with an elbow to EVIL, a dive to Fale, and a kick to Togo. Taking advantage of his opponent’s weak left knee, EVIL dodged a top rope stomp by Newman and shoulder-tackled it from behind. A Firebolt gained a nearfall for the young Newman. EVIL catapulted Newman into the referee, leading Togo and Fale to choke and slam the United Empire member. Locked in a Darkness Scorpion, Newman had no choice but to submit to EVIL.

Drilla Moloney defeated Great-O-Khan

The War Dog has been having an exceptional 2025, so a good start thus far in the G1 is a good way to keep his upward trajectory moving. That said, there was little sauce to this match. It was good, but not great.

Moloney sought an early Drilla Killa, but Khan trumped it with his might. The War Dog sent Khan careening into the barricade with a baseball slide. He then tied Khan’s ponytail to the barricade, with Khan barely sliding back into the ring with time to spare. Near the ropes, Khan held Moloney within a Camel Clutch. Vertical suplex offered Moloney a reprieve to survive a stiff exchange, gifting him an opportunity for a Spinebuster. Tenzan Tombstone courtesy of Khan opened a window, but Moloney closed it with a Gore. Moloney evaded a Cobra Claw, ending the match with a Gore and Drilla Killa to Khan for the pinfall.

Yuya Uemura defeated Oleg Boltin

So far, the best match on the card. Boltin’s hotter than ever as 2025 rolls on, and Uemura is a remarkable talent on his own merit. The closing stretch was enough to wake anybody up.

Brisk matwork began this affair, with the strong Boltin gaining the advantage due to his powerful offense. Uemura found his resolve as he controlled Boltin’s arm and stretched it. Despite the damage to his arm, Boltin sent Uemura’s hopes crashing with a couple of slams. Boltin Shake rattled and rolled Uemura, but couldn’t quell a high drop kick from Boltin’s springy opponent. The softened arm of Boltin almost saw an extended arm hold were it not for his resilience and a rope break. A dynamic display of offense won over the Hokkaido crowd, Uemura ultimately succeeded in pinning Boltin via a Deadbolt Suplex.

Shota Umino defeated El Phantasmo

Listen, I love ELP, and Umino’s been slowly winning me over again, but this match was boring. The crowd was forgiving, playing along, but this match was quiet. I know these two can deliver. Not necessarily bad, but not as exciting as it had the potential to be. That said, I want to give credit where it’s due: the match benefitted from the story of their friendship.

Grappling started this match, with Phantasmo getting a nice start, to which he playfully bantered to Umino. What seemed like a hard chop exchange was a ruse for Phantasmo to kick Umino, baiting him into rage for a dopkick. Soaring through the ropes, Phantasmo sent Umino colliding into the barricade. This dominance continued until Phantasmo twisted Umino’s nipples. A Neckbreaker provided Umino a brief comeback. Canadian Revolution by Phantasmo temporarily swung the match back in his favor. Following some quiet offense, Umino won the match with a Second Chapter.

Ryohei Oiwa defeated David Finlay

The psychology and physiology of this match proved a compelling watch. The tactical edge of Finlay, coupled with his ruthless, dirty ways contrasted well with the spirted Oiwa and the indominitable strength of him. In this instance, brawn superceded brains.

Oiwa exploded in the match after some early chess by Finlay. With some backbreaking offfense, Finlay backed Oiwa into the corner for a shoulder collision and a flip back to the center of the mat. Light on his feet, Oiwa bounced for a nice dropkick. Though he slammed Finlay, Oiwa stung his own back in the process. A few foul gestures and hurled profanities later, Finlay tossed Oiwa through the barricade and into the Hokkaido crowd. With utmost bravado, he slammed Oiwa into the mat courtesy of an Irish Curse. Oiwa, maintaning control over Finlay’s midsection, gifting him a weak Doctor Bomb. Using The Grip, Oiwa rent Finlay immobile for the three seconds it takes for a pinfall.

Konosuke Takeshita defeated Gabe Kidd

The suspense here was palpable. There were no mental games, no tests of honor or skill. Only a contest of pure, unadulterated will. Takeshita versus Kidd was exhilarating.

High-octane energy immediatley propelled this match, with Takeshita landing a flying shoulder that rattled Kidd. Unsatisfied, Takeshita worked Kidd with a neckhold. Kidd eventually gained control, swinging Takeshita into the rails of the barricade. Surviving the outside brutality, Takeshita regained his composure to send Kidd down with a frightening Blue Thunderbomb. The opponents collided in an attempt to lariat the other; Takeshita was successful in this endeavor. Reversing Takeshita’s Raging Fire into a Brainbuster, Kidd rallied the Hokkaido crowd.

Kidd found his mettle again after a lariat, leaving him to follow up with relentless offense. Takeshita retrieved the momentum with a forearm. Battling on the outside, Takeshita elbowed Kidd down to thunderous effect, nearly ending the match at a 19-count. Despite some hefty strikes that wore on Takeshita, Kidd suffered an elbow to the back of the head, a neck snap, and a sleeperhold that left him unconscious.

Yota Tsuji defeated SANADA

The conflict SANADA has shown sporadically in his time jumping from stable to stable yet unable to fully abandon his nature as a fair wrestler continued well into this match. Using this story to elevate his opponent a win will hopefully serve the oppsing Tsuji well.

Tsuji initially had a fire to him, but SANADA cut him from underneath. Dragged through the barricades and into several chairs in the crowd, Tsuji escaped a countout by the skin of his teeth at the 19-count. Surviving a Shining Wizard, Tsuji dropped to a dropkick to his left leg. As SANADA charged forth, Tsuji pulled out a Gene Blaster for a surprise win.

Ren Narita defeated Zack Sabre Jr

Sabre as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion this go-around made this match more enthralling than it would have been during his first reign. Being an absolute jerk opposed to the nasty tactics of House of Torture made this a captivating watch. Narita brought his A-game here, too. This was a far cry from 2023’s Wrestle Kingdom 17.

Sabre wasted no time ensnaring Narita within his technical clutches, instantly working the legs. Provoking Sabre to the ropes, Narita superceded him to drop him on the mat. Dangling on the ropes, Sabre pulled Narita’s arm and sent him into the guardrails near commentary. Using this opportunity for punishment, Narita tormented Sabre amid the Hokkaido crowd before wrapping his opponent’s knee around the metal ring post on the outside. He continued this too on the inside, hobbling the Brit. The damage continued as he slammed and slammed Sabre’s brittle knee into the mat.

Twisting Narita’s neck, Sabre instantly felt the sting of Narita’s knee targeting. Succeeding an Octopus Hold, Sabre gave Narita karma by working his leg too. Penalty Kicks exhausted Narita’s chest. Feigning incapacitation, Narita lay in wait to a hold. Sabre reversed this at the last moment with a Zack Driver. Firmly in control with hold after hold, Sabre fell victim to Narita biting his calf. Using Souled Out, Narita followed up with Hell’s Guillotine to defeat Sabre.

Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Taichi

Lately, it seems Tanahashi has been working progressively dirtier as time goes on during this final year. Still, he balances it with the nobility of his babyface tenure. As though he knows he has to gain the advantage he needs to win with time running out. Taichi, in matches like these, feels like a climb that is destined to hopefully pay off someday.

Withstanding early lock-ups, Taichi gained control of Tanahashi using his legs to his advantage. Wrapping Taichi’s legs on the ropes, Tanahashi send him crashing with a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. While Red Shoes Umino pleaded for the duo to stop brawling on the outside, Tanahashi pretended to oblige, only to wrap Taichi’s leg on the guardrail and kicking it further in. In the ring, Tanahashi reaped the benefits of his aggressive knee-targeting, applying a hold and adding pressure to it. Holding out through Tanahashi’s merciless knee focus, Taichi pulled out an enzuigiri.

Ripping off his pants to reveal his trunks, Taichi sought a superkick but lost his base after a kick to the knee. Texas Cloverleaf further persecuted Taichi’s hurt knee, but a rope break rescued him. Another Dragon Screw Leg Whip begat a Texas Cloverleaf, with the Ace sinking as low as he could for further abuse. Another enzuigiri gave Taichi a breather, and the fire to survive a first Sling Blade. An Axe Bomber Lariat allowed Taichi perseverence through more Tanahashi offense, with a bridging suplex almost granting him a victory had it not been for his knee giving out. His knee once more giving out, Taichi failed a top rope suplex and ate two High Fly Flows, with a third one giving Tanahashi the victory.

To me, the main players in this tournament feel like YOSHI-HASHI, Taichi, and Tanahashi. At least, they feel the most compelling journeys to follow. Granted, the young stars such as Yota Tsuji, Ryohei Oiwa, Gabe Kidd, Drilla Moloney, and Yuya Uemura have so much momentum ahead of them. Overall, this night of G1 Climax started off average but grew intensity as the night wore on.