The finals are set for NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament.
Kazuchika Okada and Tetsuya Naito will square off in Sunday’s finals, as both won their semifinals bouts at Saturday’s NJPW G1 Climax event.
Okada defeated EVIL in his semifinal match, while Naito defeated Will Ospreay in the show’s main event to advance to the finals.
For Okada, this year marks a third consecutive G1 finals appearance, and he will be going for his third consecutive G1 title and fifth overall. Okada has never lost a G1 finals, having defeated Karl Anderson to win in 2012, Shinsuke Nakamura in 2014, Kota Ibushi in 2021, and Will Ospreay in 2022. A fifth G1 Climax victory would tie Okada with Masohiro Chono for the most ever.
Naito will be appearing in his fourth G1 finals, and will go for his third career G1 title. Naito was a finalist in 2011, losing to Shinsuke Nakamura in the deciding bout. He won the 2013 G1, defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi in finals, and again won the tournament in 2017, defeating Kenny Omega.
The winner of Sunday’s Okada vs. Naito bout will earn the right to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 18 on January 4, 2024 in the Tokyo Dome.
Kaito Kiyomiya & HAYATA vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Master Wato
Our live coverage begins at 4 a.m. Eastern time.
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Recommended Matches
Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma vs. Minoru Suzuki & Ren Narita – These two teams absolutely demolished each other in one of the best tag matches of the year.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Eddie Kingston & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita – This was an incredible, well-structured tag that outshined a lot of the actual tournament.
Tetsuya Naito vs. Will Ospreay – If you enjoy big match Ospreay, you’ll love this. Not to say Naito didn’t put in work; this was absolutely a tournament-defining performance. No doubt, this is the type of G1 semi-final you would expect from Ospreay and Naito.
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Kaito Kiyomiya & HAYATA defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Master Wato
This NOAH vs. NJPW match was just fine. For most of the match, the juniors focused on each other and the heavyweights on each other. In the end, Kiyomiya won for his team by hitting Tenzan with the shining wizard.
This was fantastic. Shota and Ren beat the brakes off of each other here. Honma and Suzuki were solid throughout. In the end, Ren won the match for Strong Style by submitting Honma with a cobra twist.
David Finlay, KENTA, Chase Owens, Alex Coughlin & Gabe Kidd defeated Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & YOH
This was a goofy match with the pace set by Owens and Yano. The match continued with Finlay and Makabe trading strikes. Finlay won out, dropping Makabe with Oblivion to win the match.
UE worked as heels throughout this match, attempting to isolate the LIJ members to maintain control. After multiple back-and-forth sequences, UE secured two submissions in the middle of the ring to win the match.
This was another outstanding tag. The TMDK squad came out strong in this match, working to isolate Tanahashi for a significant portion. The babyface team swung back with some excellent offense, which led to some compelling sequences. The match ended after Kingston unloaded on Fujita before closing with a spinning back fist.
After the match, HENARE hit the ring and attacked Kingston, setting up a NJPW STRONG title match.
Hikuleo, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, El Phantasmo & Jado defeated SANADA, Taichi, TAKA Michinoku, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI
This was a reasonably by-the-book 10-man with a couple of athletic sequences and a bit of tomfoolery. The match ended when Hikuleo landed a chokeslam on TAKA; ELP then dragged Jado on top of TAKA to secure the pin.
After the match, the War Dogs surrounded the ring but failed to strike.
Okada defeated Evil
This was not good.
Evil opened the match by jumping Okada and brutalizing him outside the ring. Dick Togo hit Okada with a chair for a nearfall.
Okada powered through Evil’s advance with some strikes of his own to establish some footing. Okada then took the action to the outside himself, whipping Evil into the barricade and driving him to the floor.
After a referee bump, SHO and Yujiro hit the ring and attacked Okada. Okada barely survived the first attack, but many more followed, including a Togo wire choke. Evil dropped Okada with a lariat for a nearfall.
Okada reversed Evil’s finish into a suplex, which he followed with some of his signature offenses. Evil avoided Okada’s attempt to finish and hit Everything is Evil; Okada kicked out. Okada hit an Everything is Evil of his own, followed by a cobra flowsion and a rainmaker to win the match.
Okada is one step closer to his third G1 in a row with this win.
Tetsuya Naito defeated Will Ospreay
This match opened with an extended feeling out sequence. As the match picked up, Ospreay chopped Naito to the floor before landing a plancha.
Back in the ring, the pair jockeyed for control. Naito tried his best to keep Ospreay on the mat, but Ospreay sprung back and knocked Naito to the floor. Naito met Ospreay on the apron and drove him into the ring’s canvas and the floor with a pair of neckbreakers.
Naito returned to the ropes, hit Ospreay with Gloria, and returned to mat work. Ospreay avoided the poison-rana and landed an insane dive from the top and a Liger bomb in response.
Naito reversed the hidden blade with a dropkick and avoided the OsCutter. When Ospreay attempted another powerbomb, Naito reversed into a snug DDT. A second DDT and Valencia scored Naito a nearfall.
Naito attempted stardust press, missed, and ate a hidden blade for even trying, but Ospreay was unable to make the cover.
Ospreay pummeled Naito with kicks before attempting ground and pound, but the referee pulled him off, forcing a standing count. Naito beat the count and ate another hidden blade; Naito kicked out. Ospreay landed OsCutter; Naito kicked out again. Ospreay hit stardust press; Naito kicked out once more. Ospreay attempted Storm Breaker; Naito reversed into a quick pin, nearly stealing a win.
Naito dodged another hidden blade but immediately collapsed. Naito avoided more offense by falling before reversing a Storm Breaker into Destino; Ospreay kicked out, and Naito hit a second Destino and pinned Ospreay to win the match.
The finals are set. Naito and Okada clash tomorrow for the G1 Climax 33.
NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 field will be whittled down to four following today’s quarterfinals show in Chiba.
IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and A Block winner SANADA (7-0, 14 points) will face former tag team partner and C Block second place finisher EVIL (5-2, 10 points) on today’s show in a quarterfinals matchup.
B Block winner Kazuchika Okada (6-1, 12 points), a four-time G1 winner, will take on D Block second place finisher Zack Sabre Jr. (5-2, 10 points) today in another quarterfinals bout.
C Block winner David Finlay (5-2, 10 points) will face B Block second place finisher Will Ospreay (5-2, 10 points) in today’s quarterfinals.
D Block winner Tetsuya Naito (5-2, 10 points) will take on A Block second place finisher Hikuleo (4-3, 8 points) in the other quarterfinals bout today.
Today’s winners will advance to Saturday’s semifinals round.
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
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Recommended Matches
Will Ospreay vs. David Finlay – The best match in either man’s tournament.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Zack Sabre Jr. –This was main event Okada with all of the normal fixings.
This was a decent opening tag that allowed Fujita to shine. In the end, all three LIJ members focused Fujita before Hiromu closed with timebomb.
Shota Umino, El Phantasmo, Tanga Loa, & Tama Tonga defeated Minoru Suzuki, Ren Narita, El Desperado, & HiroyoshiTenzan
This match bounced between greatness and something significantly lesser. Ren and Shota have insane chemistry, and the stories being told by both men are engrossing; everything else in the match was not good. In the end, ELP won with his superkick and a pin on Tenzan.
Chase Owens, KENTA, Alex Coughlin, & Gabe Kidd defeated Taichi, DOUKI, TAKA Michinoku, &Yoshinobu Kanemaru
This was a silly faction battle. Both teams played dirty, with the more serious War Dogs being downright nasty at times. In the end, Kidd won by distracting the referee and dropping TAKA with a right hand.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Eddie Kingston, and Tomohiro Ishii defeated Great-O-Khan, HENARE, & Jeff Cobb
This was a high-impact six-man. After a bunch of competitive exchanges, HENARE attempted to hit Kingston with Streets of Rage; Kingston escaped, hit the spinning back fist, and pinned HENARE.
Tetsuya Naito defeated Hikuleo
This was a fairly nothing match. It wasn’t horrible, just awfully uninteresting.
Early on, Naito started working Hikleo’s leg. A grounded Hikuleo struggled to get much going before reversing a DDT into a last ride. Naito escaped the chokeslam multiple times, each time gaining more than he did the time before. After dodging a fourth finish attempt from Hikuleo, Naito hit Destino and won the match to advance.
Will Ospreay defeated David Finlay
This was a fantastic match. The action all built to the finish wonderfully, and in a rare case, the interference added to the match.
Before the match could begin, Coughlin and Kidd met Ospreay on the ramp. Cobb and O-Khan met the War Dogs, evening the sides. The War Dogs returned to the ring, saving the violence for later.
The match itself opened slowly, with both men looking for anything resembling an opening. Ospreay struck first with a boot and a short offensive sequence.
Finlay took the lead for the first time by taking the fight to the floor. Finlay drove Ospreay into the barricade before setting up a table. Cobb took away Finlay’s table, prompting Finlay to spit in Cobb’s face. Cobb pushed Finlay to the floor, which forced the referee to eject him. While the referee was busy with Cobb, Coughlin and Kidd beat down Ospreay before serving him to Finlay in the ring. Finlay maintained this lead for some time, withstanding multiple Ospreay comebacks.
Finlay tried setting up his table again, but Ospreay hit him with an OsCutter on the apron. Ospreay set Finlay on the table, but Kidd made the save and ate a superkick for his troubles. Once Ospreay cleared his distraction, he drove Finlay through the table with a powerbomb.
Back in the ring, Finlay ate an OsCutter for a nearfall. Ospreay then climbed to the top rope and went for Leap of Fate, but Finlay pulled the referee on top of himself. The referee was out for some time, prompting the War Dogs to beat down Ospreay. The previously ejected United Empire returned from the back and made the save.
Once the fog cleared, Ospreay attempted Hidden Blade, but Finlay was ready with his shillelagh. After dropping Ospreay with his weapon, a second referee entered the match for a nearfall. Finlay attempted to close with Oblivion, but Ospreay reversed into a cutter. Ospreay then tried for Hidden Blade twice, hitting on his second attempt before closing with Storm Breaker.
Ospreay and Naito are now set to collide in the semi-finals.
EVIL defeated SANADA
This was bad—one of the worst matches in the tournament, even.
Before the match could begin, Dick Togo went to the back, leaving the two competitors to fight alone.
The match opened slow, with the former faction mates feeling each other out. As soon as SANADA gained an advantage, EVIL waved to the back, and Togo returned to ringside—he was gone for 90 seconds.
EVIL then attacked SANADA on the floor, driving him into the barricade and attacking him with chairs. Meanwhile, Togo was removing a turnbuckle pad from the ring. Once the match returned to the ring, SANADA whipped him into the exposed corner.
SANADA eventually sprung back, working a hold before shoving EVIL into Togo. EVIL and SANADA traded low blows before Togo pulled the referee from the ring and began to choke SANADA with his wire.
SANADA reversed the Magic Killer, dropped EVIL with a swinging neckbreaker, and Togo with a shining wizard. SANADA hit a moonsault and attempted deadfall, but EVIL raked his eyes. After another back and forth, EVIL reversed deadfall again and hit Everything is Evil to win the match and advance to the semi-finals.
Even if EVIL doesn’t win the tournament, the win all but guarantees an EVIL/SANADA IWGP Championship match. Have mercy on our souls.
Kazuchika Okada defeated Zack Sabre Jr.
The early game saw ZSJ upsetting Okada with a few kicks. Okada followed up by taking ZSJ to the floor and slamming him into the barricades. A draping DDT from the barrier established a strong lead for Okada, which he maintained in the ring.
ZSJ caught Okada in a hold to gain some footing. ZSJ worked Okada on the ground, but Okada powered to his feet and dropped ZSJ with an air raid crash.
Once standing, the pair traded strikes. Okada hit a landslide, and ZSJ answered with a Zack Driver. They then traded strikes from the ground before fighting to their feet.
ZSJ reversed a rainmaker into a lariat of his own. Okada knocked ZSJ with a dropkick but ZSJ rolled through and leveled Okada with a penalty kick; Okada kicked out at one. Okada hit ZSJ with another dropkick, and ZSJ sprung back to his feet, triggering a slap off. Okada won out with a lariat.
Okada attempted another rainmaker, but ZSJ caught him in a stretch. Okada powered out and dropped ZSJ with the rainmaker to win the match.
Five wrestlers remain mathematically alive for the final two quarterfinals spots in NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament heading into today’s show.
The most likely scenarios will see the winners of today’s main event and semi-main event advancing to Thursday’s quarterfinals. In the main event, Tetsuya Naito faces Hiroshi Tanahashi in a match where Naito advances with a win, while Tana needs a win and help. In the semi-main, Zack Sabre Jr. faces Hirooki Goto in a bout where both need a win and help to advance. Jeff Cobb is in a straightforward win-and-in scenario against Shane Haste.
The full card:
D Block: Tetsuya Naito (4-2, 8 points) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (3-3, 6 points)
D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. (4-2, 8 points) vs. Hirooki Goto (3-3, 6 points)
D Block: Jeff Cobb (4-2, 8 points) vs. Shane Haste (2-4, 4 points)
D Block: Toru Yano (2-4, 4 points) vs. Alex Coughlin (2-4, 4 points)
Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Ren Narita vs. Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & BUSHI
Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma vs. Great-O-Khan & HENARE
Hikuleo, Shota Umino & Master Wato vs. David Finlay, Gabe Kidd & Gedo
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
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Recommended Matches
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hirooki Goto – This match was a fantastic culmination of story threads established through the tournament.
Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – This was one of the tournament’s best matches. Tanahashi remains incredible, in case there was any doubt.
EVIL & SHO defeated Eddie Kingston & Yuto Nakashima
This was a typical, tired House of Torture match. Towards the end of the babyface rally, Nakashima was left alone in the ring; SHO took this opportunity to drop him with a wrench strike and a Shock Arrow to win the match.
This match was a hoot. The Young Lions were ambitious throughout the match, leading into the final stretch. Ultimately, Nicholls won the bout for TMDK by hitting Oiwa with a sliding lariat.
Hikuleo, Shota Umino & Master Wato defeated David Finlay, Gabe Kidd & Gedo
This was a by-the-book six-man. Wato won the match for his team by forcing Gedo to submit to Vendaval. After the match, Bullet Club beat down the winners and stood tall with their belts.
This was an entertaining match built around United Empire’s desire to kill Ishii. In the end, HENARE won the match by dropping Honma with Streets of Rage.
After the match, O-Khan gave MMA fighter/Pro Wrestler Hideki Sekine a ribbon.
This was a solid LIJ/Strong Style match. There were some fun exchanges between Suzuki/Shingo and Ren/BUSHI. In the end, Ren won the match for Strong Style with a cobra twist on BUSHI.
Alex Coughlin defeated Toru Yano
While not horrible, this felt more like a House of Torture match than a War Dogs match. Before the match could begin, Gabe Kidd and Coughlin attacked Yano with chairs and barricades. Yano fought back, driving Kidd through a table. Yano tried stabbing Coughlin with scissors, distracting the referee long enough for Coughlin to hit Yano with a belt and the jackhammer to win the match.
Coughlin ends his tournament with 6 points, Yano 4.
Double Count Out: Jeff Cobb vs. Shane Haste
Haste, essentially playing spoiler on behalf of TMDK, worked a very aggressive match here. Cobb, with his tournament on the line, matched Haste’s energy. The fight worked its way to the floor, where Haste’s strategy began to play out; Haste kept Cobb on the floor as the count climbed, eventually holding him down to force the count out.
This result leaves Cobb with 9 points, which is still leading the block but makes him much more vulnerable to the results from later tonight.
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Hirooki Goto
ZSJ focused on wearing down an already worn down Goto. Goto fired back with well-timed bombs, forcing ZSJ on the backfoot multiple times. ZSJ won out in the end by submitting Goto on the mat.
This win puts ZSJ at 10 points, which secures his spot in the playoffs.
Tetsuya Naito defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi
This was a simple, rock-solid Tanahashi masterclass. Tanahashi’s slow build to Ace’s High and High Fly Flow was incredible. Naito won the match in the end with a tornado DDT which echoed through the building.
This win secures Naito’s spot in the playoffs. He stands atop the block with 10 points.
Quarter-FinalPlayoff Matches
Tonight marks the end of block action and finalizes the lineup for the playoffs.
Two wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals of NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament on Tuesday on the final night of C Block matches.
David Finlay defeated Eddie Kingston in a win-and-in situation on Tuesday to secure first place in C Block, while EVIL earned the second playoff spot from C Block by defeating Shingo Takagi in the show’s main event.
Finlay earned the top C Block seed by virtue of his head-to-head win over EVIL earlier in the tournament, and will take on B Block second place finisher Will Ospreay in Thursday’s quarterfinals, while EVIL faces A Block winner SANADA on Thursday.
The tournament continues on Wednesday, August 9 with the D Block finals. The quarterfinals are set for Thursday, August 10, the semifinals will be held Saturday, August 12, and the finals take place on Sunday, August 13.
C Block’s representatives in the NJPW G1 Climax 33 quarterfinals will be decided tonight on the final night of C Block bouts.
Five wrestlers remain mathematically alive for the two playoff spots heading into the final night. The most likely scenarios involve the winners of the semi-main event and main event advancing.
Shingo Takagi faces EVIL in the main event, with EVIL advancing with a draw or a victory. Shingo needs a win to advance. In the semi-main, the winner of Eddie Kingston vs. David Finlay will advance to the quarterfinals. Tama Tonga must defeat HENARE and have an unlikely double DQ finish in Finlay vs. Kingston to advance.
The full card:
C Block: EVIL (4-2, 8 points) vs. Shingo Takagi (3-2-1, 7 points)
C Block: Eddie Kingston (4-2, 8 points) vs. David Finlay (4-2, 8 points)
C Block: Tama Tonga (3-2-1, 7 points) vs. HENARE (2-4, 4 points)
C Block: Mikey Nicholls (2-4, 4 points) vs. Tomohiro Ishii (1-5, 2 points)
Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste & Kosei Fujita vs. Hirooki Goto, YOH & Oskar Leube
Hikuleo, Shota Umino & Jado vs. Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Ren Narita
Toru Yano & Tomoaki Honma vs. Alex Coughlin & Gabe Kidd
Kaito Kiyomiya & Ryohei Oiwa vs. Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
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Recommended Matches
Eddie Kingston vs. David Finlay – Finlay had a score to settle, Eddie had a dream to fulfill, and the winner advanced to the playoffs. With sky-high stakes, this was the most emotional Eddie match in the tournament.
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Mikey Nicholls –This was a hard-hitting Ishii match with a strong performance from Nicholls.
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Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan defeated Kaito Kiyomiya & Ryohei Oiwa
This was a solid tag. Most of the match was built on UE controlling Oiwa, leading to a Kaito hot tag. After tagging back in, UE continued their focus on Oiwa, allowing Cobb to close with Eliminator.
Alex Coughlin & Gabe Kidd defeated Toru Yano & Tomoaki Honma
If you can somehow imagine, this War Dogs match was violent. It was amusing to see the focused War Dogs clash with the goofy personalities of Honma and Yano. To close, Kidd bumped the ref and dropped Honma with a closed fist to win the match.
After the match, the War Dogs beat down Yano ahead of Coughlin’s G1 match tomorrow. While walking to the back, Coughlin threatened Yano with death.
This was a reasonably by-the-numbers tag with some firey sequences between Ren and Shota; every time they’re in the ring together, it feels like we’re on the verge of a generational rivalry. Ren was able to win the match for his team by submitting Jado with a cobra twist.
After the match, Shota and Ren traded a couple of slaps.
This was another absolutely solid tag. The exchanges between YOH and Fujita were fantastic. In the end, Haste won with a massive powerbomb, pinning Oskar Leube.
After the match, YOH and Fujita traded licks, prompting Goto and ZSJ to break it up. A tense staredown between ZSJ and Goto followed.
This was a bit of a slog compared to the other tags on this card. The most compelling part of this match, the Makabe and Tsuji section, was clumsy at best. This awkward sequence was the end, with Tsuji hitting a stomp, falcon arrow, and a spear to win the match.
After the match, Naito attacked Tanahahsi, focusing on his leg, which he had spent a lot of time working on during the match.
Tomohiro Ishii defeated Mikey Nicholls
Unsurprisingly, this was an intense encounter. Nicholls dropped Ishii on his head repeatedly, scoring a couple of nearfalls. Ishii fired back with a fierce rally, leading to a brainbuster that won Ishii the match.
This result leaves both men with 4 points to finish the tournament.
Tama Tonga defeated HENARE
This did little-to-nothing for me. HENARE worked heelishly throughout, opening the door for a Tama comeback. After surviving a rampage, Tama caught HENARE with a fist and a double under-hook driver to win the match.
This win put Tama at 9 points, ahead of everyone else in C block for the time being. HENARE’s tournament is over with 4 points.
David Finlay defeated Eddie Kingston
This was one of my favorite matches of the tournament. Eddie’s energy was palpable in this match. Finlay was forced to wrestle downright hateful in response to Eddie’s grit. The finish saw Finlay avoiding a back fist before landing a spear and Oblivion to win the match.
After the match, Finlay stomped on Eddie’s NJPW STRONG title while holding the NEVER belt high.
This win eliminated Eddie from the tournament and secured Finlay’s spot in the elite 8 with 10 points. Finlay is set to face Will Ospreay on Thursday in the quarter-finals.
EVIL defeated Shingo Takagi
EVIL worked dirty from the opening bell. As Shingo fired back, House of Torture made their presence felt. After a referee bump, HoT attacked Shingo, forcing LIJ to make the save. A prolonged, chaotic faction war ended with a low blow, and Everything is Evil.
This win secured EVIL’s spot in the playoffs with 10 points.
Two wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals of NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament on Sunday on the final night of B Block matches.
Kazuchika Okada claimed first place in B Block with a 6-1 record and 12 points, defeating Tanga Loa on Sunday. Okada had already secured a spot in the quarterfinals, but now enters the knockout rounds with a top seed. In Sunday’s main event, Will Ospreay defeated El Phantasmo to finish second in B Block, earning a spot in the Thursday, August 10 quarterfinals.
Entering Sunday’s show, Ospreay was in position to advance with a win or a draw against ELP, while Phantasmo could have knocked Ospreay out of contention and secured second place with a win.
As it stands, Okada will take on the second place finisher from D Block on Thursday, while Ospreay will challenge the C Block winner.
The tournament continues on Tuesday, August 8 with the C Block Finals, while the D Block finals will be held on Wednesday, August 9. The quarterfinals are set for Thursday, August 10, the semifinals for Saturday, August 12, and the finals will be held on Sunday, August 13.
B Block’s representatives in the NJPW G1 Climax 33 quarterfinals will be decided tonight on the final night of B Block bouts.
The winner of tonight’s Will Ospreay vs. El Phantasmo main event will join Kazuchika Okada in representing B Block in Thursday’s quarterfinals. Ospreay can advance with a win or a draw, while ELP must beat Ospreay to advance.
Tonight’s card:
B Block: Will Ospreay (4-2, 8 points) vs. El Phantasmo (3-3, 6 points)
B Block: Kazuchika Okada (5-1, 10 points) vs. Tanga Loa (3-3, 6 points)
B Block: Taichi (3-3, 6 points) vs. Great-O-Khan (2-4, 4 points)
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI (2-4, 4 points) vs. KENTA (2-4, 4 points)
Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & BUSHI vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Dick Togo
Eddie Kingston & Togi Makabe vs. David Finlay & Chase Owens
Tama Tonga & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Jeff Cobb & HENARE
SANADA & DOUKI defeated Kaito Kiyomiya & Ryohei Oiwa
With Kaito’s tournament being over, this match lacked any real urgency, but this was an entertaining open. Oiwa showed up strong, challenging SANADA in the closing sequence before submitting to Skull End.
This was another fun tag. In more ways than one, this was a tale of two matches with some particularly intense sequences between Nicholls and Ishii while Tanahashi focused Fujita. Tanahashi’s attention paid off as he forced Fujita to submit with the cloverleaf.
After the match, Ishii and Nicholls came to blows again, forcing the ring crew to break them up.
Jeff Cobb & HENARE defeated Tama Tonga & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
This was a totally average match. The closing stretch was Cobb beating down Tenzan before dropping him with Tour of the Islands to win.
David Finlay & Chase Owens defeated Eddie Kingston & Togi Makabe
While not very exciting, this was at least a competitive match, especially when Kingston and Finlay squared off. Finlay won the match for Bullet Club after ending a Makabe rally with Oblivion.
After the match, Kingston and Finlay had a brief staredown ahead of their G1 encounter in Yokohama.
Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & BUSHI vs. EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Dick Togo
It didn’t take long for this to devolve into a archetypal House of Torture match. LIJ tried their best to keep up, with Naito eventually landing Destino on Togo for the pinfall win.
After the match, EVIL attacked Shingo and tried to shave his head, but LIJ made the save.
KENTA defeated YOSHI-HASHI
This was just KENTA beating the brakes off of YH. KENTA’s attack backfired when he hit himself in the face with a metal staff, opening the door for a YH rally. KENTA cut off YH’s rally with a quick cradle to win the match and earn two more points.
Both of these guys were already eliminated from playoff contention, so this match didn’t change anything in the outcome of the tournament.
Great-O-Khan defeated Taichi
O-Khan wrestled an aggressive match here, maintaining control for quite some time. This turned the match into a ground war, lasting for most of the remaining runtime. After working a head an arm choke for minutes, O-Khan forced Taichi to submit.
This loss eliminated Taichi from playoff contention. O-Khan was already ineligible.
Kazuchika Okada defeated Tanga Loa
Okada was coasting through the early portion of this match, which opened the door for Loa. Loa’s attempts at offense weren’t enough, as a rainmaker marked the end of Loa’s G1.
This win secures Okada first place in B block with 12 points.
Will Ospreay defeated El Phantasmo
This, unsurprisingly, was a highly athletic match filled with dives, speed sequences, and false finishes; if that sounds enticing, this match is for you. The crowd absolutely ate this up, especially as the time limit grew closer. ELP survived an OsCutter and a hidden blade, forcing Ospreay to close with the tiger driver.
Two wrestlers advanced to the quarterfinals of NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament on the final night of A Block matches.
SANADA claimed first place in A Block and finished an undefeated 7-0 in Block matches with a win over Chase Owens on Saturday, securing his place in the quarterfinals on Thursday, August 10. In Saturday’s main event, Hikuleo defeated Shota Umino to secure second place in A Block and the second quarterfinals spot from A Block.
Umino, Hikuleo, Gabe Kidd, Yota Tsuji, and Kaito Kiyomiya all remained mathematically alive heading into Saturday’s show. After Kiyomiya’s loss on Saturday to Ren Narita and Kidd’s Saturday loss to Tsuji, only Tsuji, Hikuleo and Umino remained alive heading into the Umino vs. Hikuleo bout. Hikuleo’s outright win negated any potential ties or tiebreak scenarios.
SANADA now awaits the second place finisher in C Block, while Hikuleo will take on the first place finisher from D Block in Thursday’s quarterfinal round.
A Block’s representatives in the NJPW G1 Climax 33 quarterfinals will be decided tonight on the final night of A Block bouts.
SANADA has already secured a spot in the quarterfinals on Thursday with his 12 points, and A Block’s second place finisher is most likely to be decided by tonight’s Shota Umino vs. Hikuleo main event.
Umino, Hikuleo, Gabe Kidd, Yota Tsuji, and Kaito Kiyomiya all remain mathematically alive heading into tonight’s show, however.
Tonight’s card:
A Block: Shota Umino (2-2-2, 6 points) vs. Hikuleo (3-3, 6 points)
A Block: SANADA (6-0, 12 points) vs. Chase Owens (2-4, 4 points)
A Block: Yota Tsuji (2-3-1, 5 points) vs. Gabe Kidd (2-3-1, 5 points)
A Block: Kaito Kiyomiya (2-2-2, 6 points) vs. Ren Narita (1-3-2, 4 points)
Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Will Ospreay & HENARE vs. Togi Makabe & El Phantasmo
This was a Bullet Club match, through and through. This match was structured around the heel trio keeping the heels isolated. The ending sequence featured YOH and Gedo, which ended with a YOH superkick; YOH then pinned Gedo for the win.
Unsurprisingly, this was a typical HOT match. The LIJ trio fought back as they could, but in the end BUSHI fell to Everything is Evil.
Will Ospreay & HENARE defeated Togi Makabe & El Phantasmo
In a change of pace, this match was quite light-hearted in the opening moments. The match picked up in the later end, with the UE pair isolating Makabe before HENARE won with Streets of Rage.
This was a competitive match, with GoD and Tenzan providing an adequate challenge for the trio champions. In the end, it wasn’t enough as a High Fly Flow and a sliding lariat scored a win for Ishii, Okada, and Tanahashi.
Yota Tsuji defeated Gabe Kidd
This was a great match.
Tsuji sent his twin brother as a decoy to prevent Kidd’s pre-match attack, scoring him an advantage in the early game. In the ring, the action was intense, with both men lying into each other. The match came to an explosive end once Tsuji hit his spear.
This win moved Tsuji into second place in A block, putting the pressure on for the matches that are to follow.
Ren Narita defeated Kaito Kiyomiya
Narita and Kaito went to war here. In a dynamic, exciting bout, Kaito bombed Narita with a string of big moves. As Kaito looked to close, Narita reversed into a suplex and eeked out a win.
This heartwrenching loss eliminated Kaito from playoff contention.
SANADA defeated Chase Owens
Given Chase’s unfavorability in this, it took a lot of work to buy into. Chase controlled a large portion of this match, attacking SANADA in the ring and out, but in the end, SANADA won out with Deadfall.
SANADA’s perfect G1 continues, advancing to 14 points.
Hikuleo defeated Shota Umino
Shota worked simply, trying to take ok Hikuleo’s legs, while Hikuleo worked to out-power Shota at every turn. The match developed, with both men throwing everything at one another. A sudden scoop slam opened the door for a Hikuleo chokeslam to win the match.
This win secures Hikuleo his 8th point and his spot in the playoffs.
C Block and D Block hit the home stretch on night 12 of the NJPW G1 Climax 33 tournament.
Just one night of Block matches will remain for each group following tonight’s show, headlined by Shingo Takagi (5 points) vs. David Finlay (8 points).
In the semi-main, Zack Sabre Jr. (8 points) faces Tetsuya Naito (6 points) in another potentially pivotal battle.
The full lineup:
C Block: David Finlay (4-1, 8 points) vs. Shingo Takagi (2-2-1, 5 points)
D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. (4-1, 8 points) vs. Tetsuya Naito (3-2, 6 points)
C Block: Tama Tonga (3-1-1, 7 points) vs. Eddie Kingston (3-2, 6 points)
D Block: Jeff Cobb (4-1, 8 points) vs. Hirooki Goto (2-3, 4 points)
C Block: Tomohiro Ishii (1-4, 2 points) vs. HENARE (1-4, 2 points)
D Block: Shane Haste (2-3, 4 points) vs. Toru Yano (1-4, 2 points)
C Block: EVIL (4-1, 8 points) vs. Mikey Nichols (1-4, 2 points)
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi (3-2, 6 points) vs. Alex Coughlin (1-4, 2 points)
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
Recommended Matches
Alex Coughlin vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – This was a simple match that worked excellently in the tournament structure.
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tetsuya Naito – ZSJ’s red-hot 2023 continues with an excellent performance against Naito. Comfortably the best Naito match in the tournament.
**********
Alex Coughlin defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi
This match featured classic Tanahashi legwork challenged by Coughlin’s power. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a lot of fun. The match ended somewhat suddenly once Coughlin powered Tanahashi into a jackhammer, resulting in a pinfall win.
While Coughlin is mathematically eliminated, this win puts him at 4 points. Tanahashi’s tournament is also on the rocks following this rock.
Mikey Nichols defeated EVIL
This was a total House of Torture match. EVIL initially jumped Nichols and used typical HoT tactics for the rest of the bout. Kosei Fujita eventually helped Nichols clear the ring, allowing Nichols to trap EVIL with an awkward pin to score the win.
This win doesn’t do much in terms of standings. EVIL is still atop of his block with 8 points, while Nichols has been eliminated from playoff contention with only 4 points.
Toru Yano defeated Shane Haste
From blindfolds to an under-the-ring fight, it’s fair to say Yano was Yano in this one. After a prolonged time under the ring, Haste emerged from under the ring with a bucket taped to his head. Once the bucket was removed, Yano bumped Haste, leading to the bucket falling on the referee’s head. Yano dropped Haste with a low blow, and a roll-up closed the match.
This result keeps both men at the bottom of the block and free from playoff contention with 4 points each.
HENARE defeated Tomohiro Ishii
This match was nothing but these guys beating the breaks off of each other. After multiple false finishes, HENARE connected with a stiff sequence of strikes, followed by Streets of Rage to secure the win.
Both of these guys were already eliminated, but this win gets HENARE up to 4 points.
Hirooki Goto defeated Jeff Cobb
Goto sold the damage from the tournament throughout this match, having to withstand Cobb’s freakish strength. Goto busted out some unusual offense, including a code red, which he followed with the GTR to win the match.
This win puts Goto at 6 points, which not only keeps him in playoff contention, but opens up the playoffs for a lot of D block.
Tama Tonga vs. Eddie Kingston
Two beloved babyfaces met and had a match that fits. Tama had a lot in this, but in the end, Eddie was able to win out with a back fist and a northern lights bomb.
Eddie’s win leaves him tied with block leaders at 8 points.
Tetsuya Naito defeated Zack Sabre Jr.
From the opening bell, this match had a decent energy about it. A large portion was spent on mat work before transitioning into a standing finishing stretch. In the closing minutes, both men threw everything at each other, but Naito was able to secure the win with an inside cradle.
This win keeps Naito, and a lot of D block in playoff contention.
Shingo Takagi defeated David Finlay
This was a methodical match from the open, slowly building to a table spot. Finlay eventually powerbombed Shingothrough the table, acting as a mid-match climax. After an extended period of fighting back into the match, Shingo dropped Finlay with Last of the Dragon to win the match.
Shingo advances to 7 points, making C block a chaotic pickem heading into the end of block action.
A Block & B Block have their penultimate Block matches today in Takamatsu as NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament hits the final stretch.
In the main event, 4-1 Kazuchika Okada looks to rebound from a loss to Will Ospreay in a bout against KENTA.
In the semi-main, two of the proclaimed Reiwa Three Musketeers do battle, as Shota Umino battles Yota Tsuji.
The full card:
B Block: Kazuchika Okada (4-1, 8 points) vs. KENTA (2-3, 4 points)
A Block: Shota Umino (2-1-2, 6 points) vs. Yota Tsuji (1-2-2, 4 points)
B Block: Will Ospreay (4-1, 8 points) vs. Tanga Loa (2-3, 4 points)
A Block: SANADA (5-0, 10 points) vs. Gabe Kidd (2-2-1, 5 points)
B Block: Taichi (3-2, 6 points) vs. El Phantasmo (2-3, 4 points)
A Block: Chase Owens (2-3, 4 points) vs. Ren Narita (0-3-2, 2 points)
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI (2-3, 4 points) vs. Great-O-Khan (1-4, 2 points)
A Block: Kaito Kiyomiya (2-1-2, 6 points) vs. Hikuleo (2-3, 4 points)
Our live coverage begins at 6 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
Recommended Matches
SANADA vs. Gabe Kidd – I don’t think it’s a stretch to call Kidd an MVP contender at this point—outstanding performance after outstanding performance, and this match is no exception.
Shota Umino vs. Yota Tsuji – This was their first meeting post-excursion, and it did not disappoint.
**********
Hikuleo defeated Kaito Kiyomiya
This match was all about Kaito working from behind to ground the big man. Kaito slowly worked his way to a finish, but in the end, Hikuleo caught Kaito with a chokeslam to win the match.
This win leaves Hikuleo on the upper end of A Block with 6 points, keeping him alive.
Great-O-Khan defeated YOSHI-HASHI
With YH’s tournament on the rocks, you would expect something more urgent here. Instead, O-Khan just coasted through control until YH launched a late rally. After a few nearfalls, O-Khan dropped YH with an eliminator to eliminate him from this tournament.
O-Khan played spoiler here, moving up to 4 points.
Ren Narita defeated Chase Owens
While not great, this match between two guys who are already virtually eliminated was far from awful. Ren put in a strong performance, eventually forcing Owens to submit with the cobra twist.
This win formally eliminates Owens from playoff contention.
El Phantasmo defeated Taichi
These guys worked hard throughout this match, splitting the crowd. After extended back-and-forths and false finishes, ELP secured the Gedo clutch.
This win moves ELP to 6 points, but both men are on rocky ground in B block.
SANADA defeated Gabe Kidd
From before the opening bell, Kidd brutalized SANADA using chairs and environmental offense to take the lead. The SANADA rally that followed was one of the best in his title reign. SANADA caught Kidd with a low blow after eating a closed fist, opening up for deadfall and the win.
SANADA’s perfect run continues, making him the only man in the tournament with 12 points.
Tanga Loa defeated Will Ospreay
This match didn’t play to Ospreay’s strengths whatsoever. Both guys got a lot before Loa took the fight to the outside. On the floor, Loa threw Ospreay into the chairs as the referee’s count climbed. Before Ospreay could get back in the ring, Loa hit him with a spear and beat the count himself to win the match via countout.
This massive upset leaves Loa with 6 points, keeping himself and a lot of B block in playoff contention.
Yota Tsuji defeated Shota Umino
This match opened hot before transitioning into a Shota control segment toward the later middle. The closing sequence saw Tsuji fight back in a furious strike exchange before attempting a spear. Umino reversed into a curb stomp but failed to hit the Death Rider; instead, Tsuji freed himself and connected with the spear to win.
This win moves Tsuji to 5 points, keeping himself and a lot of A Block alive in the process.
Kazuchika Okada defeated KENTA
An underdog KENTA forced Okada to work from behind for the duration of this match. KENTA utilized weapons and wear-down offense to maintain a lead for most of the runtime. Regardless, Okada was able to hit the rainmaker to win the match.
This win makes Okada the only person in B block with 10 points, ensuring his place in the playoffs and eliminating KENTA, YOSHI-HASHI, and Great-O-Khan.
NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament continues today with C Block & D Block matches in Aichi at Dolphin’s Arena.
In the main event, Hiroshi Tanahashi face Hirooki Goto in the seventeenth career singles meeting between the two NJPW veterans. Both enter the match with 2-2 records in this year’s G1.
In the semi-main, the 3-1 Tama Tonga faces 2-2 Shingo Takagi in the first career singles meeting between the two.
The full lineup:
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi (2-2, 4 points) vs. Hirooki Goto (2-2, 4 points)
C Block: Tama Tonga (3-1, 6 points) vs. Shingo Takagi (2-2, 4 points)
D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. (3-1, 6 points) vs. Shane Haste (2-2, 4 points)
C Block: EVIL (2-2, 4 points) vs. Tomohiro Ishii (1-3, 2 points)
D Block: Tetsuya Naito (2-2, 4 points) vs. Alex Coughlin (1-3, 2 points)
C Block: Eddie Kingston (2-2, 4 points) vs. Mikey Nicholls (1-3, 2 points)
D Block: Jeff Cobb (4-0, 8 points) vs. Toru Yano (0-4, 0 points)
C Block: David Finlay (4-1, 8 points) vs. HENARE (1-4, 2 points)
Our live coverage begins at 3 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
Recommended Matches
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirsooki Goto – A fantastic match built around selling the ware of the G1. Both men looked good in their agony and delivered a superb, emotional match.
**********
David Finlay defeated HENARE
This match felt like it was going through the mid-tournament motions. Finlay closed out the match with Oblivion.
This win leaves Finlay with 8 points, leaving him awfully close to a guaranteed playoff spot.
Toru Yano defeated Jeff Cobb
This was a short match with Yano trying to spoil Cobb’s perfect tournament. Cobb played some of Yano’s games, but in the end, Yano won. After getting a face full of cold spray, Yano rolled up Cobb, ending his undefeated streak.
While he’s already out of the running, this win gets Yano on the board with 2 points.
Eddie Kingston defeated Mikey Nicholls
This was a bit of a plotting match built around mid-tournament ware. Everything these guys threw out was substantial, even if it wasn’t at a blistering pace. Eddie closed this match out with a spinning back fist.
This result keeps Eddie in the running, 6 points, and eliminates Nicholls from contention.
Tetsuya Naito defeated Alex Coughlin
Unlike most of his G1, Coughlin was unable to control the pace of this match. With the match at Naito’s pace, Naito was able to withstand Couhlin’s pushes for control, eventually leading to the Destino and the win.
This win moves Naito toward the top of D block, with 6 points.
EVIL defeated Tomohiro Ishii
This was a very physical match, but in case you suspected something else, EVIL worked dirty throughout. Ishii matched EVIL’s energy to gain control, leading to multiple colossal exchanges between the pair. To close, EVIL distracted the referee, allowing Dick Togo to kick Ishii low; Evil followed up with Everything is Evil and pinned Ishii for the win.
EVIL remains in strong standing with this win, tieing Finlay atop of C block with 8 points.
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Shane Haste
This inter-faction TMDK matchup was competitive throughout. After extended exchanges of moves and strikes, Haste was looking to break from a hold with a powerbomb, but ZSJ caught him in a trap pin, winning the match suddenly.
ZSJ ties Jeff Cobb with 8 points, leading the D block.
Time Limit Draw: Tama Tonga vs. Shingo Takagi
Another by-the-numbers match here. These guys went back and forth in all the typical ways, leading into the move-heavy closing sequence. The clock eventually ran out in about the least climatic way possible.
The draw leaves Tama just behind the C block leaders with 7 points, and Shingo in the middle of the pack with 5.
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Hirooki Goto
This match was all about both men being in severe pain from the opening bell. The selling was fantastic throughout, enhancing every moment of this match. Tanahashi is seemingly trying to retire himself with High Fly Flow, which he landed on his second attempt to win the bout.
Tanahashi’s win leaves him just two points behind block leaders, staying steady with 6 points.
Kazuchika Okada faces Will Ospreay today in G1 Climax 33 B Block action in a rematch of last year’s G1 finals.
Okada holds a 7-1 career singles record against Ospreay, and a win would lock Okada into the eight-man playoffs round.
In the semi-main, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA can also guarantee a spot in the playoffs round with a win over Ren Narita.
Today’s full lineup:
B Block: Kazuchika Okada (4-0, 8 points) vs. Will Ospreay (3-1, 6 points)
A Block: SANADA (4-0, 8 points) vs. Ren Narita (0-2-2, 2 points)
B Block: KENTA (2-2, 4 points) vs. El Phantasmo (1-3, 2 points)
A Block: Yota Tsuji (1-2-1, 3 points) vs. Hikuleo (1-3, 2 points)
B Block: Great-O-Khan (1-3, 2 points) vs. Tanga Loa (1-3, 2 points)
A Block: Kaito Kiyomiya (2-1-1, 5 points) vs. Gabe Kidd (2-2, 4 points)
B Block: Taichi (2-2, 4 points) vs. YOSHI-HASHI (2-2, 4 points)
A Block: Chase Owens (2-2, 4 points) vs. Shota Umino (1-1-2, 4 points)
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
Recommended Matches
Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Gabe Kidd – Even if the War Dog run-in is a bit repetitive, it has worked wonders in this tournament. This match played perfectly into the structure of the G1 and both men’s strengths—my favorite match of the tournament.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay – This match was exactly what you would expect from this pair in this format. In effect, this was a big-time main event with two of the most important wrestlers in New Japan condensed into the G1 package. There is no doubt in my mind that this match will have a lasting impact.
**********
Shota Umino defeated Chase Owens
This match featured a lot of outside scrambles and slow mat work. The highlight of the match was also the finish, when Shota escaped the package piledriver, beautifully reversing into the Death Rider to secure the win.
With this win, Shota stays competitive, moving up to 6 points.
Taichi defeated YOSHI-HASHI
This was a strike-heavy encounter, with almost all exchanges being strike based before the closing stretch. In the closing minutes, they graduated to throws, suplexes, and power moves. Taichi won out in the end, hitting Black Mephisto to secure the pin.
This win leaves Taichi with 6 points, keeping him in solid playoff contention.
Double Count Out: Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Gabe Kidd
This match was excellent. Kidd, in War Dog fashion, brutally attacked Kaito before the bout, setting Kaito up for a match full of sympathy building—something no one is better at. Kaito answered violence with violence, leading to passionate exchanges in and out of the ring. In the end, the fight wouldn’t end in the ring, as neither man was willing to back down from a brawl on the outside, leading to a double count out. Even after the bell, the pair brawled for minutes, forcing an army of ring crew to break them up and carry Kaito to the back.
This draw leaves both men in the upper-middle of A block—Kaito with 6 points, Kidd with 5.
Tanga Loa defeated Great-O-Khan
O-Khan controlled a lot of this match by working over Loa’s legs. Loa answered by getting on his feet, launching a comeback, and hitting a reverse piledriver to win.
Loa’s win keeps him alive theoretically with 4 points. This loss eliminates O-Khan from playoff contention.
Hikuleo defeated Yota Tsuji
This match was fairly interesting on a structural level. This could’ve been a typical big man vs. big man match, but instead, Tsuji wrestled as much like a junior as possible while still utilizing his power. Hikuleo ultimately answered with a wicked boot, a scoop slam, and a chokeslam to win the match.
Hikuleo barely stays alive with this win, sitting in the lower end of viability with 4 points.
El Phantasmo defeated KENTA
KENTA tried icing out ELP before the match could begin, but ELP followed him to the floor, leading to extended fighting on the ground. In the bleachers, KENTA drew color from ELP. The pair used weapons, with KENTA gaining significant advantage. The match finally started once KENTA rolled ELP into the ring. KENTA tried for a GTS, but ELP reversed into a pin, stealing the win.
Although he’s out of contention, this win gets ELP on the board with his first 2 points.
SANADA defeated Ren Narita
This was a fairly stale back-and-forth match. There were a few exciting moments, especially during transitions, but in the end, they were sparse. Narita got a lot of control time in the match, but in the end, SANADA won with Deadfall.
This win makes SANADA the first man to qualify for the second phase, standing tall with 10 points.
Will Ospreay defeated Kazuchika Okada
Okada was stoic in his approach, especially early, while Ospreay threw everything at the wall from the open. The mid-to-late match came quickly, with both men hurling bombs as soon as it was viable. Okada focused heavily on wear-down moves, such as the money clip, while Ospreay tried for match-enders like the OsCutter. The closing five minutes were filled with false finishes and giant transitions of momentum. Ultimately, Ospreay was able to finish the job, hitting storm breaker to win the match.
This win leaves Ospreay tied in points with Okada on top of B block. Both men sit with 8 points.
NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament continues today with C Block & D Block matches in Tokyo at Korakuen Hall.
In the main event, Zack Sabre Jr. faces Jeff Cobb in a battle of unbeatens. Both enter the match with 3-0 records in this year’s tournament.
In the semi-main, the undefeated David Finlay faces Tama Tonga.
The full lineup:
D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. (3-0, 6 points) vs. Jeff Cobb (3-0, 6 points)
C Block: David Finlay (3-0, 6 points) vs. Tama Tonga (2-1, 4 points)
D Block: Tetsuya Naito (2-1, 4 points) vs. Shane Haste (1-2, 2 points)
C Block: Eddie Kingston (2-1, 4 points) vs. Tomohiro Ishii (0-3, 0 points)
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi (1-2, 2 points) vs. Toru Yano (0-3, 0 points)
C Block: Shingo Takagi (1-2, 2 points) vs. Mikey Nicholls (1-2, 2 points)
D Block: Hirooki Goto (2-1, 4 points) vs. Alex Coughlin (0-3, 0 points)
C Block: EVIL (2-1, 4 points) vs. HENARE (1-2, 2 points)
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
Recommended Matches
Shingo Takagi vs. Mikey Nicholls – An action-packed match with some color. Wonderful.
Eddie Kingston vs. Tomohiro Ishii – This match was nothing short of fantastic—easily amongst the best matches of the tournament and the best individual performances from both men—a must-watch.
Jeff Cobb vs. Zack Sabre Jr. – Another match that is in the running for “best match of the tournament”. This was ridiculous bell-to-bell action packed full of ZSJ nuance and Cobb’s stunning acts of athleticism—a must-watch.
**********
EVIL defeated HENARE
From the pre-match chair attack to the outside fighting, this was a full-blown HOT match. In the end, a referee distraction left EVIL free to hit a low blow, followed by Everything is Evil for the win.
Evil sits strong in his block with 6 points.
Alex Coughlin defeated Hirooki Goto
This has been a breakout tournament for Coughlin, if I’ve ever seen one. It shouldn’t be a surprise at this point, but Coughlin worked a violent match here. After dominating Goto for the entire runtime, Coughlin dropped Goto with a jackhammer to win his first match in the G1.
With this win, Coughlin avoids mathematical elimination, earning his first 2 points.
Shingo Takagi defeated Mikey Nicholls
With lots of powerful exchanges that built to an explosive finishing stretch, this was a great Shingo outing. Shingo bested a bloody Nicholls with a body press that looked it was supposed to be a pumping bomber; either way, it was awesome.
Takagi sets in the middle of C block with 4 points following this win.
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Toru Yano
Even after a challenge from Tanahashi to get serious, this match was anything but. Only after minutes of Yano chicanery Tanahashi closed the match with High Fly Flow.
With this win, Tanahashi moves up to 4 points and eliminates Yano from playoff contention.
Tomohiro Ishii defeated Eddie Kingston
This match was all about Ishii working over Eddie’s injured back in the beginning. Eddie was forced to challenge Ishii with strikes, leading to some electric exchanges. Once the striking ended, the bout exploded into the most impressive back-and-forth in the G1 so far. The war ended once Ishii lifted Kingston for a picture-perfect brain buster.
This win puts Ishii on the board, earning his first 2 points.
Shane Haste defeated Tetsuya Naito
This match was a definite cooler compared to the last, but this was still good. Naito worked the neck during his periods of control, setting up Destino. After kicking out of one, Naito attempted another, but Haste reversed into Bomb Valley Death for an upset victory.
This win leaves Haste with the majority of D block with 4 points.
Tama Tonga defeated David Finlay
In a bit of a dynamic flip, Tama rushed Finlay in the opening moments, which Finlay was able to take advantage of. Finlay took the action to the ring, where the match played out with multiple momentum shifts. After hitting a spear, Finlay hoisted Tama up for a powerbomb, but Tama reversed into a pin, stealing the win.
This win ended Finlay’s undefeated streak and ties Tama with block leaders, sitting at 6 points.
Jeff Cobb defeated Zack Sabre Jr.
My God, this match was incredible. Cobb dominated the early portion of the match; his size played as a constant check to ZSJ throughout the open while remaining agile and grapple-hardy throughout the runtime. ZSJ eventually swung back, utilizing holds to keep himself in the match. In the end, this wasn’t enough, as Cobb connected with throw after throw before finishing the match with Tour of the Islands.
This win leaves Cobb as the only man undefeated in D block with 8 points.
