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.
NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament continues today with A Block & B Block matches in Tokyo at Korakuen Hall.
In the main event, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA takes on NOAH’s Kaito Kiyomiya in a battle of unbeatens.
In the semi-main, the undefeated Kazuchika Okada takes on fellow CHAOS member YOSHI-HASHI.
The full lineup:
A Block: SANADA (3-0, 6 points) vs. Kaito Kiyomiya (2-0-1, 5 points)
B Block: Kazuchika Okada (3-0, 6 points) vs. YOSHI-HASHI (2-1, 4 points)
A Block: Ren Narita (0-1-2, 2 points) vs. Hikuleo (0-3, 0 points)
B Block: Tanga Loa (1-2, 2 points) vs. El Phantasmo (0-3, 0 points)
A Block: Chase Owens (1-2, 2 points) vs. Yota Tsuji (0-2-1, 1 point)
B Block: Taichi (2-1, 4 points) vs. KENTA (1-2, 2 points)
A Block: Gabe Kidd (1-2, 2 points) vs. Shota Umino (0-1-2, 2 points)
B Block: Will Ospreay (2-1, 4 points) vs. Great-O-Khan (1-2, 2 points)
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
Recommended Matches
Will Ospreay vs. Great-O-Khan – A great little inter-faction match that blew past my expectations.
Gabe Kidd vs. Shota Umino – An absolutely violent match with a fantastic set of rallies from Umino.
SANADA vs. Kaito Kiyomiya – This is my new favorite tournament match thus far. A masterfully executed bout, bell-to-bell.
**********
Will Ospreay defeated Great-O-Khan
Even though this United Empire showdown, neither man held their punches. This match featured focused strike exchanges and weapon-based fights on the floor. After multiple false finishes from both men, Ospreay hit a 540° Corkscrew Senton Bomb to win the match.
Ospreay caught block leaders with 6 points.
Shota Umino defeated Gabe Kidd
Kidd opened the match by rushing Umino in the Korakuen crowd, leading to a violent start. Kidd maintained this energy throughout the match’s runtime, dominating Umino for some time; this also opened the door for some of the best rallies in Umino’s career. Ultimately, Umino was able to hold on, hitting a Death Rider to win the match.
Umino earned his first win here, making his way to 4 points.
KENTA defeated Taichi
This match opened with a battle of the belts, with Taichi showing off the KOPW title and KENTA the Defy strap; KENTA used this opportunity to flatten Taichi with his belt before the opening bell. What followed was a silly back-and-forth, ending when KENTA blocked a knee strike with his belt and rolled up Taichi for a quick win.
With this win, KENTA sits at 4 points.
Yota Tsuji defeated Chase Owens
For whatever reason, this was a heavily Owens-controlled match. Only after surviving multiple C-triggers, a Jewel Heist, and an attempted package piledriver was Tsuji able to land a spear to win this match.
Tsuji earns his first win, working his way up to 3 points.
El Phantasmo defeated Tanga Loa
This match certainly happened. After minutes of escalation and moves trading, ELP secured Loa in a crucifix pin to score a sudden win.
With this win, ELP is on the board with 2 points.
Hikuleo defeated Ren Narita
While a little long, this was a decent big-man/little-man match. Hikuleo looked pretty good in this position, and Narita put in a firey performance, as always. In the end, Hikuleo withstood Narita’s rallies, winning with a choke slam.
Hikuleo’s first G1 win earns him 2 points.
Kazuchika Okada defeated YOSHI-HASHI
Okada worked an unserious opening match here, bordering on disrespect for YH. Okada’s lack of consideration for YH opened the door for a prolonged YH offensive sequence. An extended back-and-forth followed, with Okada eventually connecting with the rainmaker to maintain his undefeated streak.
Okada remains the last undefeated competitor in B block, standing tall with 8 points.
SANADA defeated Kaito Kiyomiya
This match was something special. In a rare sight, this was a truly emotional SANADA match, filled with dramatic sequences. The multiple false finishes in the closing moments were nothing short of exhilarating. Ultimately, Kaito’s inability to win the big one in New Japan continues, as SANADA won with a shining wizard with two seconds on the clock.
With this win, SANADA remains the only undefeated wrestler in his block with 8 points.
NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament continues today in Nagano with C Block & D Block matches.
In the main event, EVIL takes on David Finlay in a C Block battle. Both men are 2-0 in the tournament.
In the semi-main, the 1-1 Hiroshi Tanahashi faces United Empire’s Jeff Cobb and his 2-0 record.
Today’s full lineup:
C Block: EVIL (2-0, 4 points) vs. David Finlay (2-0, 4 points)
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi (1-1, 2 points) vs. Jeff Cobb (2-0, 4 points)
C Block: Tomohiro Ishii (0-2, 0 points) vs. Shingo Takagi (0-2, 0 points)
D Block: Tetsuya Naito (1-1, 2 points) vs. Toru Yano (0-2, 0 points)
C Block: Eddie Kingston (1-1, 2 points) vs. HENARE (1-1, 2 points)
D Block: Hirooki Goto (1-1, 2 points) vs. Shane Haste (1-1, 2 points)
C Block: Tama Tonga (1-1, 2 points) vs. Mikey Nicholls (1-1, 2 points)
D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. (2-0, 4 points) vs. Alex Coughlin (0-2, 0 points)
Our live coverage begins at 5 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
Recommended Matches
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Alex Coughlin – This pair has had one of the most consistent tournaments independently, and it’s no surprise that they kept that up in this match.
Eddie Kingston vs. HENARE – This was a fantastic sell-heavy Eddie match.
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Shingo Takagi– Filled with bombs, this was exactly the match you would expect from this pair, so if that sounds enticing, check this out.
**********
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Alex Coughlin
This pair has had one of the most consistent tournaments independently, and it’s no surprise that they kept that up in this match.
This match, structurally, was about what you would expect from this pair. Coughlin used his strength in an attempt to wear down ZSJ, while ZSJ caught Coughlin in holds whenever an opportunity presented itself. ZSJ won this battle by utilizing an armbar.
With this win, ZSJ becomes the first man in D block with 6 points.
Tama Tonga defeated Mikey Nicholls
This match was fairly Nicholls-dominant for quite some time. In the end, that didn’t matter, as Tama was able to win with a pair of gun stuns.
Tama has tied C block leaders with 4 points.
Hirooki Goto defeated Shane Haste
This was a strange, brief match. Haste was very aggressive from the opening bell. Goto withstood the rush and turned a rear-naked choke into a pin to win the match in about two minutes. Throughout and after the short runtime, Goto held his midsection as if he was in horrible pain.
Goto advances to 4 points.
Eddie Kingston defeated HENARE
This was a great match built on Kingston’s selling. Even before the opening bell, HENARE put Kingston on the backfoot. Kingston’s rallies were fantastic, including the final one, which saw him rock HENARE with a spinning back fist before collapsing on him for the pinfall victory.
Kingston continues to keep up with the top of the heap, earning his 4th point in C block.
Tetsuya Naito defeated Toru Yano
The highlight of this match was Naito refusing to enter the ring until Yano behaved, resulting in Naito making multiple ring entrances. This game of chicken continued throughout a lot of the runtime. Naito was eventually able to roll up Yano to win the match.
Naito worked his way to 4 points with this win.
Shingo Takagi defeated Tomohiro Ishii
This match was exactly what you would expect from this pair, a lot of heavy striking sequences which turned into powerful move exchanges later in the match. Only after a string of false finishes with the time limit drawing near was Shingo able to close the match with a pumping bomber.
Shingo ended what was beginning to look like a losing streak to earn his first 2 points.
Jeff Cobb defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi
This match was built around Cobb overwhelming Tanahashi while Tanahashi tried to find openings in Cobb’s game. Ultimately, Cobb was able to keep up the pressure long enough to with a Tour of the Islands.
Cobb remains undefeated, making his way to 6 points.
David Finlay defeated EVIL
If you thought the Bullet Club melodrama was over, this match stepped in to ruin your day. Throughout the runtime, the HoT and War Dog Bullet Club sub-factions teased all-out war, which eventually came to pass after a ref bump. The match was filled with cheating and your typical Bullet Club goofiness. In the end, Finlay used the shillelagh before landing Oblivion to win the match.
Finlay remains the last undefeated man in C block, standing firm with 6 points.
NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament continues today in Niigata with A Block & B Block matches.
In the main event, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA will try to remain undefeated in this year’s G1 as he takes on Yota Tsuji. Tsuji will be looking for his first win after a draw and a loss in his first two G1 bouts.
It will be a battle of two undefeated wrestlers in the semi-main, with 2-0 Kazuchika Okada facing 2-0 Taichi.
Today’s lineup:
A Block: SANADA (2-0, 4 points) vs. Yota Tsuji (0-1-1, 1 point)
B Block: Kazuchika Okada (2-0, 4 points) vs. Taichi (2-0, 4 points)
A Block: Kaito Kiyomiya (2-0, 4 points) vs. Shota Umino (0-1-1, 1 point)
B Block: Will Ospreay (1-1, 2 points) vs. KENTA (1-1, 2 points)
A Block: Chase Owens (1-1, 2 points) vs. Hikuleo (0-2, 0 points)
B Block: Great-O-Khan (0-2, 0 points) vs. El Phantasmo (0-2, 0 points)
A Block: Gabe Kidd (1-1, 2 points) vs. Ren Narita (0-0-2, 2 points)
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI (1-1, 2 points) vs. Tanga Loa (1-1, 2 points)
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
Recommended Matches
Gabe Kidd vs. Ren Narita – This match was remarkable, easily amongst my favorite from the tournament.
Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Shota Umino – I knew going into this match would be special, and it lived up to all of my expectations and then some—my current favorite from G1 33. This was the best singles performance in Shota’s career.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Taichi – A great, dramatic match and particularly exceptional Taichi outing in the last act.
SANADA vs. Yota Tsuji – As good, if not better, than their IWGP title match.
YOSHI-HASHI defeated Tanga Loa
This was built like a much bigger match than it needed to be. After a ton of dry chops and power move sequences, YH was able to close with a crucifix bomb.
YH has tied the leaders of B Block.
Gabe Kidd defeated Ren Narita
Oh my, this match. From the opening moments, it was electric. Narita and Kidd matched each other’s energy from the open, making for one of my favorite matches from the tournament thus far. Kidd won out in the end after hitting a low blow and a piledriver.
Kidd catches the A block leaders with this win, leaving him with 4 points.
Great-O-Khan defeated El Phantasmo
This match was all about ELP trying to fly and O-Khan trying to ground him. After surviving all of ELP’s dives, O-Khan hit a Tenzan Tombstone Driver on the floor and forced ELP to tap with an iron claw.
This was the most aggressive outing from O-Khan this tournament, and it worked to score him his first 2 points.
Chase Owens defeated Hikuleo
Unsurprisingly, this match was about Hikuleo using his size to bully his former faction mate and Owens trying to weasel his way out of the situation. Also unsurprising, this match was not good. Chase closed with a shot from his knee brace, followed by a knee strike.
Chase continues to keep up with the block leaders, moving up to 4 points.
Will Ospreay defeated KENTA
KENTA worked a very violent match, not giving Ospreay a chance from the beginning. Even after being brutalized with moves on the floor, weapons, and a low blow, Ospreay held on, hitting a Hidden Blade and Storm Breaker to win the match.
With his second win in block action, Ospreay secures 4 points.
Time Limit Draw: Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Shota Umino
This match was a showcase between two very similar wrestlers in different stages of their careers. Throughout the match, Shota held his own, maintaining control for significant portions; this provided Kaito considerable time to sell, which he’s better at than everyone in the world. This match was a breeze, even as it approached the time limit. At different points, it looked like both men would close, but in the end, neither could secure the win.
This draw leaves Kaito ahead in A block with 5 points. Shota is behind with 2 points, both from draws.
Kazuchika Okada defeated Taichi
This was a great match. Okada seemed indifferent throughout the match’s runtime, simply brushing off most of Taichi’s offense. This allowed Taichi to eventually caught Okada with a powerbomb, leading to a prolonged sequence of power moves and nearfalls. Even still, Okada held on, eventually winning with a sudden pin out of a reversal.
Okada retakes the lead of B block, remaining the only man with all wins and 6 points.
SANADA defeated Yota Tsuji
While the stakes weren’t comparable, this was as good as their IWGP match, with the urgency created by the 20-minute time limit playing a significant factor. Tsuji looked incredible at certain points, establishing himself as a threat throughout the match. In the closing seconds, SANADA kicked out of a curb stomp and reversed a spear attempt before landing a moonsault and Deadfall to secure the win.
SANADA maintained his perfect record and retook the lead in A Block with the last perfect record and 6 points.
NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament continues today with C Block & D Block matches in Sendai.
In the main event, Tomohiro Ishii faces Tama Tonga in a battle of NJPW veterans. Both are looking for their first win of the tournament.
In the semi-main, Hirooki Goto faces Tetsuya Naito in another matchup of NJPW stalwarts.
The full lineup:
C Block: Tomohiro Ishii (0-1, 0 points) vs. Tama Tonga (0-1, 0 points)
D Block: Hirooki Goto (1-0, 2 points) vs. Tetsuya Naito (0-1, 0 points)
C Block: Shingo Takagi (0-1, 0 points) vs. HENARE (0-1, 0 points)
D Block: Shane Haste (1-0, 2 points) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (0-1, 0 points)
C Block: Eddie Kingston (1-0, 2 points) vs. EVIL (1-0, 2 points)
D Block: Jeff Cobb (1-0, 2 points) vs. Alex Coughlin (0-1, 0 points)
C Block: David Finlay (1-0, 2 points) vs. Mikey Nicholls (1-0, 2 points)
D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. (1-0, 2 points) vs. Toru Yano (0-1, 0 points)
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
Recommended Matches
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Toru Yano – While not a must-watch, this was easily the best Yano match since his 2019 encounter with Jon Moxley, and that’s worth a mention. ZSJ is remarkable at everything he does.
Jeff Cobb vs. Alex Coughlin – This was an engrossing match on a structural level and an outstanding performance from Coughlin.
HENARE vs. Shingo Takagi – If you’re a fan of this pairing or big-match-Shingo, this is a must-see.
**********
Results
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Toru Yano
This was an entertaining/clever match, even if it was borderline absurd. From both men having young lion doppelgangers to Yano tapping ZSJ’s legs together, this was a silly Yano match from the beginning. In the end, ZSJ caught Yano with a rollup after Kosei Fujita provided some assistance.
ZSJ takes lead of D block with 4 points.
David Finlay defeated Mikey Nicholls
This was a slow-built match structured around prolonged segments of Finlay control. Finlay utilized this control to close the match with Oblivion.
David Finlay stays undefeated with 4 points.
Jeff Cobb defeated Alex Coughlin
In a cool twist, this match was all about Coughlin proving he could match Cobb’s power. While Cobb did his fair share of power moves, it was all the more impressive when Coughlin stood toe-to-toe. Cobb ultimately ended Coughlin’s hubris with a Tour of the Islands.
Cobb continues his hot start, advancing to 4 points.
EVIL defeated Eddie Kingston
This match didn’t come together at all for me. EVIL, unsurprisingly, worked a dirty match from the opening bell. Eddie attempted to fight off the barrage but fell to Everything is Evil after a Dick Togo distraction.
EVIL remains on top with 4 points.
Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Shane Haste
Haste established control early and used it to wear down Tanahashi for long stretches. Tanahashi eventually launched a rally, enabling him to hit High Fly Flow and win the match.
Tanahashi is on the board with two points.
HENARE defeated Shingo Takagi
This match was comparable to a Shingo main event in a compressed package. Only after prolonged back-and-forth sequences, multiple major momentum shifts, and false finishes did HENARE manage hit streets of rage to close the match with less than 30 seconds in the match remaining.
HENARE has scored his first win in block action, earning 2 points.
Tetsuya Naito defeated Hirooki Goto
This was the kind of match you would’ve expected from this pairing a few years ago. Both guys were on the ball, leading to dramatic back-and-forth sequences. Naito was able to close with Destino, ending one of his best performances in a long while.
Naito earned his first points in D block.
Tama Tonga defeated Tomohiro Ishii
This was a reasonably standard Ishii affair. Most of the twists were built around Ishii avoiding the gun stun. Once Tama hit the gun stun, he followed up with a Jay Driller to win the match.
NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament continues today in Yamagata with A Block & B Block action.
In the main event, Kazuchika Okada faces El Phantasmo in B Block. Both enter the match 1-0 in the tournament.
In the semi-main, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA takes on Shota Umino. Umino & Ren Narita went to a time limit draw in their first tournament bout, while SANADA scored a win over Hikuleo.
The full lineup:
B Block: Kazuchika Okada (1-0, 2 points) vs. El Phantasmo (1-0, 2 points)
A Block: SANADA (1-0, 2 points) vs. Shota Umino (0-0-1, 1 point)
B Block: Will Ospreay (0-1, 0 points) vs. YOSHI-HASHI (1-0, 2 points)
A Block: Ren Narita (0-0-1, 1 point) vs. Yota Tsuji (0-1, 0 points)
B Block: Taichi (1-0, 2 points) vs. Tanga Loa (1-0, 2 points)
A Block: Hikuleo (0-1, 0 points) vs. Gabe Kidd (0-1, 0 points)
B Block: KENTA (0-1, 0 points) vs. Great-O-Khan (0-1, 0 points)
A Block: Kaito Kiyomiya (1-0, 2 points) vs. Chase Owens (1-0, 2 points)
Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.
**********
There was nothing “must-see” from tonight’s show. There were some strong individual performances (Okada, Kaito, and Kidd come to mind), but no matches that stand out as particularly great.
Kaito Kiyomiya defeated Chase Owens
This was a simple match structurally. Chase got and maintained the heat for most of the bout. Kaito eventually launched a comeback before winning with the shining wizard.
Kaito now leads A Block with 4 points.
KENTA defeated Great-O-Khan
This was a strange one. The match featured a lot of outside brawling, with both men utilizing chair shots and environmental offense. Back in the ring, the match was built around failed ref bumps, which didn’t even play into the finish. KENTA used the ropes after a rollup to win the bout.
KENTA scores his first 2 points of the tournament.
Gabe Kidd defeated Hikuleo
Ruthless Kidd is such a fantastic addition to this roster. His matches always feel urgent. Kidd rushed Hikuleo before the match could begin, setting up another brawl-heavy bout. Hikuleo won the advantage on the floor, which he maintained in the ring. Kidd eventually landed a low blow and a pile driver to eke out a win.
This was Kidd’s first win, leaving him with 2 points.
Taichi defeated Tanga Loa
This wasn’t great. The match opened as a sluggish strike-heavy affair. The ending sequence was moves-heavy, with Taichi coming out on top with his Gedo Clutch variation.
Taichi remains undefeated with 4 points.
Time Limit Draw: Ren Narita vs. Yota Tsuji
This match played out as you would imagine, with Tsuji using his power to gain and maintain a lead, with Narita’s fire acting as a constant check. As time wound down, both men grew desperate and climbed to the top rope where the match would find its end.
Will Ospreay defeated YOSHI-HASHI
This match was a fairly standard Ospreay affair with a fair bit of back-and-forth. YH survived an awful lot of Ospreay offense, but in the end, a corkscrew senton marked the end.
Ospreay is on the board with 2 points.
SANADA defeated Shota Umino
This was a match with no real urgency, even as the clock ticked on. Just before the time limit, SANADA hit the shining wizard and deadfall to win the match.
SANADA maintains his position on top of A block with 4 points.
Okada defeated El Phantasmo
Okada was indifferent for most of the match, which allowed ELP to gain advantage. After avoiding a Rainmaker, ELP hit CR2, a moonsault to the floor, and a tombstone but failed to finish. In the end, it was an Okada Rainmaker that marked the end for ELP.
A Doomsday No DQ match headlines night one of NJPW Strong Independence Day.
In the “Exciting Encounter” main event, Jon Moxley teams with Homicide against El Desperado & Jun Kasai in a no DQ tag match.
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team titles are on the line in the semi-main, with TJP & Francesco Akira defending against Drilla Moloney & Clark Connors.
Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI defend the NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team titles against Gabe Kidd & Alex Coughlin.
The undercard:
Giulia & Thekla vs. Willow Nightingale & Momo Kohgo
KENTA & Gedo vs. Rocky Romero & Eddie Kingston
“Filthy” Tom Lawlor vs. Kosei Fujita
Lance Archer, Ryohei Oiwa & Alex Zayne vs. JR Kratos, Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs
The DKC vs. Bad Dude Tito
Kickoff match: Ryusuke Taguchi, Oskar Leube & YOH vs. Kengo, Takahiro Katori & Dragon Libre
Our live coverage begins with the kickoff match at 5:10 a.m. Eastern time.
This was a fun-enough showcase of some unfamiliar freelancers. Even with all the fresh talent, the real standout was Leube.
The match opened with a series of one-on-one encounters, showcasing the independent talent against the NJPW regulars. Throughout the process, Leube gained multiple leads by utilizing his size. Eventually, the freelancers won a lead, but again, Leube was able to make the save. YOH finished the match by hitting Dragon with Direct Drive and pinning him.
Bad Dude Tito defeated The DKC
The match opened with an athletic sequence that went back and forth for some time. Tito won out in the early portion by utilizing his power, landing suplexes, and slowing down the pace.
DKC launched a comeback, winning over a lot of the crowd, but in the end, Tito caught DKC with a Steiner Screwdriver to win the match in dominant fashion.
JR Kratos, Jorel Nelson & Royce Isaacs defeated Alex Zayne, Lance Archer & Ryohei Oiwa
This was a decent little match that will be memorable for the crimson mask that Kratos left with.
The early portion of this played out with the heel squad gaining an advantage by isolating their smaller opponents. This led to Archer growing desperate for a tag.
Once the tag came, the crowd erupted for Archer. He then teed off with Kratos, trading strikes that slowly escalated into powerful moves. Archer tried to close by choke, slamming Zayne into Kratos, but Kratos caught Zayne. This initiated a chaotic exchange between the teams. Once the fog faded, Nelson hit Oiwa with a springboard cutter and pinned him to win the match.
Tom Lawlor defeated Kosei Fujita
This was an excellent grappling-heavy match. Fujita is a star in the making, no doubt.
The match opened with a scramble on the mat for control. Lawlor, unsurprisingly, gained control early, working Fujita’s leg. Fujita held on, eating strikes and powering through moves, but failed to gain anything substantial for quite some time.
A sudden dropkick from Fujita turned the match around. Fujita continued the rally, forcing Lawlor to take the match back to the mat. Lawlor was able to buy time, saving him from an embarrassing defeat.
Lawlor hit a spear and a penalty kick, but Fujita kicked out. Lawlor then reversed a rolling choke attempt, but again, Fujta escaped. Finally, Lawlor hit Fujita with a knee to the back of the head to win the match.
Eddie Kingston & Rocky Romero defeated KENTA & Gedo
The match opened slow, with neither heel wanting to engage Kingston. The heels worked to isolate Rocky before throwing him to the floor. Kingston tried backing up Rocky outside the ring, but this is where Bullet Club thrives, allowing the domination to continue.
The tag to Kingston eventually came, and he took full advantage. After connecting with a barrage of chops, Kingston hit KENTA with an exploder suplex. KENTA responded with a DDT and a quick tag to Gedo.
Gedo tried turning the match around, but Kingston completely ignored his attack. KENTA hit the ring, leading to a quick brawl, but in the end, it came down to Kingston and Gedo once more. Kingston hit Gedo with the spinning back fist and won the match.
This was all-round a fantastic match. Willow is a total star, and it seems like New Japan understands this.
Giulia and Willow opened the match with a grappling sequence. Perhaps surprisingly, Willow maintained the upper hand throughout, constantly outpowering Guilia.
A double tag allowed Thekla to turn the match around. With Giulia’s help, Thekla isolated Momo, building to an eventual hot tag. Willow continued dominating Giulia.
Thekla was able to secure a submission on Willow, forcing Momo to hit the ring. This led to a brief period of chaos that allowed Willow to retake the lead. Willow climbed to the top rope, but Thekla met her there, landing a superplex. Guilia followed up with a top rope dropkick, setting up Thekla with a dive to the floor.
It didn’t take long for Willow to bounce back. After dropping Thekla, Willow climbed to the top again and threw Momo into their opponents. Willow then hit Thekla with a nasty senton, a driver, and a powerbomb to win the match.
After the match, Giulia and Willow had a brief staredown.
NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship: Bullet Club Wardogs (Alex Coughlin & Gabe Kidd) defeated Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) (c)
This was another great match. The Wardog team feels ruthless instead of petty in cheating, a welcome change to the stale Bullet Club formula. Kidd and Coughlin had something to prove, and boy, did they ever.
Before the match could even begin, The Wardogs attacked the champions. They then beat down Bishamon outside the ring, establishing a nearly uncontested lead early on.
After an extended period of YH isolation, Goto was able to tag in. Goto and Kidd traded strong blows long enough for YH to recover. YH then tagged in and chopped down Kidd in the corner. Goto helped YH set up Shoto, but Kidd evaded the finish. This bought Coughlin enough time to drop YH with a chair. The Wardogs then hit Goto with a double chokeslam, making YH an easy pick. Kidd and Coughlin hit YH with a double muscle buster and a piledriver before pinning him to win the NJPW Strong tag titles.
After the match, the Wardogs continued the attack on Bishamon, setting up a favorable environment for tomorrow’s rematch.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Bullet Club Wardogs (Drilla Moloney & Clark Connors) defeated Catch 22 (TJP & Francesco Akira) (c)
Another example of the “Wardog style” working well.
Similar to the previous match, Bullet Club started the match by rushing the champions and taking the fight to the floor. The fight continued deep into the crowd, climbing the stairs of Korakuen. To fight back, Akira lept from the stairs into the Bullet Club, putting them on the back foot.
In the ring, Catch-22 were more in their element. They kept the challengers on the back foot until Bullet Club isolated TJP. Akira was quick to back TJP up, landing a tandem facebuster and an impressive dive for a nearfall.
The Bullet Club team tried to finish TJP, but Akira pulled TJP out of harm’s way. The Wardogs cleared the ring of Akira and hit TJP with a spear from the top rope to win the match and the junior belts.
Exciting Encounter Doomsday No Disqualification match: El Desperado & Jun Kasai defeated Jon Moxley & Homicide
Unsurprisingly, this was a violent, bloody war. It’s certainly deserving of a deathmatch label.
As soon as the match began, the fight spilled to the floor. It was chaos from the start. The men used kendo sticks, spikes, and trash can lids all in the early minutes, with neither team gaining a clear lead.
As the match wandered its way toward the ring, Moxley stabbed Kasai with a fork. Between the ropes, Kasai returned the favor, cutting Homicide with a butcher’s knife and prepping a fork-covered board. Kasia’s prop backfired as Homicide delivered a backdrop that sent Kasia crashing into his own contraption. Moxley also dropped Desperado into the board before grabbing a fork that he drove into the face of Desperado. By this point, this match was a bloody mess.
Moxley dropped Desperado with a piledriver, but Desperado kicked out at one. Moxley then left Homicide to take care of Desperado after hitting an awkward dive to the floor. Homicide continued to use forks, this time between Desperado’s legs, setting up Moxley for a figure four attempt.
Kasai started a rally, dropping Moxley with a suplex before slicing his face with the butcher’s knife. Kasai then grabbed a razorblade cross that he set up in the corner. Moxley avoided the attack from Kasai, driving him into the crucifix instead.
After Kasai survived a razorblade cross, a curb stomp, and a cutter, Moxley tagged into Homicide. Homicide failed to hit the cop killer, setting Desperado up for a rally. Desperado struck Homicide with a trashcan but failed to close.
Kasai turned his attention to Moxley, driving a fist full of stakes into his head. This cleared the ring of Kasai and Moxley, leaving Homicide free to attempt cop killer again. Desperado avoided the move before hitting Homicide with a low blow. The low blow was followed with a pair of pinche locos, with the second landing on a trash can. Desperado then pinned Homicide to win the match.
Desperado and Kasai cut a show-ending promo to a massive ovation. An English “This is awesome chant” broke out after teasing a potential World Tag tease from the pair.
NJPW, AJPW, and NOAH join forces today for All Together Again in Ryogoku Sumo Hall.
The undercard primarily consists of tag matches pitting companies against one another, while the top two bouts will feature teams with a representative from each promotion on either side.
The match opened with a brawl that left CHAOS with an early lead. The NOAH squad began to fight back into the match as the trio worked to isolate YH.
A tag to Ishii turned the match into a hoss fight. Ishii worked to fight off Inamura and Masa, eventually forcing a double tag. Inaba and Goto traded moves, leading to a YH save. Bishamon hit Inaba with Naraku leading into the pin, and the CHOAS win.
NJPW is up in the first match of the night.
Chris Ridgeway & Sean Legacy (NOAH) defeated Kosei Fujita & Zack Sabre Jr. (TMDK/NJPW)
This was a fantastic match.
Ridgeway and ZSJ opened the match with a slick sequence teasing what was to come. Legacy and Fujita tried their best to match the energy after tagging in.
Unsurprisingly, the NOAH pair worked to isolate Fujita, gaining the upper hand early on. Even after receiving the tag, Legacy was able to maintain control for his team.
ZSJ and Ridgeway picked up with another grappling sequence as soon as the pair was in the ring together again. ZSJ set Fujita up for success before tagging him back in, leading to a period of extended TMDK control.
Ultimately, ZSJ had to save Fujita from an ankle lock, prompting a slap fight. Legacy cleared the ring of ZSJ, leaving Ridgeway free to land a kick and turn his focus back to Fujita’s ankle. Fujita tried hanging on, but in the end, he tapped to Ridgeway’s anklelock.
Shota Umino (NJPW) defeated Yoshitatsu (AJPW)
Yoshitatsu opened the match by rushing Shota, gaining a lead early. Shota’s first rally was met with solid resistance from Yoshitatsu, who taunted the youngling with demeaning offense.
Out of nowhere, Shota bounced back with a neckbreaker which he followed with a Deathrider. Shota then pinned Yoshitatsu and left the ring as fast as possible.
Go Shiozaki & Katsuhiko Nakajima (AXIZ/NOAH) defeated Hokuto Omori (AJPW) & Satoshi Kojima (NJPW)
This was another great match. Omori stood out in a match full of stars, which was an accomplishment, no doubt.
Omori decided to start the match by throwing his own partner to the floor and going toe-to-toe with Go. Axiz, unsurprisingly, took quick control, beating their defiant junior in and out of the ring.
Once Kojima tagged in he managed to gain some footing, but the Axiz pairing was able to keep him on the back foot. Go tried for a lariat, but Kojima reversed, landing a cutter and setting Omori up for the tag.
Omori stood tall against Nakajima, landing a pair of suplexes for a believable nearfall. When Kojima interrupted Omori’s flow in an attempt to double-team, Nakajima retook the lead, landing multiple kicks and a brainbuster for the pinfall victory.
Suzuki and Marufuji opened the match with a strike battle. Ren then challenged Suguria and held his own reasonably well. Once the tags started coming, the NOAH trio was able to isolate Ren and establish control of the match.
Suzuki and Sugiura traded strikes in the middle of the ring, creating a reset. Miyawaki hit the ring with speed but found himself on the receiving end of strong Suzuki strikes. Desperado and Miyawaki then traded momentum before all of Strong Style hit the ring to cement control.
The NOAH trio hit the ring to save Miyawaki from sure doom. This led to a brawl on the outside, leaving Desperado and Miyawaki alone in the ring. Desperado hit Pinche Loco and pinned Miyawaki for another New Japan win.
Aaron Henare, Francesco Akira, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & TJP (United Empire/NJPW) defeated Jun Saito, Rei Saito, Dan Tamura, Hikaru Sato & Ryuki Honda (AJPW)
This was pretty bad, which is a shame because it was loaded with guys I really like. An Evolution vs. O-Khan and Cobb tag could have been amazing, but instead, we had this silly little thing.
This match degenerated as soon as it started, with VDM taking the fight to the floor. The Saito brothers singled out Akira in the middle of the ring, prompting the rest of UE to make the save.
The UE control segment was also pretty silly, with O-Khan using a thumb in the butt to top things off. The Saito brothers then attacked their own partner so they could beat down Akira, which they did.
A tag to TJP led into a UE rally. After a multi-finisher spot, the AJPW squad hit the ring to make the save. The match then broke down completely, with every guy hitting the ring. Through all of the chaos, Akira was able to hit his finish to win the match.
Even once the match was over, the brawling continued. Sato pulled O-Khan’s trunks off at one point, but thankfully, he recovered them. Once things calmed down, UE celebrated their win in the ring.
The match opened with Anzai a strike and a dropkick to Naito to set the pace early. LIJ was quick to help Naito fight back, working to isolate Anzai from this point on.
Nagata and Shingo tagged in and traded momentum for some time. Suwama and Shingo then came to blows, with both men landing significant offense.
Shingo was forced to tag out, but BUSHI was able to hold his own against Suwama. This led to a match breakdown, with all men in the ring. The fight left Suwama and BUSHI alone in the ring again, but this time, Suwama landed a powerbomb to win the match.
The match opened with the juniors trading advantage for some time before a double tag left both heavyweight champions alone in the ring. SANADA was the first to strike, landing a dropkick and a dive to establish control. Lee fought back, dropping SANADA and attempting a disrespectful pin.
SANADA landed another dropkick, leading into an extended back-and-forth before the NJPW juniors tagged back in. Lee fought off both juniors before hitting TAKA with a big boot in the corner to win the match. The GHC champion has (indirectly) defeated the IWGP champion.
This match opened slowly with a feeling-out process between Wato and Aoyagi. Hiromu and HAYATO picked up the pace a little, but it didn’t take long for the HAYTO team to establish themselves as heels, working to isolate Hiromu from his corner.
A tag to AMAKUSA led to an acrobatic comeback sequence where he got his team back in the match. Wato and Aoyagi then re-entered the match, this time with more intensity. HAYATO then hit the ring, scoring a nearfall with a driver before Hiromu hit the ring to make the save. AMAKUSA then hit an incredible dive to leave HAYATO and Aoyagi alone in the ring.
HAYATO and Aoyagi climbed to the top rope, where Aoyagi hit a Spanish fly. After HAYATO kicked out, Aoyagi climbed to the top and hit a 450 to win the match for his team.
After the match, all three junior champs stood in the ring, holding their belts high.
I’ve been covering matches for F4W for over three years. This was easily my favorite. This was one of the best matches I’ve ever seen, an absolute masterclass and nothing short of an instant classic.
The entrances alone made this match feel huge.
Before the match could begin, Kenoh and Tanahashi had an intense staredown while Kaito starred a hole in Okada.
Tanahashi and Kenoh opened the match after a brief but fierce shove fight. Tanahashi was able to get a leg up on Kenoh early before both men tagged out.
Kento and Okada were next to square off. In a bit of a surprise, Kento was showered in cheers during before the pair began to grapple. Okada played into this, landing a cheap shot in an attempt to gain the lead. Kento answered with a headbutt, so Okada swung with a rainmaker that Kento avoided. Both men were on equal footing.
During the pause, Okada knocked Kaito off of the apron but fled to the floor. This left Yuma free to swing at Kaito, but Kaito ignored him, instead targeting Okada with a dropkick and a brutal attack on the floor.
After Yuma gained the advantage in the ring, Okada responded with a floor-based attack of his own.
In the ring the other guys tried to have a normal match, but tensions continued to rise. Kenoh brutalized Tanahashi with a kick to the back. Tanahashi fired back with dragonscrew before tagging Kaito back in the match.
Kaito unloaded on Kenoh, prompting Okada to hit the ring. Kaito dropped Okada and Kenoh with dropkicks. After Kenoh held on, he dropped Kaito with a dragon suplex and tagged in Yuma. Yuma landed a crossbody, but Kaito fired back with a flying arm. This allowed Kaito to tag in Kento, who had no problem beating down Yuma.
Yuma escaped by tagging in Okada. Okada, beyond frustrated, kicked Kento in the head over and over before dropping him with an air raid crash. Okada then landed a top rope elbow drop and hit the rainmaker pose. Kento reversed the rainmaker attempt with a beautiful knee, which he followed with a second for a nearfall.
Kento failed to hit his suplex finish, allowing Okada to secure the money clip. A double lariat led to a Tanahashi tag who cleared the ring. Tanahashi, Kaito, and Kento hit Okada with a triple dropkick followed by a sling blade for a nearfall.
Tanahashi tried for High Fly Flow, but Okada extended his knee into Tanahashi’s injured ribs. This led to a forearm exchange in the middle of the ring that ended with an Okada landslide. Tanahashi avoided the rainmaker, leading to every man rushing to the ring.
Okada, Yuma, and Kenoh were able to focus on Tanahashi. Kenoh hit a penalty kick and Yuma an elbow drop, but Tanahashi’s team made the save. Okada then focused on Tanahashi and landed a dropkick, an emerald flowsion, and a rainmaker before pinning Tanahashi.
After the final bell, all three rosters walked to the ring. Okada cut the show-ending promo where he thanked the fans for sticking with them through the pandemic. Okada then welcomed Inoki’s family to the ring for an “Ich Ni Son DA!” sendoff.
NJPW Dominion takes place today at Osaka-Jo Hall with seven title matches, a number one contender’s bout, plus the reveal of the G1 Climax 33 field.
Headlining, SANADA defends the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Yota Tsuji, the newest member of Los Ingobernables de Japon. This is Tsuji’s first major match back after his international excursion, and he is starting right at the top of the card.
In the semi-main, Hiromu Takahashi defends the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Best of the Super Juniors winner Master Wato.
AEW’s Jon Moxley, ROH World Champion Claudio Castagnoli, and Shota Umino will challenge Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tomohiro Ishii for the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship.
David Finlay defends the NEVER Openweight Championship against El Phantasmo.
Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) will face House of Torture (EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi) and United Empire (Great-O-Khan & Aaron Henare) in a three-way for the vacant IWGP Tag Team and NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships.
Zack Sabre Jr. will defend the NJPW World TV Championship against Jeff Cobb.
KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship against TJP & Francesco Akira.
Taichi, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku face Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi, BUSHI & Titan.
In the opener, Will Ospreay takes on Lance Archer in a tournament final to decide the number one contender to Kenny Omega’s IWGP United States Championship.
The participants for this summer’s G1 Climax 33 tournament will also be revealed during the show.
Our live coverage begins at 3 a.m. Eastern time.
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IWGP United States Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership Match: Will Ospreay defeated Lance Archer
This match was built around Ospreay surviving Archer’s physical advantage. It worked quite well and made for a great opener.
Archer opened the match by flatlining Ospreay and taking the fight to the floor. A forearm and a dive from Ospreay turned the match around, setting up an extended rally.
Back in the ring, Archer regained control, using his size to maintain advantage. A blackout from the top rope scored Archer a near fall.
Archer’s extended control ended when Ospreay hit a hidden blade. After the first, Ospreay landed multiple hidden blades to secure the win.
After the match, Ospreay called out Kenny Omega, “in Canada”.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, Tetsuya Naito & Titan) defeated Just 5 Guys (DOUKI, Taichi, TAKA Michinoku & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
The match opened with an LIJ-initiated brawl. J5G held their own, establishing an early control despite the early rush. From here, the teams struggled for the lead with multiple back-and-forths.
J5G used tandem attacks to maintain control when possible, which forced LIJ to rush the ring. Ultimately, J5G’s willingness to use tandem attack’s backfired as LIJ fired back, clearing the ring and allowing Titan to submit TAKA to win the match.
The match opened with a rapid back-and-forth between the teams. IJS was the first to gain advantage, emerging from the four-way fight with a short lead, but Catch 22 was quick to fire back.
TJP and Akira worked to isolate Knight, forcing a hot tag. KUSHIDA’s attempt for a rally wasn’t met without resistance, as Catch 22 fought off his attempts to finish. Catch 22 connected with a double knee, forcing Knight to make the save and forcing KUSHIDA on the back foot.
A double stomp from Akira forced a nearfall, but IJS bounced back with an extended rally. Even with the rally, Catch 22 was able to hold on, landing a double knee to Knight and securing the win and securing a second tag title reign.
After the match Clark Conners and Dan Mahoney of Bullet Club attacked the new champions, almost definitely setting up a future title challenge.
NJPW World Television Championship: Zack Sabre Jr. (c) defeated Jeff Cobb
This was another fantastic ZSJ NJPW World TV Championship defense.
The match opened with a back-and-forth, favoring neither man. ZSJ attempted to take the match to the floor while Cobb tried using his power in an attempt to establish a lead. The totally fluid match featured nothing but back-and-forths from the men, a kind of trademark from the TV title scene.
A suplex from ZSJ allowed him to establish a lead around the halfway mark. Cobb answered back with a throw of his own, a spin cycle, and a suplex. Looking to close, Cobb attempted Tour of the Islands, but ZSJ transitioned into a pin and squeaked out with another win in his TV title reign.
IWGP Tag Team Championship: Bishamon (Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI) defeated United Empire (Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan) and House Of Torture (EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi)
Before the match could begin, HOT rushed UE. YH and Goto helped to fight off the initial HOT rush, but the chaos continued for quite some time, with UE and HOT trading control with Bishamon providing a constant check.
UE eventually isolated Yujiro and scored a pin on him, but Dick Togo interrupted what would have been a title win. This led to an extended period of chaos, with all three teams trading momentum. Through the fog, Bishamon emerged, hitting Yujiro with Shoto to win the match and win the IWGP tag belts.
After the match, Alex Coughlin and Gabrial Kidd Rushed the new champions while wearing Bullet Club colors.
G1 Climax Lineup
Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, Will Ospreay, Hiroshi Tanahashi, David Finlay, Shota Umino, Shingo Takagi, Tomohiro Ishii, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Hikuleo, Hirooki Goto, Yoshihashi, Toru Yano, KENTA, Zack Sabre Jr, TAICHI, Eddie Kingston, El Phantasmo, Ren Narita, EVIL, Chase Owens, Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan, Aaron Henare, Gabriel Kidd, Alex Coughlin, Shane Haste, Mikey Nichols, Yota Tsuji, & Kaito Kiyomiya
NEVER Openweight Championship: David Finlay (c) defeated El Phantasmo
This match opened with a brawl on the outside, and ELP took advantage, landing a dive to wipe Finlay out. Back in the ring, ELP maintained this lead, landing everything he wanted for some time. Finlay took the lead by using the outside to establish a BC-style lead.
Back in the ring, Finlay picked ELP apart for quite some time. Finlay missed a hidden blade which opened the door for an ELP dropkick, resetting the match, but a BC distraction allowed Finlay to maintain control.
An ELP rally featuring a DDT and a strike exchange left the factionless competitor ahead for some time. Finlay fought back and led his extended period of control, but both were uneventful.
ELP tried fighting off Finlay’s backup, but this bought Finlay enough time to fight back and drive ELP through a table. Finlay closed the match with into oblivion to retain hi
The match opened with a back-and-forth that had both men fighting on the floor. In the ring, Hiromu managed to establish a lead before landing a suplex on the entrance ramp.
A short rally from Wato turned into a full-blown lead after Wato landed a dive. In the ring, Wato continued to make advances, securing a submission and forcing Hiromu into the ropes.
Hiromu reversed a Wato dive into a suplex, resetting the flow of the match. From here, both men traded advantage, but Hiromu led most of the exchanges.
Wato tried for multiple quick pins before locking in a submission in the center of the ring. Hiromu eventually found the ropes and reversed Wato’s attempt to finish with a barrage of heavy offense.
Wato bounced back and landed a German suplex for a convincing nearfall. Hiromu answered with a timebomb attempt, but Wato kicked out. To finish, Hiromu hit timebomb 2 and pinned Wato.
NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championship: CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & Tomohiro Ishii) & Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) defeated The Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli & Jon Moxley) & Shota Umino
This tension-heavy match opened with Tanahashi and Claudio. Both men wrestled for control, but Claudio whipped Tanashi into the corner. CHAOS fired back, rushing the ring and establishing control over Tanahashi.
Once Tanahashi and Umino came to blows, Okada cemented his seniority. Shota fought back by slamming Okada into a table, buying the rest of BCC the opportunity to tag into the match.
BCC were able to isolate Okada as a unit, forcing Ishii to involve himself in the scuffle. Even with Ishii’s involvement, BCC worked to sequester Okada, eventually causing a hot tag.
The match broke down shortly after the tag, with every man getting in significant offense. Okada broke up a pin following a Moxley curb stomp, but BCC maintained control for some time.
Ishii dropped Moxley with a lariat, opening the match up for a Shota/Okada double tag. Shota and Okada traded moves, but it was clear Okada had his number at virtually every turn.
Claudio hit the ring to interrupt Okada’s advance. He swung Okada for a while before hitting a triple powerbomb with his team.
Umino tried continuing the advance, but Okada answered with a dropkick. This led to another free-for-all. Okada emerged from the fog in the ring with Shota. He planted Shota with a rainmaker to win the rematch and retain his team’s belts.
After the match, Moxley teased Bryan Danielson before a video package played revealing Danielson as a future opponent for Okada. Okada answered by saying the forbidden door would be open, perhaps setting up a match a AEW’s upcoming PPV.
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: SANADA (c) defeated Yota Tsuji
The opening saw SANADA and Yota struggle for control in a typical wrestling match. SANADA fought back, but Yota was able to use his size to maintain a lead for some time. Yota hit a big spear to send SANADA to the floor, followed by a dive to secure control early.
SANADA interrupted a spear with a knee before locking in a submission to put Yota on the backfoot. When SANADA tried for a moonsault, Yota blocked with his knees, resetting the match.
Yota and SANADA traded strikes in the middle of the ring, with Yota winning out. Yota then locked in a Boston crab, furthering his lead.
Yota missed a moonsault, buying SANADA an opportunity to recover. SANADA then lead a substantial bounce back.
A strike exchange between the pair left Yota ahead once again. Yota hit a curb stomp and a spinning bomb for a nearfall. After nearly winning the match, Yota lifted SANADA to the top rope and hit a Spanish fly for another nearfall.
SANADA tried for finishes twice, but both times Yota avoided them. Yota then hit a leaping headbutt for a nearfall.
SANADA answered Yota’s advance with a moonsault and a shining wizard. SANADA then transitioned into deadfall, which he hit to retain the belt and keep New Japan’s newest challenger at bay.
After the match, SANADA cut a promo. He hyped up Yota and J5G before promising to win the G1 as IWGP champion.
NJPW’s Best of the Super Juniors 30 finals take place today at Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.
B Block winner Master Wato will take on the winner of A Block, CMLL’s Titan in the main event. Both scored upset victories in the semifinals show on Friday to punch their tickets to the finals.
Oleg and Leube opened the match with an intense sequence before the Yuto helped the youngest team take full advantage. They also did a decent job at holding back Makabe early on. Eventually, Makabe turned things around, landing a leaping knee from the top rope to pin Yuto.
Clark Connors defeated Ryohei Oiwa
This was another good, to the point match.
This match quickly spilled to the floor, where Connors drove Oiwa into the ring post. Back in the ring, Connors maintained his lead until a well-timed dropkick from Oiwa turned the match around. Oiwa held the lead before a pair of spears ended any advances he made. Connor ended the match with a DDT.
After the match, Connors destroyed Oiwa with a chair.
Eagles and Rush opened with a quick exchange before passing the match off to YOH and Fujita. YOH and Rush were able to single out Fujita to establish an early lead.
Eventually, Eagles received a hot tag. Rush tried his best to maintain his team’s lead, landing a big tope to the floor, but Eagles continued to advance, forcing YOH to hit the ring and resulting in a match reset.
Fujita tried taking on Rush, but Rush fought through, landing final hour to win the match for his team.
United Empire (Aaron Henare, Dan Moloney, Francesco Akira, Great-O-Khan & TJP) defeated TenKoji (Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima), Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA) & Yuji Nagata
The match opened with a few one-on-one sequences before UE worked to isolate Knight. Once the tag came, Kojima reversed the momentum of the match, leading to a few more one-on-one exchanges.
Ultimately, Henare hit Tenzan with streets of rage to win the match.
No Contest: CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano & YOSHI-HASHI) vs. House Of Torture (EVIL, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi)
HOT opened the match by rushing the CHAOS trio. CHAOS held on through the initial onslaught to gain the first lead, but a trip from Dick Togo allowed HOT to take a full lead.
After an extended period of HOT control, Yano tagged in and began removing turnbuckle pads. This backfired when he was whipped into the exposed corner, only furthering HOT’s control.
Eventually, YH tagged in and turned the match around. He secured a butterfly lock, which seemed to mark the end of the match. Instead, EVIL and Yujiro dragged Arron Henare and Great O-Khan into the ring and started attacking them. The United Empire pair fought back, resulting in a no contest.
Okada vs. defiant younglings continues to be the best feud in wrestling.
Taguchi tried starting the match, but Umino only wanted Okada. Once the veteran squad refused, the match opened with a typical exchange.
Eventually, rivals Desperado and Ishii came to blows. Desperado maintained a strong footing for his team, leading into a match breakdown.
Umino and Okada traded a few moves in a period of chaos before Umino tried to take on Tanahashi. Okada interrupted Umino’s advance, taking Umino to the floor, where he dropped him with a DDT.
Ultimately, Umino put Okada on the back foot, prompting Narita to tag himself in. Okada was able to fight off Narita before tagging in Taguchi. A match breakdown followed.
In the brawl, Umino threw a table at Okada, leaving Narita alone in the ring with Taguchi. Narita secured a cobra twist and forced Taguchi to submit, winning the match for his team.
After the match, Desperado and Bailey traded a couple of strikes.
Umino cut a promo where he called out the trios champions. Umino announced his partners for Dominion were Claudio Castagnoli and Jon Moxley.
Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito) defeated Just 5 Guys (DOUKI, SANADA, Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
LIJ started the match by rushing J5G. J5G withstood the initial onslaught and turned the match in their favor early. Even though a second LIJ rush, J5G maintained a lead.
The third LIJ rush allowed Naito to take a bit of a lead over DOUKI. When J5G hit the ring to fight off LIJ, LIJ won out. Naito hit DOUKI with Destino and won the match.
BOSJ Final: Master Wato defeated Titan
Early on, the pair seemed to be on even footing. Wato scored a dive to the floor to establish the first lead. Dropkicks to the leg of Wato allowed Titan to turn the match around, at least for a moment, but a second dive to the floor left Wato back in control.
Titan threw Wato to the floor before landing a springboard flip to put Wato on the back foot; a second dive moments later only furthered this lead.
Back in the ring, the pair traded strikes before a bomb left Wato ahead once again. Wato tried for a submission, but Titan found the ropes and landed a DDT moments later to retake the lead.
Titan tried for a corner dropkick but overshot and crashed to the floor. Titan was quick to recover, landing a double foot stomp moments later before securing a leglock; Wato escaped with the rope.
Wato hit a sudden suplex to reset the match and score a near fall. Titan responded with la mistica for a near fall of his own. Titan then landed a second foot stomp, this time from the top rope, and again, Wato kicked out.
After hanging on, Wato hit another suplex. Wato then landed Recientemente and pinned Titan to win BOSJ.
After the match, Wato and Hiromu shared the ring to set up their future title match.
