He won a Last Chance Gauntlet match against Chase Owens, Tomohiro Ishii, and Satoshi Kojima on today’s New Japan Soul show at Korakuen Hall. With the win, Taichi will replace Hirooki Goto in the tournament after Goto was withdrawn last week due to an elbow injury suffered in his match against Zack Sabre Jr. at Tanahashi Jam.
In today’s gauntlet, Owens eliminated Kojima in the first fall after a low blow and the Last Testament piledriver. Taichi was the next to enter but was ambushed by House of Torture before he could reach the ring. HOT interfered again later in the match, but the final entrant, Ishii, came out early to help fight them off. Shortly after, Taichi eliminated Owens by reversing the Last Testament into a pin.
The final fall saw Taichi and Ishii exchange near falls and each other’s signature moves before Taichi ultimately picked up the win with a Black Mephisto.
Full coverage of today’s New Japan Soul show is available here.
NJPW G1 Climax 2025 participants —
A Block:
Taichi
Oleg Boltin
Yuya Uemura
Yota Tsuji
David Finlay
EVIL
SANADA
Hiroshi Tanahashi
Callum Newman
Ryohei Oiwa
B Block:
El Phantasmo
Shota Umino
Shingo Takagi
Zack Sabre Jr.
Great-O-Khan
Gabe Kidd
Ren Narita
Konosuke Takeshita
Drilla Moloney
YOSHI-HASHI
Taichi did it! He survived a wild gauntlet against Owens and Ishii to claim the final spot in this year’s G1 Climax!#njsoul report:https://t.co/or2JTaZJTx
Eight wrestlers are set to compete for the final four spots in NJPW G1 Climax 2025.
Over the weekend, NJPW revealed 16 of the 20 entrants who will be participating in this summer’s tournament. The last four spots are still up for grabs with play-in matches taking place during the New Japan Soul tour with events at Korakuen Hall on June 23 and Budokan Hall on July 4.
Here is the play-in schedule:
Monday, June 23 —
A Block play-in match: Taichi vs. Callum Newman
B Block play-in match: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Drilla Moloney
Friday, July 4 —
A Block play-in match: Ryohei Oiwa vs. Bad Luck Fale
B Block play-in match: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Chase Owens
Moloney and Oiwa would be competing in their first-ever G1s if they are able to qualify for the tournament. Moloney is a member of Bullet Club War Dogs, while Oiwa is part of TMDK.
At NJPW Dominion on Sunday, Taichi & Ishii defeated Newman & Great-O-Khan to become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions. Ishii also currently holds singles gold as the NJPW Strong Openweight Champion.
The G1 begins on July 19 and runs through August 17. Here’s what the field looks like ahead of the last four entrants being confirmed:
A fan vote has determined the stipulation for NJPW’s last KOPW Championship match of 2024.
The official KOPW Champion for this year will be decided when Great-O-Khan defends against Taichi at NJPW’s Road to Tokyo Dome show on Sunday, December 22. After champion and challenger each proposed a stipulation option, fans have voted for it to be a “Best of Taichi KOPW Two out of Three Falls Match.”
Fall one: No ropes sumo match (wrestler who throws their opponent out of the ring wins)
Fall two: Yoshinobu Kanemaru special referee match
Fall three: Last Man Standing lumberjack match
Win or lose, Taichi has said this will be the last time he ever competes for the KOPW (King of Pro Wrestling) title. He was the official champion for 2023, while O-Khan has held the championship for most of 2024. The title resets at the end of every year with a new provisional champion set to be crowned at the start of 2025.
In storyline, Taichi randomly drew from his past KOPW title matches to create the rules for this two-out-of-three falls bout. A complicating factor for the second fall is that he and Kanemaru are no longer aligned after Kanemaru betrayed Taichi and joined House of Torture in September 2023.
The December 22 Road to Tokyo Dome event is taking place from Korakuen Hall and will air live on NJPW World. O-Khan vs. Taichi will be the main event.
A new match announcement has been made for next month’s NJPW x Stardom joint event.
NJPW confirmed today that Natsupoi will team up with Taichi against Thekla & Clark Connors in a mixed tag match at Historic X-Over 2024. The show is taking place from the Edion Arena in Osaka on Sunday, November 17.
This mixed tag is being billed as a “hate-fueled” grudge match involving Natsupoi and Thekla, who were formerly tag team partners and stablemates in Stardom.
“There is a long history of animosity between these former friends. Once a tag team, Natsupoi’s eventual betrayal left a lasting mark on Thekla, who knows how to exploit her former partner’s vulnerabilities. The bad blood between them has only intensified until an elimination tag in Korakuen Hall. While Thekla had promised no interference from her H.A.T.E faction, she didn’t rule out help from others, leading to Clark Connors taking out Natsupoi with a devastating spear, leaving the crowd stunned,” NJPW wrote.
“In their ensuing Wonder of STARDOM bout, Natsupoi was able to emerge victorious, but there is still undeniably business that remains unsettled. Now Natsupoi will team with one of her partners from the first Historic X-Over in Taichi to face Thekla and Connors in a hate fueled grudge bout.”
Historic X-Over first took place in November 2022 and is now returning after the event was not held in 2023. Three matches have been confirmed for this year’s show so far:
NJPW x Stardom Historic X-Over 2024 (Sunday, November 17) —
Zack Sabre Jr. & Maika vs. El Desperado & Starlight Kid
Great-O-Khan KOPW Championship open challenge to any member of the Stardom roster
Taichi is the NJPW King of Pro Wrestling for 2023.
He defeated Yashinobu Kanemaru in a Whiskey on a Poll match on today’s Road to Tokyo Dome show at Korakuen Hall.
Under KOPW rules, only the title holder at the end of a calendar year is considered to be KOPW Champion. Other title-holders throughout the year are considered Provisional Champions. Taichi now joins Toru Yano (2020 & 2021) and Shingo Takagi (2022) as the only wrestlers to be crowned KOPW Champion.
Today’s KOPW match saw plenty of interference from House of Torture and attempts from Just Five Guys to even up the score. In the end, Taichi hit Black Mafisto for the win.
“From needless interference, inconsistent selling, and pointless overindulgence, this match was a total slog,” our own Chick Fritts described the match. “Oh, and it went 30 minutes. If it wasn’t actively infuriating, it was horrifically boring.”
Taichi is officially the #KOPW2023 champion after chaotic, and cathartic closure with Kanemaru and a wild whiskey ladder match!
Also on today’s NJPW show, Drilla Maloney and Clark Connors and TJP & Francesco Akira set up a coffin match that will take place on Friday’s show. The Bullet Club War Dogs brought out a coffin before their match on Thursday and declared that Catch 2/2’s careers were dead.
‘We’ve been saying all year that Catch 2/2 is dead and you won’t stay down so we’ll just have to shit you in here,’ said Moloney.
However, TJP and Akira were not intimidated by the coffin’s presence and challenged Connors & Maloney to a first-ever NJPW coffin match on tomorrow’s show. The two teams will also meet at Wrestle Kingdom 18 for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight tag titles.
After a personal provocation from BULLET CLUB War Dogs, Catch 2/2 threw out an unprecedented challenge- for a Coffin Match, and tomorrow in Korakuen??
Today’s main event saw Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tomohiro Ishii successfully defend their Six Man Tag Team Championships against the United Empire team of HENARE, Great-O-Khan, and Jeff Cobb.
BULLET CLUB War Dogs (Clark Connors, Drilla Moloney & Gedo) defeated United Empire (Callum Newman, Francesco Akira & TJP)
House of Torture (EVIL, Ren Narita & SHO) defeated Master Wato, Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma
Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi & Shingo Takagi) defeated El Desperado & Satoshi Kojima
Just 5 Guys (DOUKI, SANADA & Yuya Uemura) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, Tetsuya Naito & Yota Tsuji)
NJPW King Of Pro-Wrestling Championship Whiskey Bottle Ladder Match: Taichi (c) defeated Yoshinobu Kanemaru
NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championship: Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, & Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) defeated United Empire (Great-O-Khan, HENARE & Jeff Cobb)
The stipulation has been set for NJPW’s final KOPW Championship match of 2023.
Taichi will defend the KOPW title against Yoshinobu Kanemaru in a Whiskey Bottle Ladder Match at NJPW’s Road to Tokyo Dome show this Thursday (December 21). The show is being held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and will air live on NJPW World.
The Whiskey Bottle Ladder Match stipulation was proposed by Taichi and won a fan vote over Kanemaru’s proposed stipulation (low blows and removing corner pads would be legal but only for Kanemaru). Taichi’s stipulation won with 70 percent of the vote.
In the Whiskey Bottle Ladder Match, a whiskey bottle will be suspended from the ceiling and can be used as a weapon by the wrestler who retrieves it.
The winner of Taichi vs. Kanemaru will become the official KOPW Champion for 2023. A new provisional champion for 2024 will be crowned in the new year.
Taichi won the KOPW title from SHO last month, regaining the championship after having lost it to SHO at Destruction in Kobe in September. Kanemaru betrayed Taichi at Destruction in Kobe, leaving Just Five Guys and joining House of Torture.
Thursday’s Road to Tokyo Dome event is also set to include a NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team title match with Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomohiro Ishii defending against Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan & Henare.
On the road to Wrestle Kingdom, one of NJPW’s titles changed hands on Friday.
Taichi won the provisional KOPW 2023 Championship by defeating SHO at Friday’s New Japan Road event in Yamagata. SHO had held the KOPW title since winning it from Taichi at Destruction in Kobe this September.
For their rematch, SHO stacked the rules in his favor. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, a member of House of Torture with SHO, was the special guest referee. Taichi was also banned from using his signature moves in the match, and there was a stipulation where the loser would never be able to wrestle in Yamagata again.
But Taichi was able to overcome those rules, getting the victory when Red Shoes Unno counted the pin after a referee bump. Taichi also got help from his Just Five Guys stablemates to fend off House of Torture.
In a post-match promo, Taichi said he isn’t done defending the KOPW title for 2023. Taichi said he has business to settle with Kanemaru.
Kanemaru betrayed Just Five Guys and joined House of Torture at Destruction in Kobe, which caused Taichi to lose the KOPW title to SHO.
After their last title match of 2023, the KOPW title holder will be declared the official champion for this year. A new champion will be crowned at the start of 2024.
New champions were crowned at NJPW Dominion on Sunday.
Francesco Akira and TJP regained the IWGP Junior Tag Team titles from KUSHIDA and Kevin Knight. Akira scored the win for his team, pinning Knight after both he and TJP connected with running knees. This is their second reign with the titles.
Later in the show, Bishimon (YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto) won the IWGP Tag Team and New Japan Strong Tag Team titles, defeating Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL and Aaron Henare & The Great-O-Khan after hitting their powerbomb/GTR combo on Takahashi. Bishimon won the vacant titles after Aussie Open were forced to vacate the titles last month due to Mark Davis suffering an injury.
After the match, Alex Coughlin and Gabriel Kidd came out wearing Bullet Club t-shirts, revealing they had joined the group. They attacked Bishimon, making it clear they were next in line for a title match.
Elsewhere on the card, SANADA retained the IWGP World Heavyweight title against Yota Tsuji, Hiromu Takahashi retained the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title against Master Wato, Zack Sabre Jr. retained the New Japan World Television title over Jeff Cobb, David Finlay retained the NEVER title over El Phantasmo, and the team of Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Tomohiro Ishii retained the NEVER Six-Man Tag Team titles against Shota Umino, Jon Moxley, and Claudio Castagnoli.
Takagi will defend the provisional KOPW 2023 title against Taichi in a Takagi Style Triad match at Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni this Saturday (April 29). There are five possible ways to score falls in the match. The first wrestler to win by three of those ways will be the victor:
In the Takagi Style Triad Match, champion and challenger have their choice of five ways to win- pinfall, submission, stoppage, knockout and countout. The winner of the match must claim three of the five to claim KOPW gold.
While the rules for KOPW title matches are traditionally decided by fan vote, Taichi didn’t propose a rule set for this match. Taichi said that, because he’s lost to Takagi three times, he didn’t deserve to choose the rules. He instead allowed Takagi to pick the stipulation for the match.
Takagi won the KOPW 2022 Championship from Taichi last April and held the title until the end of the year. Takagi won the 2023 version of the championship at New Year Dash this January.
Wrestling Satsuma no Kuni is taking place in Kagoshima and will air live on NJPW World. Here’s the full card for the show:
Provisional KOPW 2023 Champion Shingo Takagi defends against Taichi in a Takagi Style Triad match
IWGP Tag Team Champions Aussie Open (Mark Davis & Kyle Fletcher) defend against TMDK (Shane Haste & Mikey Nicholls)
NJPW has announced the stipulation for the final KOPW 2022 bout set for December 19 at the TAKATaichi pay-per-view.
In a fan vote held on NJPW’s social media channels, Shingo Takagi’s proposed lumberjack last man standing match defeated Taichi’s 30-minute high score proposal by a 52 percent to 48 percent margin.
Shingo will defend the KOPW trophy against Taichi on the TAKA Michinoku and Taichi-produced PPV on Monday, December 19. The show will be available on NJPW World pay-per-view. The winner will be crowned NJPW’s official King of Pro Wrestling for 2022.
NJPW wrote:
The last three days have seen fan voting take place for December 19, and Shingo Takagi and Taichi’s collision over the KOPW 2022 trophy at the joint TAKA+Taichi 50th Anniversary card on NJPW World PPV.
After 28,524 votes were cast worldwide, Taichi had the very narrow edge with the international vote, while Shingo Takagi captured the votes on the Japanese side.
The final results were
Taichi: 30 Minute High Score Match- 13, 695 votes (48%)
Shingo takagi: Takagi Style Lumberjack last man Standing Match- 14,829 votes (52%)
As a result, Yoyogi will see a Takagi Style Lumberjack last man Standing match! Lumberjacks will be around the ring to keep action inside, while victory will be attained by a pinfall, directly followed by a ten count KO.
NJPW has revealed the stipulation for the KOPW 2022 match at Sunday’s Dominion event.
The promotion has announced that after two days of voting on the NJPW and NJPW Global Twitter account, the match will be held under title holder Shingo Takagi’s proposed 10-minute scramble rules. The wrestler with the highest total count on their pinfall attempts at the end of 10 minutes will be declared the winner.
Shingo’s option won by a 55.5 percent to 44.5 percent margin, with a total of 29,032 votes cast.
Challenger Taichi had proposed a limited finishers total 10 count match, where only certain pin attempts would be allowed, and the first wrestler to reach a total of 10 on their pinfall counts would win.
Here is the card for Dominion:
NJPW Dominion, Sunday, June 12 —
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Jay White
IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship: Juice Robinson (c) vs. Will Ospreay vs. SANADA
NEVER Openweight Championship: Tama Tonga (c) vs. Karl Anderson
KOPW 2022: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. Taichi
AEW interim World Championship eliminator match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens (c) vs. Great-O-Khan & Jeff Cobb
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi & SHO vs. Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Toru Yano vs. Doc Gallows
Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Taiji Ishimori, El Phantasmo & Ace Austin
Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Ryusuke Taguchi & Master Wato vs. Aaron Henare, TJP & Francesco Akira
Takagi will put his provisional KOPW 2022 title on the line against Taichi at Dominion this Sunday (June 12). It will either be a “Ten Minute Unlimited Pinfall Scramble Match” or a “No Time Limit, Limited Finishers Ten Count Match.”
The “Ten Minute Unlimited Pinfall Scramble Match” was proposed by Takagi as his stipulation option. In the match, the wrestler who has the highest total count on their pinfall attempts at the end of 10 minutes is declared the winner.
“It’s simple as can be. Whatever happens, ten minutes to settle it. Last time, we had no time limits and a 30 count. I think in the opening moments of that we took our time a little as a result. This time, it isn’t in the main event, and I think it’s pretty appropriate to try and get the win in ten minutes,” Takagi said. “That’s what’s going to put the two of us to the test, mentally and physically. It’ll be a different side to the both of us. We’ll be throwing bombs from the get go, trying to get the win as soon as possible. And even though it won’t be the main event, it’ll be the match that everyone remembers on this card. Well, if Taichi here carries his end of things anyway. Whatcha think, Taichi?”
Taichi proposed the “No Time Limit, Limited Finishers Ten Count Match” as his stipulation option. There is no time limit for the match and the first wrestler who reaches a total 10 count on their pinfall attempts is declared the winner. But Takagi can only use the Ground Cobra for his pinfall attempts and Taichi can only use the Gedo Clutch.
“I know you’re an idiot, so I’ll explain it to you. The ‘No Time Limit’ part means that there isn’t a limit on how long the match goes. Now, ‘Limited Finishers. ‘I pinned you with a Gedo Clutch and you tried to have your little get back on me with the Ground Cobra. So that’s fine. Only my Gedo Clutch and your Ground Cobra will count. Other moves, whether it’s a lariat, a brainbuster, or a DDT, you can’t score a pin from,” Taichi said. “And the ‘Ten Count,’ whoever gets to a total of ten first wins. Last time it was thirty, and although I can humiliate you and pin you for 30 in one go, I won’t because I’m nice. So ten it is. How’s that?”
The rules are set for the KOPW match between Shingo Takagi and Taichi.
The two will square off with the KOPW trophy on the line Monday, April 25 from Hiroshima.
Takagi vs. Taichi will be a “30 Count Match” with the winner being the first wrestler to accumulate a pin count of 30. A one-count on your opponent is worth one point, a two-count is worth two and so on with the winner being the first to get to 30.
For KOPW matches, each wrestler presents a set of rules and a fan vote is used to determine which the match will be contested under. 51% of fans voted for the “30 Count Match” rules presented by Taichi. 49% of fans voted for Takagi’s “Three Falls Match” where the winner would be the first wrestler to get a one-count, two-count, and a three-count on their opponent.
The lineup for NJPW’s April 25 show in Hiroshima is as follows:
NJPW has revealed the stipulation options for the upcoming KOPW title match between Taichi and Shingo Takagi.
Taichi will defend the provisional KOPW 2022 title against Takagi in the main event of NJPW’s Golden Fight Series tour show in Hiroshima on Monday, April 25. For KOPW matches, the participants each choose a stipulation and a fan vote on Twitter determines which one gets chosen.
Taichi has proposed a “30 Count Match,” where the first wrestler to get a combined 30 count on their opponent in pinfall attempts throughout the match is declared the winner.
Takagi has proposed a “Takagi Style Three Falls Match.” In the match, “the first to three falls is the winner, but rather than being best three out of five, a competitor must get first a one count, then a two count, and then three.”
At Hyper Battle earlier this month, Taichi defeated Toru Yano to win the KOPW trophy.
Monday April 25 will see a new evolution of the KOPW concept, as new holder Taichi faces Shingo Takagi in the main event, the first KOPW match not to feature Toru Yano, and with a very different vision for the trophy.
The concept behind KOPW remains to have holder and challenger present rule ideas to be voted on by the public. After a lot of speculation about just what rules both men would bring, Takagi and Taichi have reached their decisions, and have proposed rulesets that will see endurance and conviction pushed hard no matter the poll outcome.
Taichi has suggested a 30 Count Match. In this match, multiple falls will see a cumulative count from the referee. The winner is the wrestler who can get a combined 30 count on their opponent. Strategy and stamina will come to the fore in this punishing match style.
Takagi meanwhile has brought his own spin on a multiple falls match, suggesting a Takagi Style Three Falls Match. In this match, the first to three falls is the winner, but rather than being best three out of five, a competitor must get first a one count, then a two count, and then three. This will likely see a hard pace being set in the opening as both men vie to get the early one counts, before will to win really comes to the fore for the third fall.
Which match do you want to see? Voting will be on Twitter until Saturday April 23 at 10PM JST. Cast your vote now!
The April 25 Golden Fight Series event will air live on NJPW World. The full card for the show is listed below:
KOPW 2022 Champion Taichi defends against Shingo Takagi
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions EVIL, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi defend against Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa
The G1 Climax 31 B Block continued today in Kochi.
Kazuchika Okada took on Taichi in the main event, while Hiroshi Tanahashi faced EVIL in the semi-main.
SANADA vs. Jeff Cobb, Hirooki Goto vs. Chase Owens, plus YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tama Tonga were the other tournament matches today.
El Desperado vs. Kosei Fujita was the non-G1 opener.
Here are results and a report from the show.
**********
Recommended matches —
Kazuchika Okada vs. Taichi
Jeff Cobb vs. SANADA
Report —
El Desperado defeated Kosei Fujita (8:27)
This followed the same template as last night’s Desperado/Oiwa match, but Oiwa is more advanced and Fujita’s offense was simpler.
They traded holds. Desperado got fed up and turned to striking to take control. Fujita came back with a backdrop, then tried to lock on a crab, but couldn’t get it.
Desperado used an Indian deathlock for the submission, as he did yesterday.
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI defeated Tama Tonga (w/Jado) (13:14)
Good match, good effort from both guys. They worked it like the second match of the card, meaning they didn’t kick out of a bunch of stuff. The story of the match was Tonga going for a Gun Stun to put it away but never being able to hit it.
They traded headlocks and head scissors escapes on the mat. YH hit a back elbow, a tackle and a headhunter. YH draped Tonga across the top strand and hit a dropkick to the back for a near fall.
Tonga turned the tide with a chop and a series of elbow drops. Tama reversed a neckbreaker attempt into a Tongan Twist for a near fall. He used an SRC and his Supreme Flow frog splash for a near fall. YH blocked a Gun Stun with a backstabber.
YH blocked a Gun Stun and hit a lariat and a Kumagoroshi for a two count.
YH blocked another Gun Stun attempt and hit a lariat, then hit Kharma for the pin.
B Block: Hirooki Goto defeated Chase Owens (12:41)
After an upset win over Tanahashi on the last B Block show, they had a built-in story as Owens looked to surprise another veteran. Good match, but they didn’t have time to build it into a great one.
Owens hit a shotgun dropkick at the opening bell, then followed with a missile dropkick off the top as he tried to steal an early victory. Goto hit a shoulder block to slow the momentum.
They traded submission attempts. Owens went for a package driver on the apron, but Goto fought it off and sent Owens to the floor. Owens went for the driver in the ring, but Goto blocked with a strike. Owens hit a knee strike into a double down.
Owens hit a jewel heist for a two count. Owens reversed one GTR attempt. Goto looked to set up an ushigoroshi, but used the position to hit the GTR and get the pin.
B Block: Jeff Cobb defeated SANADA (14:17)
Cobb has been booked perfectly. His matches rarely go over 15 minutes, nor should they. This felt like a real athletic contest.
SANADA hit a senton off the apron as he looked to outclass Cobb with his speed. SANADA kicked at Cobb’s left knee. Cobb rolled outside. SANADA went for a plancha, but Cobb caught him and powered him into the post.
Back inside, Cobb hit a standing moonsault for a two count. SANADA flipped over the top rope on a whip into the corner, then hit a springboard dropkick and a standing moonsault of his own.
Cobb blocked a TKO. SANADA hit a dropkick to the left leg as he continued to target it. SANADA used Cobb’s momentum off the ropes to hit a TKO for a two count. SANADA hit a magic screw, but Cobb reached under the ropes to break the pinfall attempt.
Cobb hit a gutwrench throw. Cobb went for Tour of the Islands, but SANADA reversed into Skull End. SANADA used an O’Connor roll for a near fall. SANADA rolled through on a moonsault attempt as Cobb rolled out of the way.
SANADA tried another moonsault, but Cobb caught him and planted him with Tour of the Islands for the pin.
B Block: EVIL (w/Dick Togo) defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi (17:22)
If we didn’t see the same EVIL match every night, this would have been fine. Tanahashi had a much better match with him than anyone else has, but I’m beyond over EVIL. The gimmick and his matches are just brutal.
Tanahashi tried to keep the match in the ring. EVIL sent him to the apron and kicked the rope into his crotch. EVIL sent Tana into the barricade.
Togo exposed a buckle and took the ref. EVIL dragged Tana to the ramp and used a chair on his left knee. Tanahashi made it back in before a countout, but EVIL found his target in the left leg.
Tana fired up, but EVIL used an eye poke to cut him off. Tana fired up, EVIL pulled his hair. Tana then pulled EVIL’s hair. Tana hit a flying forearm out of the corner. Tana hit a slam and a somersault senton for a near fall.
EVIL blocked slingblade. Togo interfered and hit Tana. EVIL hit a lariat on the floor. EVIL bumped Tana into the barricade and the ring announcer took a bump. EVIL repeatedly used a scorpion deathlock on the floor. Togo pulled Tana back to the floor for a countout tease.
They traded whips into the exposed buckle. Tanahashi reversed an STO into twist and shout. Tana hit a High Fly Flow to the back. He used his Texas Clover Hold, but Togo pulled the ref out of the ring.
Tana put Togo in the Clover Hold, but EVIL saved. Tana hit Everything is EVIL on Togo. He tried to hit EVIL with his own finish, but EVIL blocked. They traded low blows. The ref was revived as they did a double down after the low blows.
Tana went for slingblade, but EVIL threw the ref in his path as we had our second ref bump.
EVIL hit Darkness Falls, then hit Tana with the IWGP US title belt. EVIL hit Everything is EVIL and covered for the pin.
B Block: Kazuchika Okada defeated Taichi (w/Miho Abe) (23:10)
This was a psychological thriller with one of the best closing stretches you’ll see all year.
The thing that Okada does better than anyone ever is to change up the order of his signature spots. These guys have had a million matches, but you’ve never seen this one before because of the way he sequenced his big moves throughout.
After Okada’s obligatory clean break after the opening lockup, they fought to the floor. They traded whips into the barricade. Taichi lifted the floor padding and hit a DDT on the floor to take over.
Back in the ring, Okada came back wit a flapjack. Okada hit a neckbreaker. Taichi answered with a DDT and a gamengiri. Taichi ducked a Rainmaker swing, but Okada blocked Black Mephisto. Taichi hit a chokeslam, but Okada answered with a dropkick.
Okada used the Money Clip, reapplying the hold twice as Taichi tried to fight to the ropes. Taichi fought the hold for a long time, then finally made the ropes just past the 15 minute call.
Okada hit a top rope elbow, then hit his Rainmaker pose. Taichi ducked a Rainmaker and hit a huge thrust kick. They traded strikes.
Okada slid out of Black Mephisto and sat down into a cradle for a two count. Taichi ducked a Rainmaker and hit a dropkick. This sequence was great. Taichi hit a gamengiri and a backdrop suplex for a near fall.
Taichi absorbed a spinning Rainmaker and stumbled into the ropes. Taichi hit an axe bomber. Okada hit another dropkick and a spinning tombstone.
Taichi ducked another Rainmaker and used a Gedo clutch for a near fall. Taichi hit a buzzsaw kick to the head. Okada blocked the three point stance forearm and hit a landslide, then hit the Rainmaker for the pin.
**********
Here is the lineup for the next show:
G1 Climax 31 night 13, Saturday, October 9, 4 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
A Block: Kota Ibushi vs. Great-O-Khan
A Block: Shingo Takagi vs. Tanga Loa
A Block: Toru Yano vs. Yujiro Takahashi
A Block: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. KENTA
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Hiromu Takahashi
El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Ryohei Oiwa & Kosei Fujita
