The 27th edition of the G1 Climax starts this morning at the Hokkaido Sports Center in Sapporo, featuring high-profile matches as well as some never-before-seen matches in the undercard.
A Block action kicks off tonight, as the main event will feature the returning Kota Ibushi squaring off against Tetsuya Naito. Other A Block bouts include Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Hirooki Goto vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Togi Makabe vs. Bad Luck Fale, and Yuji Nagata vs. YOSHI-HASHI.
The show will have some interesting undercard bouts as well. In a first, four members of Los Ingobernables de Japon will face off in tag action as SANADA & BUSHI team against EVIL & Hiromu Takahashi. The Bullet Club and Suzuki-gun will also face off as Minoru Suzuki, Taichi & El Desperado face Kenny Omega, Tama Tonga & Chase Owens.
Our live coverage starts at 2 a.m. ET.
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Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Jushin Thunder Liger defeated Michael Elgin, Juice Robinson and David Finlay
This was a good opener, full of quick action. Kojima and Robinson were focused on, and looked good. Centered towards Finlay and Kojima in the end where they had a nice exchange until Kojima picked up the win with the lariat.
Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado and Taichi defeated Kenny Omega, Tama Tonga and Chase Owens
Main focus of the match was squarely between Omega and Suzuki. They immediately brawled outside of the ring and into the crowd, where both of them beat up one another. They eventually made it back to the ring. Omega had Suzuki in the One Winged Angel, but Suzuki countered with a sleeper and a Gotch piledriver attempt.
Bullet Club got the brief advantage, but when Owens was left with Suzuki, one could only imagine how it ended up going — Suzuki quickly pinned him with the Gotch piledriver.
EVIL and Hiromu Takahashi defeated SANADA and BUSHI
SANADA offered his hand to start things off. EVIL reluctantly extended his hand, and referred it as SANADA immediately went for the skull end. Everyone attempted their finishers before going out on an all out brawl.
A lot of the match was good, frenetic back and forth action between all four. EVIL debuted a new submission finished, a modified chickenwing for the win.
Jado and Toru Yano defeated Gedo & Kazuchika Okada
Yano and Okada started things off. Yano actually went for a rainmaker attempt, but Okada dodged and went for one of his own. Yano immediately bailed and tagged in Jado. Okada tagged in Gedo.
Gedo goes to extend his hand, since of course they’ve been tag team partners for so many years. Jado obliges, but Gedo turns on him as he and Okada gain advantage for their team. Yano manages to turn the tables after a series of convoluted events sends both Okada and Gedo to the floor after a low blow by Yano. He rolls up Gedo to score the win for his team.
They announced that they would be running shows at Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center on 1/27 and 1/28.
A Block: YOSHI-HASHI defeated Yuji Nagata
YOSHI-HASHI controls early, taking Nagata to the outside then works on him back inside. Nagata absorbs YOSHI-HASHI’s slaps and starts a barrage of his own as they both start to fire slaps against one another. Nagata lands an ego trip and a exploder for a nearfall.
YH attempts to mount a comeback but Nagata drills him with a belly to belly. He takes him to the top rope, but YH counters with a powerbomb and a jackknife cover. YH hits the swanton then a butterfly lock but Nagata starts fighting it, finally reaching the bottom rope.
Nagata sinks in the armbar but YH also fights back, refusing to tap out. He grabs the bottom rope as Nagata snaps the arm and hits the enziguri. He hits a back suplex but again, YH kicks out. Nagata goes for another, but YH counters with a small package for a nearfall.
YH goes for Karma but Nagata fights back. YH fires back and lands it for the pinfall in a really great first match.
A Block: Bad Luck Fale defeated Togi Makabe
They slug it out to start. Fale takes Makabe out of the ring and takes it into the crowd, where he throws Makabe into a row of chairs.
He takes it back into the ring where he continues to dominate until Fale goes for the Bad Luck Fall. Makabe escapes and fires back with a clothesline. Fale cuts him off eventually and goes for the grenade, but Makabe counters with another clothesline.
Fale charges into a corner and goes for another Bad Luck Fall but Makabe escapes again. After a lariat battle leaves him the winner, Makabe hits a king kong knee drop, hitting a standing Fale. He goes for another off the opposite side of the ring, but overshoots as Fale grabs him and lands him with the grenade for the win. This was pretty good.
A Block: Hirooki Goto defeated Tomohiro Ishii
They start off with a quick brawl. Goto hits the ropes haphazardly as Ishii struggles to keep up, leaving Goto open for the advantage.
This is the kind of match you’d expect from these two. It’s very much a back and forth battle of slaps, chops and big power moves, a battle of strength and vitality.
Ishii powerbombs Goto and jackknifes him for a nearfall, then hits the sliding D. Goto springs back to life and tries a GTR, but Ishii escapes as they clothesline one another until both are left laying.
After a fierce back and forth battle, Goto laid out Ishii with the GTR and scored the win in a really awesome back and forth battle, just as good as their previous bouts.
A Block: Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi
Mat wrestling to start. Kevin Kelly pointed out on commentary that with Tanahashi’s injured bicep, that might be a target that Sabre will favor. He largely avoids it early on, working on Tanahashi’s legs.
Tanahashi outwrestles Sabre and goes for an elbow but this gives Sabre the perfect opportunity to latch onto Tanahashi’s injured bicep. Every time Tanahashi gained some offense, Sabre would fire immediately back, working on the bicep and other joints. Tanahashi at one point manages to transition into the cloverleaf, but Sabre immediately grabs the ropes.
Tanahashi goes for the sling blade but Sabre latches on and grabs the bicep once again. He finally executes it as he goes for the high fly flow. He connects, takes out Desperado on the outside but Sabre latches on a submission. Tanahashi fights it, but Sabre undoes the wrapping on his taped up bicep and extends the arm, causing Tanahashi to finally submit. Excellent match, the limb and submission work was excellent and Sabre looked awesome in scoring his first major win in New Japan.
A Block: Tetsuya Naito defeated Kota Ibushi
Naito feints Ibushi in early by spitting at him. Ibushi comes back with a double footstomp as Naito tries to slide under him. Naito comes back with a neckbreaker on the apron.
He remains in control until Ibushi fires back with a hurricanrana and hits the Golden Triangle moonsault to the floor. Naito fires back and goes for a Gloria attempt but Ibushi counters with a snap dragon suplex. Back and forth great action from here. Naito hits a reverse rana from the top rope, but Ibushi manages to kick out.
Naito goes for the Destino but Ibushi grabs him and literally throws him into the ring post like a lawn dart. He takes him to the apron and hits the deadlift German suplex to the mat but Naito somehow kicks out at two.
Ibushi goes for the press powerbomb but Naito escapes and hits a tornado DDT. He takes Ibushi to the top rope but Ibushi slides underneath. Ibushi hits a pele kick. He piledrives Naito off the second rope, but still can’t get it done.
Ibushi captures both of Naito’s arms but Naito keeps fighting back until he rushes him to the ring post. Naito hits the koppo kick but Ibushi blocks a Destino attempt. He fires back with a striking charge but Naito grabs his arm and hits a destino. Ibushi kicks out, but Naito responds with a second, Ibushi landing violently as Naito makes the cover and wins the match. Simply outstanding match with a ton of crazy spots in the end, even for Kota Ibushi.
Naito cut a promo to end the show. Great show overall, as every match ranged from good to great, especially the final three matches and Nagata/YOSHI-HASHI.