Sendai sees night three
After an epic opening weekend in Hokkaido, the long G1 tour is officially underway. Up next after one travel day is Sendai's Sun Plaza Hall, which sees A Block in their third league matches, and a fight for the block members to assert themeelves at the one third marker.
Watch all of G1 Climax 35 live in English on NJPW World!
Main event: Yuya Uemura (1-1) vs Yota Tsuji (1-1)
Singles record: 17-12-22 Tsuji
Of all the 51 singles matches between Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji, perhaps the most significant came in the G1 last year, in the same main event spot, and in the same town of Sendai. In a gripping contest, a High Fly Flow style splash resulted in a crash out and a torn triceps that put paid to Uemura's chances, and arguably indirectly put Tsuji in the final.
After Uemura's return from injury, he put himself on a path back to Tsuji and the IWGP Global heavyweight title he held at the time, but after a defeat to his rival, the Heat Storm was forced to step back and reset once more. Now, a chance to come full circle against Tsuji, or a chance for the Gene Blast to make the full circle a downward spiral. After both men followed strong first nights with losses in their second to Taichi and EVIL respectively, will it be Uemura or Tsuji that's faster to four points?
9th Match: David Finlay ( 1-1) vs Taichi (1-1)
Singles record: 1-0 Finlay
David Finlay goes from a battle with SANADA in Sapporo Sunday to this match of the men the Cold Blooded Snake betrayed. Before SANADA left War Dogs in violent form to join with HOUSE OF TORTURE, he jumped ship on Just Five Guys to help Finlay retain IWGP Global gold against Taichi in November. Both know how betrayal tastes, but the G1 is about the taste of victory and gold. After a hard start for both Taichi and Finlay, night two saw both men turn things around, Finlay delivering a much needed message to HOUSE OF TORTURE through SANADA as Taichi scored victory in a strong display against protege Yuya Uemura. Who can join the top flight tonight?
8th Match: EVIL (2-0) vs SANADA (0-2)
Singles record: 5-4 EVIL
Speaking of SANADA and HOUSE OF TORTURE, the Cold Blooded Snake goes head to head with EVIL tonight in Sendai. SANADA and EVIL have faced off many a time before, as Los Ingobernables De Japon teammates, right up to wars over the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Now though is the first time the former IWGP Tag Team Champions have met under the H.O.T banner; indeed this marks the first ever HOUSE OF TORTURE derby in any environment.
One has to question exactly how much pride SANADA swallowed when he joined forces with EVIL not two years after defending the World title he had won cleanly by overcoming HOUSE OF TORTURE tactics in a Lumberjack match in October of 2023. Will that professional pride see him fight fiercely tonight, or as EVIL leads the table and SANADA trails the pack, will HOUSE orders come into play?
7th Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi (1-1) vs Boltin Oleg (1-1)
Singles record: 1-0 Boltin
With the Ace scoring an opening night main event win, but suffering damage that led him to lose on night two, and the NEVER Openweight Champion's fate exactly opposite in the Opening Weekend, Boltin Oleg and Hiroshi Tanahashi lock horns tonight in Sendai. For Tanahashi, memories have to come flooding back of bitter disappointment last summer, when Boltin's Kamikaze saw him defeat the Ace in a G1 qualifier, and ensure Tanahashi's perfect G1 attendance record that had stood since 2002 was finally broken. That debut G1 spot Boltin earned propelled him to great success and ultimately the NEVER title he wears now, but will he be able to beat Tanahashi for a second time?
6th Match: Ryohei Oiwa (1-1) vs Callum Newman (1-1)
The first tournament match of the evening is a first time ever singles affair, and a clash of speed and power. Ryohei Oiwa takes on Callum Newman in a highly intriguing affair. With both men representing a 'super new generation' in NJPW, will Newman pick up the W to get to four, or will it be Oiwa that's at 2-1 by the end of the night?
5th Match: Shota Umino & Katsuya Murashima vs TMDK (Hartley Jackson & Zack Sabre Jr.)
Wednesday in Nagaoka, Shota Umino and Zack Sabre Jr. will collide in a Wrestle Kingdom main event rematch. This preview sees Umino bring a powerful Young Lion in Katsuya Murashima to the dance, but can he compete with Harley Jackson?
4th Match: Shingo Takagi & Daiki Nagai vs War Dogs (Gabe Kidd & Gedo)
In Korakuen just two weeks ago, Daiki Nagai joined Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji and Hiromu Takahashi in the ranks of the unaffiliated. Much attention will be on how Nagai now fares as he sits as a Young Lion but not a part of Hontai. The lede though will concern Gabe Kidd, and whether this tag match even takes place to preview Wednesday. A hyperextended knee prevented Kidd from competing on night two against Zack Sabre Jr, and though doctor's recommendations would likely be for Gabe to sit out at least this preview, Kidd is not the type to sit around if he's able to stand and walk.
3rd Match: United Empire (Great-O-Khan & Jacob Austin Young) vs Don Callis Family (Konosuke Takeshita & Rocky Romero)
If the United Empire family has been in disarray in recent months, it appears as if the Don Callis Family is stronger than ever. Rocky Romero teams with Konosuke Takeshita tonight as they look to deliver a message to Great-O-Khan ahead of Nagaoka and B Block action.
2nd Match: El Phantasmo & Jado vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
Wednesday night will see ELP and Ren Narita continue their B Block campaigns. With both enlisting canny veterans in the form of Kanemaru and Jado, who will deliver a message tonight?
1st Match: YOSHI-HASHI & Shoma Kato vs War Dogs (Drilla Moloney & Taiji Ishimori)
We get started with YOSHI-HASHI and Shoma Kato against Drilla Moloney and Taiji Ishimori. In the face of stiff competition in more ways than one, it'll be an uphill climb for the Hontai side, but YOSHI-HASHI embraces those odds.
