Second night of Korakuen double header
C and D Block past the halfway point of G1 Climax 33 on July 26 in the second night of a sold out Korakuen Hall double header. As some competitors could find themselves on the bubble, the fighting spirit of our entrants is tested to the fullest.
Watch all of G1 Climax 33 live in English on NJPW World!
Main event- D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. (3-0) vs Jeff Cobb (3-0)
Singles record: 3-0-1 Sabre
D Block’s main event sees Zack Sabre Jr. tackle Jeff Cobb. This their third meeting in 2023, Sabre and Cobb collide after going the 15 minute distance over the NJPW World TV Championship in May, leading to a Dominion rematch that saw Sabre just about escape with a perfect crucifix pin counter to the Tour of the Islands. Still ZSJ wasn’t satisfied, taking every win not by a submission as a personal loss; now he gets to go for third time lucky this year against Cobb, who will be working to level the score.
With two prior meetings in the independents before this year, Cobb has never beaten Zack Sabre Jr. Yet his perfect record began with a win over another man he’d never beaten in Tetsuya Naito. In a G1 of firsts for Cobb, could he get his first win over the Frontman tonight?
7th Match: C Block- Tama Tonga (2-1) vs David Finlay (3-0)
Singles record: 3-0 Finlay
Another battle with a one sided history, Tama Tonga faces David Finlay. After Finlay defeated then NEVER Openweight Champion Tama during the New Japan Cup, he set himself up for a title hunt at Dontaku this year. A brutal, dominant victory for Finlay in Fukuoka saw a clear statement of intent for Finlay’s era of BULLET CLUB ‘savagery’. A new champion was crowned, while Tama would be stretchered away from the building, not being seen until the start of the G1.
Since the tournament has gotten underway in Hokkaido, Tonga has fought to an impressive 2-1, but can he defeat the undefeated Finlay, especially after his win against EVIL and a significant bag of tricks in Nagano Sunday?
6th Match: Tetsuya Naito (2-1) vs Shane Haste (1-2)
Before the G1, Tetsuya Naito acknowledged Shane Haste’s accomplishments as a tag team wrestler, but questioned his qualifications to be in the G1, suggesting that the TMDK member step up and show why he should be counted among the 32 entrants. So far, a 1-2 record has shown promise but a ways from perfection for Haste; will his claim be solidified with an upset of the 2-1 Naito in Korakuen Hall?
5th Match: C Block- Tomohiro Ishii (0-3) vs Eddie Kingston (2-1)
Singles record: 1-1
After matches in Washington DC for NJPW, and Chicago for AEW last year saw Tomohiro Ishii and Eddie Kingston gain one win apiece, a rubber match in Korakuen Hall. ‘I hope he respects me,’ Kingston would state before the tournament, ‘but if he doesn’t he will,’ remarking on a unique relationship that saw the enemies team up in the face of the Blackpool Combat Club at Forbidden Door. While the two are unlikely to exchange season’s greetings, they will exchange many a blow in the name of mutual respect and two points tonight in Korakuen.
4th Match: D Block- Hiroshi Tanahashi (1-2) vs Toru Yano (0-3)
Singles record: 15-4-2 Tanahashi
Once a personal rivalry, with cut hair, stolen championships and everything in between, Toru Yano and Hiroshi Tanahashi have gone on in recent years to have a friendly relationship, with the Be-Bop Tag team of Toru and Hiroshi being a recent fixture in World Tag League. Now with Tanahashi at just two points and Yano at zero and needing to win, there’ll be no love lost as both strive for victory. Can the Ace keep up with some of Yano’s bigger shortcuts in Korakuen Hall?
3rd Match: C Block- Shingo Takagi (1-2) vs Mikey Nicholls (1-2)
After losses to HENARE and Eddie Kingston, Shingo Takagi didn’t have the G1 start he’d envisaged. In Nagano against familiar foe Tomohiro Ishii Sunday, a win would put the Dragon on the board, but with a negative record after three matches, two points are critical. A bloody Mikey Nicholls survived HENARE on night one, but has lost since; with both men needing a win, who comes out with their hand raised?
2nd Match: D Block- Hirooki Goto (2-1) vs Alex Coughlin (0-3)
Winless in his opening three matches, Alex Coughlin has been intent on proving a violent point than he was about scoring them. Now he seeks to attain both goals in the face of Hirooki Goto. At Independence Day in Korakuen hall, Coughlin and Gabe Kidd captured the NJPW STRONG Tag Team Championships from Bishamon on July 4, but lost their challenge to the IWGP titles the next night. This might be seen as a rubber match of sorts for the two in the Hall; who will prove stronger in the Korakuen environment? And after seemingly hurting his ribs, and looking like the loser in a winning two and a half minute effort in Nagano, is Goto physically up to the task?
1st Match: HENARE (1-2) vs EVIL (2-1)
Singles record: 2-0 EVIL
Action will start in Korakuen with EVIL and HENARE. The Face of Fury got on the board in a major way with a big win over Shingo Takagi last week, but having dropped his next decision to Eddie Kingston in Nagano, he wants to get back on track. That same night in Nagano, EVIL was handed his first loss at the hands of David Finlay, and will not be in high spirits. 0-2 against the King of Darkness in what can even only charitably be called gross miscarriages of justice last year, HENARE seeks to stay in the G1 hunt as we get started.
