NJPW G1 Climax 33 - July 15 - August 13, 2023

[Alexa]

Useless fact, the STF in the final picture is called a "Ganso STF" or Original STF and it was the one/style Chono used for a while due to Gotch teaching him that version first.

 

[Chris]

G1 Climax 33 night 1 (July 15) preview​

The tournament of tournaments kicks off in Sapporo

G1 Climax 33 gets underway this Saturday July 15, as Hokkai Kita Yell plays host to Opening Weekend. With A and B Blocks competing Saturday night before C and D on Sunday, there’s a lot to dig into across the eight tournament matches on this opening card.
Watch ALL of G1 Climax 33 live in English on NJPW World!

Main event: A Block- SANADA vs Hikuleo

Hikuleo has shot himself into several big match situations so far in 2023. From putting an end to Switchblade Jay White’s Japanese career in February, to challenging for and winning his first singles gold against KENTA at Dontaku in May, it’s certainly been an eventful first half of the year for the ‘biggest little brother’ of the Tonga family.

Yet his debut G1 Climax campaign will kick off with his biggest match yet. His first singles main event, on G1 opening night, and opposite the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion is a high pressure situation indeed. Hikuleo is heading into this G1 as a distinct odds outsider, but opening night in particular is open to upset as champions settle in. After big results against White and KENTA, could Hikuleo secure the biggest of his career against SANADA?

7th match: B Block- Taichi vs Will Ospreay
Singles record: 3-2 Ospreay

After losing the IWGP United States Championship to Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom, a devastated Will Ospreay put himself on the clock. Determined to get to the top of NJPW, and to bring NJPW to the top of the wrestling world within the year, Ospreay wanted to be in the toughest possible situations, and in February that meant taking on Taichi one on one on the Holy Emperor’s home turf of Sapporo. The result then was an incredibly hard hitting, memorable bout that saw Taichi bring his best to Ospreay before just falling short.

Taichi certainly benefits greatly from the home town advantage, but that advantage is felt even more keenly during the G1. In three tournament matches in Hokkai Kita Yell, Taichi has scored three wins, and over stiff competition in Tetsuya Naito, Minoru Suzuki and Tomohiro Ishii. Now that Ospreay is once again US Champion after his incredible victory at Forbidden Door, he has a target on his back, and Taichi will be taking aim.

6th Match: A Block- Yota Tsuji vs Kaito Kiyomiya

The G1 Climax always brings the passion out, not just from the wrestlers, but the fans as well. When that partisan fan reaction is further fired up by outside forces looking to make a name off the back of NJPW home grown wrestlers, that passion grows, and in the case of Kaito Kiyomiya and Yota Tsuji, the cooler climes of Hokkaido will become the hottest city in Japan.

Yota Tsuji’s quick jump to the main event scene in NJPW saw the faithful instantly accept the explosive young LIJ representative. Tsuji has proudly stated his goal of carrying both LIJ and NJPW at large on his back into a brave new world, so for Kiyomiya to casually remark that only SANADA carries his interest out of all the A Block members was inflammatory to say the least. Tsuji went as far as invading NOAH’s recent Korakuen Hall card to confront the young “Supernova”, and there is no shortage if ill feeling in what will be an intense opening bout with 20 minutes on the clock.

5th Match: B Block- Kazuchika Okada vs Great-O-Khan
Singles record: 1-0 Okada

As B Block kicks off, Kazuchika Okada takes on Great-O-Khan for the first time one on one in two and a half years. Then, O-Khan took on Okada in the wake of his shocking appearance in the last block night of G1 Climax 30, where an Eliminator bought victory for Will Ospreay over the Rainmaker and set into motion the building blocks of the United Empire. When the two did lock horns in Osaka later that November, the result was victory for Okada via the Money Clip, but O-Khan never submitted, the match having ended on the referee’s judgement call. Tonight, O-Khan wants there to be no excuses, and he wants to start his G1 off in the biggest way possible by polishing off the last two years’ winner; that’s a much easier task said than done.

4th Match: A Block- Shota Umino vs Ren Narita
Singles record: 5-0-2 Umino

No encounter on opening night has had more animosity surrounding it than that between Shota Umino and Ren Narita. Both men returned from their respective excursions at around the same time last autumn, and both openly stated a desire to bring about a ‘changing of the guard’ and a ‘paradigm shift’. Yet as both saw themselves at the forefront of that new generation, a common goal did not bring these two together. Rather through multiple tag encounters, Narita and Umino would come to blows despite being on the same side.

The recent NJPW announcement that together with Yota Tsuji, Narita and Umino would be known as the Reiwa Three Musketeers only further stoked the flames between men who were very definitely clear on not wanting to be thought of in the same context. Tonight they’ll be in the same, antagonistic context as their A Block campaigns get underway; while this will be their first singles meeting since 2019, Umino will head in with the distinct mental edge, knowing Narita has never beaten him one on one. Will that change tonight?

3rd Match: B Block- Tanga Loa vs KENTA
Singles record: 1-0 KENTA

Tanga Loa’s first G1 Climax 33 match is also his first match back from a knee injury sustained back last May. After some 14 months out of action, Loa has a tough task in front of him in the form of KENTA. Yet deprived of action immediately after being booted from BULLET CLUB that spring, he will also be dfoubly motivated to take on the BC representative. A match full of intrigue then to kick of B Block action.

2nd Match: A Block- Chase Owns vs Gabriel Kidd

A Block kicks off with a BULLET CLUB derby right off the bat as Chase Owens takes on Gabe Kidd. With the benefit of experience in the youth oriented A Block, Owens might be able to bring a measure of composure to proceedings, but with Kidd representing a newer and much more brash approach to BULLET CLUB as part of the War Dogs, he’ll be bringing a ton f aggression into his first ever G1 matchup.

1st Match: B Block- YOSHI-HASHI vs El Phantasmo
Singles record: 1-0 YOSHI-HASHI

The first official match of G1 Climax 33 will see YOSHI-HASHI take on El Phantasmo. A man without an island in NJPW, ELP wants to use this tournament to springboard a fresh start, but having lost to the Headhunter in last year’s tournament, can he start out strong this year?​

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Yota Kaito gonna be so fuckin good I hope

 

[Roy Mustang]

My boy Kidd's first match is against Chase Owens? Ew. Will watch from day 1:

Yoshi-Hashi vs ELP
Shota vs Ren
Okada vs Great-O-Khan
Yota Tsuji vs Kaito
Taichi vs Ospreay

 

[Chris]

I don't even got anything against the guy but Hikuleo in the main event of N1 is insane lmao

 

[Alexa]

Kaito winning

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Path of Kings: Eddie Kingston Interviewed 【G133】​

​

New STRONG Openweight Champion talks G1 Climax 33

After growing up as a Japanese wrestling fan and fighting for decades in the wrestling world, it was, incredibly, not until Independence Day 2023 that Eddie Kingston made his Korakuen Hall debut. It was an emotional occasion, and one that was underscored on July 5 when he defeated KENTA to lift the STRONG Openweight Championship within the hallowed Hall. Now walking into his first G1 as a champion, we spoke to Eddie about his long road, and what’s to come.



I’m not supposed to be here

–So we’re chatting here right before you make your Korakuen Hall debut at Independence Day. It seems incredible to think you’ve never wrestled here…
Eddie: I know, yeah. I wrestled for Osaka Pro a long time ago but we never left Osaka, so this is a huge deal for me.

–As someone that has seen so much wrestling from here, what did it feel like to finally walk up the stairs and be here in the building?
Eddie: I can feel the spirit, you know. I can’t stop smiling, because I can feel the spirit, the fighting spirit of my heroes that wrestled here, and it’s something that I’ve never felt before. This power- I’m almost speechless, there’s no words that can do justice to this building and the company and the tournament.

–After the career you’ve had, it’s incredible to think that now you’re finally heading into your first G1. What does that mean to you personally?
Eddie: It means everything to me. It’s what I’ve wanted to do since I got started in the bsuiness. The pinnacle of pro-wrestling. You have to be battle hardened, you have to be battle tested to survive here.

–In the past we’ve seen Lance Archer in 2022 and Jon Moxley in 2019 come from AEW- how do you feel about showing the AEW fans a different side to Eddie Kingston?

Eddie: I wanna show all the fans- not just AEW fans- that I can do this style. That I’ve studied this style before I even broke in.

–And what is that style to you? What makes Japanese wrestling different to what we see everywhere else in the world?
Eddie: To me, Japanese professional wrestling is the best professional wrestling in the world. I felt that ever since I was a teenager. My first pro-wrestling tape had Muto versus Chono in the 1991 G1 final. That blew my mind, and it made me want to be here more than anywhere else.
–Never say never is such a common phrase in this business, but timing wise, did you ever feel at times, OK Japan would be nice but maybe it won’t ever work out?

Eddie: Yeah. I felt like my career was over right before the pandemic. When the pandemic hit, I thought ‘OK, that’s it, my career’s over’. I’m… I’m not supposed to be here. I’ll get emotional saying this, but I’ve dreamed of this since I was 13 years old. (teary eyed) I’ve made a lot of mistakes. In life, not just in wrestling, and I never thought I’d be here. To be here now seems very surreal, so I just want to do good for the Japanese fans, for New Japan, and for the people I looked up to, for Hashimoto, Chono, Muto, Baba, Inoki, the Four Pillars and on and on. Jun Akiyama as well- I’ve been able to wrestle and team with him, and he gave me so much confidence.

Strong Style means never giving in

–But in a lot of ways the real work starts now.

Eddie: Oh sure. This all seems so surreal, but I’m not here just to be here. I’m here to fight because that’s all I’ve known in my life. All I know is the fight. I threw my first punch when I was eight years old at a kid in the schoolyard. So I’ll definitely be fighting. That’s not a worry. I’m just worried I’ll wake up in the morning and find out all this isn’t real.

–When Antonio Inoki passed away last year, we talked a lot about what Fighting Spirit means and what Strong Style means to everyone. What do those ideas mean to you?

Eddie: Strong Style to me means never giving in. Moving forward no matter what is going on in your life, professionally or personally. You keep going and do what you believe is right. It means continuing on when most people wouldn’t, or when society tells you to stop. You tell people, or you tell those demons in your mind that you won’t stop, but you’ll keep going and doing what you believe is the right thing to do.

–Here you are in your first G1, and one of the oldest debutants in tournament history. On the other hand you have the youth in A Block, and Shota Umino, Yota Tsuji and Ren Narita in particular being called the Reiwa Three Musketeers. How did you feel when you heard saw that announcement made?

Eddie: When I saw that, I really thought good luck, man. They have a lot to live up to. All three are great in that ring, but that’s pressure. You either crumble under the pressure or you rise. It’s the same for me- I don’t plan on crumbling.

–You’re in C Block with a lot of hard hitters- I would think style wise you’re pretty happy with the selection of opponents there.
Eddie: (Laughs) Yeah, well you know I’d like to fight Taichi just because of who he was trained by. Kawada is one of my favourites and the reason I wear the colours I wear. But I’m very happy with my block. I can’t wait to face Shingo, and Ishii again- I just want to fight man, it can’t come soon enough.
Hopefully Ishii respects me- if he doesn’t, he will

–You have Shingo out the gate. That sets quite a pace from day one in Sapporo.
Eddie: I love that. That’s the test. OK I got invited but now we have to find out whether I can hang in there. Shingo is a former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, so why not start with him?

–Your second match is with EVIL. There’s a lot of people that want to bring the serious combatant out of EVIL. Do you feel like you want to bring that out of him?

Eddie: Well, if he doesn’t bring that, he’s gonna lose. Plain and simple. No doubt, if he doesn’t bring a fight, if he wants to play around, it’s game over for him. This isn’t a game to me, this is my life, what I’ve been doing for 21 years. For me, it’s always been pro-wrestling or death. So if he wants to win, he can’t play these games.

–In Nagano you wrestle Aaron Henare. Henare certainly has his own very tough background. Are you familiar at all with what Henare has done in NJPW?

Eddie: Yeah, I am. I keep up on everybody because you have to study your opponents, and know his strengths and weaknesses. His strength is his background, but his weakness might be his temper. So he and I are pretty similar in that regard. We’ll see whose temper is better.

–July 26, Korakuen and Tomohiro Ishii. You couldn’t ask for a better place for this rubber match after you went 1-1 in DC and in AEW.
Eddie: Out of everyone int his block, Ishii is the one I respect the most, for his style, for his work ethic, and the people he was trained by, too. I couldn’t ask for a better opponent. Couldn’t ask for a better match. I’m smiling saying this because I like the struggle. If you don’t struggle there’s no point to me. When you get to where you want, that’s a lot sweeter if there’s struggle to get there, and I know Ishii will give me that struggle.

–You two teamed together at Forbidden Door- was there much of a conversation between the two of you?
Eddie: It was a case of ‘we have business, and then after this we have the G1’. That’s it. No friendship or anything. Hopefully he respects me- if he doesn’t, he will.

Nothing scares me

–After that in Nagoya, you have Mikey Nicholls. People might not know just how intimidating a reputation Mikey has in Australia especially.
Eddie: Oh yeah. I like to force the pace in a lot of my fights and have things my way, but I think Mikey will bring it. A lot of people are sleeping on Mikey. I respect the hell out of him for doing what he’s done all over the world. I’m looking forward to getting in there. I’ve wanted to fight him for a long time, and now I have the chance to.

–August 2 you have Tama Tonga.
Eddie: I have respect for everyone here, but Tama I’ve spoken to outside the ring. We’ve had the chance to hang out and spend time, and his brothers. I got to see how their brains worked, and I learned how much they love pro-wrestling. It’s not just the family lineage with them, they always bring it. So I just want to fight him man, same with everyone. I want to test myself.

–That idea of testing yourself is important to you.
Eddie: I wanna see, am I as good as some people say? Can I rise to that level? I have my doubts, but I’ll force myself to go. I remember reading recently someone saying that there’s a coward in all of us, and it’s up to us to shut that coward down. That’s what I’m gonna do.

–Your last group match in Osaka is with David Finlay. What do you think of this new attitude in him?
Eddie: He needed that switch, People might not like it, but it was good for him. He’s more aggressive and he’s ready to go. Jay’s gone- who I beat by the way- but it has to be your time, and he should use what Liger said back in the day.

–That he found his father frightening, but found Finlay funny.
Eddie: He needs to use that. Do it. Bring the fight. I don’t want anyone taking it easy. If you wanna go, let’s go. Nothing scares me, I’m ready to leave my heart and soul in that ring. There’s nothing else but that.
Without struggle, there is no progress

–After G1 is over and done with, what’s the lasting image you want the Japanese fans to have of this month?
Eddie: The last thing I’d like to leave for them is that I never quit, I never stopped and I always brung it, no matter how I felt physically, mentally, emotionally- and I’m an emotional guy- I always kept fighting. I keep saying it, but I was born to fight. I’m American, but my father’s side of the family is Irish, and they were hard men. My Puerto Rican side- all females, but hard females, man. I was brought up to fight.

–Before we finish, can you sum up this G1 and your plans in one statement?

Eddie: Without struggle, there is no progress. I’m ready to struggle, and I’m ready to win the G1

Path of Kings: Eddie Kingston Interviewed 【G133】 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING

New STRONG Openweight Champion talks G1 Climax 33After growing up as a Japanese wrestling fan and fighting for decades in the wrestling world, it was, incredibly, not until Independence Day 2023 that Eddie Kingston made his Korakuen Hall debut. ...

www.njpw1972.com

 

[Alexa]

I love Eddie so much

 

[Canadian Dragon]

he's the man

 

[Alexa]

He really is. One of the few I have followed from their beginnings to now.

 

[Chris]

I really liked Eddie when I first saw him forever ago, but then I fell off with indy and layer wrestling as a whole and completely forgot. It wasn't until that Evolve show WWE ran on the Network that I saw him again and holy fuck his promo was the best part about the entire show (which was great), rejuvenated my whole love for him

 

[Chris]

Standings after N1:

A Block --

• SANADA (1-0): 2 points
• Kaito Kiyomiya (1-0) -- 2 points
• Chase Owens (1-0): 2 points
• Shota Umino (0-0-1): 1 point
• Ren Narita (0-0-1): 1 point
• Hikuleo (0-1): 0 points
• Yota Tsuji (0-1): 0 points
• Gabe Kidd (0-1): 0 points

B Block --

• Taichi (1-0) -- 2 points
• Kazuchika Okada (1-0) -- 2 points
• Tanga Loa (1-0) -- 2 points
• YOSHI-HASHI (1-0) -- 2 points
• Will Ospreay (0-1) -- 0 points
• Great-O-Khan (0-1) -- 0 points
• KENTA (0-1) -- 0 points
• El Phantasmo (0-1) -- 0 points

C Block --

• David Finlay
• Tomohiro Ishii
• EVIL
• Tama Tonga
• Shingo Takagi
• Aaron Henare
• Eddie Kingston
• Mikey Nicholls

D Block --

• Hiroshi Tanahashi
• Tetsuya Naito
• Hirooki Goto
• Zack Sabre Jr.
• Toru Yano
• Jeff Cobb
• Shane Haste
• Alex Coughlin

 

[Chris]

G1 Climax night 2 (July 16) Preview 【G133】​

Second night of opening weekend in Sapporo

Night two of the G1 sees action continue in Sapporo, with C and D block kicking off on another loaded card of action.
Watch ALL of G1 Climax 33 live in English on NJPW World!

Main event: D Block- Tetsuya Naito vs Jeff Cobb
Singles record: 3-0 Naito

A Wrestle Kingdom level singles confrontation between Tetsuya Naito and Jeff Cobb headlines night two in Sapporo. With an unprecedented streak in 2021, Jeff Cobb came incredibly close to a career summit in the form of the G1, but couldn’t quite clear the hurdle. Tetsuya Naito too has been a hurdle Cobb has been unable to clear one on one; with two thirds of G1 winners coming from an opening match victory, the Imperial Unit looks to use El Ingobernable as a major stepping stone to finishing the G1 job tonight. For Naito, with the pressure of his Wrestle Kingdom main event goal mounting, can he be a match for the power of Cobb?

7th Match: C Block- Tama Tonga vs EVIL
Singles record: 3-1 EVIL

Tama Tonga meets EVIL in the top C Block match of the night. The record for the two men does not look good for Tama; EVIL’s three victories over Tonga include two G1 wins, and a fateful night during last year’s New Japan Cup that saw Tama officially kicked out of BULLET CLUB. Yet that night would mark a turning point in Tonga’s career, and led to the Hontai member defeating the King of Darkness for the first time to lift the NEVER Openweight Championship.

Tama’s second reign with that title ended at Dontaku 2023 in vicious fashion. The former champion hasn’t been seen since David Finlay ran him out of the gym in Fukuoka, and a lot of eyes will be on him to see if the G1 will spark a resurgence in his 2023. The same can be said for EVIL, who will be going into the tournament on a proverbial bubble in BULLET CLUB. ‘Bring gold, and if you can’t bring gold, bring bodies,’ has been the command from leader David Finlay; can EVIL live up to that order from day one in the G1?

6th Match: D Block- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Zack Sabre Jr.
Singles record: 6-4 Tanahashi

As Hiroshi Tanahashi seeks a fairy tale run back to the top of singles competition in G1 Climax 33, he has his work cut out for him in the opening bout with Zack Sabre Jr. ZSJ will take any and every advantage of the miles on the Ace’s body to exploit any weakness that Tanahashi may have. At the same time though, Tanahashi has been able to weather the British storm in his recent encounters with Sabre and come out victorious; six years after Sabre defeated the Ace in his first ever G1 Climax matchup, will Tanahashi return the favour in this D Block opener?

5th Match: C Block- Shingo Takagi vs Eddie Kingston

C Block is a veritable murderer’s row of hard hitters this year, and no match represents that better than Shingo Takagi and Eddie Kingston’s opening bouts. The freshly crowned STRONG Openweight Champion couldn’t have asked for a better prelude to his debut G1, but now comes into the tournament with an added target on his back, and having openly campaigned for the chance to battle Shingo Takagi, will he regret that wish in his opening bout with the Dragon?

4th Match: D Block- Shane Haste vs Alex Coughlin

D Block is home to the most experienced tournament competitors in this year’s G1, but it’s also home to a pair of debutants in TMDK’s Shane Haste and BULLET CLUB War Dogs’ Alex Coughlin. On a high from his recent NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Championship win over Bishamon, but with chip on his shoulder deepened by an IWGP Tag loss the very next night, Coughlin will be bringing characteristic aggression to Haste tonight. But with tag as well as singles implications to motivate him, the more experienced Haste will be bringing something extra to the table in his first G1 bout tonight.

3rd Match: C Block- Mikey Nicholls vs Aaron Henare

TMDK wants a hat trick of results tonight, starting with a battle of Australia vs New Zealand. Mikey Nicholls carries a tough bar fighting reputation with him into his match with an Aaron Henare who has never backed down from a fight in his life. The hard hitting nature of C Block should be on full display in this bout, with Henare looking to follow his opening night victory over Hiroshi Tanahashi last year with his first two points, and Nicholls wanting a strong impression in his first G1 matchup.

2nd Match: D Block- Hirooki Goto vs Toru Yano
Singles record: 6-5 Goto

A CHAOS derby kicks off D Block action for G1 Climax 33. Despite a 6-5 record suggesting close competition between these two men, fans have come to expect two things over the last few years when it comes to this match. One that Goto is the heavy favourite- Yano hasn’t beaten Goto one on one since 2014- and the other is that the match won’t go long. That brevity was in harshest contrast during their last meeting in the 2020 tournament; an 18 second victory for Goto via the Goto Shiki was and still is the shortest G1 Climax matchup of all time. Don’t look away from the screen for this one.

1st Match: C Block- Tomohiro Ishii vs David Finlay
Singles record: 1-0 Finlay

David Finlay started his New Japan Cup campaign this spring, and indeed his reign at the head of BULLET CLUB, opposite Tomohiro Ishii, and this summer has the same opponent to kick off his G1 Climax 33. Their NJC first round match was a thriller, and one that showed off Finlay’s newfound aggression; will the same hold true to kick off tonight’s action, or will Ishii bite back?​

 

[Canadian Dragon]

Gabe got Chased I lold

 

[Roy Mustang]

Gabe got Chased I lold

I heard he lost in 4 minutes to Owens... NJPW officially worse than NWA