Penultimate night for A and B Block
The epic G1 Climax tour is approaching its red hot conclusion as the calendar turns to August. With just two matches left in A and B Block, the scene will be set in Takamatsu before the block final in Osaka Saturday.
Watch all of G1 Climax 33 live in English on NJPW World!
Main event: B Block- Kazuchika Okada (4-1) vs KENTA (2-3)
Singles record: 1-0 Okada
KENTA must win
A phenomenal opening run for Kazuchika Okada saw him quickly to eight points heading into Ota on Thursday. There a stunning result for Will Ospreay saw Okada handed his first loss of the tournament, but at eight points, he and his former CHAOS mate are still a win ahead of the pace. If advancement to the elimination phase is all but set for Okada though, KENTA must still fight for his seat at the table. He may have trolled his way to his four points, but there is still a prideful competitor within KENTA, one who hasn’t faced the Rainmaker in singles competition since the 2019 tournament. In the main event spot in Takamatsu, the BULLET CLUB member is sure to use any and all means at his disposal to stay alive and to progress to the elite eight.
7th Match: A Block- Shota Umino (2-1-2) vs Yota Tsuji (1-2-2)
Singles record: 10-1 Umino
Tsuji must win
All the interactions between the so-called Reiwa Three Musketeers of Shota Umino, Ren Narita and Yota Tsuji have thus far ended in time limit draws. Tonight’s encounter for Tsuji and Umino is one both men realistically must win in order to further themselves in the tournament. Tsuji has had to come from behind with an odd number of points, and will be extra motivated to score the two, especially given a deep dislike of the Roughneck Umino.
Umino’s senior in age but not in NJPW experience, Tsuji was handed loss after loss by Umino during his formative months as a Young Lion. When both ended up in the UK on excursion, dislike and professional envy was something that Gideon Grey would leverage in order to further ambitions for the then active Legion faction in RevPro, resulting eventually in Tsuji’s sole victory over Umino one year ago. Umino would get that win back in a strap match to follow, shortly before his return to Japanese competition, but old grudges die hard. After Tsuji returned from his own excursion with immense hype, but without the results following right away, that familiar frustration and angst toward Umino has to be bubbling up once more; with emotions high and stakes higher, who can stay alive in the tournament tonight?
6th Match: B Block- Tanga Loa (2-3) vs Will Ospreay (4-1)
Tanga Loa must win
At 2-3, and with the top two ranked opponents last on his schedule Tanga Loa’s hopes of making the elite eight have all but expired. As he’s increasingly found his footing through the tournament though, Loa might be in a strong position for plan B- defeat the IWGP United States Champion and work his way into a title match down the line.
Ospreay’s win against Okada Thursday in Ota has put him at eight points, and with the top two advancing, the Aerial Assassin has to be favoured to make it to the elimination phase. But just as records are made to be broken, so to are favourites named to be beaten- can Loa do just that?
5th Match: A Block- SANADA (5-0) vs Gabe Kidd (2-2-1)
SANADA has won A Block
From jump in this year’s tournament, the sizable chip on Gabe Kidd’s shoulder has motivated him to success, but also left him vulnerable to error. His even record of 2-2-1 reflects just that, as does the way he got his sole draw, through a violent brawl through the crowd against Kaito Kiyomiya. Here tonight in Takamatsu, the chip grows yet deeper.
Hikuleo, Kaito Kiyomiya and Yota Tsuji have all battled SANADA in the main event of the billing, while Shota Umino and Ren Narita took the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion on in the headline match of the A Block, even if they didn’t go on last. SANADA’s champion status certainly warrants that position on the card, so why should his match with Gabe Kidd be fifth tonight?
Kidd’s behaviour before and during the tournament, which has swung from highly disrespectful to actually dangerous provides the reasoning, but that’s sure to only anger Kidd further. A win over SANADA here and not only will Kidd potentially punch his ticket for the rest of the tournament, but a title shot could well follow; and that’s one the War Dog will ensure is a main event.
4th Match: B Block- Taichi (3-2) vs El Phantasmo (2-3)
Phantasmo must win
After losing his first three, El Phantasmo has put together two wins in a row over Tanga Loa and KENTA. One more and we can start to talk about a hot streak for ELP, as well as keep him in the conversation for the elite eight. Conversely though, Taichi started 2-0 and fell to even before bouncing back against YOSHI-HASHI, giving both contrasting fortunes heading into tonight’s bout. As things become a fight for survival in B Block, who can get the all important W?
3rd Match: A Block- Ren Narita (0-3-2) vs Chase Owens (2-3)
Narita is mathematically eliminated
After an Ota loss to IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA Ren Narita is out of the mathematical running. Fighting for pride, in his path lies crafty veteran Chase Owens, whose smarts have seen him to victory more than once over hot headed competition. Will those smarts ensure that Chase is still a survivor after tonight?
2nd Match: B Block- YOSHI-HASHI (2-3) vs Great-O-Khan (1-4)
O-Khan is mathematically eliminated
YOSHI-HASHI must win
Great-O-Khan’s tricky G1 would see him mathematically eliminated in Ota Thursday, putting him at 1-4 with just two points. YOSHI-HASHI has had his own mixed fortunes, but is still, barely, in the hunt. Will he stay in the hunt tonight?
1st Match: A Block- Hikuleo (2-3) vs Kaito Kiyomiya (2-1-2)
Hikuleo must win
The action will start with Hikuleo taking on NOAH’s Kaito Kiyomiya tonight. After Kiyomiya suffered his first loss of the tournament to SANADA on July 25, he let rage boil over in the face of the hot headed Gabe Kidd, resulting in a double countout. Hikuleo meanwhile, has stayed alive with back to back wins; after having promised to ‘squash’ Kaito in his pre-tournament interview, will he make good on that claim?
fined
