G1 Climax 34 night 11 (August 6) Preview
First of two nights in sold out Korakuen Hall
The G1 has been all around Japan already, but August 6 sees its first stop in Tokyo. A sold out Korakuen Hall will see A Block’s pre-penultimate matchups as the group action gets even more tense.
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Main event: Shingo Takagi (3–3) vs SANADA (3–3)
The influence of Los Ingobernables De Japon is all over A Block. The group started with a Shingo Takagi vs Tetsuya Naito main event, while former members SANADA and EVIL are in prominent positions, the latter leading the group. SANADA was the latest to leave LIJ, in March of 2023 en route to winning the New Japan Cup and then the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. While Tetsuya Naito would be pragmatic about the shift, it struck an angry chord with Shingo Takagi; still the two never settled any difference in the ring until tonight.
Both SANADA and Shingo scored big wins in Osaka to join a crowd at six points in the A Block. With two matches left after this one, the difference between 4–3 and 3–4 is a huge one, and the winner of this main event will be in good shape heading to Yokohama Thursday.
8th Match: Shota Umino (3–3) vs Tetsuya Naito (3–3)
Singles record: 1–0 Naito
There’s a big crowd at six points in the A Block tonight, but there’s a big difference to winning and getting to six in your last and losing to stay there. Naito used Gabe Kidd’s momentum against him in Osaka to get his hand raised as he continues his traditional burn from the stern, while Umino’s loss to SANADA continues a pattern of only inconsistent success.
Umino will not forget the pain of facing Naito one on one for the first time in February 2023 in Sapporo. After confessing that he grew up a fan of the future El Ingobernable, Shota Umino wrestling Naito one on one had airs of the first time Naito faced his own idol, Keiji Muto in 2012. That match ended as it had for Naito against Muto, in defeat after an uneven performance, and with Umino having much to reflect on. Will this match see the result of that introspection, and a critical pair of point son the board, or will Naito remain a step ahead?
7th Match: Zack Sabre Jr (4–2) vs EVIL (5–1)
singles record: 4–2 Sabre
Both Zack Sabre Jr. and EVIL had strong stats to this year’s tournament, running alongside one another undefeated after four matches. EVIL then moved ahead with a five win streak, but that all came to an end thanks to Great-O-Khan Saturday. He still stays a win ahead of the pace though, thanks to Sabre’s defeat to Shingo Takagi in Osaka; now ahving lost his last two, ZSJ badly wants to get back in the win column tonight.
Zack Sabre Jr. has had plenty of fun and plenty of success frustrating the efforts of HOUSE OF TORTURE and EVIL in prior meetings, but a lot of that success has come with Kosei Fujita’s assistance. With Fujita out with a shoulder injury, ZSJ will be alone to take on EVIL and Dick Togo. Will bringing the true combatant out of the King of Darkness be the way for Sabre to survive?
6th Match: Gabe Kidd (3–3) vs Jake Lee (2–4)
Gabe Kidd will not be heading to Korakuen Hall in the best of moods, not as if he is usually sunshine and rainbows. His long anticipated first ever singles meeting with Tetsuya Naito saw him in dominant charge until the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion’s ring awareness showed the Mad Man just why he has that gold. Meanwhile, Kidd’s War Dogs teammate Jake Lee was in a down spell after three straight losses, but a second win over Callum Newman in Osaka has ensured that his debut G1 is not over yet.
While Kidd and Lee have worked well as a tag team during preview tags, Kidd has made it clear that he’s more than willing to stab the Smart Bastard in the back if he needs to to get two points. Lee for his part has said much the same about any partners and allies he may have, and no punches will be pulled in this War Dogs derby.
5th Match: Great-O-Khan (2–4) vs Callum Newman (2–4)
Another faction derby in Korakuen sees Great-O-Khan face his United Empire teammate Callum Newman. Despite Newman’s inexperience and youth, he’s at the same point score as O-Khan after six matches, but as the Dominator has the benefit of winning two matches in a row, Newman hasn’t tasted success for over a week. Both are in need of a third victory as time runs out in the tournament and competition for the top three spots heats up; who will it be with their hand raised?
4th Match: Hirooki Goto & Tomoaki Honma vs BULLET CLUB War Dogs (David Finlay & Gedo)
Tag team action sees a preview of tomorrow’s clash between Hirooki Goto and David Finlay. With the presence of Bloody hands Gedo in the Finlay corner, Goto may be flashing back to 2019 and similar battles with then leader of BULLET CLUB Jay White. Will this be a preview of a Goto success now as then?
3rd Match: Guerrillas of Destiny (El Phantasmo & Jado) vs Just Five Guys (Yuya Uemura & TAKA Michinoku)
Before Yuya Uemura and Ren Narita’s Korakuen meeting August 7 with a lot of personal previous between the two, a tag team preview sees Yoshinobu Kanemaru and TAKA Michinoku in the mix.
2nd Match: Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano, El Phantasmo & Jado vs Jeff Cobb, HENARE, Francesco Aklira & Konosuke Takeshita
A double preview of Konosuke Takeshita vs El Phantasmo and Jeff Cobb vs Boltin Oleg will see plenty of exciting exchanges between future opponents. Meanwhile, will this be one of the last times we see the uncomfortable alliance of Takeshita with United Empire?
1st Match: Shoma Kato & Katsuya Murashima vs Los Ingobernables De Japon ( Yota Tsuji & BUSHI)
Yota Tsuji will face HENARE in block action August 7, but before that, our opener sees him paired with BUSHI. Young Lions Kato and Murashima have had a trying time this tour, and will have to work effectively to try and make inroads tonight.
