NJPW G1 Climax Night 17 Results – August 10, 2023
Location: Chiba Japan
Venue: Funabashi Arena
Young Lion Trick Challenge
Boltin Oleg, Oskar Leube & Ryohei Oiwa defeated Yuto Nakashima via Kamikaze (0:52) (Dark Match)
Yuto Nakashima vs. Ryohei Oiwa ends a Time Limit Draw (5:00)
Yuto Nakashima vs. Oskar Leube ends a Time Limit Draw (5:00)
6 Man Tag Team Match
Los Ingobernables De Japon (Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji) vs. TMDK (Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita)
Kosei Fujita charges at Shingo Takagi in the corner only to get taken down with a shoulder tackle then Hiromu Takahashi is in to trade chops with Fujita following in with a low dropkick before Yota Tsuji is in to hit Fujita with a back body drop for a near fall.
A gut shot drops Fujita but he is quickly back in with a dropkick as Shane Haste came in to clear house then a reverse powerslam from Haste nearly puts away Tsuji before Mikey Nicholls came in and got stop with a Tijeras.
Takahashi gets back in but he gets hit with a shoulder tackle as Fujita tags back in & he hits a shotgun dropkick follow by a suplex before Takahashi backs Fujita into the corner to escape a wheelbarrow.
The ring fills and clears as Takahashi hits Hiromu Chan Bomber on Fujita ahead of a Falcon Arrow for a near fall then Fujita tries to sneak a win with roll ups but Takahashi hits a Death Valley Driver in the corner then connects with Time Bomb to get the win.
Winners: Los Ingobernables De Japon (7:55)
Rate: 6
8 Man Tag Team Match
Strong Style (Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Ren Narita) & Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Guerrillas Of Density (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa), Shota Umino & El Phantasmo
Ren Narita & Shota Umino starts this match off by throwing forearms before a front kick from Narita connects before El Desperado & Tama Tonga are in next with Tonga getting hit with a right hand before he returned with a Superman Punch.
The ring filled to isolate El Desperado then GOD, Umino & El Phantasmo has their fun with him but Umino is unhappy at El Phantasmo going for the nipples as he has remind ELP that they are babyface. Tanga Loa is in to hit some spinning slams on Desperado before a comeback ends with Strong Style being cleared off the apron.
A headbutt drops Desperado but he is able to get back up and tag in Minoru Suzuki & Loa going for a suplex but he ends up hitting it to break a Guillotine from Suzuki. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & ELP are in with Phantasmo eating some Mongolian Chops and a brainbuster leading to a Mountain Bomb and an Anaconda Vice.
Umino hits the ring to break up the submission but Narita takes over as they trade strikes and Exploders before we went back to Tenzan & Phantasmo. Mongolian Chops from ELP are shrug off as Tenzan hits some of his own before ELP connects with Sudden Death to get the win for his team.
Winners: Guerrillas Of Density, Shota Umino & El Phantasmo (9:12)
Rate: 6
After the match Tama Tonga & Minoru Suzuki squared up while Narita & Umino continued to go nose 2 nose.
8 Man Tag Team Match
Bullet Club (Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions Gabriel Kidd & Alex Coughlin, Kenta & Chase Owens) vs. Just 4 Guys (KOPW 2023 Champion Taichi, Douki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Taka Michinoku)
Kenta hits Yoshinobu Kanemaru with the Defy Title before Taichi ducks an attempted Defy Title shot as Kenta then teased giving him the Defy Title as Taichi wants nothing to do with the Defy Title but Kenta puts it on him and rolls him up for a near fall.
A hook kick from Taichi connects then Kenta gets cornered and met with 4 boots as he got choke in the corner before a low dropkick from Kanemaru spins Kenta to the mat before Bullet Club takes over as Taichi, Douki & Taka Michinoku gets send into the guard rails on the outside and some Kenta choking Kanemaru inside the ring.
Alex Coughlin takes over with some repeated backbreakers as he used Kanemaru for some curls ahead of a fallaway slam & here comes Chase Owens to have a swig of Kanemaru’s whisky but Kanemaru knows how to stop the spray as an enziguiri kicks it out of Owens’ mouth. Douki is in next to land a crossbody on Owens before Kidd & Coughlin attempted to interfere but it backfires as a tope from Douki took out Kidd & Owens.
Kidd is in to poke at Douki then bite on him before he looks to rip off Douki’s half mask but it t gets stop as we end up with Michinoku locking Kidd in a Just Facelock but it’s quickly broken up as the ring fills and clears before Kidd shoves Michinoku into the ref then lays out Michinoku with a right hand to get the win.
Winners: Bullet Club (9:01)
Rate: 5
6 Man Tag Team Match
NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champions Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomohiro Ishii & Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston vs. United Empire (Henare, Great O Khan & Jeff Cobb)
Hiroshi Tanahashi & Great O Khan start us off as Tanahashi went for O Khan’s braid before he came out of the corner with a crossbody as he goes for the ear O Khan then lifts up Tanahashi and threw him over the top rope using a Mongolian chop to break the grip on the ropes before he used his own braid to choke Tanahashi with.
Tanahashi & Tomohiro Ishii combine with dropkicks to take down O Khan as Eddie Kingston came in to take care of Jeff Cobb & Henare as O Khan is still legal though and boots Kingston away before he refocuses on Tanahashi with a back suplex. Tanahashi gets sat on and stretched in the corner as Henare came in to maintain the upper hand.
Cobb is next & he uses Tanahashi as an air guitar while throwing some clubbing shots to the chest before Tanahashi drags down Cobb with a dragon screw while some Keystone Cop moments from Cobb saw him wipe out Henare as Ishii came into play as a leaping shoulder tackle takes down Ishii before Cobb misses a standing moonsault he has more luck with a dropkick though before they struggled over a suplex.
Ishii gets his suplex off first before Kingston tags in to hit Kobashi Chops on Henare then a missed charge in the corner opens up Kingston for a triple team featuring a Spin Cycle from Cobb before it turns into a parade of moves from there ending with Ishii & Kingston sandwiching Henare with enziguiri before an exploder led to a blocked Backfist To The Future.
Kingston gets nail with a knee from Henare but manages to hit Backfist To The Future at the 3rd attempt to score the win for his team.
Winners: NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champions Hiroshi Tanahashi & Tomohiro Ishii & Strong Openweight Champion Eddie Kingston (9:43)
Rate: 7
Quarter Final Match Of The 2023 G1 Climax
Block D Winner 1 Tetsuya Naito vs. Block A Winner 2 Hikuleo
Tetsuya Naito tried to get under Hikuleo’s skin & that leads to Naito leaning back into the ropes from the lock up then a spit doesn’t help Hikuleo’s temper as he hits an elbow strike before Naito low bridges him to the outside ahead of his pose.
Naito allows Hikuleo back in but he instantly takes out the knee as he proceeded to ground Hikuleo with a toe hold but he gets to the ropes force a break but Naito is right back on the knee as he rolls him into a Trailer Hitch before that gets turn into an Indian Death Lock as the ropes again saved Hikuleo.
Hikuleo went for a Snake Eyes but Naito slips out and goes back to the knee as he kept Hikuleo on the deck then some chops finally carved an opening for Hikuleo before he adds a Snake Eyes and a clothesline before a suplex gets Hikuleo a two count before Naito avoided a powerslam and went right back to the knee.
Elbows weaken Hikuleo but he is able to counter an Esperanza into a powerslam following with a chop before blocking a tornado DDT then Hikuleo hauls up Naito into Last Ride for a near fall before Naito began to respond with almost desperation elbows.
An enziguiri has Hikuleo woozy only for him to shake it off and drills Naito with a powerslam before Godsend was counter with a DDT. Naito tries to add a Destino but it’s countered into Godsend before a 2nd Godsend was turned into Destino before Naito hits a 3rd Destino to put away Hikuleo.
Winner: Tetsuya Naito (13:11)
Rate: 6
Champion vs. Champion Quarter Final Match Of The 2023 G1 Climax
Block C Winner 1 NEVER Openweight Champion David Finlay vs. Block B Winner 2 United States Champion Will Ospreay
Gabriel Kidd & Alex Coughlin met Will Ospreay in the aisle but Jeff Cobb & Great O Khan came out to even the odds before David Finlay & Ospreay lock up then both guys go for the hair as Ospreay backs Finlay into the ropes then things head into the corner as Ospreay unloaded on Finlay following with a back body drop before a springboard forearm was shoved away.
Finlay sends Ospreay into the guard rails before he clears the timekeeper’s table and brought it the other side of the rails then Jeff Cobb just moves the table away then shoves down Finlay after he was spat at as tempers flared leading to Cobb getting ejected.
With the referee distracted Kidd & Coughlin put the boots to Ospreay before Finlay sent Ospreay chest first into the buckles then some headbutts follows as Ospreay went to mouth off but Ospreay manages to catch Finlay with a Cobra Twist which is quickly reverse before a clothesline out of the corner dumps Finlay before a handspring enziguiri connects.
Ospreay looks to go for Leap Of Faith but Finlay pulls him down into the corner pad before an eye rake led to Finlay taking Ospreay into the corner then a German suplex has Finlay down before an OsCutter gets caught with a side Russian leg sweep off the middle rope before a standing Spanish Fly catches Finlay for a near fall only for Finlay to return with a spear and a sit out Dominator for a near fall of his own.
Finlay heads outside and moves the table back which prompted O Khan up to dispute things as Finlay looked to go for a powerbomb off the apron only for Ospreay to hit an OsCutter onto the side of the ring instead. Ospreay eyes up the table rolling Finlay onto it then headed up top as Kidd pulls Finlay off the table.
Ospreay stays on it as a superkick lays out Kidd before he reversed a powerbomb and puts Finlay through the table. Finlay beats the 20 count but Ospreay’s ready to hit him with a Coast 2 Coast for a near fall before an OsCutter landed at the 2nd attempt.
Ospreay heads up top for a Leap Of Faith but Finlay pulls the referee onto him & now here comes Kidd & Coughlin swarm on Ospreay.
O Khan tries to make the save, covering up Ospreay as Jeff Cobb returns and hits a double back suplex to Kidd & Coughlin then 2 clotheslines take them over the top to the floor as before O Khan attacks Bullet Club War Dogs on the outside.
Back in the ring Ospreay connects with a hook kick only to get cracked with a Shillelagh as Ospreay was going for a Hidden Blade.
We get a 2nd ref with Kenta Sato counting a near fall from a powerbomb for Finlay before a Stundog from Ospreay connects before an Hidden Blade gets avoided but Ospreay hits it anyway then drills Finlay to the mat with Storm Breaker for the win.
Winner: United States Champion Will Ospreay (17:21) (He will face Naito in the Semi Finals)
Rate: 7
Non Title Quarter Final Match Of The 2023 G1 Climax
Block A Winner 1 IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Sanada vs. Block C Winner 2 Evil
Evil charging down Sanada but he comes back with dropkicks to take Evil to the outside for a plancha then back inside Evil is begging off before Dick Togo was signaled for the distraction works as Sanada gets taken outside and through the timekeeper’s table.
Heading into the crowd Evil throws Sanada into the seats as he then looked to claim a count out win but Sanada rolls back in and got thrown back outside & again going through the timekeeper’s table.
Back inside the ring Sanada gets thrown into the exposed corner pad but the referee refuses to count the pin before a 2nd throw into the corner sees Sanada puts on the brakes as Evil ends up running into the corner instead before Dick Togo got thrown into the ring and ties up in a Paradise Lock before Evil was trips up into him.
Sanada hits a back suplex for a two count before a TKO adds another two count before Sanada aborts a moonsault as Evil rolls outside baiting Sanada as he gets whip into the guard rails before Sanada gets roll into Darkness Scorpion but he gets into the ropes.
Evil looks for Darkness Falls but gets caught with a Skull End instead by swinging Evil around before throwing him into Dick Togo on the apron. Another Skull End follows then a Shining Wizard before Sanada was shoved into the ref to escape a Deadfall.
A low blow from Evil is met in return as Sanada pulls the same trick before an O’Connor roll ends with Dick Togo pulling out the referee.
Togo with the garotte wire but Sanada is able to counter a Magic Killer into a magic screw on Evil as some Shining Wizards take care of Togo then Evil as Sanada then calls for the ref so he could prepare for a moonsault which gets a near fall.
Deadfall is teased again but Evil goes to the eyes to get free before countering some strikes with a clothesline for a near fall. Sanada is back with another Shining Wizard but again Dead Fall is escaped as Everything Is Evil connects & gets the victory.
Winner: Evil (16:16)
Rate: 5
Champion vs. Champion Quarter Final Match Of The 2023 G1 Climax
Block B Winner 1 NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champion Kazuchika Okada vs. Block D Winner 2 Television Champion Zack Sabre Jr
Match starts off with a lock up & that ends with Zack Sabre Jr taking things into the ropes where he broke cleanly. Okada swung on the break but ZSJ ducks and struck first before a front kick took Okada down to the mat. Kicks to Okada’s back follow but Okada just snaps and takes ZSJ outside by whipping him into the guard rails with some gusto.
Okada teases a Landslide on the floor but ZSJ slips out and ties up Okada in the guard rails with a manjigatame before a teased suplex on the floor ends with Okada countering it into a draping DDT. ZSJ makes it back inside but Okada’s waiting with a neckbreaker before he hammers ZSJ with elbows in the corner.
ZSJ’s arm whip stops Okada’s momentum as did a neck twist and a low dropkick to the back of the head. Okada tried to come back with a neckbreaker slam but ZSJ counters it with a guillotine choke only got Okada to take him to the corner with ZSJ flying back out with an uppercut. ZSJ ties up Okada in a hammerlock grounded manjigatame but the rolling around took them into the ropes for the break.
ZSJ manages to counter the neckbreaker slam into an armbar but Okada swings free and hits the neckbreaker slam anyway then ZSJ kicks away Okada’s attempt to dropkick him off the top rope but this time ZSJ leaps into a dropkick.
ZSJ ducks a spinning Rainmaker and plants Okada with a German suplex almost gets the win then Okada returns the favour then caught ZSJ with a dropkick as he came off the ropes before a landslide attempt was countered into another manjigatame.
Okada’s rolled to the mat in the hold as ZSJ stretched him some more by rolling around Okada into a hammerlock’d armbar that quickly ends in the ropes then an uppercut rocks Okada from there before a single dropkick to turn it back around as Okada then snaps back with the landslide.
ZSJ ducks a Rainmaker and returned with a Zack Driver instead but he can’t make the cover so we’re back to strikes between them with Okada throwing some elbows before he went for a backslide but ZSJ hits his clothesline 1st before a sit down pin from Okada leads to some see sawing with ZSJ almost snatching victory before he recoiled from a shotgun dropkick and back with a PK.
Another Okada dropkick has ZSJ on jelly legs as it’s back to the palm strikes then a spinning Rainmaker lands before ZSJ ducked the regular one and went back with a flying manjigatame but Okada counters out into a Cobra Flowsion before he nails Rainmaker to put away ZSJ.
Winner: NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champion Kazuchika Okada (21:46)(He will face Evil in the Semi Finals)
Rate: 8 (Recommend)
Semi Finals (August 12th)
Block C Winner 2 Evil vs. Block B Winner 1 NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champion Kazuchika Okada
Block B Winner 2 United States Champion Will Ospreay vs. Block D Winner 1 Tetsuya Naito
