NJPW G1 Climax 33 results from Ryogoku, Tokyo, Japan - Aug 12, 2023 (Semi Finals Results)
Huge crowd in Ryogoku.
1 - HAYATA and Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Master Wato
HAYATA is the current GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion in Pro Wrestling NOAH.
Kiyomiya hits a Shining Wizard on Tenzan and gets the pinfall win.
2 - Shota Umino and Tomoaki Honma vs. Ren Narita and Minoru Suzuki
Narita forces Honma to submit to the Cobra Twist.
Lots of camera shots of Umino and Narita after the match. They are building this rivalry for the long term.
3 - YOH, YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto Toru Yano and Togi Makabe vs. Gabe Kidd, Alex Coughlin, Chase Owens, KENTA and David Finlay
Finlay pins Makabe after hitting Into Oblivion.
After the match, War Dogs attack Bishomon and leave them laying on the floor. War Dogs pose in the ring with both the New Japan Strong Tag Titles and IWGP Heavyweight Tag Tiles. Foreshadowing of what may come.
4 - Great O-Khan, Jeff Cobb and HENARE vs. Yota Tsuji, BUSHI and Shingo Takagi
HENARE traps BUSHI in Ultima.
BUSHI taps out.
5 - Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi, Tomohiro Ishii and Eddie Kingston vs. Kosei Fujita, Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste and Zack Sabre Jr.
Kingston pins Fujita after a spinning back fist.
Kingston helps up Fujita after the match and shows his respect. The winning team poses for photos from the Japanese media at ringside.
HENARE hits the ring and attacks Kingston and hits the Streets of Rage. He pounds on Kingston and he stares at the New Japan Strong Title belt.
HENARE goes to Kevin Kelly and says after years of hiding, he (Kingston) wants to come to Japan and claim his home? He has something to say about that.
The next challenger for The Mad King’s New Japan Strong Title is now set up.
6 - El Phantasmo, Hikuleo, Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga and Jado vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru, DOUKI, TAKA Michinoku, Taichi and SANADA
TAKA hits a Michinoku Driver on Jado. Everyone comes in to hit their moves. ELP hits Sudden Death on TAKA. Hikuleo plants TAKA with a choke slam. ELP puts Jado on TAKA.
Jado pins TAKA.
After the match, Bullet Club War Dogs appear at the ringside area. They talk trash to ELP, Tama and Hikuleo. But they leave without any fighting.
G1 Climax SemiFinals:
7 - EVIL (C Block 2nd Place), with Dick Togo vs. Kazuchika Okada (B Block 1st Place)
Lots of cheating by EVIL in the early moments. The crowd hates House of Torture so much. They pick up the pace. The rest of House of Torture hits the ring. Okada fights off Togo SHO and Yujiro. EVIL hits a low blow and a lariat. Two count. Okada avoids Everything is Evil and hits a German suplex and Landslide. EVIL connects with Everything is Evil. Two Count!!! Okada hits an STO on EVIL. He follows with another Landslide and a big Rainmaker.
Okada pins EVIL.
Kazuchika Okada gets to the Finals of the G1. Okada flashes the number 3 with his hands to show he is going for a three peat.
Really good match. On his own, Okada beat EVIL and the rest of the House of Torture. I would not compare this to Hulk Hogan’s dominance of all heels during his WWF reign, however this was a very convincing solo win over a four man faction. I am more concerned of what this means for House of Torture as a whole. Is Okada supposed to be that much better than a major Heel Faction? Or does SHO, Yujiro Takahashi, Dick Togo and EVIL belong on a level just above the young lions? Okada was beating up Narita and Umino early this year who are new to the main roster and in tonight’s match he took on and beat four veterans by himself. I think this may kill any credibility for the House of Torture as serious competitors to any Title in New Japan. The best they did as a group was the NEVER Openweight division. But now with Bullet Club War Dogs, House of Torture is a secondary heel faction at best and fodder for any of the top babyfaces.
8 - Will Ospreay (B Block 2nd Place) vs. Tetsuya Naito (D Block 1st Place)
Cobb, HENARE and O-Khan are in the corner for Ospreay.
Slow and methodical pace to start. They are pacing for a long match. Very even match with both men hitting their signature moves.
Naito hits Valencia. Two count. Naito misses a Stardust Press. Ospreay hits a Hidden Blade. But both men are too tired. The crowd is so loud that I cannot hear the commentary.
They trade elbows. Ospreay hit three hook kicks and started to throw elbows. The referee pulled him off and started a standing 10 count. Naito pulls the referee and stops the count. Ospreay crushes him with a Hidden Blade. Naito kicks out. Jeez the crowd is deafening. Ospreay hits an Oscutter. Two count. Ospreay hits his own Stardust Press. Two count. Ospreay goes for a Stormbreaker but Naito reverses into hurricanrana. Two count.
Ospreay goes for a hook kick but Naito was coming forward and he took the kick right in the nose. Ospreay knew he was hurt and the tried to rush to the end. Naito ducks a Hidden Blade but he stumbles and falls to the mat. Ospreay picks him up again and he falls to the mat. The referee is not stopping the match. Ospreay picks up Naito for Stormbreaker but Naito reverses into Destinoz. Two count. Ospreay picks him up and he reverses into another Destino. Naito picks up Ospreay and hits a third Destino.
Naito pins Ospreay.
Tetsuya Naito makes it to the Finals of the G1.
It will be Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito in the Finals of G1 Climax 33 tomorrow.
