New Japan kicked off the G1 CLIMAX 32 Tournament today, the biggest and most important tournament of the year that unofficially begins the road to Tokyo Dome on January 4. This year’s installment has 28 entrants-the most ever-spread out among 4 blocks in round-robin format.
Today’s event was held at Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center Hokkai Kita Yell in Hokkaido and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese and English FOR FREE! No login or signup required!
The announced paid attendance was 2891. On replay it looked very close to a legit sellout. This event aired as part of WORLD PRO WRESTLING LIVE on TV Asahi in Japan and was also simulcast on ABEMA. Hiroyoshi Tenzan is the guest on Japanese commentary.
Match 1: Tom Lawlor beat Kosei Fujita. This was to have been Fujita & Yuto Nakashima vs. Lawlor & Royce Isaacs, but Nakashima & Isaacs were both removed due to a Nakashima injury.
Match 2: Bad Dude Tito & Jonah beat Ryohei Oiwa & Toru Yano. Jonah pinned Oiwa after a powerbomb.
Match 3: Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat Jado, David Finlay & Tama Tonga. Takahashi pinned Jado after Pimp Juice.
Match 4: Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale, Juice Robinson & KENTA beat TAKA Michinoku, Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Lance Archer. Robinson pinned TAKA.
Match 5: YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii & Hirooki Goto beat BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito. Ishii pinned BUSHI after a vertical drop brainbuster.
G1 CLIMAX:
Match 6: Block C-Aaron Henare beat Hiroshi Tanahashi. UPSET ALERT!
Match 7: Block D-Will Ospreay beat El Phantasmo.
Match 8: Block B-Jay White beat SANADA.
Main Event: Block A-Kazuchika Okada beat Jeff Cobb. Last year this match determined who went to the Finals. This year, who knows.
Day 2 is tomorrow. Live streaming on New Japan World begins TONIGHT at 10 PM PT/1 AM ET, and once again it will be available FOR FREE!
