Tag: New Japan

New Japan ran Day 16 of G1 CLIMAX 32, returning to the Machida area of Tokyo for the first time in 3 years. Despite a typhoon (hurricane) battering this part of Japan, the event went on as planned.

Today’s event was held at Machida Gym in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese and English. This was a Samurai! TV broadcast.

The announced paid attendance was 2212. Taking the typhoon/hurricane into consideration, this was a really good number. Yoshinobu Kanemaru is the guest on Japanese commentary.

Match 1: El Phantasmo, Chase Owens, Bad Luck Fale & Juice Robinson beat Jado, David Finlay, Tama Tonga & Hiroshi Tanahashi. Owens pinned Jado after C Trigger.

Match 2: Bad Dude Tito & Jonah beat Royce Isaacs & Tom Lawlor. Jonah pinned Isaacs after Black Forest Bomb.

Match 3: BUSHI, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito beat TAKA Michioku, Zack Sabre Jr. & Lance Archer. SANADA beat TAKA with Skull End.

Match 4: Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada beat Dick Togo, Sho & EVIL. Ishii pinned Togo after a vertical drop brainbuster.

G1 CLIMAX:
Match 5: Block C-KENTA beat Aaron Henare by submission.
Match 6: Block A-Jeff Cobb beat Toru Yano.
Match 7: Block D-Shingo Takagi beat Yujiro Takahashi.
Match 8: Block D-Will Ospreay beat YOSHI-HASHI.
Main Event Block B-Jay White beat Taichi.

Day 17 is tomorrow at White Ring in Nagano. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin TONIGHT at 11 PM PT/2 AM ET.

The September New Japan World broadcast schedule is set, and unfortunately the vast majority of the Burning Spirit Tour next month will not be available live or on demand. That includes a Korakuen Hall event, which is unheard of. At this time just 5 of the 17 scheduled events will be available live & on demand: 9/2 (Yokohama Budokan), 9/5 (Korakuen), 9/18 (Beppu B-Con Plaza in Oita), 9/23 (Takamatsu City General Gym 1 in Kagawa) and 9/25 (Kobe World Hall-tour-ender). 9/25 will have live English audio.

New Japan ran Day 15 of G1 CLIMAX 32 today, reaching the 3/4 mark of the tournament as the final tripleheader is less than a week away now.

Today’s event was held at Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall in Hiroshima and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese and English.

The announced paid attendance was 1522. Almost exactly the same as yesterday (down only 3 today).

Match 1: Aaron Henare, Jeff Cobb & Will Ospreay beat Ryohei Oiwa, Yuto Nakashima & YOSHI-HASHI. Henare beat Nakashima with Ultima.

Match 2: Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii beat Bad Dude Tito & Jonah. Yano pinned Tito.

Match 3: TAKA Michinoku, Taichi & Lance Archer beat Gedo, Juice Robinson & KENTA. Taichi pinned Gedo.

Match 4: Sho, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale beat BUSHI, SANADA. Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito. Owens pinned BUSHI after C Trigger.

G1 CLIMAX:
Match 5: Block D-El Phantasmo beat David Finlay.
Match 6: Block B-Tama Tonga beat Great-O-Khan.
Match 7: Block Block C-Zack Sabre Jr. beat EVIL by submission. This went just 44 seconds, thanks in part to Kosei Fujita originally entering disguised as Sabre and causing a distraction.
Match 8: Block A-Kazuchika Okada beat Tom Lawlor.
Main Event: Block C-Hirooki Goto beat Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Standings:
Block A:
1-Okada, 4-1, 8 pts
2-Archer, 3-2, 6 pts
3-Jonah, 3-2, 6 pts
4-Cobb, 2-2, 4 pts
5-Fale, 2-3, 4 pts (OUT)
6-Lawlor, 2-3, 4 pts (OUT)
7-Yano, 1-4, 2 pts (OUT)

Block B:
1-Jay White, 4-0, 8 pts
2-Tonga, 4-1, 8 pts
3-SANADA, 3-2, 6 pts
4-Taichi, 2-2, 4 pts
5-Owens, 2-4, 4 pts (OUT)
6-Ishii, 1-4, 2 pts (OUT)
7-Khan, 1-4, 2 pts (OUT)

Block C:
1-Sabre, 4-1, 8 pts
2-Goto, 3-2, 6 pts
3-Naito, 3-2, 6 pts
4-Tanahashi, 3-2, 6 pts
5-EVIL, 2-3, 4 pts (OUT)
6-KENTA, 1-3, 2 pts (OUT)
7-Henare, 1-4, 2 pts (OUT)

Block D:
1-Finlay, 3-2, 6 pts
2-Takahashi, 3-2, 6 pts
3-Ospreay, 2-2, 4 pts
4-Takagi, 2-2, 4 pts
5-YOSHI-HASHI, 2-2, 4 pts
6-Phantasmo, 2-3, 4 pts
7-Robinson, 2-3, 4 pts
The winner of each block advances to the Semifinals. Block A just got handed back to Okada over the last two days thanks to Archer beating Jonah yesterday, but it’s not over yet as Okada’s final opponent is Archer. Block B will come down to White-Tonga on 8/16 even though White still has Taichi before then. Sabre has re-taken control of Block C but a final win over Naito won’t guarantee avoiding tiebreakers. We could very well be heading for a 4-way to settle it. Block D suddenly is the wide open block as now everyone still has a chance after Finlay dropped 2 straight and now Takahashi is tied for the lead. Looks like it’s headed down to the wire.

Day 16 is Saturday at Machida Gym in Tokyo with Taichi-White as the main event, assuming White has recovered after missing yesterday and today due to heat stroke symptoms. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 2 AM PT/5 AM ET.

New Japan ran Day 14 of G1 CLIMAX 32 today, the action getting hot along with the weather as the tournament enters the final stretch. The weather is not good as it has taken Jay White out of today and tomorrow due to potential heat stroke symptoms (a precautionary coronavirus rapid test was negative.). Fortunately he will not miss tournament matches.

Today’s event was held at Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall in Hiroshima and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese and English.

The announced paid attendance was 1525.

Match 1: BUSHI & Shingo Takagi beat Kosei Fujita & Tomohiro Ishii. BUSHI pinned Fujita.

Match 2: Royce Isaacs & Tom Lawlor beat TAKA Michinoku & Zack Sabre Jr. Lawlor pinned TAKA after NKOTB.

Match 3: Aaron Henare, Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan & Will Ospreay beat Dick Togo, El Phantasmo, Sho & EVIL by ref stoppage. Henare beat Togo.

Match 4: Hirooki Goto, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada beat Gedo, Bad Luck Fale & Juice Robinson. Goto pinned Gedo after GTR.

G1 CLIMAX:
Match 5: Block D-Yujiro Takahashi beat YOSHI-HASHI.
Match 6: Block B-SANADA beat Chase Owens by ref stoppage (technical submission).
Match 7: Block B-Tama Tonga beat Taichi.
Match 8: Block A-Lance Archer beat Jonah by countout.
Main Event: Block C-Tetsuya Naito beat KENTA.

Day 15 is tomorrow with Tanahashi-Goto as the main event. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 2:30 AM PT/5:30 AM ET.

New Japan ran Day 13 of the G1 CLIMAX 32 today, entering the final stretch of the tournament.

Today’s event was held at Osaka Prefectural Gym in Osaka and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese and English.

The announced paid attendance was 2609. Way down from yesterday.

Match 1: YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano & Hirooki Goto beat Yuto Nakashima, David Finlay & Hiroshi Tanahashi. YOSHI-HASHI beat Nakashima with Butterfly Lock.

Match 2: Sho & Yujiro Takahashi beat Jado & Tama Tonga. Takahashi pinned Jado after Pimp Juice.

Match 3: BUSHI, SANADA, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito beat TAKA Michinoku, Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Lance Archer. BUSHI pinned TAKA after MX.

Match 4: Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Will Ospreay beat Gedo, KENTA & Jay White. Khan beat Gedo with Subaru Sheep Killer.

G1 CLIMAX:
Match 5: Block C-EVIL beat Aaron henare.
Match 6: Block A-Tom Lawlor beat Bad Luck Fale.
Match 7: Block D-Juice Robinson beat El Phantasmo by DQ. Chair use.
Match 8: Block B-Chase Owens beat Tomohiro Ishii.
Main Event: Block A-Jonah beat Kazuchika Okada.

Standings:
Block A:
1-Okada, 3-1, 6 pts
2-Jonah, 3-1, 6 pts
3-Cobb, 2-2, 4 pts
4-Lawlor, 2-2, 4 pts
5-Archer, 2-2, 4 pts
6-Fale, 2-3, 4 pts
7-Yano 1-4, 2 pts (OUT)

Block B:
1-White, 4-0, 8 pts
2-Tonga, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Taichi, 2-1, 4 pts
4-SANADA, 2-2, 4 pts
5-Owens, 2-3, 4 pts (OUT)
6-Khan, 1-3, 2 pts (OUT)
7-Ishii, 1-4, 2 pts (OUT)

Block C:
1-Tanahashi, 3-1, 6 pts
2-Sabre, 3-1, 6 pts
3-Goto, 2-1, 4 pts
4-EVIL, 2-2, 4 pts
5-Naito, 2-2, 4 pts
6-KENTA, 1-2, 2 pts
7-Henare, 1-4, 2 pts (OUT)

Block D:
1-Finlay, 3-1, 6 pts
2-YOSHI-HASHI, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Ospreay, 2-2, 4 pts
4-Takahashi, 2-2, 4 pts
5-Takagi, 2-2, 4 pts
6-Robinson, 2-3, 4 pts
7-Phantasmo, 1-3, 2 pts
The winner of each block advances to the Semifinals. Okada could have virtually locked up Block A today but Jonah blew it back open with the upset. At the very least it keeps Fale in it for one more day. The Block B result had no impact as both Owens & Ishii were already out. Henare is the first elimination in Block C which remains somewhat wide open. The DQ virtually ends Phantasmo’s run in Block D while it barely keeps Robinson alive. On a side note, Ospreay has gotten the IWGP US Heavyweight Title belt back after it was taken from Robinson so that debacle is over.

In non-tournament news, Robbie Eagles made his Mexico debut in partner promotion CMLL Friday at their weekly Viernes Espectacular event, emerging victorious in a 6-man 3 Falls match. This has led to a future CMLL Middleweight Championship match.

Day 14 is Tuesday at Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall in Hiroshima with Naito-KENTA as the main event. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 2:30 AM PT/5:30 AM ET.

New Japan ran Day 12 of the G1 CLIMAX 32 today, headlined by a grudge rematch between former IWGP World Heavyweight Champions Shingo Takagi & Will Ospreay.

Today’s event was held at Osaka Prefectural Gym in Osaka and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese and English.

The announced paid attendance was 3370. If Osaka still has their strict venue capacity limits in place (meaning 50% tops), this would be very close to a legit sellout.

Match 1: Sho, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens & EVIL beat Ryohei Oiwa, David Finlay, Tama Tonga & Tomohiro Ishii. Sho beat Oiwa with an armbar.

Match 2: Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb beat Royce Isaacs & Tom Lawlor. Henare pinned Isaacs after Streets Of Rage.

Match 3: Bad Luck Fale, Juice Robinson & KENTA beat BUSHI, SANADA & Tetsuya Naito. Robinson pinned BUSHI after Pulp Friction.

Match 4: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada beat Jonah & Bad Dude Tito. Tanahashi pinned Tito after High Fly Flow.

G1 CLIMAX:
Match 5: Block D-YOSHI-HASHI beat El Phantasmo.
Match 6: Block A-Lance Archer beat Toru Yano.
Match 7: Block C-Zack Sabre Jr. beat Hirooki Goto by submission.
Match 8: Block B-Jay White beat Great-O-Khan.
Main Event: Block D-Shingo Takagi beat Will Ospreay.

Standings:
Block A:
1-Okada, 3-0, 6 pts
2-Jonah, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Cobb, 2-2, 4 pts
4-Archer, 2-2, 4 pts
5-Fale, 2-2, 4 pts
6-Lawlor, 1-2, 2 pts
7-Yano, 1-4, 2 pts (OUT)

Block B:
1-White, 4-0, 8 pts
2-Tonga, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Taichi, 2-1, 4 pts
4-SANADA, 2-2, 4 pts
5-Ishii, 1-3, 2 pts (OUT)
6-Owens, 1-3, 2 pts (OUT)
7-Khan, 1-3, 2 pts (OUT)

Block C:
1-Tanahashi, 3-1, 6 pts
2-Sabre, 3-1, 6 pts
3-Goto, 2-2, 4 pts
4-Naito, 2-2, 4 pts
5-KENTA, 1-2, 2 pts
6-EVIL, 1-2, 2 pts
7-Henare, 1-3, 2 pts

Block D:
1-Finlay, 3-1, 6 pts
2-YOSHI-HASHI, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Ospreay, 2-2, 4 pts
4-Takagi 2-2, 4 pts
5-Takahashi, 2-2, 4 pts
6-Phantasmo, 1-2, 2 pts
7-Robinson, 1-3, 2 pts
The winner of each block advances to the Semifinals. And now we see the ranks thinning. In Block A, Yano is now (thankfully) out of it, and while Okada remains firmly in control it is far from over with Jonah in the best steal position having one additional match left. In Block B, nearly half the field dropped out of contention today, and it’s all but over as White just needs a win or draw in one of his final two matches but it could be over by then as those matches are a week away. He finishes with Taichi then his final opponent is Tonga. But Taichi-Tonga is Tuesday and that puts the loser on the brink of elimination. In Block C, it seems to be down to Tanahashi & Sabre, if head-to-head result is the eventual tiebreaker it would go to Tanahashi. EVIL & KENTA are still in it because they each have one additional match left. Henare is pretty much out now. In Block D, Finlay remains the surprise leader and has a manageable final stretch of YOSHI-HASHI & Phantasmo. Everyone still has a chance although Robinson needs tons of help to have a chance as his only win, and potential tiebreaker, is against Takagi.

Day 13 is tomorrow with Okada-Jonah as the main event. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin TONIGHT at 10 PM PT/1 AM ET.

New Japan ran Day 11 of G1 CLIMAX 32 today, headlined by a big main event that could go a long way towards determining the favorite in the “Death Block” Block C.

Today’s event was held at Item Ehime in Ehime and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese and English.

The announced paid attendance was 1132.

Match 1: Jado & Tama Tonga beat Kosei Fujita & David Finlay. Tonga beat Fujita with a sharpshooter.

Match 2: Great-O-Khan & Will Ospreay beat Royce Isaacs & Ton Lawlor. Khan beat Isaacs with a Subaru Sheep Killer hold.

Match 3: BUSHI, SANADA & Shingo Takagi beat TAKA Michinoku, Zack Sabre Jr. & Lance Archer. SANADA beat TAKA with Skull End.

Match 4: YOSHI-HASHI, Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & Kazuchika Okada beat Gedo, El Phantasmo, Bad Luck Fale, KENTA & Jay White. Yano pinned Gedo.

G1 CLIMAX:
Match 5: Block D-Yujiro Takahashi beat Juice Robinson.
Match 6: Block B-Taichi beat Chase Owens.
Match 7: Block C-Tetsuya Naito beat Aaron Henare.
Match 8: Block A-Jonah beat Jeff Cobb.
Main Event: Block C-Hiroshi Tanahashi beat EVIL by submission. Tanahashi followed with some post-victory epic air guitar to send the crowd home happy.

Day 12 is tomorrow at Osaka Prefectural Gym in Osaka, headlined by Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET.

New Japan ran Day 10 of the G1 CLIMAX 32 today, reaching the point where some participants are into their 4th match while some only have been in 2 matches so far due to scheduling.

Today’s event was held at Hamamatsu Arena in Shizuoka and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese and English.

The announced paid attendance was 1128.

Match 1: Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb beat Bad Dude Tito & Jonah. Henare pinned Tito after Streets Of Rage.

Match 2: Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat TAKA Michinoku, Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & Lance Archer. Sho pinned TAKA.

Match 3: El Phantasmo, Chase Owens & Bad Luck Fale beat BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito. Owens pinned BUSHI after a package piledriver.

Match 4: YOSHI-HASHI, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada beat Gedo, Juice Robinson & Jay White. YOSHI-HASHI beat Gedo with Butterfly Lock.

G1 CLIMAX:
Match 5: Block B-Great-O-Khan beat Tomohiro Ishii.
Match 6: Block A-Tom Lawlor beat Toru Yano.
Match 7: Block B-Tama Tonga beat SANADA.
Match 8: Block C-KENTA beat Hirooki Goto.
Main Event: Block D-David Finlay beat Will Ospreay.

Standings:
Block A:
1-Okada, 3-0, 6 pts
2-Cobb, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Fale, 2-2, 4 pts
4-Lawlor, 1-2, 2 pts
5-Archer, 1-2, 2 pts
6-Jonah, 1-1, 2 pts
7-Yano, 1-3, 2 pts

Block B:
1-White, 3-0, 6 pts
2-Tonga, 2-1, 4 pts
3-SANADA, 2-2, 4 pts
4-Taichi, 1-1, 2 pts
5-Khan, 1-2, 2 pts
6-Owens, 1-2, 2 pts
7-Ishii, 1-3, 2 pts

Block C:
1-Tanahashi, 2-1, 4 pts
2-Sabre, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Goto, 2-1, 4 pts
4-EVIL, 1-1, 2 pts
5-KENTA, 1-2, 2 pts
6-Naito, 1-2, 2 pts
7-Henare, 1-2, 2 pts

Block D:
1-Finlay, 3-1, 6 pts
2-Ospreay, 2-1, 4 pts
3-YOSHI-HASHI, 1-1, 2 pts
4-Phantasmo, 1-1, 2 pts
5-Takagi, 1-2, 2 pts
6-Robinson, 1-2, 2 pts
7-Takahashi, 1-2, 2 pts
The winner of each block will advance to the Semifinals. While nobody is officially out yet, it’s virtually over for Yano and Ishii as tiebreakers are their only hope. The big surprise is Finlay controlling Block D after beating Ospreay today, but Ospreay has an extra match left. Block C, as expected, is living up to the Death Block prediction and remains wide open.

Day 11 is Friday at Item Ehime in Ehime with Tanahashi-EVIL as the main event. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 3 AM PT/6 AM ET.

New Japan ran Day 9 of the G1 CLIMAX 32 today, featuring 5 tournament matches instead of the 4 that had been the general pattern so far.

Today’s event was held at Aichi Prefectural Gym in Nagoya and can be watched on demand on New Japan World in Japanese and English.

The announced paid attendance was 2742. Yoshinobu Kanemaru is once again today’s guest on Japanese commentary.

Match 1: Sho, El Phantasmo, Yujiro Takahashi & KENTA beat Ryohei Oiwa, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & Hiroshi Tanahashi. SHo beat Oiwa with a cross armbreaker.

Match 2: Bad Dude Tito & Jonah beat Royce Isaacs & Tom Lawlor. Jonah pinned Isaacs after Black Forest Bomb.

Match 3: Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan & Will Ospreay beat Jado, Tama Tonga & David Finlay. Henare beat Jado with Ultima.

Match 4: BUSHI, SANADA & Shingo Takagi beat TAKA Michinoku, Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. Takagi pinned TAKA after Pumping Bomber.

G1 CLIMAX:
Match 5: Block A-Jeff Cobb beat Lance Archer.
Match 6: Block B-YOSHI-HASHI beat Juice Robinson.
Match 7: Block D-Jay White beat Chase Owens.
Match 8: Block A-Kazuchika Okada beat Bad Luck Fale.
Main Event: Block C-Tetsuya Naito beat EVIL.

Standings:
Block A:
1-Okada, 3-0, 6 pts
2-Cobb, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Fale, 2-2, 4 pts
4-Jonah, 1-1, 2 pts
5-Archer, 1-2, 2 pts
6-Yano, 1-2, 2 pts
7-Lawlor, 0-2, 0 pts

Block B:
1-White, 3-0, 6 pts
2-Sanada, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Tonga, 1-1, 2 pts
4-Taichi, 1-1, 2 pts
5-Ishii, 1-2, 2 pts
6-Owens, 1-2, 2 pts
7-Khan, 0-2, 0 pts

Block C:
1-Goto, 2-0, 4 pts
2-Tanahashi, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Sabre, 2-1, 4 pts
4-EVIL, 1-1, 2 pts
5-Naito, 1-2, 2 pts
6-Henare, 1-2, 2 pts
7-KENTA, 0-2, 0 pts

Block D:
1-Ospreay, 2-0, 4 pts
2-Finlay, 2-1, 4 pts
3-YOSHI-HASHI, 1-1, 2 pts
4-Phantasmo, 1-1, 2 pts
5-Robinson, 1-2, 2 pts
6-Takagi, 1-2, 2 pts
7-Takahashi, 1-2, 2 pts

Day 10 is Tuesday at Hamamatsu Arena in Shizuoka. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 2:30 AM PT/5:30 AM ET.