Today is an excellent day for NJPW fans, as it is the first day of the 33rd annual G1 Climax tournament to determine who will go on to the main event of Wrestle Kingdom! Today’s show featured matches from A block and B block, with the main event being a clash between IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, SANADA and Hikuleo.
Hikuleo got himself an early advantage, connecting with a running knee as soon as the bell sounded. He then took SANADA outside the ring to drive him into the ring apron and chop the air out of his chest. He was then looking for snake eyes into the ring post, but SANADA slipped out and drove Hikuleo into the post and the steel barricade. Back in the ring now, Hikuleo caught SANADA with a back body drop, but SANADA then began attacking Hikuleo’s knee.
SANADA closes the show following his victory. Credit: NJPW
The World Champion hit some dropkicks to his knee and followed that with a tope to the outside. SANADA was then looking for a second rope moonsault, but Hikuelo caught him in mid-air to hit snake eyes and a lariat. Hikuleo now went for a vertical suplex, but SANADA turned it around and hit the seven-footer with a vertical suplex.
SANADA then hit Hikuelo with a Shining Wizard and went for a Frankensteiner, but Hikuelo held on and hit a powerbomb. Hikuleo called for his signature chokeslam, but SANADA blocked and hit Dead Fall to get the win!
G1 Climax 33 Night 1 Results
B Block Tournament Match: YOSHI-HASHI vs. El Phantasmo
HASHI was attempting to get the early advantage, but ELP seemed to have the early advantage and hit a middle-rope elbow drop less than five minutes into the bout. Despite ELP being in control most of the match, in the end, HASHI would hit a big lariat and then steal the win with a crucifix bomb.
Winner: YOSHI-HASHI
A Block Tournament Match: Chase Owens vs. Gabe Kidd
This second match was some Bullet Club civil war, however, there was no respect between teammates. Kidd attacked Owens in the middle of his entrance with a steel chair before taking the brawl into the crowd to choke Owens with an umbrella. With Owens out in the stands being helped by Young Lions, Kidd ran down the ramp to leap off the stage hitting Owens with a tope. Kidd now finally brought this match into the ring, but as soon as they entered the ring Owens hit Kidd with a bicycle knee. Despite being pummeled on the outside, Owens controlled the bout inside the ring and won with a Package Piledriver.
Winner: Chase Owens
B Block Tournament Match: Tanga Loa vs. KENTA
This was Tanga Loa’s first match in over a year, following a devastating injury to his right knee. He began his return quite well and was beating KENTA all over the ring, but that all changed once KENTA began focusing on Loa’s surgically repaired knee. The referee ended up being knocked down, so KENTA started beating Loa down with a steel chair. Even with the chair attack, Loa hit KENTA with a spear and a reverse piledriver for the victory.
Winner: Tanga Loa
A Block Tournament Match: Shota Umino vs. Ren Narita
These two men are massive parts of the future of NJPW and tonight they got the chance to square off. They were trading shots the entire match, whether it was forearms, chops or submissions. Umino even took a page out of Jon Moxley, trapping Narita to deliver elbows to his face. Late in the match, both men traded German suplexes and then knocked each other out with a stiff jab at the same time. As they were approaching the time limit, Umino started throwing everything he had at Narita. He thought he had the match won with a cradle DDT, but Narita came back hitting another German suplex. Even with all the offence, neither man was able to get the win and the 20-minute time limit expired.
Winner: Time Limit Draw
B Block Tournament Match: Kazuchika Okada vs. Great-O-Khan
Okada was the winner of last year’s G1 Climax tournament and he was opening this year’s tournament against the wild card of United Empire. Despite Okada being the last winner, it was O-Khan in control for a large portion of the match and he was really trying to submit Okada. He was even able to hit a GFO, but Okada was able to reverse all his other offences and hit a quick Rainmaker.
Winner: Kazuchika Okada
A Block Tournament Match: Yota Tsuji vs. Kaito Kiyomiya
Kiyomiya opens with a win. Credit: NJPW
Tsuji did not even allow Kiyomiya, who is from Pro Wrestling NOAH, to get into the ring, he hit him with a suicide dive as he was making his entrance. Kiyomiya could not get anything going on, Tsuji was hitting him with everything like a Stinger Splash and running power slam. However, Kiyomiya then dropkicked Tsuji’s knee before locking in a figure-four, but Tsuji made it to the bottom rope. Tsuji seemed to be closing in on a win after hitting the Curb Stomp, but Kiyomiya hit a variety of suplexes before getting the win with a Shining Wizard.
Winner: Kaito Kiyomiya
B Block Tournament Match: Taichi vs. Will Ospreay
Black Mephisto. Credit: NJPW
Ospreay started this bout by striking down Taichi and taking him outside the ring where he threw him into barricades and chairs. He then got him back in the ring to hit a coast-to-coast dropkick and followed that with a cutter on the outside. Taichi did battle to get himself back in the match and later on hit an avalanche belly-to-back suplex. He maintained that control by reversing a Hidden Blade with a superkick. Taichi then hit Ospreay with a Black Mephisto, to get the massive upset victory over the IWGP US Champion.
