A NJPW rivalry will be renewed once again in the finals of the G1 Climax 33 Tournament tomorrow.
It will be the leader of Los Ingobernables de Japan, Tetsuya Naito, against the leader of Chaos, Kazuchika Okada.
Kazuchika Okada defeated not just Evil but the entire House of Torture to make the finals.
Evil took the fight to the floor almost immediately. He throws Okada into the barricade a bunch of times and chokes him with a microphone cord as he screams in his face demanding he quit, give up.
Okada snaps throwing Evil through the ropes to the floor. He attempts to Tombstone Piledrive Evil. Evil reverses it whipping Okada in the barricade yet again. Evil pulls one chair from under the ring but that chair is taken away by the official. While the official heads off to put the chair away Evil pulls out another choking Okada with it. Evil distracts the official so that Dick Togo can beat Okada on the floor with a steel chair.
Evil escapes another Tombstone by rolling to the floor. Okada catches up with him whipping him into a barricade and DDTing him on the floor. Okada sends Evil back to the floor by drop kicking him off the top rope. As the official checks on Evil, Togo argues with Okada. Togo goes for a kick. Okada blocks it dropping Togo with a punch to the face.
Okada runs in for a Stinger Splash. Evil pulls the official in the way. The official gets knocked out. Okada puts Evil in the Money Clip. Sho and Yujiro Takahashi hit the ring lowering the boom on Okada. They hit a Fisherman Buster on Okada. Sho and Yujiro hold Okada on his head. Togo jumps off the ropes with a flying fist to the lower abdomen of Okada.
Okada kicks out of Darkness Falls. The fans start cheering in unison for Okada. Okada drops Evil to one knee with a Money Clip. Evil distracts the official again while Togo grabs Okada from the floor. Okada kicks him away, knocks Sho off the apron and into the steel barricade. Okada pushes Evil into Yujiro also knocking him off the apron. Dick Togo jumps onto the apron with his garotte distracting the official and Okada who breaks his Money Clip on Evil. Sho hits Okada who knocks the official through the ropes and to the floor. Togo garottes Okada. Okada fights off Togo, Sho and Yujiro with flying drop kicks as they surround him with weapons.
Evil hurls the official into Okada who brushes him off. Evil punches Okada in the lower abdomen. Okada stuns Evil with Everything is Evil, a slam and a Rainmaker Clothesline to secure his spot in the finals of the tournament.
Tetsuya Naito was back in solid form as he beat Will Ospreay to move on and battle Okada.
Naito began his match with Ospreay slowly taking off his entrance gear forcing a ready-to-go Ospreay to cool his jets. Naito continued to play mind games by backing off and refusing to lock-up. Naito goes for Destino and Ospreay tries for a Hidden Blade but both miss. Naito takes a walk to the floor as The United Empire members at ringside complain about Naito’s constant stalling.
Ospreay works over Naito. Courtesy: NJPW.
Ospreay chops Naito so hard Naito flies over the ropes and to the arena floor. Ospreay dives on top of Naito wiping him out as the fans cheer for him. Naito reverses an Irish Whip into the ringside barricade. Ospreay leaps over the barricade instead of hitting it. Ospreay clocks Naito with a flying forearm off the barricade.
Naito flips Ospreay over in a hip toss move of sorts that rams a knee into Ospreay’s neck and shoulder. Naito wears down Ospreay with submissions targeting his neck. Ospreay puts an end to that with a flying kick off the ropes though as does a flying forearm.
Ospreay clotheslines Naito over the ropes. The two trade shots on the apron. Ospreay leaps on the turnbuckles for perhaps an Oscutter. Naito catches him with a nasty neck breaker on the ring apron. Natio then delivers another neck breaker to Ospreay off the apron to the floor. That ends up being a big turning point in the match. Ospreay demands that Red Shoes allow the match to continue despite his neck being in utter agony.
Ospreay manages to tie Naito in the ropes. Ospreay lands a moonsault from the top rope onto a prone Naito and a Liger Bomb for a two count. Ospreay hook kicks Naito in the head. Naito dodges an Oscutter by simply pushing Ospreay away. Ospreay kicks out of a Naito roll-up.
Naito misses a dive off the ropes. Ospreay whacks him with a Hidden Blade to the back of his neck. On their knees and exhausted, they trade punches to their feet. Natio gains wrist control battering Ospreay with stinging elbow shot after stinging shot to the head. Ospreay responds with chops and hook kicks. Naito drops to the canvass. Red Shoes initiates a count. Naito makes it to his feet in time shoving Red Shoes out of the ring as he does so. Naito kicks out of a Hidden Blade and an Oscutter. Kevin Kelly pleads with Natio to stay down.
Naito kicks out of a Stardust Press and Kelly responds: Are you kidding me?!?!?!?
Naito flips out of Stormbreaker rolling up Ospreay for a two count. Naito ducks a Hidden Blade but stumbles and cannot follow up. Naito spikes Ospreay with three Destinos for the win.
G1 Climax 33 – Standings
Block A
Block B
Block C
Block D
G1 Climax 33 – Semi-Finals Results
Master Wato and Hiroyoshi Tenzan versus Hayata and Katio Kiyomiya
Kiyomiya pins Tenzan with his Shining Wizard knee strike. Tenzan congratulates both Hayata and Kiyomiya after the match.
Winners: Hayata and Katio Kiyomiya
Tomoaki Honma and Shota Umino versus Ren Narita and Minoru Suzuki
Narita makes Honma submit to his abdominal stretch thingy.
Winners: Ren Narita and Minoru Suzuki
Chaos (Yoh, Toru Yano, Togi Makabe, Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi) versus Bullet Club (Gabe Kidd, Alex Coughlin, Chase Owens, Kenta and David Finlay)
Finlay pins Makabe with Oblivion. Bullet Club attacks the faces after the match.
Winners: Bullet Club (Gabe Kidd, Alex Coughlin, Chase Owens, Kenta and David Finlay)
Los Ingobernables de Japan (Bushi, Yota Tsuji and Shingo Takagi versus The United Empire (Henare, The Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb)
Khan has Takagi in the Claw Sleeper as Henare makes Bushi submit to Ultimo.
Winners: The United Empire (Henare, The Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb)
Ryusuke Taguchi, Eddie Kingston, Tomohiro Ishii and Hiroshi Tanahashi versus TMDK (Koei Fujita, Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls and Zack Sabre Jr.)
Kingston pins Fujita with his Back Fist punch. Kingston shakes Fujita’s hand after the match in a sign of respect.
Winners: Ryusuke Taguchi, Eddie Kingston, Tomohiro Ishii and Hiroshi Tanahashi
Just Five Guys (Taka Michinoku, Douki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi and Sanada) versus Jado, El Phantasmo, Hikuleo, Tanga Loa and Tama Tanga)
Hikuleo puts Taka away with a chokeslam. Phantasmo drapes Jado over Taka for the three count. The Bullet Club War Dogs come out to taunt Hikuleo, Phantasmo and Tanga.
Winners: Jado, El Phantasmo, Hikuleo, Tanga Loa and Tama Tanga)
Kazuchika Okada versus Evil – G1 CLIMAX 33 Semi-Final
Winner: Kazuchika Okada
Tetsuya Naito versus Will Ospreay – G1 CLIMAX 33 Semi-Final
Winner: Tetsuya Naito
