After twice coming close to beating Zack Sabre Jr. for the NJPW World TV Title, Jeff Cobb has another crack – this time in the G1.
Quick Results
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: EVIL pinned Henare in 12:03 (***¼)
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Alex Coughlin pinned Hirooki Goto in 6:23 (**¾)
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: Shingo Takagi pinned Mikey Nicholls in 9:13 (***¼)
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Hiroshi Tanahashi pinned Toru Yano in 7:45 (**¾)
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: Tomohiro Ishii pinned Eddie Kingston in 16:12 (****½)
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Shane Haste pinned Tetsuya Naito in 13:44 (***½)
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: Tama Tonga pinned David Finlay in 14:22 (***¼)
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Jeff Cobb pinned Zack Sabre Jr. in 16:16 (***¾)
We’re inside a sold-out Korakuen Hall for the first of two back-to-back nights here… and since we’re in Tokyo, Kevin Kelly isn’t flying solo as Chris Charlton is back alongside him.
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: EVIL vs. HENARE
HENARE’s 0-2 against EVIL, with both of those matches coming in the last twelve months…
Dick Togo attacked Henare with a chair from behind, as Kevin Kelly rightfully pointed out the absurdity of EVIL distracting the ref before the bell. I’m booing too. When we get going, EVIL’s all over HENARE, taking him outside and shoving him into the timekeeper’s table, before he choked HENARE with the ringside mic. HENARE’s taken into the crowd, but he overpowers EVIL and chucks his head into the WEST sign. Back in the ring, a back senton squashes EVIL for a two-count, following up with an attempt at the Ultima that’s elbowed away.
HENARE misses a springboard enziguiri, but was able to come back with a Berzerker Bomb for a near-fall. EVIL rolls outside as HENARE teed up for a Rampage, but HENARE’s caught out with Dick Togo’s distraction and gets thrown into the guard rails… then into the crowd as EVIL marched him up the stairwells.
EVIL teases a Fisherman buster on the walkway, but then grabbed the ref so Dick Togo could choke out HENARE with the garotte. HENARE overpowers the wire, then clotheslined Togo and EVIL before the pair headed back to ringside. Another crack at the Ultima’s stopped by EVIL, who then whipped HENARE into an exposed corner… only for HENARE to race back with a diving knee. HENARE’s Rampage is side-stepped as he’s sent into the corner, while a release Fisherman buster almost gets EVIL the win. Darkness Falls is next, before a spinning heel kick took EVIL into the corner. A Yuji Nagata-like knee followed, then the Rampage, before a HENARE headbutt sank EVIL. He can’t capitalise with a cover though, as he instead adds a PK for a near-fall.
EVIL escapes a Streets of Rage, then grabbed the ref as Dick Togo inserted himself… HENARE punches through the chair Dick had brought in, but the referee turns around to see HENARE with the chair… he gets rid of it, missing a low blow and Everything is EVIL, turning around to count the pin. A tough loss for HENARE, but refreshingly light on bullshit. ***¼
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Alex Coughlin vs. Hirooki Goto
These two haven’t met one-on-one before – but did feud over the IWGP and NJPW Strong Openweight tag titles earlier this month…
Coughlin attacks Goto before the bell, throwing him outside and into the guard rails before he leapt the barriers and grabbed a chair from the front row. That chair’s driven into Goto’s taped-up ribs, as Coughlin looked to secure an easy count-out win. Of course, Goto beats the count, but Coughlin stays on those ribs, taking Goto outside as he drove the IWGP tag champion into the side of the ring. Back inside, Coughlin stretches Goto with an abdominal stretch, turning it into a Cobra Twist that almost pinned Goto, who ended up needing the ropes to force the break.
Goto tries to fight back, taking Coughlin to the corner, leading to a dropkick to the leg, then a back suplex out of the corner. Goto can’t make the cover quickly enough, as Coughlin eventually kicks out at two… Goto looks to go for an ushigoroshi, but Coughlin fought free and punched out Goto. A Jackhammer attempt’s escaped as Goto eventually went for GTR… an eye rake stops that, as did a knee to the midsection, before Coughlin took home the surprisingly-quick win with a Jackhammer. **¾
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: Mikey Nicholls vs. Shingo Takagi
We’ve another first-time meeting here, as Shingo’s needing to get a win to pull away from the bottom of the block.
Shingo wasted no time on Nicholls as the pair looked to trade shoulder tackles in the early going, but we quickly reach an impasse as Nicholls avoided a sliding lariat. Nicholls’ side headlock restrains Shingo before things went outside, with Shingo getting thrown into the rails, then the side of the ring. Rolling back in, Shingo’s pounced on by Nicholls with a delayed suplex, before he began to stretch the former champion. A battle of lariats ended with Shingo landing his, before a back senton squished Nicholls ahead of a suplex for a two-count.
Nicholls eats a clothesline in the corner, then a sliding lariat for another two-count, before he caught Shingo with a DDT. That leads to a superplex on Shingo, before the pair traded Junkyard Dog-like headbutts as the pair fought back to their feet. Nicholls is leaking blood from those headbutts, but manages to catch Shingo with a death valley driver and a seated lariat for a near-fall. Shingo tries to get back in it as they exchange lariats, and the hard hits end with Shingo literally running into Nicholls as what looked like a Pumping Bomber attempt proved to be enough to get the win. ***¼
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Toru Yano vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Be-Bop Tag League explode… and holy heck, these two have a history going back to 2003. From 21 prior singles matches, Tanahashi’s won 17 of them – but Yano won their last meeting back in the G1 three years ago…
Tanahashi scolds Yano early on for trying to win with a roll-up, before we spy a noticeable bulge in Yano’s gear. Get your mind out of the gutter, it’s tape. Grappling eventually happens, leading to Yano nearly surprising Tanahashi with a cradle, before they broke down into strikes.
Yano manages to roll away from a telegraphed flip senton from Tanahashi, who was taken outside and sent into the guard rails from there. Problem was, Yano telegraphed his use of tape, allowing Tanahashi to neutralise it by handing the tape to a kid in the front row, before we had.. .a corner pad Dragon screw from Yano?! Tanahashi takes the exposed corner with a whip, then with a slingshot, before he fought out of Yano’s take on the Last Ride. A regular Dragon screw takes Yano down, while a wacky spear from Yano took Tanahashi into the referee. Yep. Yano swings a chair at Tanahashi, who ducked before he manages to come back and all-but-knocked Yano out of the G1, putting him away with a High Fly Flow. This wasn’t great, and will sadly provide ammunition for those who have noticed Tana’s very much on the downswing. **¾
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Eddie Kingston
We’ve two prior meetings here – and a split record, as Ishii beat Kingston on the NJPW Strong Capital Collision event in May 2022, while Kingston levelled things up on the pre-show on last year’s AEW All Out.
The pair open with a Test of Strength, with Kingston winning out ahead of a suplex and a leaping stomp onto the downed Ishii. Kingston’s lower back is already proving problematic though, as we then moved to some blistering chops between the pair. Ishii wins out, as he kept on laying into Kingston, who was doing his best to back away. A back suplex from Ishii leaves Kingston in a heap… but Eddie’s able to return with a knee drop off the middle rope, which looked like it did equal damage. Machine Gun chops followed from Kingston, then an Exploder suplex out of the corner, before we went back to the chops. Kingston tries to laugh them off as Korakuen got behind the pair of them, but it’s Ishii who’s looking the worse for wear here.
Finally, Kingston chopped down Ishii, before Ishii replied with the rapid-fire elbows… only to get thrown back with a half-and-half suplex. Kingston stayed on him, only to have his Backfist to the Future lariat’d away. The marked-up Ishii tries to push on with more clotheslines, but got waylaid with a lariat from Kingston ahead of a backdrop driver that almost won it. The Stretch Plum follows from Kingston, but he lets go of the hold to go for a pin… and Ishii just gets his shoulder up in time. A headbutt from Ishii turns it back around as Kingston barely kicked out in time, only to return with a LOUD chop that prompted Ishii to fire back with an enziguiri. Kingston’s enziguiri just earned him a lariat in return, but Eddie’s up at one as he slapped away a brainbuster attempt… then cracked Ishii with a pair of backfists for a near-fall.
We’re at the 15-minute mark with Ishii hitting a half-Codebreaker, then a sliding lariat for a near-fall before the sheer-drop brainbuster finally put Kingston away. This was fantastically rough around-the-edges, feeling scrappy – but in a good way. Make sure this goes on your watch lists if you’re cherry-picking this G1, because this was fantastic! ****½
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Shane Haste vs. Tetsuya Naito
I’m sure you’re shocked, but this is a first-time match-up…
Naito wanted to swap hats with Haste, but ended up flinging it into the crowd before he chucked Haste outside at the bell. Returning, Haste took down Naito with a dropkick before he donned the LIJ baseball cap and scored with a dropkick. Naito’s reverse neckbreaker in the ropes swings it back around though, as we spill back outside and into the crowd as Naito ended up hitting a neckbreaker over the guard rails. Back inside, a cravat kept Naito ahead as the ropes forced a break, only for Naito to reapply the cravat. Haste manages to fight back with a Falcon arrow for a near-fall, only for Naito to regain control, taking Haste out of the corner with Esperanza, before an uppercut stopped a Destino attempt.
Haste adds a backdrop suplex to that, only for Naito to spike Haster with a tornado DDT moments after. A shot to the knee from Haste shuts that all down though as another back suplex drew a somewhat passive two-count, before Naito hit a Destino to counter the Bomb Valley Death. Another Destino attempt is again stopped by Haste, this time with a clothesline, before Naito finally hit it at the third time of asking. Somehow, Haste’s able to kick out, before he countered another Destino into the Bomb Valley Death for the upset! A heck of a showing for Haste, who many would have discounted throughout, and ends up not only busting a lot of pick’ems today, but also creates a real pile-up at four points in the block. ***½
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: Tama Tonga vs. David Finlay
Finlay’s 3-0 against Tama Tonga – starting with a semi-final win in 2020’s New Japan Cup USA, while a semi-final win in this year’s New Japan Cup (proper) and a win for the NEVER Openweight title at Wrestling Dontaku in May completed Finlay’s hattrick.
Finlay’s jumped in the aisle as Tama Tonga stormed him… and the bell sounds with them fighting up in the stands. Tama throws Finlay into the wall by the projection screen, before he ignored the ref’s pleas to take things into the ring, instead teasing a suplex off of the raised seating decks… only for Finlay to shove him to the floor. Tama looked to have tweaked his knee in that landing as Finlay shoved a fan out of their seat so he could use it. The ref’s had enough and starts a count-out, which prompted Finlay to roll Tama into the ring as he began to focus on the knee. A DDT to the leg jars Tama’s knee some more, only for Tama to retaliate with a dropkick as Finlay came off the ropes.
Tama beats Finlay into the corner, following up with a clothesline and a Stinger splash into the corner. Finlay’s able to avoid a Tongan Twist as a uranage backbreaker turned it around for a near-fall, before Tama eventually hit back with the SRC and a Supreme Flow… only to land squarely on Finlay’s knees. Finlay targets the knees again by slamming Tama into the ropes, as a Sharpshooter saw him sit down deep on Tama before the ropes led to the break. Tama’s able to launch Finlay to the outside ahead of a plancha… a Supreme Flow is up next, this time landing for a near-fall, before Tama called for a Gun Stun… only to get rolled up as they go back-and-forth. A Blue Thunder Bomb nearly wins it for Finlay, who added a sit-out Dominator for another near-fall.
Finlay teases a powerbomb, but instead decked Tama with a couple of rolling elbows, while a spear led to a powerbomb… only for Tama to counter out with a ‘rana for the win. ***¼
Post-match, Finlay decks Tama with the shillelagh, and I guess we’re going back to Tama and Finlay towards the back end of 2023?
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Jeff Cobb vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
Zack’s never lost to Jeff Cobb in a singles match – but we do have a 15:00 time limit draw from earlier this year as the two fought over ZSJ’s NJPW World TV title…
After taking a diversion into the crowd during his entrance, Sabre finally got going as the pair started by going back-and-forth, with Sabre’s wristlock taking Cobb to the mat. Cobb’s able to escape, cartwheeling away before he saw Sabre bounce off him amid an attempted shoulderblock.
A leaping shoulderblock from Cobb knocks Sabre down as Zack was getting visibly frustrated… and it got worse for Sabre as Cobb met him on the outside with a headbutt. An Irish whip follows as Sabre’s taken into the guard rails, eventually charging back with a guillotine… that Cobb easily threw aside. Back inside, Cobb headbutts Sabre in the corner, then bounced him against the opposite corner pad with an Irish whip. Sabre’s able to recover with a tornado DDT, following up with a dropkick before a neck twist cut off Cobb’s attempted comeback.
Cobb tries his luck with a Spin Cycle, but Sabre’s able to maneuver into a rear naked choke as that came into play. Switching things up, Cobb chops Sabre down, then countered a guillotine as he simply suplexed Sabre away. A dropkick takes care of Sabre’s next attempt, before a Spin Cycle left Sabre laying. The Tour of the Islands again gets countered into a crucifix, but this time Cobb kicks out… only to get caught in an armbar as Sabre began to tie him up. The ropes save Cobb, who then tried a Euro clutch… but they counter and counter before Sabre rolled away from a standing moonsault and hit his Euro clutch pin for a near-fall to take us past the 15-minute mark. Cobb perhaps got too hot-headed as Sabre kicks away a clothesline, but the pair end up trading German suplexes, leading to a PK from Sabre, who then ran into the effective standing F5. From there, the Tour of the Islands finally lands, and that’s enough to get Cobb his first win over Sabre – and stand alone at the top of the block. ***¾
Updated standings, as we’re now getting eliminations:
Block A
SANADA (4-0 / 8pts)
Kaito Kiyomiya (2-1-1 / 5pts)
Shota Umino (1-1-2 / 4pts)
Gabe Kidd, Chase Owens (2-2 / 4pts)
Yota Tsuji (1-2-1 / 3pts)
Ren Narita (0-2-2 / 2pts)
Hikuleo (1-3 / 2pts)
Block B
Kazuchika Okada (4-0 / 8pts)
Will Ospreay (3-1 / 6pts)
KENTA, Taichi, YOSHI-HASHI (2-2 / 4pts)
Tanga Loa, Great O-Khan, El Phantasmo (1-3 / 2pts)
Block C
EVIL, David Finlay, Tama Tonga (3-1 / 6pts)
Eddie Kingston, Shingo Takagi (2-2 / 4pts)
HENARE, Tomohiro Ishii, Mikey Nicholls (1-3 / 2pts)
Block D
Jeff Cobb (4-0 / 8pts)
Zack Sabre Jr. (3-1 / 6pts)
Hirooki Goto, Shane Haste, Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi (2-2 / 4pts)
Alex Coughlin (1-3 / 2pts)
Toru Yano (0-4 / 0pts) eliminated
The G1 stays in Tokyo tomorrow as the Ota City General Gymnasium hosts a Kazuchika Okada/Will Ospreay main event… and then we’ve got two days off as block C/D picks up in Aichi with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Hirooki Goto on top.
After a few days of so-so shows, this was perhaps the closest we’ve gotten back to this feeling like a true G1 – but if you only have time for one match here, make sure it’s Kingston vs. Ishii!