David Finlay takes on EVIL as we’ve more Bullet Club shenanigans in the main event of the latest round of G1 action.
Quick Results
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Zack Sabre Jr. submitted Alex Coughlin in 11:13 (***)
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: Tama Tonga pinned Mikey Nicholls in 9:10 (**½)
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Hirooki Goto pinned Shane Haste in 2:29 (**)
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: Eddie Kingston pinned HENARE in 7:44 (***)
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Tetsuya Naito pinned Toru Yano in 7:44 (DUD)
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: Shingo Takagi pinned Tomohiro Ishii in 18:12 (***½)
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Jeff Cobb pinned Hiroshi Tanahashi in 10:30 (***¼)
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: David Finlay pinned EVIL in 16:12 (*)
The Big Hat in Nagano is the host for today’s show, and yes, we’ve still got Kevin Kelly on the English call…
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Alex Coughlin vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
A first-time meeting opens up the show, and they’ve seemingly forgotten to turn on the spotlight for Alex Coughlin.
Coughlin’s all over Sabre in the early going as he tried to show you can’t use holds to stop a punch. Problem was, when Sabre beat Coughlin to that punch, Alex found himself in trouble, needing to use his strength to overpower a triangle armbar attempt. On the outside, Kosei Fujita gets laid out as he stopped Coughlin from a belt shot, and the turnaround leads to Sabre stomping right on Coughlin’s shoulder joint. Kevin Kelly’s nearly knocked out of his seat as ZSJ’s whipped into the guard rails, before a gutwrench facebuster back inside drew a two-count. Chops have Sabre in a heap, but Zack’s neck crank created an opening… only for a hands-free backbreaker to put Coughlin back in it.
A drop toe hold from Coughlin leads to a wacky roll-up into a reverse Gory special, only for Sabre to slip out into a Cobra Twist. Coughlin counters with a pumphandle fallaway slam, before Sabre baited him towards the ropes for another submission attempt. Coughlin muscles back in, but a delayed slam’s stopped with a modified Dragon sleeper, then a grounded rear naked choke… only for Coughlin to power up and hit that slam anyway. We’re back to strikes, ending with a big lariat from Coughlin, who again had to muscle out of a submission attempt as a bridging German suplex nearly put Zack down. From there, a bridging fallaway slam added another two-count, only for Sabre to leap in with a triangle choke to force the quick submission. A really solid opener, albeit in front of an eerily-silent crowd. Coughlins now 0-3, and ended up chasing the 3-0 Sabre to the back. ***
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: Mikey Nicholls vs. Tama Tonga
Another first-timer here…
Nicholls took Tama to the early corner and looked to swing at him on the break, while a stalling suplex barely kept Tama down. On the outside, Tama takes Nicholls into the railings, before a charge saw Tama send himself over the bars as Nicholls sidestepped just in time. Back inside, Nicholls kept control, at least until Tama hit a Stinger splash into the corner and an Exploder out of it for a two-count. Tama stays ahead with the SRC death valley driver, only for a spinebuster from Nicholls and a seated lariat to turn it back around, before the Master Blaster looked to set up for a moonsault… but Tama counters with a Gun Stun on the way down, before a second one got the win. This was fine, but this Nagano crowd is killing me… **½
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Shane Haste vs. Hirooki Goto
Yup, another first-time match-up as we wrap-up the “Tumduck” opening series.
Haste jumps Goto with dropkicks at the bell, leading to a leaping cannonball into the corner for an early two-count. Goto’s doubled-over, clutching his ribs, so of course Haste targets those with kicks, only for Goto to hit back with a headbutt and the Goto-shiki roll-up for the rather-quick win. **
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: HENARE vs. Eddie Kingston
…and another first-time meeting here, as these two come in with a win and a loss so far in their G1.
HENARE waffled Kingston with a thrust kick before the bell, and we start with Kingston on the deck as a low dropkick almost gave us back-to-back short matches. Kingston’s taken into the ropes for some crossface punches, before they spilled outside as HENARE’s headbutts kept Eddie on the back foot. Back inside, HENARE works over Kingston’s right arm, shaking off a backfist attempt as Kingston then had trouble getting back up from a snapmare. An armbar looks to force a submission, but the ropes save Kingston as he eventually forced a way back in with some Exploder suplexes and a lariat.
Kingston sparked an exchange of headbutts, which didn’t feel like a good idea, as HENARE ended up switching it up, knocking down Eddie with a liver punch. A Rampage spear’s caught and turned into a DDT by Kingston, only for HENARE to return with a Berzerker Bomb out of nowhere. A step-up knee into the corner, then a PK nearly wins it for HENARE, then the Rampage, but still Eddie kicks out. A half-and-half suplex takes HENARE into the ropes, before Kingston nailed a pair of backfists either side of a headbutt, falling onto HENARE and fortuitously getting the three-count in the process as a double KO could easily have been the result here. Hampered by the iffy crowd, this was a pretty good outing – and one I want to see them run back with reactions. ***
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Toru Yano vs. Tetsuya Naito
Finally, a match with history! We’ve had ten prior singles meetings here, all but one of them coming in the G1 as these two met in eight of the ten G1s in the 2010s. Overall, Naito’s won seven with their recent matches not not even hitting the ten-minute mark.
Naito’s full-on trolling Yano, threatening to go to the back as Yano went to confront him in the aisle… and because Naito’s music looped, he walks back to the stage to restart his entrance. After what felt like a good eight minutes, plenty of time for me to not grab a coffee, Naito’s finally in the ring to start his stripping and stretching before we finally got going. Naito swerves lock-up attempts to start, then melted into the ropes when Yano did get hold of him. We get going with roll-ups from Naito, with a jack-knife almost getting the win as Yano rolled outside so he could walk to the back. Yano demands the ref hold back Naito so he could get into the ring, but Naito’s hardly on a leash… and ends up rolling outside as Yano came in.
Yano followed him outside and chucked Naito into the barriers, allowing Yano to grab some tape as he then tried to tape Naito to the barriers… except Naito pulled him through and taped Yano’s wrists around those same barriers, but Yano breaks out of the tape and rolled back into the ring just in time. Yano bops Naito on the head, then slingshotted Naito into the exposed corner for a near-fall, only to get caught with a wheelbarrow roll-up to put this one to bed. Thank God. Naito threw Yano back into the corner after the bell, then went for another pin… and thankfully they didn’t reverse the decision. A thin joke that wore out quickly. DUD.
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: Shingo Takagi vs. Tomohiro Ishii
Now for something good, hopefully. We’ve five prior meetings here, with Shingo having a 4-1 historical lead – 2020’s G1 saw Ishii’s sole win.
Fortunately, this one started off with Shingo and Ishii lamping each other with elbows, then with shoulder tackles as Ishii got barged down. An elbow drop is barely good for a one-count as Shingo added a back senton, before Ishii came back with a shoulder charge of his own. Chops and elbows follow as the pair switched around in the corner, leading to headbutts from Ishii that finally took Shingo down. Shingo returns with some blistering chops that sounded loud, especially given the quiet crowd, before he countered Ishii’s suplex with one of his own. A fake-out opened up Ishii for a DDT, while a snap back suplex drew a two-count for Shingo. Ishii back body drops Shingo away as he added a powerslam… then took one as the pair remained neck-and-neck.
Ishii’s back suplex earned him one in return as Shingo took things to the corner, fighting to keep his footing as he eventually hauled Ishii with a superplex. We cross the ten-minute mark after Ishii scored with a regular suplex… then a superplex of his own for a near-fall. A pop-up death valley driver, then a sliding lariat puts Shingo back in control, before some rapid-fire elbows ended up levelling Ishii. Out of nowhere, Ishii dropkicks away a Pumping Bomber attempt, then hit a folding powerbomb for a near-fall. A sliding lariat’s next, before Ishii’s dumped on his head with a DDT… a Made in Japan nearly ends it as we hit the final five minutes of the time limit.
Ishii’s headbutts signify an uplift in tempo, as he began piling up the near-falls, leading to the sheer-drop brainbuster… Shingo escapes and tries for a Last of the Dragon. A headbutt from Shingo has Ishii in a heap ahead of a Tiger Driver… a sliding elbow sets up for a Last of the Dragon, but Shingo can’t make the cover, as we instead hit the final two-minutes of time. That’s the cue for a Pumping Bomber… and that’s the win for Shingo. This was the best thing on the show so far, but the pacing boiled my blood somewhat – six nights in, I’m pretty sure we know draws can be a thing, and I don’t think anyone would have taken the genteel pacing of this (especially with this crowd) to the sort of sprint you’d have expected. ***½
G1 Climax 33 – Block D: Jeff Cobb vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
These two have met just once before, in 2021’s G1, with Cobb taking home the win there…
Tanahashi had little luck with a lock-up on Cobb early on, but scored with a drop toe hold into the corner pad, then with a dropkick to the knee. Heading outside, Cobb holds up Tanahashi for a suplex, then marched him into the ringpost ahead of finishing the suplex onto the side of the ring. Back inside, Cobb’s headbutt sinks Tanahashi for barely a one-count, before using Tanahashi as an air guitar en route to a bear hug. Cobb got carried away though and missed a standing moonsault, allowing Tanahashi back in with a Dragon screw, then with a leaping forearm, before a slam and a flip senton out of the corner picked up a two-count.
Cobb countered a Slingblade with a dropkick, adding a standing moonsault for a near-fall, before Cobb did a slam and flip senton of his own… only to miss as Tanahashi rolled away. A Slingblade’s next from the Ace, but he’s caught in the ropes as Cobb looked to stop a High Fly Flow, instead catching an Ace’s High. Tanahashi lands a second Slingblade as he countered out of a Cobb slam, then climbed back up top for a High Fly Flow, crashing and burning as Cobb rolled away. Tanahashi’s inside cradle almost countered the Tour of the Islands, but Cobb kicks out to trade palm strikes… a Slingblade from Cobb has Tanahashi in trouble, before a Tour of the Islands ended up putting away Tanahashi. ***¼
G1 Climax 33 – Block C: EVIL vs. David Finlay
We close with a first-time meeting and whoever wins ends the day on top of block C, but I’d be stunned if this were like Okada/Taichi from Friday… and if you didn’t think there’s gonna be shenanigans, well, EVIL came out with Dick Togo, SHO and the ghost of G1s past, Yujiro. Meanwhile, Gedo and Gabe Kidd accompanied Finlay to ringside, while extra referees appeared to try and keep things calm.
Hair pulling and shoulder tackles get us underway, before Finlay got thrown outside… causing our first lumberjack-ish stand-off between the ancillary characters at ringside. Back inside, EVIL throws Finlay into the conveniently-exposed corner, who then chokes Finlay with a t-shirt before he riled up Kidd by chucking said shirt his way. The cheating abdominal stretch followed as everyone chained up on EVIL, but the extra refs stop it as EVIL took over with a half crab. A Cactus Clothesline takes Finlay and EVIL outside, with EVIL of course wiping out the time keeper before Finlay began to work over EVIL’s wrist back inside.
Rapid-fire ref bumps lead to the Bullet Club crews hitting the ring as a West Side Story stand-off quickly deteriorated into a fight, with all the shenanigans and toys you’d expect. All the ancillary characters end up fighting to the back anyway. Red Shoes Unno’s still down, so Kenta Sato – the first of the other two refs out – takes over, just in time for Finlay to run into a clothesline. Darkness Falls gets a near-fall for EVIL, before Finlay tripped him into the exposed corner and brought him out with a running Dominator for a near-fall. Finlay shoves aside the referee so he can pound away on EVIL, before EVIL pulled the referee into the path of a spear. Dick Togo’s back in to choke on Finlay, who’d taken a low blow from EVIL in among the mess… a Magic Killer’s next on Finlay, but we’ve got a fourth referee out as Marty Asami was about to count the pin, but Gedo pulls him out as we’re so far past overbooked it’s not even funny.
EVIL plays baseball with chairs on Finlay as somehow we’re at the 15-minute mark. Good thing is, we’ve got less than five left. Using the shillelagh, EVIL swings at Finlay, but it’s blocked with Finlay’s NEVER title belt as Finlay used the wood to lay out EVIL. Red Shoes is rolled back into the ring, presumably the most healthy of the refs, as Into Oblivion ended this mess. Even Jeff Jarrett thought this was an over-booked main event. *
Updated standings:
Block A
SANADA (3-0 / 6pts)
Kaito Kiyomiya (2-0-1 / 5pts)
Gabe Kidd, Chase Owens (2-1 / 4pts)
Ren Narita, Shota Umino (0-1-2 / 2pts)
Yota Tsuji (0-2-1 / 1pt)
Hikuleo (0-3 / 0pts)
Block B
Kazuchika Okada (3-0 / 6pts)
Will Ospreay, Taichi, YOSHI-HASHI (2-1 / 4pts)
KENTA, Tanga Loa, Great O-Khan, (1-2 / 2pts)
El Phantasmo (0-3 / 0pts)
Block C
David Finlay (3-0 / 6pts)
EVIL, Eddie Kingston, Tama Tonga (2-1 / 4pts)
HENARE, Mikey Nicholls, Shingo Takagi (1-2 / 2pts)
Tomohiro Ishii (0-3 / 0pts)
Block D
Jeff Cobb, Zack Sabre Jr. (3-0 / 6pts)
Hirooki Goto, Tetsuya Naito (2-1 / 4pts)
Shane Haste, Hiroshi Tanahashi (1-2 / 2pts)
Alex Coughlin, Toru Yano (0-3 / 0pts)
We’ve another day off before we get a pair of shows at Korakuen – Tuesday’s a block A/B card that sees SANADA and Kaito Kiyomiya on top.
Overall this wasn’t as dour a show as we saw on July 18, but it was close… and my God the crowd’s inertness dragged everything down here. It seriously made this show feel like we were knee-deep in COVID once more. This show takes us about a third of the way into the tour, and it’s feeling twice as long… maybe this isn’t for me anymore?