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7/15 NJPW G1 CLIMAX RESULTS FROM OPENING NIGHT IN HOKKAIDO, JAPAN

NJPW G1 Climax From Sapporo, Hokkaido:

With 32 wrestlers spread over 4 Blocks, most of these cards will be all G1 Climax matches.  A and B Block matches will be grouped together.  Tomorrow, C and D Block matches will take place.

1 - YOSHI-HASHI vs. El Phantasmo

YOSHI-HASHI jumped on the shoulders of ELP and rolled him up in a crucifix.

YOSHI-HASHI pins ELP.

Phantasmo was selling his neck after the match.

2 - Chase Owens vs. Gabe Kidd

Owens comes to the ring.  Kidd attacks him with a chair.  Kidd drags Owens into the crowd and Owens gets thrown into the chairs.   Kidd punches the young lions trying to keep order.  Kidd hits a flying plancha off the entryway on Owens.  

They get back to the ring when the referee starts the match.  

Owens hits a half and half suplex, a C-Trigger and a Package Piledriver.

Owens pins Kidd

Owens tells Kevin Kelly that he is getting off to a good start.  He does not know what was that was about (fighting in the crowd), but he did not survive three eras of Bullet Club for nothing.  He is Bullet Club for Life.

3 - Tanga Loa, with Jado vs. KENTA

Good back and forth match.  KENTA tried to pull his tricks and went after Tanga Loa’s repaired knee.

Tanga Loa hits Apeshit and pins KENTA

Tanga Loa looks good and refreshed after time off. 

4 - Shota Umino vs. Ren Narita

Good match.  Both Umino and Narita were evenly matched.  

Both men battled to a 20 minute draw.  Both get 1 point each for their draw.

Interesting result.  Neither man got a win, or got over on the other, but looked strong against each other.   Both men will be connected for the rest of their careers.

5 - Kazuchika Okada vs. Great O-Khan

Okada pins O-Khan after a Rainmaker. 

Another good competitive match.  Despite the loss, O-Khan looked solid.  The young stars will benefit from being in the ring with Okada and O-Khan in the A Block.

6 - Yota Tsuji vs. Kaito Kiyomiya

 Tsuji hit a tope suicida on Kiyomiya on his way to the ring.   Tsuji tried to get an early advantage.  Kiyomiya fought his way back.   Kiyomiya with a half nelson into a modified Falcon Arrow.   Kiyomiya hit a Shining Wizard.

Kiyomiya pins Tsuji

7 - Taichi vs. Will Ospreay

Ospreay was in control of the match till Taichi hit a kick to head.  Ospreay was selling the ear and his equilibrium was off, to the point he could not climb to the top rope.  They threw strikes, so Ospreay seemed ok.

Taichi hits a super kick to counter the Hidden Blade.   Taichi with Black Mephisto.

Taichi pins Ospreay.

Wow!  Another good match.  Big win for Taichi over the new U.S. Champion.  Title shot should be coming soon.

8 - SANADA vs. Hikuleo

SANADA hits Dead Fall and pins Hikuleo.

After the match, SANADA brings out Taichi with the KOPW Championship.   Sapporo is Taichi’s hometown.  (I previously noted that Shingo Takagi had KOPW Title.  My apologies.)  

This event and tomorrow’s event is free on NJPW World.  Check it out.

A Block	Points Earned
SANADA	2
Shota Umino	1
Ren Narita	1
Yota Tsuji	0
Hikuleo	0
Chase Owens	2
Gabe Kidd	0
Kaito Kiyomiya	2
B Block	Points Earned
Kazuchika Okada	2
YOSHI-HASHI	2
Tanga Loa	2
El Phantasmo	0
Taichi	2
Will Ospreay	0
Great O-Khan	0
KENTA	0
C Block	Points Earned
Tama Tonga
Tomohiro Ishii
Shingo Takagi
Mikey Nicholls
Aaron Henare
Eddie Kingston
David Finlay
EVIL
D Block	Points Earned
Hiroshi Tanahashi
Hirooki Goto
Toru Yano
Tetsuya Naito
Zack Sabre Jr.
Shane Haste
Jeff Cobb
Alex Coughlin

Thank you for reading.

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