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New Japan's Dominion in Osaka; G1 Climax 35 participants are announced:
1 - Taiji Ishimori, Chase Owens, Clark Conners and Drilla Moloney vs. Yujiro Takahashi, Ren Narita, SANADA and Bad Luck Fale
SANADA comes to the ring in a body suit like El Gigante in WWF. Hilarious.
Bad Luck Fale comes to the ring as the newest member of House of Torture.
Owens and Ishimori look betrayed.
They all brawl over ringside.
Chase Owens kicks Moloney in the balls. SANADA smashes the guitar over Moloney’s head.
SANADA pins Moloney.
Both Chase Owens and Bad Luck Fale have joined House of Torture. This makes sense as the G1 Climax approaches. There will be more stories to be told from this match. War Dogs are weakened even more.
2 - El Phantasmo and Shota Umino vs. Ryohei Oiwa and Zack Sabre Jr.
ZSJ pins Umino with a cradle roll up.
3 - Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yuya Uemura
Good match. Uemura goes for a cross arm breaker but Tanahashi rolls him up into a cradle.
Tanahashi pins Uemura.
Uemura tried to protest but the referee counted the pin and the bell ring. Uemura looked so defeated as Tanahashi’s hands were raised.
4 - IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: Master Wato and YOH vs. SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemaru
SHO gets on the mic and says they have another member. DOUKI comes out in a House of Torture shirt. Kanemaru excuses himself from the match and DOUKI replaces him.
This becomes a 3 on 2 match.
Kanemaru hits the Suntory Surprise on Wato. SHO hits YOH with the wrench. DOUKI pulls out his steel pipe and blasted Wato in the leg. DOUKI applies a leg submission.
Wato taps out.
DOUKI and SHO win the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championship.
SHO now holds the Jr. Tag belts and NEVER 6-man Tag belts.
DOUKI continued to beat down Wato after the match.
House of Torture is establishing themselves as the face of New Japan right now. Hopefully, whoever they choose to be the top babyfaces to face them, I hope they can live up to that status.
5 - IWGP Tag Team Championship: Callum Newman and Great O-Khan vs. Taichi and Tomohiro Ishii
Good match! Newman went for an Oscutter but Taichi kicked him in the head midair. Ishii hit a brainbuster on Newman. Taichi hits a super kick on O-Khan. Taichi hits Black Mephisto on Newman.
Taichi pins Newman.
Taichi and Tomohiro Ishii win the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
The G1 Climax 35 participants are announced:
A Block:
Hirooki Goto
Boltin Oleg
Yuya Uemura
Yota Tsuji
David Finlay
EVIL
SANADA
Hiroshi Tanahashi
B Block:
El Phantasmo
Shota Umino
Shingo Takagi
Zack Sabre Jr.
Great O-Khan
Gabe Kidd
Ren Narita
Konosuke Takeshita
There will be matches at Korakuen Hall to determine the final two spots in both Blocks.
Looks like no wrestlers from outside the company will be competing in this G1, unless they show up at Korakuen as surprises. All the announced G1 competitors are on this card tonight.
I would expect Drilla Moloney, YOSHI-HASHI, Bad Luck Fale and Chase Owens to be added.
The G1 line up is not surprising at all and it is represents what New Japan is. Other than Tanahashi, there are no household names or superstars that would draw on a global level.
Once Tanahashi retires New Japan will lose their top babyface.
6 - NEVER Openweight Championship: Konosuke Takehita vs. Boltin Oleg
Oleg blocks a Power Drive Knee and hits a Kamikaze.
Oleg pins Takeshita.
Boltin Oleg wins the NEVER Openweight Championship.
Wow. Oleg wins his first singles title in New Japan.
So far ever title has switched tonight.
7 - Dog Collar Chain Death Match: David Finlay vs. EVIL
All of House of Torture comes with EVIL to ringside. War Dogs also come to the ring.
Lots of shenanigans in this match. Finlay get destroyed by everyone in House of Torture.
EVIL applies the Darkness Scorpion and chokes out Finlay.
Finlay passes out and EVIL wins the match.
Finlay is carried out on a stretcher.
To see all the men now in House of Torture in the ring, this is now the strongest faction in New Japan. This was impressive. However, there are shades of WCW and the NWO when everyone joined and there were no babyfaces. That is not good for the wrestling product of New Japan.
8 - IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Yota Tsuji vs. Gabe Kidd
Another good stiff match. Kidd missed a plancha off the top rope and the crowd started groaning. But Kidd was able to get the crowd back and hit a tombstone on the floor. They exchange strikes. They trade finishers. Many nearfalls. Kidd hits a Death Rider, and follows with a Piledriver.
Kidd pins Tsuji.
Gabe Kidd wins the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship.
Well deserved win. Kidd represents all that is New Japan and that style of pro wrestling.
Kidd puts over Tsuji and puts him and Tsuji along side the greats of New Japan.
Kidd calls out Tanahashi to the ring. Kidd opens the ropes for him. He offers a challenge to Tanahashi on his Final Road Tour. Tanahashi accepts.
9 - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Hirooki Goto vs. Shingo Takagi
Another good match. Crowd was chanting for both men. They traded their best moves and strikes. Takagi hits Made in Japan. Two count. Takagi with a Pumping Bomber and Burning Dragon. Two count. They trade strikes. Goto hits a Shotenkai. But he cannot make the cover.
They trade nearfalls. Takagi goes for Last of the Dragon. Goto escapes and hits a stiff GTR. Takagi kicks out. Goto hits a GTR Kai.
Goto pins Takagi
Hirooki Goto retains the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Zack Sabre Jr. confronts Goto in the interview area and wants another shot at the belt before the G1 Climax. Goto accepts
New Japan has events (house shows) this week to fill the final four spots in the G1 Climax starting June 18.
The G1 Climax 35 begins July 19.
Thank you for reading.
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