Sambus’ NJPW G1 Climax 36 Night Six Review 07.25.26

 

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Venue: Ota Ku Ebara Wave Arena

Commentary: Walker Stewart & Chris Charlton

 

[A Block] Hirooki Goto [4] vs Great-O-Khan [2]

O-Khan with a boot to Goto just before the bell, and he follows up with Mongolian chops. Whips into the corner, Goto comes right back with a shoulder block. Goto begins to work over the leg in the corner, hip toss back into the center of the ring. O-Khan rolls to the outside for a reprieve, and calls Goto out after him, but Goto won’t play into his games. Goto takes a firm stance in the middle of the ring so the ref begins to count O-Khan out. O-Khan to the apron, gets knocked back off, and now Goto follows him out. O-Khan with a snap suplex on the floor. Chair shot to the spine, opens it out and sits on the chest of Goto.

Back in the ring, misdirection lariat catches O-Khan. Spinning wheel kick followed by the back suplex, cover for 2. O-Khan applies the Iron Claw and dumps Goto to the floor, and Goto clutches his leg as it may have been a nasty spill there. O-Khan swings a chair wildly, looking to crush Goto’s head against the ringpost, but Goto ducks and delivers a bulldog onto the floor! Elbow drop from the ropes, cover for 2. Ushi-goroshi, 1, 2, no.

GTR attempt, but O-Khan bites the upper arm of Goto to prevent it. Now bites the head. Reverse GTR from Goto, but O-Khan then knocks the ref into the path of Goto to block a follow up. O-Khan boots Goto from behind to capitalize, and brings a couple of chairs into the ring. He goes for the chair-assisted golf swing, but Goto blocks it with the chair. He thinks about a chair shot of his own, so O-Khan drops to his knees, pleading. Goto raises the chair above his head but thinks twice and tosses the chair away…only for O-Khan to low blow him instead. ELIMINATOR! 1, 2, 3.

Winner: Great-O-Khan

Time: 10:43

Rating: **3/4 – A shenanigan-filled closing sequence, but it put over that of course O-Khan would stoop to any and every cheap trick. It fits the character, even if it’s not the most inspired or exhilarating watch.

*Post-match, Tatsuya Matsumoto shields Goto from a further attack and eats a chairshot to the back. O-Khan disposes of him, and then takes Goto out once more with the golf swing chairshot.

 

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[A Block] Jake Lee [4] vs SANADA [2]

On paper, this does not look very fun, but I’m trying to keep an open mind about SANADA after that great match with Goto the other day. No face paint for Jake Lee tonight. Lee toys with SANADA a little, and SANADA comes back with a dropkick to the leg. To the apron, Lee pulls him to the floor and grabs a belt, tying up the right arm of SANADA against the guard rail. Running boot to the arm, Lee brings him back inside the ring and whips the arm into the mat. Kick to the spine, cocky cover from Lee for 2. SANADA tries to mount a comeback, but a quick kick to the arm puts a stop to that. Dropkicks from SANADA though, and a plancha to the outside. Both men back in the ring, Lee goes for a suplex, SANADA lands on his feet, grounds Lee and attempts the Paradise Lock, no, Lee reverses and wrenches back with a double arm lock! Back suplex, Lee covers for a 2 count. FBS denied, SANADA whips off a Magic Screw to create some space. SANADA leaps into the Dragon Sleeper, slightly loses his footing but recovers. He drops him, goes up top, rounding body press misses but he catches the Giant killer knee attempt. Another dropkick to the knee by SANADA followed by a Shining Wizard!

SANADA tries another Shining Wizard, Lee catches it and applies an Ankle Lock. SANADA up, knee to the face, front chancery applied. SANADA is fading but fires up and grabs the ropes. Dropkick to the knee once more, and another Shining Wizard. SANADA up top, rounding body press connects this time. 1, 2, NO. Roundhouse kick from Lee, chokeslam is denied, but a brainbuster connects. SANADA rolls to the outside, Lee meets him and delivers a mat return to the apron. Lee goes for a kick, SANADA catches it. Magic Screw from the apron, and the ref has been counting through all of this. Now SANADA applies the Paradise Lock on Lee, wrapping him around the guard rail!! Count is up to 18! 19! SANADA back in, 20! Lee is counted out.

Winner: SANADA

Time: 13:28

Rating: ***1/4 – That’s a really neat finish to a match that I enjoyed a lot more than I thought I would. SANADA was a little too over-reliant on the dropkicks and Shining Wizards, but on the whole looked decent. Lee reversing the Paradise Lock was a neat moment (especially as it was the Paradise Lock that later led to his downfall), and he showed a more technical side to his game plan. A refreshing reminder that both these guys are pretty good when character stuff doesn’t get in the way.

 

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[A Block] Konosuke Takeshita [4] vs Boltin Oleg [4]

Oleg comes out of the block hot, charging in for shoulder blocks. It’s Takeshita who eventually knocks Oleg down and to the outside, and he follows with the tope con hilo. Fast pace from the off and I wouldn’t be surprised if this one doesn’t go too long. Double arm lock from Takeshita, Oleg tries to turn but Takeshita has it in deep. He manages to shrug him off but the damage to Oleg’s arms may be done. Shotgun dropkick knocks Takeshita back. Takeshita charges, Oleg lifts him up and tosses him with a body slam. Flying body sausage gets 2. Huge chop from Oleg and he gutwrenches Takeshita with the Boltin Shake. Boltin Bomb is denied as Takeshita gets the knees up. Running elbow from Takeshita in the corner, splash in return by Oleg. Leaping knee Akiyama-style and Takeshita follows up with the Blue Thunder Bomb, 1, 2, no.

Takeshita looks for an exploder, Oleg clubs out of it. They trade forearms and elbow strikes, until Takeshita catches him with that exploder. Boltin-to-belly suplex in response! Double clotheslines, and again. They go for it again, but it’s Oleg who turns Takeshita inside out with a huge lariat! 1, 2, no. Powerbomb attempt, back body drop to escape by Takeshita. Powerdrive Knee is caught, Oleg turns it into the Verdict! 1, 2, NO! Oleg is thinking Kamikaze but Takeshita slips behind. More lariats, and now Takeshita takes Oleg’s head off with one. Cover, 1 count kickout. Powerdrive Knee! 1, 2, NO. Front chancery, lifts Oleg up…Oleg won’t stay down, and he tosses Takeshita overhead to break it. Kamikaze! 1, 2, KICKOUT. Both men to their feet, trading blows. Takeshita takes a hold of Oleg’s trunks and demands he does the same. Thye trade big forearms back and forth, back and forth! Takeshita builds momentum, Oleg catches him off-guard with one. Discus forearm!! 1, 2, NOOO!

Powerdrive Knee again countered, powerbomb! 1, 2, NO. Tenzan-style, Oleg goes for the Boston Crab, muscles him up for the Kamikaze, but Takeshita holds onto the ropes. POWERDRIVE KNEE to the back of the head. One more Powerdrive Knee for good measure….OLEG EATS IT AND FIRES UP! Another Powerdrive Knee, and the Raging Fire is enough for the 1, 2, 3!

Winner: Konosuke Takeshita

Time: 14:19

Rating: **** – What a war, and all within a 15-minute sprint! This was your big-meaty-men-slapping-meat affair, and they threw everything at each other. Crowd really got behind Oleg in that one which was lovely to see – that meant the reaction to him eating the penultimate Powerdrive Knee was MOLTEN. I’m often hard on Oleg as he still has a lot to learn, but there’s no taking away that this was a great showing from him.

 

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[A Block] Yuto-Ice [2] vs Ryohei Oiwa [4]

Yuto-Ice is still heavily taped up across the shoulders and neck. He comes out of the gate hot, taking it to Oiwa in the corner, who still has the taped ribs. Kick to the midsection and Oiwa spills to the outside. Oiwa heads up the aisle, and calls for Yuto-Ice to join him up there. They trade strikes and brawl among the fans, Oiwa getting tossed into the chairs. DDT from Oiwa into one of the chairs! Back towards the ring, Oiwa whips Yuto-Ice into the ringpost. A dropkick to the side of the head catches Yuto-Ice as he attempts to get back in the ring. Yuto-Ice grabs the hair and tugs him to the canvas. Kick to the midsection, and now knees to the injured ribs of Oiwa.

Yuto-Ice takes a run up, bomboclaat knee! Cover, 1, 2, no. Oiwa with a desperation DDT gets 2. Elbows to the back of the neck, and a clubbing blow knocks Yuto-Ice down. Yuto-Ice comes back with a slap across the chest, and a biiiig PK. 1, 2, kickout. Yuto-Ice says it’s time to make money. He stomps away at Oiwa, which fires up his opponent, and now they trade hard chops. Kick takes Oiwa down, Oiwa right back up! They trade more blows until Yuto-Ice goes for one but collapses, the nerves in his neck being tweaked. Oiwa with a headbutt! Series of headbutts and he flips off Yuto-Ice, delivering a big lariat. Hammer and anvil elbows, Dragon Sleeper with the arm trapped. Yuto-Ice is writhing in pain but reaches for the ropes, manages to get there to break the hold.

More elbow shots from Oiwa, the ref pulls Oiwa off him as it may be time for a ref stoppage, but Oiwa doesn’t want that. Tenzan suplex! And again! LARIAT, 1, 2, NOOO! Roaring elbow is BLOCKED with a huge right hand, and Yuto-Ice sets up for the knee, no, rear naked sleeper by Oiwa. Another lariat, Yuto-Ice won’t go down, and he blocks another attempt. Rebound lariat, 1, 2, NOOO! Oiwa may be thinking Chaos Theory, denied, running KNEE from Yuto-Ice! Discus lariat in the corner, Yuto-Ice may be out. SUPERKICK from Yuto-Ice!!! CRUELLA! 1, 2, 3!!

Winner: Yuto-Ice

Time: 15:18

Rating: ***3/4 – Great energy from both competitors, and this ‘felt’ important, both men desperately wanting the bragging rights of gaining the victory over their generational rival. Some tremendous back and forth action here which felt like it could have gone either way. Both men are looking great in this tournament so far.

 

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[A Block] Yota Tsuji [2] vs Shingo Takagi [2]

Lockup, backing into the ropes, clean break from Shingo. Test of strength, again backed into the ropes, clean break from Tsuji but he immediately follows with a forearm shot. Tsuji with a tijeras takedown, Shingo comes back with a hip toss and a shoulder tackle. Elbow drop gets 2 for Shingo. Jabs in the corner leading to a chop, and a vertical suplex connects for another 2. Shingo rallies the crowd, and Tsuji attacks him from behind with a running elbow shot, which draws boos from the crowd. Snapmare, elbow drop, Tsuji covers but just gets 1. Headbutts from Shingo, Tsuji delivers the double knee gutbuster, and follows with a knee strike to the midsection. Tsuji boots Shingo in the face a few times, but that just seems to fire him up. Takagi goes for a suplex, Tsuji puts the brakes on and delivers one of his own.

Series of strikes from Shingo leads to a misdirection DDT, and he clotheslines Tsuji to the outside. They whip each other into the guard rail, and trade lariats. Shingo attempts to get back in the ring, Tsuji is there to knock him back with a basement dropkick. Tsuji to the apron, Shingo pulls him down, butterflies the arms…SHINGO WITH A TIGER DRIVER 98 on the outside!!! Good LORD.

Tsuji manages to get back in the ring at 18. Shingo sits him on the top rope, goes up with him, and the superplex connects. 1, 2, no. Pumphandle, may be thinking Made in Japan, Tsuji counters with the three-hit STO/flatliner/curb-stomp combo. Tsuji is looking for Made in Japan! Nope can’t get it, but he does hit an enziguri and a knee strike in the corner. Release Michinoku driver, 1, 2, no.

Marlowe Crash attempt, Shingo blocks it. Headbutts, lariats Tsuji down from the corner. MADE IN JAPAN! 1, 2, NO! Sliding lariat from behind, he thinks about a Gene Blaster of his own!! DENIED, Tsuji with a MADE IN JAPAN! 1, 2, NO. Pumping Bomber from Tsuji!! 1 count. Tsuji locks in the Boston Crab, has it in deep in the center of the ring. Eventually it’s Tsuji who has to release it, doesn’t have the strength to keep it locked in. CURB STOMP. Tsuji takes a knee for Gene Blaster but Shingo sees him coming, LARIATOOOO. On their knees now, they trade elbow shots and forearms, getting to their feet. Tsuji gets rocked with a shot…comes back with a headbutt. Headbutt from Shingo in return. They keep trading headbutts until Shingo is like “woooah, wait!” They back into opposite corners, and now they play a game of chicken and charge at each other…but Shingo is smart and sidesteps, delivering the German suplex, followed immediately with a Half Nelson suplex. PUMPING BOMBERRRR! 1, 2, NOOO! Tsuji comes back with a German, and the GENE BLASTER! Tsuji waits in the corner, goes for another Gene Blaster but Shingo catches him in a front chancery and delivers a Twist & Shout.

Rising knee from Tsuji, Takagi with a lariat, Tsuji comes back with another GENE BLASTER. 1, 2, NO. Tsuji with the Silver Lining, 1, 2, NO! Shingo is primed for Tsuji to hit the Gene Blaster, but Shingo ducks and rolls into a victory roll, 1, 2, NO. Sliding lariat from behind! Both men are down.

To their feet, more strikes exchanged, POISONRANA FROM SHINGO. Gene Blaster again stopped with a Dragon Blaster, Shingo with the BURNING DRAGON! 1, 2, NOOOO. Shingo looks for the Pumping Bomber, Tsuji ducks it and comes right back with the FIRE BLASTERRRRR! 1, 2, 3!

Winner: Yota Tsuji

Time: 24:12

Rating: ****1/4 – Sensational main event that flew by and did not feel its longer runtime by any stretch. They were ever so slightly in danger of steering into overkill territory, perhaps overdoing the Gene Blasters, but that was an awesome effort from both men. Everything from Shingo’s Tiger Driver on the outside onwards could have sealed the deal, but neither men were going to go down without expending every last inch of will within them. Shingo now sinks to the bottom of A block with just 2 points, making his next match all-important.

 

[A Block]

Konosuke Takeshita – 3-1-0 [6 points]

Boltin Oleg – 2-2-0 [4 points]

Hirooki Goto – 2-2-0 [4 points]

Ryohei Oiwa – 2-2-0 [4 points]

Jake Lee – 2-2-0 [4 points]

Yota Tsuji – 2-2-0 [4 points]

Yuto-Ice  – 2-2-0 [4 points]

Great-O-Khan – 2-2-0 [4 points]

SANADA – 2-2-0 [4 points]

Shingo Takagi – 1-3-0 [2 points]

 

[B Block]

Callum Newman – 3-1-0 [6 points]

Drilla Moloney – 3-1-0 [6 points]

Gabe Kidd – 3-1-0 [6 points]

HENARE – 3-1-0 [6 points]

Ren Narita – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Yuya Uemura – 2-2-0 [4 points]

OSKAR – 2-2-0 [4 points]

Aaron Wolf – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Zack Sabre Jr – 1-2-0 [2 points]

Shota Umino – 0-1-0 [0 points]

8.4

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

That’s got to be the best night of G1 action so far, with Goto/O-Khan as the only 'passable' offering - even SANADA/Lee exceeded expectations. Last three matches were a doozy, and I’m particularly loving how well the new blood are faring at this point, with Boltin Oleg finally getting a banger this G1, and both Oiwa and Yuto-Ice putting on enthusiastic and driven performances to show they mean business. Capped off by a tremendous main event with Shingo and Tsuji throwing all the bombs in their arsenal, this easily gets the Sambus Seal of Approval.