Sambus’ NJPW G1 Climax 36 Night Four Review 07.21.26

Location: Miyagi, Japan

Venue: Sendai Sunplaza Hall

Commentary: Walker Stewart & HENARE

 

[A Block] Hirooki Goto [4] vs Jake Lee [2]

Lockup as the bell rings, Lee rubs him down against the ropes for a clean break. Shoulder takedown, they head to the ringside area and Lee gets whipped into the barricade but dodges another charge. Mat return, with Lee smacking Goto’s head directly into the apron. He does the same onto the timekeeper’s table, and then puts on a black glove for…reasons. Back inside the ring, we get those reasons as he digs the fingers deep in the mouth of Goto. Cocky cover gets 2. Soft kicks to Goto, Goto comes back with slaps and a lariat. In the corner, shots to the knee and a Saito suplex connects for 2. Forearms traded, reverse GTR and a lariat from Goto. GTR attempt, Lee rakes the eyes, but Goto grounds Lee and basically hits a GTR to the knee! To the apron, Goto tries a suplex, can’t get it, shoves Lee off the apron and Lee screams in pain, clutching the leg. The ref calls for a trainer to come out to check on Lee, and they manage to get him to his feet but he’s dragging the leg behind him. Lee crawls into the ring, Goto delivers a stomp but the referee tells him to take it easy. And of course, with the slight referee distraction, Lee springs to his feet and follows up with a Face Break Shot! 1, 2, 3!

Winner: Jake Lee

Time: 9:57

Rating: ** – The ‘injury’ was played a little too obviously so the finish was entirely telegraphed, which was a shame. GTR to the knee was a nice touch though, Goto often finds ways of freshening up his offense and keeping it unique which I appreciate.

 

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[A Block] Ryohei Oiwa [2] vs Great-O-Khan [2]

Oiwa has taped up ribs thanks to damage done by Oleg earlier in the tournament. That paints an immediate target and O-Khan whips him ribs-first into the barricade at ringside. Chair shot to the back, and he places the chair on the ribs and chest of Oiwa before sitting on it. Back in the ring, O-Khan welcomes some shots from Oiwa, but as Oiwa goes for one, O-Khan trips him up. Lariat is reversed into a floatover DDT by Oiwa. Splash in the corner, delayed vertical suplex, and a cover for 2. O-Khan applies the claw to the ribs! And he tosses O-Khan over the top rope to the floor, ribs smacking into the apron on the way down. O-Khan takes Oiwa into the crowd and throws him into the barricade, tipping Oiwa into a section of chairs. He sets Oiwa up laying ribs-down across the chair, the referee grabs the chair off O-Khan but he simply grabs another and hits the home run chair shot into the upright chair with Oiwa on it. Oiwa’s ribs = dust. O-Khan re-enters the ring to accept the potential count-out. And Oiwa makes it in at 17. They counter each other’s strikes until O-Khan knocks Oiwa down, rips off the rib taping and applies another Claw. Oiwa won’t tap so O-Khan delivers a straight blow to the ribs and covers for 2. Mongolian chops, Oiwa responds with one of his own. Lariat! Tenzan suplex, 1, 2, no. He goes up top but O-Khan rolls out of harm’s way. Sleeper to O-Khan, Oiwa goes for the discus lariat but O-Khan shoves the ref in the way so Oiwa puts the brakes on. That allows O-Khan to whip Oiwa ribs first into an exposed turnbuckle and then deliver an Eliminator into it! 1, 2, no. Eliminator gets reversed, and Oiwa sits back in a tight cover, 1, 2, 3!

Winner: Ryohei Oiwa

Time: 13:30

Rating: **1/2 – Oiwa was going for the underdog performance, but O-Khan’s offense was too lackadaisical for the crowd to buy into. They played up the rib injury, but no one is buying Oiwa tapping to a claw to the belly.

 

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[A Block] Konosuke Takeshita [2] vs Yuto-Ice [2]

Yuto-Ice meets Takeshita in the aisle to start brawling! They immediately head out into the crowd, where Takeshita delivers a headbutt, and Yuto-Ice begins with the kicks. Yuto-Ice finally brings Takeshita into the ring and we get our opening bell. Hard forearm by Takeshita and they get into a strike exchange. Slaps from Yuto-Ice, Takeshita with a jumping knee! They go back to the outside, where Takeshita delivers a DDT onto the floor. Back in the ring at 15, Yuto-Ice walks into another DDT for a 2 count. Headscissors applied by Takeshita, but Yuto works to his feet. Kick to the gut and a hair pull, slamming Takeshita to the canvas. Stomps in the corner, forearms to follow, and Yuto-Ice is ready for the bomboclaat knee, delivered! 1, 2, no. Takeshita catches a kick, eats a forearm but comes back with a lariat and a brainbuster, 1, 2, NO. Takeshita goes right into a crossface after the cover but Yuto-Ice gets a foot on the ropes.

More strikes exchanged, big forearms, Yuto-Ice rocks him, goes for another but the neck damage gets to him and Yuto-Ice drops to the mat. Kicks and forearms, but Yuto-Ice fires up, rips off the taping around his shoulders and gets right back into it. Kick to the back of the leg, the spine, misses a PK, Takeshita can’t get an exploder but does manage a backdrop driver! Roaring elbow, Yuto-Ice catches him with a roundhouse kick! Busaiku Knee from Yuto-Ice, 1, 2, NO. He drops the kneepad but Takeshita grounds him and hits the Wheelbarrow German! Lariat, 1 count kickout from Yuto-Ice. Slaps from both men back and forth, EXPLODER from Takeshita. Powerdrive Knee! 1, 2, NOOOOO. Now Takeshita pulls the kneepad down. Powerdrive Knee, and he rears back in a DEEP sleeper, almost camel clutch-like, and Yuto-Ice is OUT!

Winner: Konosuke Takeshita

Time: 12:05

Rating: ***1/2 – Good physicality from both men, holding their own in the strike exchanges. I could have gone for a bit more back and forth in the closing stretch, but it was certainly a dominant victory for Takeshita (while still giving Yuto-Ice ample time to impress with a fiery performance).

 

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[A Block] Yota Tsuji [2] vs SANADA [0]

SANADA is the only member of A Block on 0 points, and hasn’t had a victory since returning…which probably means he’s winning here and walking into a future title shot, sigh. Stalemate from both men early on. Dropkick to the knee catches Tsuji off-guard, SANADA looks for a dive to the outside but Tsuji avoids, and SANADA equally avoids a dive attempt from Tsuji. They nip back into the ring, and SANADA extends the hand. Tsuji shakes and it’s clean, but SANADA tries to kick him in the gut, only to be caught. Corner splash from Tsuji and a vertical suplex gets 2. Tsuji attempts the Paradise Lock but SANADA kicks him away.

Dropkick to the knee by SANADA followed immediately by a standing dropkick, and they both roll to the outside. Magic Screw from the apron to the floor. In the ring, Tsuji hits the combo ending in the stomp to create some breathing room. Tsuji misses a knee in the corner, SANADA looks for Skull End but Tsuji rolls through. Skull End locked in now, Tsuji flips out of it in the corner. Moonsault press, SANADA overshoots it but recovers and locks in the Skull End, dropping to the canvas for added pressure. Tsuji is in trouble. SANADA drops it and goes up top…Rounding body press, 1, 2, NO. Twisting DDT (Death Claw) but Tsuji avoids it with a cartwheel, rolls into a cover, 1, 2, no. German, SANADA counters and lands on his feet, sits out on a cover for 2. Forearms and a stomp from Tsuji. Hurracanrana from SANADA but he’s caught! SANADA counters again, DEATH CLAW! 1, 2, NOOO! Crowd is really behind SANADA now, fair play to him. Shining Wizard, a bit messy but it hits. Goes for it again, Tsuji counters right into a Boston Crab. SANADA tries to fight it, Tsuji changes it up into the sit out bomb but SANADA counters into a cover! 1, 2, no, SHINING WIZARD! Up top, moonsault misses and Tsuji is right there with the GENE BLASTER! 1, 2, NOOOOO! SANADA kicks out! Gene Blaster is countered into Skull End!! Tsuji with a Skull End of his own, countered, SANADA tosses him up and lets him land on the extended leg of SANADA, causing an ‘accidental’ low blow. Death Claw, 1, 2, 3!

Winner: SANADA

Time: 15:23

Rating: **** – Well let me hold my hands up, that was infinitely better than I thought it may be, with SANADA looking the best he’s looked in God knows how long. Admittedly, he didn’t hit everything smoothly, and there are a couple of brief, shaky moments, but the work here was ultimately exhilarating, keeping us guessing with a back-and-forth throughout. The best part is that the crowd grew firmly behind SANADA as the match wore on thanks to him wrestling cleanly, only for him to resort to the cheaper House of Torture-inspired tricks when he realized he couldn’t get the job done legitimately. That’s a neat story, and I’d expect that to rear its head when they have their eventual IWGP World title match.

 

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[A Block] Boltin Oleg [2] vs Shingo Takagi [2]

On paper, this is an interesting choice for the main event, so I’m certainly intrigued for this encounter. Shoulder blocks are traded with neither man budging. Takagi looks for an arm drag, can’t get it, shoulder block with some misdirection finally knocks Oleg down. Elbow drop, chin lock applied as the veteran looks to control the pace. Snap suplex, cover, barely a 1 count as Oleg powers out of it. Boltin-to-belly suplex in response! They fight out to the floor, where Oleg levels Shingo with a lariat.

Snapmare, Oleg with the Boltin Bomb, covers but Shingo is right by the ropes and immediately grabs them to break the fall. Bear hug applied by Oleg now, Shingo claps his way out of it. Gutwrench attempt, Shingo clings on to the ropes. Forearms and elbow shots traded, HARD chop from Shingo! One right back from Oleg! Double chop from Shingo takes Oleg down. Takagi tries for a suplex, can’t get it, but gets some momentum behind him and nails a hip toss. Vertical suplex, cover, 1, 2, no. And now it’s Takagi Time! But Oleg whips off a front dropkick and hoists Shingo up for the gutwrench Bump & Shake. Corner splash, Oleg goes up top… Takagi catches him with some chops to the side of the head. Headbutts from Shingo now, and he delivers a top rope superplex to Boltin. Lariat! Oleg stays on his feet. Another, but Oleg meets him with one of his own. Jabs from Shingo, another big lariat as Oleg comes off the ropes. Made in Japan!! 1, 2, NO.

Hammer and anvil elbows from Takagi, sliding elbow shot to the side of the head…but Oleg is up for the Kamikaze! 1, 2, NO. Samoan Drop from Oleg, he brings Shingo back to his feet and up onto his shoulders, Death Valley Driver, 1, 2, no. Powerbomb attempt is countered with a hurracanrana by Shingo, but Oleg turns it in his favor again with a lariat. The Verdict is countered into an almost-DDT (slightly botched) and Shingo follows it up with a corkscrew. Lariats to the arm by Shingo now, arm wringer attempt but Oleg locks in a sleeper instead. Takagi gets out of it, delivers a Saito suplex to break free. PUMPING BOMBERRR! Takagi picks Oleg up to his feet, and hits the Burning Dragon, 1, 2, NOOOO! A series of strikes from Shingo, pop up powerbomb right into another by Oleg. He transitions to get Shingo on his shoulders, tries to climb up the ropes, Shingo counters but no, Oleg catches him with the KAMIKAZE! 1, 2, 3!

Winner: Boltin Oleg

Time: 19:09

Rating: ***1/2 – It was a ‘good’ performance from Oleg without being ‘great’, and it felt like they were trying to make this his true coming out party, but something didn’t quite hit. Sure, he looks good kicking out of the Burning Dragon but it never felt justified. Decent strikefests and a fun pace which built into a nice little sprint at the end made this an enjoyable main event, even if they perhaps didn’t achieve what they set out to.

 

 

[A Block]

Hirooki Goto – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Ryohei Oiwa – 2-0-0 [4 points]

Jake Lee – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Konosuke Takeshita – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Boltin Oleg – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Yota Tsuji – 1-2-0 [2 points]

Yuto-Ice  – 1-2-0 [2 points]

Great-O-Khan – 1-2-0 [2 points]

Shingo Takagi – 1-2-0 [2 points]

SANADA – 1-2-0 [2 points]

 

[B Block]

OSKAR – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Callum Newman – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Drilla Moloney – 2-1-0 [4 points]

HENARE – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Ren Narita – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Yuya Uemura – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Gabe Kidd – 2-1-0 [4 points]

Aaron Wolf – 2-0-0 [4 points]

Zack Sabre Jr – 1-1-0 [2 points]

Shota Umino – 0-1-0 [0 points]

 

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

In the year of our Lord 2026, it is SANADA that had the match of the night. Bear with me while I pick my jaw up off the floor. Cracking match with Tsuji in the semi main event spot, and seeing the crowd firmly getting behind SANADA makes me think he may not be a lost cause after all. It's a worrying (albeit  expected) trend that it's the Jake Lee and Great-O-Khan matches that are dragging these shows down, but each night we've been treated to some Good Stuff nonetheless, so I still have a thumbs up held aloft.