Sambus’ NJPW G1 Climax 36 Night Twelve Review 08.06.26

 

Location: Tokyo, Japan

Venue: Korakuen Hall

Commentators: Walker Stewart & Chris Charlton

 

[A Block] Yuto-Ice [6] vs SANADA [4]

Perhaps of note, SANADA is wearing his old blue gear from his All Japan days. Yuto-Ice gets taken down with a dropkick to the knee and a regular dropkick, but comes back with a kick to the side of the head. Yuto-Ice grounds SANADA in the corner, Bomboclaat knee connects for a 2 count. Magic Screw from SANADA, and he looks for Skull End but Yuto-Ice grabs the hair. Slaps from Yuto-Ice followed by a running PK but SANADA fires up and delivers strikes of his own. Vertical suplex from Yuto-Ice, cover for another 2 count. Cruella attempt is cut off by another dropkick to the knee and the Busaiku knee. Rounding Body Press connects, 1, 2, no. Deadfall is countered with a roundhouse kick…ref gets caught in the ropes and knocked down. Kick to the chest by Yuto-Ice, Cruella attempt but Kanemaru rocks up to spit whiskey in his face. He tosses SANADA the guitar…guitar shot to the head of Yuto-Ice. SANADA clears the ring, pulls an Eddie Guerrero by pretending to be knocked out, and waits for the ref to come to. Ref thinks both men are knocked out and begins the count. SANADA nips up at 8, and Yuto-Ice cannot beat the count.

Winner: SANADA

Time: 8:09

Rating: ** – The back and forth action was fine, but this booking of SANADA is so odd and it honestly feels like Gedo is making it up as the tournament goes on. SANADA prefers to risk the knockout victory rather than just go for the pin? Why? Commentary played up that he was giving Yuto-Ice a fighting chance, but then he immediately heels it up after the match so that doesn’t quite fly.

 

---

 

[A Block] Jake Lee [4] vs Great-O-Khan [4]

Both of these guys have been responsible for some of the worst matches from the G1 this year, so I do not have high hopes. O-Khan slides into the ring during Lee’s entrance, swinging a chair wildly, but Lee sees him coming and slides to the floor out of the way. They meet out on the floor, where O-Khan is sent into the railings a few times, before O-Khan kicks the rope as Lee enters the ring, low blowing him. The bell rings and we’re officially underway. While the ref is distracted, Lee hits a low blow of his own, and then pulls out a cup to show he didn’t really feel the effects of the earlier low blow. O-Khan brings in another steel chair, takes a swing and misses, Lee misses too but he destroys the chair on the mat, tosses the remnants to O-Khan, and then lays himself out. The referee comes to, sees the evidence, and decides to disqualify O-Khan.

Winner: Jake Lee

Time: 1:49

Rating: N/R – Mercifully short! In a way, I like that O-Khan’s constant chair use through the tournament has finally come back to bite him in the ass. Trouble is, the referees have seen so much actual blatant chair use through the G1 and it’s shrugged off because ‘it’s an important tournament and they don’t make those decisions lightly’…so it feels odd for a referee to disqualify a competitor when he hasn’t actually seen the chair use with his own eyes. The difference here was that the chair use was right in the center of the ring, where in theory there’s less discretion for the referee, but nonetheless it doesn’t sit well.

 

---

 

[A Block] Hirooki Goto [4] vs Ryohei Oiwa [6]

This is make or break for Goto as he will be eliminated with a loss. Hot start as Oiwa and Goto charge at each other and trade shoulder blocks. Goto is the first to take Oiwa off his feet. Shoulder tackle out of the corner gets Oiwa back into it, and Oiwa slaps on a side headlock. Senton connects, cover for 2. Tenzan suplex from Oiwa, 1, 2, no. Roaring lariat is caught by Goto, looks for a backslide, can’t get it, hits the Reverse GTR and the misdirection lariat though! Spinning wheel kick connects, looks for the back suplex but Oiwa is in perfect position and applies the side headlock to put a stop to it. Goto gets out of it and delivers the ushi-goroshi. GTW! 1, 2, no.

Goto goes for another attempt, victory roll from Oiwa gets 2. Headbutts from Goto, Mongolian chop is caught. Another headbutt attempted but Oiwa sidesteps and locks in the side headlock, sublimely done. Goto finally manages to escape, but it’s a headbutt from Oiwa this time, and he re-applies the side headlock! He gets Goto down to the mat with it, rearing back…GOTO TAPS!!!

Winner: Ryohei Oiwa

Time: 8:53

Rating: ***1/2 – Huge result for Oiwa, forcing Goto of all people to not only tap out but effectively eliminate himself from the tournament. I thought this would go longer than it did, but the streamlined victory for Oiwa once again puts over his side headlock as a real killer submission. It’s kinda crazy that it comes across as a legit finish in 2026 – which goes to show that simplicity done well can be incredibly effective.

 

---

 

[A Block] Konosuke Takeshita [10] vs Shingo Takagi [6]

Sense would say Shingo has to win this to keep the block in play until the final day, but we’ll see. They are also playing up on commentary that Shingo has never beaten Takeshita one on one. Both trade lariats in opposite corners before getting into a battle of forearm shots. Snap hurracanrana from Takeshita, Shingo sidesteps the next move to send Takeshita to the floor. They spill out into the crowd, before Shingo tosses Takeshita head-first into the ringpost. Back in the ring, elbow drop gets a 2 for Shingo, follows up with a senton. Suplex attempt thwarted as Takeshita puts the brakes on and delivers a suplex of his own. Takeshita takes Takagi to the floor now, big boot against the barricade. Back to the ring, Shingo fires up on some forearms in the corner but eats a headbutt instead. Neck crank from Takeshita, may be looking for a chicken wing but Takagi feels it coming and scoots to the ropes. Takeshita backs up for the Powerdrive Knee, Shingo catches the leg and delivers a Dragon screw.

Takeshita looks for a senton from the middle rope, Shingo pops back up to sweep the legs. Draping DDT on Takeshita from the middle buckle, Shingo follows up with a brainbuster, 1, 2, no. Shingo tries for Made in Japan, Takeshita elbows his way out of it. Pumping Bomber is sidestepped and Takeshita delivers the Blue Thunder Bomb with the momentum, 1, 2, NO. Takeshita is thinking exploder, Shingo with headbutts though. Exploder! Takagi back up, exploder of his own. German from Takeshita, half and half by Shingo, both men go down.

They hit stereo lariats, and again, and both go down once more with delayed selling. Twist & Shout from Shingo, Takeshita follows up with a brainbuster. Shingo pulls himself to the apron, and Takeshita follows him there. Takagi tries to get Takeshita on his shoulders, can’t, and Takeshita nails a Powerdrive knee. Headbutt from Shingo in response. TAKAGI DRIVER 98 ON THE APRON! Shingo rolls him back in, MADE IN JAPAN!! 1, 2, NOOOO!

Burning Dragon attempt, Takeshita blocks it. Shingo softens him up with a few lariats, big boot from Takeshita, poisonrana! Shingo is up though, poisonrana of his own! Shingo avoids a sliding elbow and delivers a sliding bomber. Big lariat from Takeshita, just a 1 count. Takeshita with a MADE IN JAPAN! 1, 2, NOOO! Captured Bomber from Shingo gets 2, Powerdrive Knee gets 2. Takeshita goes for Raging Fire, denied, and Shingo delivers one of his own, a Raging Dragon! Takeshita has a huge welt across his face. On their knees they trade headbutts. Flurry of forearms from Shingo… Takeshita with a flurry now. Backfist, uppercut, strike for strike, until a lariat gets Takeshita down but only for a 1 count. PUMPING BOMBER. Burning Dragon connects!! 1, 2, NOOOO! LAST OF THE DRAGONNNNN! 1, 2, 3!

Winner: Shingo Takagi

Time: 19:44

Rating: **** – Immense fun with everything thrown at the wall, as they tore through each other’s offense with all the hard-hitting strikes and big bombs you’d expect from both of them. It’s about on par with their previous matches, although there are no surprises here – they delivered a similar all-guns-blazing contest, albeit this time with Shingo finally getting the better of Takeshita.

 

---

 

[A Block] Boltin Oleg [8] vs Yota Tsuji [8]

Oleg backs Tsuji into the ropes and breaks cleanly. La magistral cradle is countered as Oleg holds on and muscles him up. Shoulder block knocks Tsuji to the mat. Tsuji charges, lifted up by Oleg and slammed down, following up with a flying body sausage for a 2 count. Gutwrench as Oleg looks for the Boltin Shake, Tsuji counters and goes for his three-hit combo but Oleg refuses the stomp, holding firm on the mat. Dropkick to the ribs catches Oleg, and Tsuji keeps up the pressure, stomping on them by the ropes. Double knee gutbuster from the IWGP champion, and he covers for 2. Big shot to the ribs, repeated blows in the corner, corner splash, and Tsuji may be thinking Marlowe Crash but Oleg catches him with a Boltin-to-belly suplex. Oleg can’t capitalize though, the ribs already causing him bother.

Corner splash from Oleg this time, he gets the Boltin Shake this time and kips up, but folds over again after all that pressure on the midsection. Boltin Bomb, 1, 2, no. Oleg tries a powerbomb, Tsuji gets out of it and delivers a half-Nelson backbreaker. Tsuji holds the legs to look for a Boston Crab…but instead delivers a Giant Swing! Deadlift suplex slam! He goes for the stomp, again Oleg denies it! Oleg tries for the Kamikaze, Tsuji sits on his shoulders though, reverse triangle submission suspended in air! Oleg collapses to the mat, Marlowe Stomp with Oleg already on the canvas, and now Tsuji slaps on a headlock. Oleg swings him away, victory roll from Oleg gets 2, and Tsuji gets the headlock once more. Oleg to his feet, so Tsuji jumps onto his back…and Oleg begins to climb the ropes with him on his back! Tsuji thinks twice, slips down, and delivers a powerbomb out of the corner. To the apron, Tsuji may be thinking piledriver, Oleg puts the brakes on and chops him. Kamikaze attempt is denied…GENE BLASTER OFF THE APRON!!!!

Oleg struggles to get back to the ring but manages to at 18. Tsuji is impressed. BIIIIG Rising knee, and another in the corner, Silver Lining. 1, 2, NO. Tsuji prepares for another Gene Blaster, but Oleg spins him up and drops him with a huuuge powerbomb! They make it to their feet and trade shots. And a shot to the gut takes Oleg down, superkick, but Tsuji runs right into a Boltin-to-belly, and another! 1, 2, NO. German from Tsuji, Oleg on his feet, rolls through to deliver a KAMIKAZE. 1, 2, no. He hoists Tsuji up for another Kamikaze, reversed into a crucifix driver for 2. Curb stomp finally connects for Tsuji. He goes for Gene Blaster, Oleg stands up and just shouts at him haha. Dropkick knocks Tsuji back, he kips up, but Tsuji out of nowhere with a Gene Blaster. 1, 2, NOOOO! Oleg kicks out!

Tsuji with a Kamikaze of his own, almost spiked his own head! Sets up for another Gene Blaster but it’s cut off with a lariat from Oleg. He lifts Tsuji from the mat right onto his shoulders for the Verdict…1, 2, NO. Oleg grabs the legs, powerbomb, 1, 2, NO but Oleg holds the position, another powerbomb but it’s countered with a hurracanrana, 2 count for Tsuji. Tombstone position by Oleg but he switches into a gutwrench for no reason? Powerbombs again, doesn’t go for the cover but fires himself up. Hoists Tsuji to his shoulders and backs into the corner, Tsuji holds on to the ropes…so Oleg responds with a Kamikaze from the middle rope! 1, 2, 3!

Winner: Boltin Oleg

Time: 24:34

Rating: ****1/2 – This is the Boltin Oleg I’ve been waiting to see. I’ve been critical of him not quite stepping up, but this performance certainly put him on the map for me. If I’m nitpicking, I wish he’d sold the ribs a little more during that final stretch, and there was that weird moment towards the end where he transitioned from a perfect tombstone position to a gutwrench, which made no logical sense. But for the large majority of the match, Oleg sold those injured ribs supremely, and Tsuji targeted them with precision, dominating the big man. The Gene Blaster off the apron looked awesome and it fit the story they were telling so well. Tsuji has been massively impressing me throughout the G1, and I’m also loving his mannerisms and the emotion he’s showing in the ring – it’s making for captivating viewing.

 

[A Block]

Konosuke Takeshita – 5-2-0 [10 points]

Boltin Oleg – 5-2-0 [10 points]

Shingo Takagi – 4-3-0 [8 points]

Yota Tsuji – 4-3-0 [8 points]

Ryohei Oiwa – 4-3-0 [8 points]

Yuto-Ice  – 3-4-0 [6 points]

Jake Lee – 3-4-0 [6 points]

SANADA – 3-4-0 [6 points]

Hirooki Goto – 2-5-0 [4 points – ELIMINATED]

Great-O-Khan – 2-5-0 [4 points – ELIMINATED]

 

[B Block]

Gabe Kidd – 5-2-0 [10 points]

HENARE – 4-2-0 [8 points]

Drilla Moloney – 4-3-0 [8 points]

Callum Newman – 4-2-0 [8 points]

OSKAR – 4-3-0 [8 points]

Ren Narita – 4-2-0 [8 points]

Yuya Uemura – 3-3-0 [6 points]

Aaron Wolf – 3-3-0 [6 points]

Zack Sabre Jr – 2-4-0 [4 points]

Shota Umino – 0-1-0 [0 points]

 

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

The first two matches are basically non-starters, but when we're talking about a combined in-ring time of under 10 minutes, I'm happy to disregard that. Fortunately, the next three matches were fantastic in their own way, with Oiwa getting a huge victory over Goto in climactic fashion, Shingo and Takeshita delivering the all-out frenzied war you'd expect, and Boltin Oleg finally coming in to his own for a tremendous showing against Yota Tsuji. These A block main events have been consistently delivering, but this is definitely up there with a handful of the best from the tournament. Now that mathematical eliminations are starting to occur, it's game time for the competitors left 'alive', and that should give us some stellar drama over the coming week.