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NJPW G1 CLIMAX 33: NIGHT 7 REPORT
JULY 25, 2023
TOKYO, JAPAN
KORAKUEN HALL
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
BY CHRIS LANSDELL, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Kevin Kelly and Chris Charlton
No time for pleasantries folks, we are right into the action!
(1) WILL OSPREAY (4pts) vs. GREAT O-KHAN (2pts)
It’s a United Empire Civil War to kick us off as I get to check off a bucket list item and review an Ospreay match. As good as Ospreay’s United Empire theme is, I am so glad he is back to Elevated. Such a great tune.
Aggressive lockup at the bell. Ospreay lays in a chop and some forearms which O-Khan no sells. Ospreay invites him to return the favour, which is met with a series of Mongolian chops. Ospreay fires back with some kicks and runs the ropes before being sent many feet into the air with a back body drop. Suplex by O-Khan gets a one count. Chinlock applied on the mat by O-Khan. Transition into a side headlock. Ospreay battles to his feet, reverses a whip to the corner but then misses a charge. O-Khan goes to sit on Ospreay in the corner, but Ospreay escapes and…well, he botches a rana off the top. Ospreay landed almost entirely on his neck, which apparently is made of titanium. Ospreay hits a rebound corkscrew kick and a dive to the outside. Ospreay comes back in with a springboard forearm for a near fall. O-Khan stops Ospreay from going to the top and hits a big boot for 2 as we reach the 5-minute mark.
Ospreay blocks the Mongolian chop and hits the Kawada kicks and a very loud chop, he signals for the Os-cutter but O-Khan blocks and applies the Sheep Killer submssion. O-Khan picks Ospreay up for a slam and instead just dumps Ospreay to the outside, clipping the apron on the way. Another nasty fall. I have no idea how Ospreay can move at this point in his career. O-Khan throws Ospreay over the railing and then into some chairs. He then jabs him in the ribs with a chair and then hits another chair shot to the back. Back in the ring and the ref refuses to count a nonchalant cover from O-Khan, because it resulted from a chair shot. You know, because a DQ would be too harsh.Ospreay escapes a scoop slam and hits the hook kick, then sets for Hidden Blade. O-Khan dodges, throws the referee into Ospreay, who avoids it. The ref hits the corner and O-Khan uses the distraction to spray Ospreay with the mist! Jacknife cover gets a near fall. Northern Lights suplex gets 2 more. O-Khan clotheslines Ospreay over the top to the floor. These two are stablemates for crying out loud. Slingshot plancha to the outside by O-Khan connects. Back inside, Ospreay escapes the Eliminator and hits another hook kick, but O-Khan levels him with a lariat for a very close 2 at the halfway point.
O-Khan hits an impressive second-rope rebound moonsault for 2. Another Eliminator attempt is blocked, Ospreay hits Spanish Fly for 2. Os-cutter gets 2 more. Skytwister Press! 1…2…3!
WINNER: Will Ospreay (6pts) at 11:19 (***)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Good opener but a little too herky-jerky for me. No real flow to the offence, and there didn’t seem to be much of a story outside of O-Khan being willing to cut some corners. That said, O-Khan looked very good in defeat)
The two stablemates hug it out after the match.
(2) SHOTA UMINO (2 pts) vs. GABE KIDD (4pts)
Umino is out first with his Jon Moxley tribute entrance which is interrupted by Gabe Kidd with a blindside attack. Kidd steals Umino’s jacket to the extreme displeasure of the crowd. Not often a Japanese crowd boos that vociferously. Kidd continues the beatdown on the outside, and rams Umino into the corner and rolls him inside. Lariat and a near fall for Kidd as the ref calls for the bell to start the match. Kidd tries a suplex on the apron, Umino blocks and fires off a series of forearms to take Kidd to his knees. Umino tries a suplex of his own, but Kidd counters to a brainbuster on the apron! That’s the hardest part of the ring, Cole! Kidd grabs a chair, trash talking the whole time, but the referee intercepts the shot. Kidd and the referee roll inside and the ref starts the countout. Kidd jaws with the crows while the ref counts. Umino back in at 17 and gets leveled with a stiff chop. Man, Kidd has found some gold with this persona. Another near fall after some typical heel tactics. Kidd steals a fan’s Shota Umino flag, chokes Umino with it, rubs his crotch with it, spits on it, and throws it back into the crowd. Gold. Stiff right hand and an exploder suplex get a near fall again. Kidd tries for a piledriver but Shota escapes and hits a face-first drop slam and a running forearm at the 5 minute mark.
Running forearm in the corner and a fisherman’s suplex from Umino get a 2 count. Snap mare and the BCC trapped elbows from Umino, paying homage to his mentor. He tries a uranage, Kidd escapes with elbows but then eats a gorgeous dropkick from Umino. Top rope shotgun dropkick to the back of the head followed by Trident from Umino for a near fall. Umino perches Kidd on the top, but whatever he wanted to do is blocked. The two exchange forearms sitting on the top, Umino wins the trade but Kidd bites him to get the upper hand. Oh that is a nasty hanging guillotine choke while sitting on the top! Kidd almost puts Umino out with that move, as Umino’s legs flailed with a great sell job. Kidd mocks him with kicks, spits on him and calls him “Ace”. Kidd hits a loud chop but Umino comes back with a head and arm exploder. Both men are down as we reach the mid-match point.
Running European uppercut by Shota into a slingshot DDT. Death Rider is blocked, the referee almost gets squashed in the corner, Kidd tries a low blow but it’s blocked! Pop-up European uppercut into Ignition gets a near fall for Umino. Again Kidd tries to use the ref to throw Umino off, he connects with a stiff right and a high-angle back suplex for a near fall. Kidd tries for the single-leg piledriver but Umino fights free, pops up Kidd and hits a Paradigm Shift! Death Rider connects! That’s enough for Umino’s first win.
WINNER: Shota Umino (4pts) at 13:04 (***)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: I actually enjoyed this a great deal considering the youth of the two competitors. Kidd is really fitting in with Finlay’s Bullet Club, which in turn matches Finlay’s dad. Umino is starting to find his spot and this win will help.)
(3) TAICHI (4pts) vs. KENTA (2pts)
These two have actually never faced off before. Kenta is playing air guitar on his DEFY world title while Taichi sings his entrance theme. I never knew this was the duet I needed in my life. Kenta tries to Too Sweet Taichi, who ignores it much to Kenta’s chagrin.
The two men take turns parading their belts around before the bell. Kenta believes his is better. Kenta summons Yoshinobu Kanemaru, who is ringside for commentary, to be the arbiter of whose belt is more popular. I’m sure he will be impartial and not favour his fellow Just Five Guys stablemate at all. As expected he picks Taichi, earning him a kick to the gut and a toss to the outside. While the ref checks on Kanemaru, Kenta levels Taichi with the DEFY belt. Ref calls for the bell to start the match, and counts! 1…2…no! Go to sleep…countered! Dangerous Back Drop Driver by Taichi! It’s only good for a two. Kenta tries to beg off, then rips off Tiachi’s tearaway pants! The audacity. Taichi levels him with a lariat, a series of counters leads to a ref bump. Taichi gets the Taichi Clutch but the ref is down and cannot count. Taichi checks on the ref while Kenta retrieves his belt. Taichi avoids the belt shot and hits a kick, but the second one is blocked by the belt! Innovative. Low blow! Schoolboy! Three count!
WINNER: Kenta (4pts) in 2:12 (*)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: It was funny, it was short, it was not a good wrestling match. You need these sometimes in a long tournament, and it was mostly inoffensive when compared with House of Torture nonsense, but still not good )
Taichi sells an ankle injury as he leaves the ring. Possibly something to watch as the tournament progresses.
(4) YOTA TSUJI (1pt) vs. CHASE OWENS (4pts)
Tsuji just has something about him. He carries himself so well, with a grin that reminds me of early Rocky Maivia and Roman Reigns.
Owens opens with a clothesline before the bell, then another for a two count. He tries for the early package piledriver but Tsuji rolls to the floor. Owens follows and introduces Tsuji to the barricade a couple of times, Tsuji reverses the third attempt. Tsuji tries a slingshot off the apron but Owens blocks it and yanks Tsuji to the floor. Tsuji fights back and goes to the top, and hits a moonsault press to the floor! He rolls Owens back in at the 15 count. But Owens rolls out the other side. A series of reversals leads to Owens snapping Tsuji’s neck over the middle rope to take control. Owens slows the pace down and hits some forearm shivers to the back, followed by a back suplex for 2. The pair exchange shots in the middle of the ring, Tsuji comes off the ropes with a wheelbarrow attempt which Owens counters beautifully into a crossface. Sometimes you forget how good Owens can be. Tsuji counters in the corner with a double knee stomp to the back of the head and a big boot. Top rope headscissors from Tsuji sends Owens to the outside, which is followed up by an impressive tope to the floor. Owens rolls back in and Tsuji gets a two count. Tsuji invites Owens to hit him, and then replies with a shot of his own. A boot from Owens stops a charging Tsuji, and Owens connects with a pretty slingshot back suplex. Running PK gets a near fall. Death Valley Driver from Owens is good for another two count. Ten minutes have passed.
Owens tries the C-Trigger but eats a high boot, Tsuji tries a spear but gets caught with a C-Trigger! Jewel Heist! Near fall! Another knee strike, package piledriver is blocked with a back drop, but Owens hangs on for a sunset flip and gets two. Back elbow from Owens, Tsuji counters a running attack into a Blue Thunder bomb and a loud knee strike. Tsuji shrugs off a series of strikes by Owens and hits a stiff forearm and a headbutt. Curb stomp by Tsuji gets a two. Three-point stance into the spear by Tsuji! That gets the win.
WINNER: Yota Tsuji (3pts) at 12:27 (**½)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Perfectly acceptable, if unspectacular. Good story from Owens as he had counters for days, but the ending felt off.)
(5) TANGA LOA (w/Jado) (2pts) vs. EL PHANTASMO (0pts)
A handshake and a hug to start, despite the fact that ELP kicked Loa’s brother in the face a while ago. ELP tries to convince Loa to take his top off. Yes, I just typed that. Loa obliges and we are underway. Dropkick from ELP followed by a clothesline over the top takes both men to the floor. Chops on the outside by ELP, Loa reverses a whip but ELP vaults the railing. He tries a tornado DDT off the railing but Loa holds on. Superkick by ELP an he goes into the crowd and up on to a ledge, then comes flying off with a cannonball. Impressive leap there. Back inside ELP hits a springboard senton into a Lionsault for 2. He signals for CR2 but Loa escapes and spears ELP out of mid air at 5 minutes.
Release German suplex from Tanga Loa. Loa is selling his old knee injury, ELP is selling his trapezius injury from earlier in the tournament. Another German gets a 2 count. ELP escapes a suplex and gets a quick 2 off a schoolboy. A backslide gets 2 more. ELP tries a small package, Loa blocks it into a spinning sitout uranage for 2. Blue Thunder bomb gets another near fall. Delayed vertical suplex into a jackhammer gets yet another near fall for Loa. Loa shows his frustration by smacking ELP’s head a few times before going to the top. ELP intercepts and tries a superplex, but the trapezius injury prevents it. Loa knocks him down but ELP comes back with a big kick to the head. He follows with a second one then tries a rana…Loa blocks it! Super power bomb! Shades of Jado! ELP tries to fight back with some slaps, but there’s nothing behind them. Loa goes for his finish, but ELP escapes and hooks up a crucifix for the surprise win.
WINNER: El Phantasmo (2pts) in 11:40 (**½)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: I think this one suffered from the low standing of both guys. Some nice spots here but it never felt important. Nothing wrong with it per se, but also nothing special to report.)
(6) REN NARITA (2pts) vs. HIKULEO (w/Jado) (0pts)
Apropos of nothing, I really like Hikuleo’s theme.
Hikuleo starts with a display of strength. Narita tries to use his quickness but Hikuleo is up to the task and dodges a pair of low dropkicks. Forearms by Narita stagger the big man but he stays on his feet, and Hikuleo ends the flurry with a massive big boot. Clubbing forearms by Hikuleo. Narita blocks a big boot and low-bridges Hikuleo to the floor. This plan seems likely to backfire…and indeed it does as Hikuleo counters a whip into the barricade. Hikuleo drops Narita back-first on to the apron, which is still the hardest part of the ring. Back inside, and Hikuleo retains control with a boot choke in the corner. Big beale out of the corner by Hikuleo, he tries a hot shot but Narita slips out the back and applies a choke. Hikuleo backs him into the corner at the five minute mark.
Narita drops to the mat and gets a leg lace, but before he can log in a submission Hikuleo hits an upkick. VERY loud chop and a running powerslam lead to a near fall. Narita slips out the back again, this time from a suplex, and tries another choke. Hikuleo counters with a side slam. Charging clothesline in the corner, hot shot and a lariat by Hikuleo. A brainbuster gets a near fall. Narita avoids the snap powerslam and tries an armbar, Hikuleo pushes him off but eats a spinning heel kick. Boots from Narita again stagger Hikuleo, and this time he takes him down with a running jumping clothesline. More kicks from Narita and a Russian leg sweep gets a near fall. Knee bar applied by Narita. Hikuleo’s leg is almost the size of Narita. He tries to transition into the sharpshooter, but Hikuleo is able to reach the ropes because he is very tall, you see. We are at the halfway point.
Hikuelo refuses to be suplexed so Narita goes over the back yet again with a choke. Hikuleo hip tosses out and hits the snap powerslam out of nowhere! Shades of Randy Orton. Chokeslam attempt is countered by Narita into an armbar! Hikuleo stacks him with a rollup for two, but Narita comes back with the guillotine knee for a two count.Narita goes to the top but is caught with a chokeslam grip. He fights it off but Hikuleo just paintbrushes him with a slap and hits the chokeslam for the win.
WINNER: Hikuleo (2pts) at 12:53 (**3/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: This was far better than I expected it to be, but I had very low expectations. Hikuleo moves well for a big guy, sells well, and can actually wrestle. Good solid average match.)
(7) KAZUCHIKA OKADA (6pts) vs. YOSHI-HASHI (4pts)
Here we go with another bucket list item. It’s a CHAOS civil war! There will come a day when the sound of that coin dropping does not give me goosebumps, but it is not today.
Last time these two met in the G1 it went 26 minutes, which of course cannot happen tonight. Okada is still in black tights, which I still feel is foreshadowing something. As if on cue, Okada does not give a clean break! The two exchange heavy forearms in the middle of the ring with neither getting the advantage. They exchange shoulder tackles, and this time Yoshi-Hashi gets the advantage and knocks Okada down. Yoshi-Hashi trips Okada and drags him to the floor, but Okada gets the advantage with a high boot and a DDT on the floor. He runs Yoshi-Hashi into the post to a smattering of boos. Back inside, Okada hits a basement dropkick. He puts a boot on Yoshi-Hashi’s chest but Red Shoes refuses to count. More boos for Okada. This is interesting. Reverse neckbreaker gets a near fall. Okada mockingly knees Yoshi-Hashi in the face before leveling him with a forearm as we reach five minutes.
Yoshi-Hashi ducks a pair of clotheslines and dropkicks Okada in the knee to get some breathing room. Chops and a Headhunter from Yoshi-Hashi are followed up with a corner lariat and a neckbreaker for a near fall. Yoshi-Hashi hangs Okada to dry on the top rope, then dropkicks the knee sending Okada to the floor. Again he hangs him up, over the barricade this time, and hits a running dropkick to the back of the suspended Okada. Nice spot. Okada rolls inside, Yoshi-Hashi goes to the top where he is met by Okada, they struggle back and forth but Yoshi-Hashi hits a powerbomb out of the corner for a near fall. Fisherman suplex attempt is blocked by Okada, Yoshi-Hashi blocks the boot and hits a chop. Okada counters a charge with the over-the-knee neckbreaker and both men are down at the mid-match mark.
Okada regains control with some heavy shots, Yoshi-Hashi screams them off and fires back with his own. Fighting Spirit! Another forearm exchange, Yoshi-Hashi avoids the dropkick by holding the ropes. Both men connect with a clothesline and neither goes down. Slap fight! Okada wins it but runs right into a clothesline. Shotgun dropkick from Okada! Rainmaker…no! Lariat from Yoshi-Hashi! Fisherman buster! 1…2…NO!!! That was close. Yoshi-Hashi goes for Karma but it’s blocked, so he hits a lariat instead. Okada is dazed but manages to dodge a charge and get a rollup for two. Karma attempt number 2 is countered into the Money Clip for Okada. Yoshi-Hashi is fading fast, Okada releases the hold but retains control of the wrist. Yoshi-Hashi ducks a Rainmaker attempt, and another, and kicks out at Okada’s knee. Dropkick from Okada! Landslide piledriver! Rainmaker…reversal into Karma! No, Yoshi-Hashi rolls him up! VERY close near fall again! Superkick by Yoshi-Hashi! Cobra Flowsion by Okada! Rainmaker! That’ll do it!
WINNER: Kazuchika Okada (8pts) in 16:37 (***½)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: Match of the night so far. Okada can make anyone look like a threat, and Yoshi-Hashi has some of the best selling facials in the company. Those two things combined for a believable threat to Okada’s perfect record, and the continued heel tendencies for Okada were very interesting. Okada is now 14-0 lifetime against Yoshi-Hashi. )
(8) SANADA (6pts) vs KAITO KIYOMIYA (5pts)
I don’t follow NOAH, but Kiyomiya has that look about him. A little Hiromu, a little Okada, a little Tanahashi. And still so young!
Kaito starts by going to the arm, which Sanada reverses. Kaito gets control back, Sanada trips him and goes to a leg lock. Kaito turns it into an armbar. A series of reversals leads to a hammerlock on the mat for Kaito. More technical back and forth ends with a headlock by Kaito and a shoulder tackle. Both men attempt a shining wizard and have it blocked and we have a standoff. Another quick exchange ends with a dropkick, arm drag and arm bar for Kaito at the five minute point.
Sanada tries to use the corner to escape with a tornado arm drag but Kaito rolls through. Sanada finally breaks free but a forearm, back elbow, and flying forearm off the second rope keep Kaito in control. Sanada rolls to the floor and Kaito SOARS over the top to the outside with a somersault senton press. Good grief. Back inside, a deadlift German gets two for Kaito. Tiger suplex attempt is blocked by Sanada, and he takes control with a dropkick to the knee and a regular one to the face to send Kaito to the floor. Slingshot plancha to the outside by Sanada to get the crowd behind him. Sanada does a lap of the ring on the outside, which suggests this one is going long. Sanada drapes Kaito over the apron then hits a magic screw on the outside as we pass halfway.
Sanada rolls Kaito back inside and gets a near fall. Back suplex gets another two count. That was textbook. Sanada hits the moonsault into Skull End but Kaito rolls through it and dropkicks the knee of Sanada. Both men are down. Kaito repeats the exercise twice, then goes to the top and does it again. Dragon screw by Kaito into the figure four! So strange to see that applied without hearing any woos in the crowd. Not that I am complaining, mind you. Sanada tries to turn it over, and succeeds briefly but Kaito rolls on through to maintain the hold. The fifteen-minute warning is called as Sanada makes it to the ropes.
Tiger suplex by Kaito, Sanada is able to land on his feet but jams his injured knee in the process. Forearms by Kaito, Sanada fights back with a Tiger Driver. Sanada gets to his feet, but is still hobbling. TKO from Sanada gets a near fall. He locks in Skull End as we get the 3 minute warning, but releases it to go up top for a moonsault! Hmm I wonder if he’ll miss and hurt his knee. Shockingly, he does. Shining Wizard from Kaito! He can’t follow up though! Sanada hits a European uppercut but Kaito comes back with a roaring elbow, a jumping knee and a tiger suplex! Two count only! Over-under tiger suplex bomb gets another near fall! We have about a minute and change left as Kaito sets for the shining wizard…countered with a pop-up TKO! Shining wizard of his own! Deadfall…countered into a rollup! Only 2! Sanada tries his O’Connor roll into a bridge, but Kaito reverses into one of his own! Another near fall! Frankensteiner by Kaito! No, only two! We have under ten seconds left! Shining wizard by Sanada! 1…2…3!!!
WINNER: Sanada (8pts) at 19:58 (***3/4)
(Lansdell’s Analysis: This was marginally better than the last match. I honestly expected a draw, that finishing sequence was amazing. The only thing keeping this below four stars was the slow and slightly dull opening five minutes, and the complete lack of selling on the knee at the end. Definitely worth watching though.)
Sanada praises Kaito Kiyomiya as we end the night.
Overall thoughts: This was another solid night, but only the last two minutes really stood out. This seems to be a pattern this year so far, but I think overall this night resonated more than others have. Maybe they are slowly building the match quality as the tournament goes on.
I’ll be back for Semi-final coverage. Thanks for joining us!
You can contact me at lansdellicious@gmail.com or on Twitter @lansdellicious.
CATCH UP ON THE PREVIOUS REPORT: NJPW G1 CLIMAX 33 – NIGHT 6 RESULTS (7/23): Pomares’s Results & Analysis of Finlay vs. Evil, Tama Tonga vs. Nicholls, Ishii vs. Takagi, Yano vs. Naito
CHECK OUT OUR NEW JAPAN G1 HEADQUARTERS HERE
OR CHECK OUT PROWRESTLING.NET’S REPORT FOR ANOTHER VIEWPOINT: NJPW “G1 Climax 33 Night Six” results (7/23): Vetter’s review of David Finlay vs. Evil, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jeff Cobb, Tomohiro Ishii vs. Shingo Takagi, Toru Yano vs. Tetsuya Naito, Henare vs. Eddie Kingston
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