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NJPW G1 CLIMAX 33: NIGHT 10 REPORT
JULY 30, 2023
AICHI, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
BY JAVIER MACHADO, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Announcers: Kevin Kelly
(1) HENARE (2 pts) vs. DAVID FINLAY (6 pts) – C Block match
As soon as the match started the two men started slugging each other. After an initial flurry by Henare, Finlay took over. Finlay worked Henare over until Henare got in a Samoan Drop to take over for a bit. Finlay caught an attempt at Rampage with a DDT on Henare’s hurt neck. At about ten minutes, Finlay went for Into Oblivion, but Henare escaped and hit a knee to even things up. Henare started absorbing Finlay’s shots and hit Rampage. Henare went for Streets of Rage to finish but Finlay escaped and hit Into Oblivion for the win.
WINNER: David Finlay (8 pts) at 11:54. (**)
(Javier’s Analysis: This was an okay match, nothing special.)
(2) TORU YANO (0 pts) vs. JEFF COBB (8 pts) – D Block match
Yano obviously had something in his shirt, but the referee did a horrible job of checking him. The match started and Yano quickly removed the corner pad. Cobb got his hands on Yano and pulled up his shirt to reveal beer, snacks, and tape. Cobb hit Spin Cycle and drank a beer. Cobb went for the standing moonsault but Yano got his knees up forcing Cobb to spit out the beer. Yano hit a low blow and backslide for a long two count. Yano tried to get away from Cobb and was able to get the disinfectant spray. Yano sprayed Cobb and got the inside cradle for the win.
WINNERS: Toru Yano (2 pts) at 1:49. (**)
Yano drank the other beer on the way out.
(Javier’s Analysis: Cobb had to lose one to get him within striking distance of the rest of the block, so this loss was expected. It was quick and not much to it.)
(3) MIKEY NICHOLLS (2 pts) vs. EDDIE KINGSTON (4 pts) – C Block match
Mikey slapped Kingston early in the match to make him angry then hit a suplex to take control. Kingston took over control with a DDT right before the five-minute mark. Mikey hit his own DDT to slow down Kingston (at this point you could make out them calling out moves in the ring). Mikey went on the offense and tried to get Kingston to fire up. Kingston finally did and began to fight back. Kingston went for a backfist, but Mikey blocked it and hit an enzuigiri. A stunned Kingston nailed a second backfist for the win.
WINNER: Eddie Kingston (6 pts) at 8:33. (*1/2)
(Javier’s Analysis: This was a rough match with hardly any drama. Mikey tried his hardest to get the crowd invested in what was going on, but the crowd wasn’t into anything thus far in this show. I wonder if Kingston got injured after that first suplex since he sold thar his left arm was out of commission the whole match, or whether that was his excessive selling. Mikey asked him if he was alright just before they went to the finish.)
(4) TETSUYA NAITO (4 pts) vs. ALEX COUGHLIN (2 pts) – D Block match
As usual, Naito took forever to disrobe to try to get into Coughlin’s head and immediately took a powder as the bell rang. Naito ducked a lariat into his tranquilo pose and continued playing keep away. Finally, Coughlin caught him with a fall-away slam to take over. Coughlin controlled things until Naito hit a neckbreaker. Naito kept trying to cut into Coughlin’s lead, but Coughlin’s power stifled many of Naito’s counters. Coughlin went for the stalling jackhammer, but Naito countered with Destino then hit a second Destino for the win.
WINNERS: Tetsuya Naito (6 pts) at 10:07. (**)
(Javier’s Analysis: This was another match hampered by the lack of crowd enthusiasm. I like Coughlin’s style of just squelching his opponents’ moves with sheer power. There was the makings of a great match here, but it never really got going.)
(5) EVIL (6 pts) vs. TOMOHIRO ISHII (2 pts) – C Block match
Evil jumped Ishii as soon as Ishii entered the ring and went to work. Ishii survived Evil’s early advantage and threw Evil into the guard rail repeatedly once the match went to the outside. Ishii berated Evil as he beat him up but soon enough was distracted by Togo letting Evil get control. Evil did the timekeeper spot, throwing Ishii into Abe-san. Ishii started fighting back with a vertical suplex. The referee was taken out and Togo attacked and garroted Ishii. Evil spit on, tore, and wiped his sweat on an Ishii t-shirt to mock him. Ishii blocked an attempt at Evil and hit a German suplex. Togo was taken out when an attempt to interfere went awry. Evil and Ishii went back and forth. The two tried to get their finisher but it was Ishii hitting Evil with Evil’s finisher. Ishii went for the Vertical Drop Brainbuster but Evil escaped, tied up the referee, and Togo punted Ishii in family jewels. Evil then hit Evil for the win.
WINNER: Evil (8 pts) at 14:36. (**1/2)
(Javier’s Analysis: You know what you are going to get at this point. The crowd finally fired up a bit for this one but there was nothing special to see here although there was a short stretch of an actual wrestling match between these two.)
(6) SHANE HASTE (4 pts) vs. ZACK SABRE JR. (6 pts) – D Block match
The match between faction mates started with some technical wrestling. At one point though, Shane hit ZSJ with a kick and apologized, saying it was a force of habit. Things began getting a bit chippy between the two. Shane, in control on the outside, feigned throwing ZSJ into the guard rails and sent him back into the ring instead. Shane said that he was doing that because he himself was a nice guy. Shane continued working over ZSJ, relying on his kicks. ZSJ started his comeback after hitting a dropkick. This evened up the match. The two exchanged palm strikes and knocked each other out with a running boot. They continued going back and forth with Shane Haste beginning to gain an advantage thanks to his power advantage over ZSJ. Shane went for Bomb Valley Death, but ZSJ tied him up and got the European Clutch for the win.
WINNER: Zack Sabre Jr. (8 pts) at 13:23. (**1/2)
After the match the two walked out together so there was no lingering resentment.
(Javier’s Analysis: Man, this crowd has been a drag on this show, then again, it’s not like these matches have been overly exciting.)
(7) SHINGO TAKAGI (4 pts) vs. TAMA TONGA (6 pts) – C Block match
Early in the match, Shingo would open himself up to Tama and absorb his shots and fire back. This wore Tama down more and more until Shingo was in firm control for a while. Tama eventually fought back with strikes and was able to take control. At the five-minute mark, Tama took off his shirt, getting serious. Tama was in control until Shingo faked him out and hit a DDT. Shingo hit a superplex at the ten-minute mark. Shingo tried to finish off Tama with the Last of the Dragon, but Tama countered into a scorpion leg lock. Shingo got to the ropes and the match was even. Tama hit a SRC and Supreme Flow for a two as they hit the fifteen-minute mark. Shingo blocked Gun Stun. Shingo went for another Last of the Dragon, but Tama countered with a Tongan Twist with three-minutes left. A Pumping Bomber was good for only two with two minutes to go. With one minute left they exchanged head butts. With thirty seconds left, Shingo got Tama up, but Tama hit a Gun Stun. He was too slow to make the pin and Shingo kicked out at two with ten seconds left. Shingo went for a jackknife pin, but time expired as the referee was counting, leading to a draw.
WINNER: Time-limit draw at 20:00: Shingo Takagi (5 pts), Tama Tonga (7 pts). (***)
Both wrestlers made it clear that they want to finish this in the future.
(Javier’s Analysis: That was more like it, a match worthy of the G1. Good story telling throughout leading to an exciting finish. I do think Tama should broaden his move repertoire a bit.)
(8) HIROSHI TANAHASHI (4 pts) vs. HIROOKI GOTO (4 pts) – D Block match
Goto, dealing with damaged ribs, tried to finish things fast with an early GTR attempt. Tanahashi escaped by attacking said ribs. Tanahashi got several dragon screw leg whips on the ropes. Tanahashi worked over Goto’s leg and whenever Goto would try fighting back, Tanahashi would go for the ribs. Goto used some misdirection to find an opening to slow Tanahashi down. After a lengthy struggle on top of the turnbuckle, Tanahashi hit a super dragon screw leg whip. Tanahashi went for High Fly Flow, but Goto escaped and hit the ushigoroshi. Failing to hit a GTR, Goto hit a GTW instead for a two count. He tried for GTR again, but Tanahashi got out, hit Aces High and High Fly Flow for the win.
WINNER: Hiroshi Tanahashi (6 pts) at 14:40. (***)
(Javier’s Analysis: I was worried about this match considering both men were limited in what they can do but they showed that they can still put together a good match despite it all.)
Overall thoughts – I thought this was one of the weaker nights of this G1 Climax. The crowd seemed subdued most of the night and I’m not sure if that led to more lack luster matches or if the lack luster matches led to the subdued crowd.
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CATCH UP ON THE PREVIOUS REPORT: NJPW G1 CLIMAX 33 – NIGHT 8 RESULTS (7/26): Alan4L’s results & analysis of Kingston vs. Ishii, Tonga vs. Finlay, Cobb vs. Sabre
CHECK OUT OUR NEW JAPAN G1 HEADQUARTERS HERE
OR CHECK OUT PROWRESTLING.NET’S REPORT FOR ANOTHER VIEWPOINT: NJPW “G1 Climax 33 Night Ten” results (7/30): Vetter’s review of Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto, Tama Tonga vs. Shingo Takagi, Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shane Haste, Tetsuya Naito vs. Alex Coughlin, Eddie Kingston vs. Mikey
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