NJPW G1 Climax 26 results: Kenny Omega vs. Tetsuya Naito; Block B winner determined

Tonight is the second of three Sumo Hall events for New Japan as we will see the winner of the B block emerge, setting the stage for the finals Sunday morning where we’ll see the twenty sixth G1 Climax winner be crowned.

With Hirooki Goto securing the A block after a tie between Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi eliminated them, anything can happen in tonights show, with Omega, Elgin, Shibata, and Naito still in play.

– Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Manabu Nakanishi, Jushin Liger, & Tiger Mask defeated Yoshitatsu, Captain New Japan, Ryusuke Taguchi, & David Finlay after Tenzan pinned Captain New Japan with a moonsault.

– Tomohiro Ishii & Naomichi Marufuji defeated Togi Makabe & Juice Robinson when Marufuji pinned Robinson with the sliced bread. Makabe and Ishii had to be pulled apart after their match because we need match number 3,235 in this never ending feud.

– SANADA, BUSHI, & ROH Champion Jay Lethal defeated KUSHIDA, Satoshi Kojima, & Hiroshi Tanahashi when BUSHI pinned KUSHIDA with a codebreaker following a Lethal Injection from Lethal. That likely sets up a future title program down the line.

– Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga, Tanga Roa, Yujiro Takahashi, & Hangman Page defeated Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto, Gedo, & Mark & Jay Briscoe when Yujiro pinned Gedo with the pimp juice DDT. The focus here was on the tag team title match tomorrow even though Goto is in the main event.

Tomoaki Honma defeated Yuji Nagata

They were stiff and the crowd was into it, though it felt a wee bit short. Honma went for the kokeshi early, dominating Nagata but he rolled out of the way. Nagata was in control from here, but Honma started to no sell and laid him out with his own lariat. Good back and forth match from this point. He blocked Nagata with a torpedo kokeshi then actually finished it with the top rope kokeshi for the win to wrap up a good match.

Toru Yano defeated YOSHI-HASHI

They had a short match, full of the usual Yano stuff. They had a straight match for about a minute before Yano started to revert to his tricks. He managed to undo two turnbuckles this time. He smacked YH with one, but YH was able to grab the other and laid out Yano. The last laugh was on YH however as Yano was able to low blow YH and scored the win with a flash cradle.

EVIL defeated Katsuyori Shibata

This was a good, really hard hitting match as EVIL played his role as the potential spoiler very well. EVIL smacked Shibata’s arm with a steel chair so hard the seat fell off. That’s probably not fun. There were some pretty unpleasant nosies in this match, including when Shibata did the corner dropkick.

EVIL struck the arm and laid out Shibata with a side suplex. Shibata, arm badly damaged, refused a ref stoppage mounted one last comeback but EVIL got in the STO and laid out Shibata for the win. That puts Shibata out of the tournament.

Katsuhiko Nakajima defeated Michael Elgin

This was a great match with a stupendous last few minutes. The announcers noted that Elgin has a pectoral injury as his shoulder and pec were all bandaged up. Of course, that meant Nakajima went after it with tough looking kicks. Elgin made a brief comeback, but Nakajima was in control until Elgin laid him out with two suplexes, later grabbing an unsuspecting Nakajima in mid-air and powerbombed him.

Nakajima fired back but Elgin hit the deadlift powerbomb/buckle bomb but Nakajima countered with a roll up. After some back and forth, Nakajima hit a brainbuster and pinned Elgin which puts him out of the tournament as well.

Kenny Omega defeated Tetsuya Naito

Amazing match and probably about on the same level as yesterday’s match but with crazier stuff. Omega is one of the flashiest, dynamic workers out there and proved it in this match. Naito matched up with him really well and worked just as hard has he did, leading to a fantastic match.

Naito did his pose on the mat early and Omega responded by spitting at him. Naito then spit back. Omega hopped down to the floor but messed up his leg in the match, allowing Naito to hone in and focus on Omega’s bum leg. Omega shoved Naito to the barricade hard and powerbombed him through a table, then hit a giant springboard senton through the barricade and table to the outside in a stupendous spot. Omega gave him a dragon suplex on the apron then another. Crazy series of back and forth moves, and this crowd is totally behind Naito.

Omega went for the One Winged Angel but Naito transitioned to an ankle lock. Omega escaped and tried to go for it again, but Naito countered with a reverse DDT. He followed that with a super reverse rana from the top rope. Naito went for the Destino but Omega reversed it into a reverse Omori driver. Omega tried for the One Winged Angel, but his knee gave out. With four minutes left, Omega hit the knee strike and after another failed attempt at the One Winged Angel, he finally nailed it and pinned Naito to advance to the finals.

Omega cut a promo after the match saying he felt changes from the crowd as the match went on, since they were totally into Naito but cheered Omega when he won the match. He heeled on the crowd, saying that only when the match ended, did they cheer for him. He mentioned that he only stayed here because he felt like Japan was his home, but what kind of home treats him like that? Well, they can cheer all they want for Goto tomorrow, because if he were a betting man, he would bet on Kenny Omega.

That officially makes it Hirooki Goto vs. Kenny Omega for the G1 Climax trophy tomorrow. Definitely check out the last two matches as both were tremendous.

Current standings:

Block A (FINAL RESULTS)

  • Hirooki Goto (12) – Advances to finals
  • Kazuchika Okada (10)
  • Naomichi Marufuji (10)
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi (10)
  • Bad Luck Fale (10)
  • Togi Makabe (8)
  • Tama Tonga (8)
  • Tomohiro Ishii (8)
  • SANADA (8)
  • Hiroyoshi Tenzan (4)

Block B (FINAL RESULTS)

  • Kenny Omega (12) – Advances to finals
  • Tetsuya Naito (12)
  • Katsuyori Shibata (10)
  • Michael Elgin (10)
  • Katsuhiko Nakajima (10)
  • Toru Yano (10)
  • EVIL (8)
  • Tomoaki Honma (8)
  • YOSHI-HASHI (6)
  • Yuji Nagata (6)