NJPW G1 Climax 34 night 16 live results: Final B Block matches

By Chick Fritts
Published: 14 Aug 2024, 02:00

The G1 Climax 34 playoffs will be set following today’s final night of B Block action.

The top three B Block finishers will be entered into the playoff bracket, with the top B Block finisher earning a bye to the semifinals.

In the main event, Jeff Cobb (10 points) takes on Yota Tsuji (8 points). In the semi-main, Ren Narita (10 points) faces Konosuke Takeshita (8 points). David Finlay (10 points) takes on El Phantasmo (6 points), and Hirooki Goto (8 points) face HENARE (6 points) in the other tournament matches tonight.

HENARE, ELP, Oleg Boltin, and the injured Yuya Uemura are mathematically eliminated, while the other six competitors all have a shot at the playoffs as B Block enters its final night.

Today’s undercard:

Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI vs. Great-O-Khan, Francesco Akira & Callum Newman
EVIL & Dick Togo vs. Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma
SANADA & TAKA Michinoku vs. Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee
Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano vs. Katsuya Murashima & Shoma Kato

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Undercard Results

Boltin Oleg & Toru Yano defeated Katsuya Murashima & Shoma Kato

Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee defeated SANADA & TAKA Michinoku

Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma defeated EVIL & Dick Togo

Great-O-Khan, Francesco Akira & Callum Newman defeated Tetsuya Naito, Shingo Takagi & BUSHI

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B Block Results

HENARE defeated Hirooki Goto

There were so many feed issues with this match that I wouldn’t recommend it for that reason alone. What I did see of the match wasn’t particullarly great.

After a typical opening exchange, Goto fled to the floor, where HENARE slammed him into the barricade. Back in the ring, Goto answered HENARE’s early lead with a lariat. Goto followed up with a series of power moves, ending with an ushigoroshi.

A strike battle in the middle of the ring fired up both men. Goto won out in the end by landing a lariat. When Goto tried to follow up, HENARE reversed into the Bezerker bomb for a sudden nearfall. A knee strike in the corner and punt set up the Streets of Rage, but Goto reversed into a choke.

Goto landed a punt of his own followed by GTW for a nearfall. HENARE bounced back with a sudden Rampage, scoring a nearfall of his own. At this point, the NJPW world feed cut (a problem that has been occurring all night). When the feed returned, HENARE was pinning Goto to win the match.

David Finlay defeated El Phantasmo

This match opened with back-and-forth strikes that spilled to the floor. ELP landed a plancha on the outside, gaining an early lead, which he used to whip Finlay through the barricades. ELP then carried Finlay to the crowd, only for Finlay to drive him into the seating.

Back in the ring, Finlay took his time picking apart ELP, paying special attention to the back. ELP fired back with a rana that sent Finlay to the floor and a tope that sent Finlay crashing into the barricade. The follow-up senton and moonsault scored ELP a nearfall, but a sudden backbreaker from Finlay put him right back in the driver’s seat.

Finlay hit Oblivion for a nearfall. After ELP survived, a short strike battle followed, but another backbreaker kept Finlay ahead. ELP tried to answer with a pair of quick pins and an Oblivion of his own. ELP hit Sudden Death for a two count which he followed with a CR2 attempt. Finlay powered through, landing a powerbomb.

ELP reversed the second attempt at a powerbomb into one of his own. He then hit a Thunderkiss 86, but Gedo pulled the referee to the floor before he could finish the count. This led to an altercation between the referee and Jado (yes, Jado), allowing Finlay to hit ELP with his shillelagh. Finlay then hit Overkill and pinned ELP to win the match and advance to the playoffs.

After the match, ELP assumed Jado was to blame for his loss. It seems he has lost another friend.

Konosuke Takeshita defeated Ren Narita

Takeshita’s performance in the match was really great, but God, it was a hard watch overall. The opening act was nothing, the HoT spots were too much, and Narita didn’t carry his weight, in my opinion.

The match began with House of Torture carrying Takeshita to the ring. They then offered Takeshita to Narita, allowing him to brutalize the leg as the opening bell sounded. He continued this attack on the floor, taking full advantage of the injury.

Takeshita tried to rally multiple times, landing suplexes and leg sweeps, but Narita brought him to the ground repeatedly with a single strike to the leg. Takeshita eventually hit a lariat from the corner to gain some footing. As he tried to follow up with a Blue Thunder Bomb, Narita reversed into a kneebar. Once the hold was dropped, Narita climbed to the top, where Takeshita cut him off and hit him with a superplex.

Takeshita landed a Bastard Driver as Narita tried to end his advance. This led to HoT hitting the ring, bumping the referee, and attacking Takeshita. After a prolonged attack, Takeshita began to fight back against HoT. He cleared the ring of Togo and EVIL just in time to eat a pair of guillotine knees from Narita. Takeshita managed to kick out of the pin attempt that followed.

Takeshita dropped Narita with a forearm to keep his G1 alive. Narita attempted to cut him off with some dirty offense, but Takeshita answered with a massive powerbomb. Narita answered with a kneebar, taking the match back to the mat. Takeshita powered through with a German and a world-class elbow strike to win the match.

With this win, Takeshita advances to the playoffs.

Yota Tsuji defeated Jeff Cobb

Cobb dropped Tsuji early with a shoulder check. This led into a strike exchange ending with a pounce from Cobb. Cobb followed up with deliberate offense to maintain his early control, slowly picking apart Tsuji.

Tsuji reversed a standing moonsault attempt, which opened the door to a quick rally. Tsuji landed a curb stomp for a two-count but Cobb answered with a hammer-and-sickle to put Tsuji back on the back foot. A quick back and forth followed, with both men trying for their finish, ending with a partial Gene Blaster spear for a Tsuji nearfall.

Cobb reversed a Tsuji curb stomp with a strike to the chest. The follow-up F5000 scored Cobb a nearfall. When Cobb tried for Tour of the Islands, Tsuji cut him off with a headbutt. Tsuji attempted Gene Blaster, but Cobb reversed into a lariat. As Cobb went for more, Tsuji tried for Gene Blaster again and landed it. Tsuji then went for Gene Blaster one more time, hit it again, and pinned Cobb to win the match.

Tsuji is set for the playoffs.

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G1 Playoffs

Opening Round

Shingo Takagi vs. Great-O-Khan | Yota Tsuji vs. Konosuke Takeshita

Semi-Finals

Zack Sabre Jr vs. Winner of Takagi/O-Khan | David Finlay vs. Winner of Tsuji/Takeshita