NJPW G1 Climax 34 night 17 live results: Playoffs begin
Two playoff matches on today’s NJPW G1 Climax 34 show will decide the semifinals set for Saturday, August 17.
In the main event, Yota Tsuji will face Konosuke Takeshita in a B Block battle. Takeshita won the previous singles meeting between the two earlier in this year’s tournament. The winner will advance to Saturday’s semifinals to face top B Block scorer David Finlay.
In the semi-main, Shingo Takagi takes on Great-O-Khan in a matchup of the second and third place finishers in A Block. The winner will face top A Block scorer Zack Sabre Jr. in the semifinals on Saturday. Shingo is 4-0 in his career against O-Khan, including a victory in this year’s tournament.
The undercard today:
- Zack Sabre Jr. & Hartley Jackson vs. David Finlay & Gedo
- Shota Umino, El Phantasmo & Jado vs. EVIL, Ren Narita & Dick Togo
- Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI vs. HENARE & Callum Newman
- Jeff Cobb & Francesco Akira vs. Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee
- Hiroshi Tanahashi, Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano vs. Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
- Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Tomoaki Honma & Katsuya Murashima vs. SANADA, Taichi, DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku
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Undercard Results
SANADA, Taichi, DOUKI & TAKA Michinoku defeated Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Tomoaki Honma & Katsuya Murashima
Taiji Ishimori challenged DOUKI for the IWGP Junior Championship
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Oleg Boltin & Toru Yano defeated Yujiro Takahashi, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee defeated Jeff Cobb & Francesco Akira
HENARE & Callum Newman defeated Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI
EVIL, Ren Narita & Dick Togo defeated Shota Umino, El Phantasmo & Jado
Zack Sabre Jr. & Hartley Jackson defeated David Finlay & Gedo
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Shingo Takagi defeated Great-O-Khan
Shingo was the first man to establish control by driving O-Khan into the corner and dropping him with a tackle. A suplex from O-Khan allowed him to take control from Shingo. O-Khan then used targeted holds and strikes to begin wearing down the arm of Shingo, perhaps to prevent the pumping bomber later in the match.
A DDT from Shingo opened the door for a rally. This lasted for a while, but O-Khan fired back with more grappling and more targeting limb work.
A quick side suplex from Shingo reset the match. Shingo followed up with a superplex. He then tried for Made in Japan but couldn’t get O-Khan up. After that didn’t work, he tried for pumping bomber, and each time, his targeted arm prevented the move from properly connecting. O-Khan then grabbed the arm and carried Shingo to the mat.
A pump kick from O-Khan opened the door for an Eliminator attempt. Shingo slipped free and hit the pumping bomber, but O-Khan kicked out. O-Khan then clubbed Shingo with a lariat and tried for a lariat again, but again, failed to connect.
Shingo tried for another bomber but was stuffed, leading to back-and-forth headbutts. O-Khan caught Shingo with a punch and transitioned into an arm breaker in the middle of the ring, nearly forcing the submission.
O-Khan went for an Eliminator attempt that Shingo reversed into a DDT. Shingo hit a German suplex and a pumping bomber with his other arm for a nearfall. He then landed Last of the Dragon and pinned O-Khan to win the match.
Shingo advances to face Zack Sabre Jr. in the Semi-Finals.
Yota Tsuji defeated Konosuke Takeshita
Takeshita secured an early lead, which he used to work over Tsuji on the mat. He tried following up with a senton from the top, but his injured knee slowed him down, allowing Tsuji to reverse and take control of the match. Tsuji then launched into an all-out attack on the knee after the door was opened.
Tsuji’s deliberate offense kept Takeshita grounded. Takeshita used Tsuji’s own speed to catch Tsuji with a lariat to reverse the match’s momentum. Takeshita followed up with a superplex before covering Tsuji with chairs and landing a senton to the floor.
Tsuji caught Takeshita with a backbreaker and a tope to re-assert his control. Takeshita fired back with a German before a double lariat left both men grounded.
Tsuji landed Raging Fire for a nearfall. He tried to close with Gene Blast, but Takeshita cut him off with a knee strike. Takeshita then climbed to the top, where Tsuji met him. Takeshita won out with a lariat, scoring him a nearfall of his own.
Takeshita tried for multiple lariats, but Tsuji refused to fall. Tsuji fired back with his own lariat and knee strike, followed by a barrage of slaps, a headbutt, and a curb stomp. When Tsuji tried his top rope stomp, Takeshita reversed into the blue thunder bomb.
Takeshita tried for Raging Fire, but Tsuji slipped free and hit the Gene Blaster. Takeshita used the rope to escape the pin, keeping his G1 alive. Tsuji tried for another, but Takeshita sidestepped it and hit a German. Before Takeshita could follow up, Tsuji bounced back, hit a second Gene Blaster, and won the match.
Tsuji will face Finlay in the semi-finals.