NJPW G1 Climax 33 finals live results: Okada vs. Naito

By Chick Fritts
Published: 12 Aug 2023, 22:30

Two NJPW stalwarts will battle for the right to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 18 in today’s G1 finals.

Kazuchika Okada, a four-time tournament winner, faces Tetsuya Naito, a two-time winner and one-time runner-up, to determine the winner of the 33rd annual G1 Climax tournament.

This marks a third consecutive finals appearance for Okada, the winner of the 2022, 2021, 2014, and 2012 G1s. A fifth victory would tie him with Masahiro Chono for the most in the three-plus decades of the event.

Naito returns to the G1 finals for the first time since 2017, when he won his second career G1 by defeating Kenny Omega in the finals. Naito’s first G1 finals win came over Hiroshi Tanahashi in 2013’s tournament, while he lost the 2011 G1 finals to Shinsuke Nakamura.

Today’s winner will earn the right to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship currently held by SANADA at Wrestle Kingdom 18 in Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2024.

Our live coverage of today’s finals begins at 2 a.m. Eastern time.

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Recommended Matches

Master Wato, Shota Umino, Tomoaki Honma & Yuji Nagata vs. El Desperado, Minoru Suzuki, Ren Narita, & Yuto Nakashima – This was another fantastic showcase of the Ren and Umino rivalry.
Kosei Fujita, Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste & Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Oleg Boltin & Ryusuke Taguchi – This was a great example of TMDK’s potential as a unit and Oleg’s potential as a single.
BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, & Yota Tsuji vs. Great-O-Khan, HENARE, Jeff Cobb & Will Ospreay – This was a solid match with a shocking finish that is sure to have effects on NJPW for some time.
Tetsuya Naito vs. Kazuchika Okada – There are some Okada/Naito matches that outshine this, in my opinion, but they still had a match that meets the expectations of the G1 final. It’s hard to see this as anything less than the defining rivalry of New Japan’s current era.

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Kaito Kiyomiya & Ryohei Oiwa defeated Oskar Leube & Toru Yano

This was a fun opener. The Young Lion bits of this match were delightful. Kaito tried working in his typical style despite Yano, which almost worked. Kaito won the match for his team with a shining wizard on Leube.

I hope that this isn’t the end of Kaito in NJPW, and I don’t think it is. He has been a real highlight of this G1.

Master Wato, Shota Umino, Tomoaki Honma & Yuji Nagata defeated El Desperado, Minoru Suzuki, Ren Narita, & Yuto Nakashima

This was a great multi-man. I can’t get enough of Ren and Shota; the more I see from them, the more I’m sure this will be the rivalry that defines the 20s. Suzuki and Nagata also worked an excellent sequence. The match ended with a death rider on Nakashima.

After the match, Ren and Shota started a brawl which eventually involved the whole of both teams.

Eddie Kingston, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii & YOH defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Satoshi Kojima, Tiger Mask & Togi Makabe

This was a fine old guy tag with Eddie Kingston and YOH. There were a couple of interesting exchanges before YOH closed the match with a superkick on Tiger Mask.

After the match, Ishii and Tenzan traded a few headbutts.

Kosei Fujita, Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste & Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Oleg Boltin & Ryusuke Taguchi

This TMDK quartet is excellent in the 8-man tag setting. That said, Oleg was a real star of this match; he’s an absolute mega-star in the making. Nicholls and Haste won the match for TMDK with a tank buster on Goto.

This win leaves TMDK in a solid position to challenge Bishamon for the IWGP tag belts.

El Phantasmo, Hikuleo, Jado., Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa defeated Alex Coughlin, Chase Owens, David Finlay, Gabe Kidd & KENTA

This match focused a lot on continuing Bullet Club vs. ex-Bullet Club feud, with particular focus paid to the Tama/Finlay rivalry. Loa won the match with a quick rollup on Owens.

After the match, Bullet Club attacked the winners, but the managed to Tongans stand tall.

BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi, & Yota Tsuji defeated Great-O-Khan, HENARE, Jeff Cobb & Will Ospreay

Despite Ospreay’s new UK-themed belt, he was introduced as the US champion, at least the first time.

This was a chaotic match, with both factions violently struggling for control. After multiple extensive back-and-forth sequences, including false finishes, Tsuji hit Ospreay with a pair of spears and pinned the UK champion.

After the match, Eddie Kingston hit the ring, attacking HENARE, and fighting into the back.

This massive upset surely sets up a Tsuji/Ospreay singles match at some point in the future.

Dick Togo, EVIL, SHO, & Yujiro Takahashi defeated DOUKI., SANADA, Taichi. & Yoshinobu Kanemaru

This match took a little longer than usual to devolve into a HoT slog, but it still happened. Taichi tried to answer HoT’s antics with weapons of his own, but SHO countered, hitting him with a staff and the Shock Arrow to win the match.

After the match SHO posed with the KOPW belt, and EVIL attacked SANADA.

This win seemingly sets up a SHO KOPW title match at some point soon.

Tetsuya Naito defeated Kazuchika Okada

This match started with their typical warmup exchange. Okada gained the upper hand with a DDT on the apron, followed by a whip into the barricade. Back in the ring, Naito responded with a neckbreaker to gain footing. Naito then utilized simple offense to establish a lead.

Naito returned Okada’s malice, slamming Okada into the barricade; a violent neckbreaker against the barrier nearly resulted in an Okada count out. Back in the ring, Naito maintained his attack.

Okada landed a dropkick that sent Naito crashing to the floor. On the outside, Naito was able to hang on, whipping Okada back into the barricade. After a moment of hesitation, Okada caught Naito with a tombstone on the concrete floor of Ryogoku.

Okada returned to the ring, landing a suplex and a spinning rainmaker. Naito dodged the primary rainmaker, but Okada answered with a dropkick that crumbled Naito.

Once Naito returned to his feet, he spat in Okada’s face. Naito then landed the rope-assisted DDT that finished Tanahashi earlier in the tournament; neck work followed. A massive poison rana scored Naito a nearfall. Okada’s rally attempt was stuffed with a DDT and a Valencia for another nearfall.

When Naito attempted the stardust press, Okada rolled out of the way. A devastating dropkick set Okada up for another rainmaker attempt, but Naito avoided the finish. Naito secured a snug pin for another nearfall before leaping into Okada to reset the match.

Naito dodged another rainmaker and transitioned into a Destino attempt. Okada reversed the Destino into a short-arm lariat, but Okada failed to follow up again. Naito then hit Destino, but Okada kicked out.

A desperate Naito attempted a second Destino, but Okada slammed him to the mat to reverse. Okada tried again for rainmaker, but, again, Naito transitioned into Destino. Instead of going for the pin, Naito hit another Destino to cement his win. Naito then pinned Okada in the middle of the ring to close the tournament.

Naito has won the G1 Climax 33.