NJPW G1 Climax 33 night 16 live results: D Block finals

Five wrestlers remain mathematically alive for the final two quarterfinals spots in NJPW’s G1 Climax 33 tournament heading into today’s show. 

The most likely scenarios will see the winners of today’s main event and semi-main event advancing to Thursday’s quarterfinals. In the main event, Tetsuya Naito faces Hiroshi Tanahashi in a match where Naito advances with a win, while Tana needs a win and help. In the semi-main, Zack Sabre Jr. faces Hirooki Goto in a bout where both need a win and help to advance. Jeff Cobb is in a straightforward win-and-in scenario against Shane Haste. 

The full card: 

  • D Block: Tetsuya Naito (4-2, 8 points) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (3-3, 6 points)
  • D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. (4-2, 8 points) vs. Hirooki Goto (3-3, 6 points)
  • D Block: Jeff Cobb (4-2, 8 points) vs. Shane Haste (2-4, 4 points)
  • D Block: Toru Yano (2-4, 4 points) vs. Alex Coughlin (2-4, 4 points)
  • Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Ren Narita vs. Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & BUSHI
  • Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma vs. Great-O-Khan & HENARE
  • Hikuleo, Shota Umino & Master Wato vs. David Finlay, Gabe Kidd & Gedo
  • Kaito Kiyomiya & Ryohei Oiwa vs. Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita
  • Eddie Kingston & Yuto Nakashima vs. EVIL & SHO

Our live coverage begins at 5:30 a.m. Eastern time.

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Recommended Matches

  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hirooki Goto – This match was a fantastic culmination of story threads established through the tournament.
  • Tetsuya Naito vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi – This was one of the tournament’s best matches. Tanahashi remains incredible, in case there was any doubt. 

EVIL & SHO defeated Eddie Kingston & Yuto Nakashima

This was a typical, tired House of Torture match. Towards the end of the babyface rally, Nakashima was left alone in the ring; SHO took this opportunity to drop him with a wrench strike and a Shock Arrow to win the match.

Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita defeated Kaito Kiyomiya & Ryohei Oiwa 

This match was a hoot. The Young Lions were ambitious throughout the match, leading into the final stretch. Ultimately, Nicholls won the bout for TMDK by hitting Oiwa with a sliding lariat.

Hikuleo, Shota Umino & Master Wato defeated David Finlay, Gabe Kidd & Gedo

This was a by-the-book six-man. Wato won the match for his team by forcing Gedo to submit to Vendaval. After the match, Bullet Club beat down the winners and stood tall with their belts.

Great-O-Khan & HENARE defeated Tomohiro Ishii & Tomoaki Honma 

This was an entertaining match built around United Empire’s desire to kill Ishii. In the end, HENARE won the match by dropping Honma with Streets of Rage.

After the match, O-Khan gave MMA fighter/Pro Wrestler Hideki Sekine a ribbon.

Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado & Ren Narita defeated Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & BUSHI

This was a solid LIJ/Strong Style match. There were some fun exchanges between Suzuki/Shingo and Ren/BUSHI. In the end, Ren won the match for Strong Style with a cobra twist on BUSHI.

Alex Coughlin defeated Toru Yano

While not horrible, this felt more like a House of Torture match than a War Dogs match. Before the match could begin, Gabe Kidd and Coughlin attacked Yano with chairs and barricades. Yano fought back, driving Kidd through a table. Yano tried stabbing Coughlin with scissors, distracting the referee long enough for Coughlin to hit Yano with a belt and the jackhammer to win the match.

Coughlin ends his tournament with 6 points, Yano 4.

Double Count Out: Jeff Cobb vs. Shane Haste

Haste, essentially playing spoiler on behalf of TMDK, worked a very aggressive match here. Cobb, with his tournament on the line, matched Haste’s energy. The fight worked its way to the floor, where Haste’s strategy began to play out; Haste kept Cobb on the floor as the count climbed, eventually holding him down to force the count out.

This result leaves Cobb with 9 points, which is still leading the block but makes him much more vulnerable to the results from later tonight. 

Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Hirooki Goto

ZSJ focused on wearing down an already worn down Goto. Goto fired back with well-timed bombs, forcing ZSJ on the backfoot multiple times. ZSJ won out in the end by submitting Goto on the mat.

This win puts ZSJ at 10 points, which secures his spot in the playoffs.

Tetsuya Naito defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi

This was a simple, rock-solid Tanahashi masterclass. Tanahashi’s slow build to Ace’s High and High Fly Flow was incredible. Naito won the match in the end with a tornado DDT which echoed through the building. 

This win secures Naito’s spot in the playoffs. He stands atop the block with 10 points.

Quarter-Final Playoff Matches

Tonight marks the end of block action and finalizes the lineup for the playoffs. 

  • SANADA vs. EVIL
  • Kazuchika Okada vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
  • David Finlay vs. Will Ospreay
  • Tetsuya Naito vs. Hikuleo

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Standings

A Block

  • SANADA (7-0) – 14 points
  • Hikuleo (4-3) – 8 points
  • Yota Tsuji (3-3-1) – 7 points
  • Shota Umino (2-3-2) – 6 points
  • Kaito Kiyomiya (2-3-2) – 6 points
  • Ren Narita (2-3-2) – 6 points
  • Gabe Kidd (2-4-1) 5 points
  • Chase Owens (2-5) – 4 points

B Block

  • Kazuchika Okada (6-1) – 12 points
  • Will Ospreay (6-2) 10 points
  • Taichi (3-4) – 6 points
  • El Phantasmo (3-4) 6 points
  • Tanga Loa (3-4) 6 points
  • KENTA (3-4) 6 points
  • Great-O-Khan (3-4) 6 points
  • YOSHI-HASHI (2-5) – 4 points

C Block

  • David Finlay (5-2) – 10 points
  • EVIL (5-2) – 10 points
  • Tama Tonga (4-2-1) – 9 points
  • Eddie Kingston (4-3) – 8 points
  • Shingo Takagi (3-3-1) – 7 points
  • Mikey Nicholls (2-5) – 4 points
  • HENARE (2-5) – 4 points
  • Tomohiro Ishii (2-5) – 4 points

D Block

  • Zack Sabre Jr. (5-2) – 10 points
  • Tetsuya Naito (5-2) – 10 points
  • Jeff Cobb (4-2-1) – 9 points
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi (3-4) – 6 points
  • Hirooki Goto (3-4) – 6 points
  • Alex Coughlin (3-4) – 6 points
  • Shane Haste (2-4-1) – 5 points
  • Toru Yano (2-5) – 4 points