NJPW G1 Climax 33 semifinals live results: Naito vs. Ospreay, Okada vs. EVIL

The semifinals of this year’s NJPW G1 Climax tournament take place today in Sumo Hall. 

In the main event, Tetsuya Naito faces Will Ospreay in a semifinals bout. Ospreay holds a 2-0 record over Naito in singles competition. 

In the semi-main, Kazuchika Okada takes on EVIL is the other semifinal. Okada is 6-2 lifetime against EVIL in singles bouts. 

Today’s winners advance to tomorrow’s finals in the same building to crown the winner of G1 Climax 33. 

Today’s full lineup: 

  • G1 Climax 33 semifinals: Tetsuya Naito vs. Will Ospreay
  • G1 Climax 33 semifinals: Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL
  • SANADA, Taichi, TAKA Michinoku, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI vs. Hikuleo, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, El Phantasmo & Jado
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Eddie Kingston & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita
  • Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & BUSHI vs. Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan & HENARE
  • Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & YOH vs. David Finlay, KENTA, Chase Owens, Alex Coughlin & Gabe Kidd
  • Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma vs. Minoru Suzuki & Ren Narita
  • Kaito Kiyomiya & HAYATA vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Master Wato

Our live coverage begins at 4 a.m. Eastern time. 

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Recommended Matches

  • Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma vs. Minoru Suzuki & Ren Narita – These two teams absolutely demolished each other in one of the best tag matches of the year.
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Eddie Kingston & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita – This was an incredible, well-structured tag that outshined a lot of the actual tournament.
  • Tetsuya Naito vs. Will Ospreay – If you enjoy big match Ospreay, you’ll love this. Not to say Naito didn’t put in work; this was absolutely a tournament-defining performance. No doubt, this is the type of G1 semi-final you would expect from Ospreay and Naito.

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Kaito Kiyomiya & HAYATA defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Master Wato

This NOAH vs. NJPW match was just fine. For most of the match, the juniors focused on each other and the heavyweights on each other. In the end, Kiyomiya won for his team by hitting Tenzan with the shining wizard.

Minoru Suzuki & Ren Narita defeated Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma

This was fantastic. Shota and Ren beat the brakes off of each other here. Honma and Suzuki were solid throughout. In the end, Ren won the match for Strong Style by submitting Honma with a cobra twist.

David Finlay, KENTA, Chase Owens, Alex Coughlin & Gabe Kidd defeated Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Togi Makabe, Toru Yano & YOH 

This was a goofy match with the pace set by Owens and Yano. The match continued with Finlay and Makabe trading strikes. Finlay won out, dropping Makabe with Oblivion to win the match.

Jeff Cobb, Great-O-Khan & HENARE defeated Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & BUSHI

UE worked as heels throughout this match, attempting to isolate the LIJ members to maintain control. After multiple back-and-forth sequences, UE secured two submissions in the middle of the ring to win the match.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Eddie Kingston & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Zack Sabre Jr., Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls & Kosei Fujita

This was another outstanding tag. The TMDK squad came out strong in this match, working to isolate Tanahashi for a significant portion. The babyface team swung back with some excellent offense, which led to some compelling sequences. The match ended after Kingston unloaded on Fujita before closing with a spinning back fist.

After the match, HENARE hit the ring and attacked Kingston, setting up a NJPW STRONG title match.

Hikuleo, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, El Phantasmo & Jado defeated SANADA, Taichi, TAKA Michinoku, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI

This was a reasonably by-the-book 10-man with a couple of athletic sequences and a bit of tomfoolery. The match ended when Hikuleo landed a chokeslam on TAKA; ELP then dragged Jado on top of TAKA to secure the pin.

After the match, the War Dogs surrounded the ring but failed to strike.

Okada defeated Evil

This was not good.

Evil opened the match by jumping Okada and brutalizing him outside the ring. Dick Togo hit Okada with a chair for a nearfall.

Okada powered through Evil’s advance with some strikes of his own to establish some footing. Okada then took the action to the outside himself, whipping Evil into the barricade and driving him to the floor.

After a referee bump, SHO and Yujiro hit the ring and attacked Okada. Okada barely survived the first attack, but many more followed, including a Togo wire choke. Evil dropped Okada with a lariat for a nearfall.

Okada reversed Evil’s finish into a suplex, which he followed with some of his signature offenses. Evil avoided Okada’s attempt to finish and hit Everything is Evil; Okada kicked out. Okada hit an Everything is Evil of his own, followed by a cobra flowsion and a rainmaker to win the match.

Okada is one step closer to his third G1 in a row with this win.

Tetsuya Naito defeated Will Ospreay

This match opened with an extended feeling out sequence. As the match picked up, Ospreay chopped Naito to the floor before landing a plancha.

Back in the ring, the pair jockeyed for control. Naito tried his best to keep Ospreay on the mat, but Ospreay sprung back and knocked Naito to the floor. Naito met Ospreay on the apron and drove him into the ring’s canvas and the floor with a pair of neckbreakers.

Naito returned to the ropes, hit Ospreay with Gloria, and returned to mat work. Ospreay avoided the poison-rana and landed an insane dive from the top and a Liger bomb in response.

Naito reversed the hidden blade with a dropkick and avoided the OsCutter. When Ospreay attempted another powerbomb, Naito reversed into a snug DDT. A second DDT and Valencia scored Naito a nearfall.

Naito attempted stardust press, missed, and ate a hidden blade for even trying, but Ospreay was unable to make the cover.

Ospreay pummeled Naito with kicks before attempting ground and pound, but the referee pulled him off, forcing a standing count. Naito beat the count and ate another hidden blade; Naito kicked out. Ospreay landed OsCutter; Naito kicked out again. Ospreay hit stardust press; Naito kicked out once more. Ospreay attempted Storm Breaker; Naito reversed into a quick pin, nearly stealing a win.

Naito dodged another hidden blade but immediately collapsed. Naito avoided more offense by falling before reversing a Storm Breaker into Destino; Ospreay kicked out, and Naito hit a second Destino and pinned Ospreay to win the match.

The finals are set. Naito and Okada clash tomorrow for the G1 Climax 33.