By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
New Japan Pro Wrestling “G1 Climax 36 – Night 18”
August 15, 2026, in Tokyo, Japan, at Sumo Hall
Streamed live on New Japan World
Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton provided commentary. This is a small arena; the crowd is in the thousands. Walker said it was a sellout.
This tournament began one month ago today in Chicago (I recall it well; I was there!). We started with 20 competitors, and we’re down to our final four. So, tonight, we have the two semifinal matches, as well as the retirement match for Hiroyoshi Tenzan. They are going with Tenzan’s match in the main event. (The last few times I saw him, he could barely walk. That match should not be in the main event. I hope I’m wrong.) During the first match, Walker said it would have a five-minute time limit. That’s smart.
1. “United Empire” Great O-Khan, Jakob Austin Young, Henare, and Francesco Akira vs. Masatora Yasuda, Taisei Nakahara, and “Bishamon” Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi. Goto and O-Khan opened. Charlton talked about how O-Khan finished “dead last” in this year’s tournament. Henare hit a senton on Yasuda at 1:30. Jakob entered and hit a neckbreaker on Yasuda. The United Empire took turns working him over. O-Khan hit his Mongolian Chops at 3:30. Yasuda tried his own Mongolian Chops, then he hit a dropkick on O-Khan.
Yoshi-Hashi entered; it’s the first time we’ve seen him this entire tour. He hit a DDT on Henare at 5:30. Akira entered (it’s his first match of the tour too!), and he battled Nakahara. Nakahara got a rollup for a nearfall! Akira hit a standing moonsault for a nearfall at 7:30. He nailed the Fireball running knees to the back of the head to pin Taisei. Decent. Good to see a few guys back in action.
“United Empire” Great O-Khan, Jakob Austin Young, Henare, and Francesco Akira defeated Masatora Yasuda, Taisei Nakahara, and “Bishamon” Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi at 7:53.
2. “The House of Torture” Sho, Ren Narita, Douki, and Sanada (w/Dick Togo) vs. Taichi, Konosuke Takeshita, Ryusuke Taguchi, and El Desperado. Douki was competing in Mexico just a few days ago. Desperado also appeared for the first time this tour. Sho spoke on the mic, and the HoT attacked. Sho and Desperado fought on the floor. Sho and Douki crotched Desperado around the ring post! In the ring, they ‘wish-boned’ Despe’s legs. Takeshita entered at 3:30 and hit a flying clothesline on Sanada.
Takeshita hit a huracanrana on Narita. He hit a flip dive to the floor on all the heels. Dick Togo jumped in the ring and choked Takeshita. Taichi made the save. Taichi tagged in at 6:00 and battled Sanada, hitting a running clothesline. Taguchi entered for the first time and traded leg locks with Narita. Togo hit his knife-edge chop to Taguchi’s groin, and Ren got a nearfall at 8:00. Taguchi did some of his low-brow humor, trying to pull down his pants. Ren hit a Double Cross (X-Factor) to pin Taguchi.
“The House of Torture” Sho, Ren Narita, Douki, and Sanada defeated Taichi and Konosuke Takeshita, Ryusuke Taguchi, and El Desperado at 9:24.
* The HoT continued to beat down Takshita. Out of the back came Dragongate star Shun Skywalker! He spoke on the mic. Sounds like the House of Torture has a new member!
3. “The Unbound Co.” Drilla Moloney and Daiki Nagai vs. Gabe Kidd and Wheeler Yuta. Yes, Yuta flew in for the match. He opened against Nagai, and they tied up on the mat. Walker said this is Yuta’s first match in Japan since Best of Super Juniors in 2022. He backed Nagai in a corner and hit a chop and a bodyslam, then a senton for a nearfall at 1:30. Nagai hit a dropkick into the corner for a nearfall. Kidd and Yuta beat up Nagai on the floor. Kidd clocked him with a forearm strike in the ring and got a nearfall at 5:00.
Nagai hit a spinebuster on Yuta at 6:30, and they were both down. Drilla finally got a hot tag — he wants Gabe Kidd! Gabe entered and traded chops with Moloney. Kidd hit a German Suplex and a clothesline for a nearfall at 8:30. Moloney set up for the Drilla Killa, but Kidd escaped! Drilla hit the Gore! They were both down. Nagai dove through the ropes and crashed onto Yuta at 10:00! In the ring, Nagai hit a DDT on Yuta for a nearfall. Drilla hit a dropkick on Kidd. Kidd and Gabe took turns hitting running blows on Nagai in a corner. Yuta hit a running knee for the pin. Good action.
Gabe Kidd and Wheeler Yuta defeated “The Unbound Co.” Drilla Moloney and Daiki Nagai at 11:34.
4. “The Unbound Co.” Shingo Takagi, Gedo, and Taiji Ishimori and “The Knockout Brothers” Oskar and Yuto-Ice vs. Yoh, Toru Yano, Togi Makabe, Yuji Nagata, and Master Wato. Shingo and Yuji Nagata opened! The crowd was hot as they locked up. Yuji hit a Pump Kick. Wato entered and whipped Shingo into a corner at 1:30. Wato hit a dropkick, but Shingo knocked him down with a shoulder tackle. Yuto-Ice entered, and he stomped on Wato in the corner and hit a running knee in the corner for a nearfall.
On the floor, Yuto-Ice whipped Togi into the guardrails. In the ring, Ishimori entered and battled Wato. Ishimori’s shoulder is heavily wrapped. Yoh entered for the first time at 4:00, and he got a Gedo Clutch on Ishimori for a nearfall. Ishimori hit a Pele Kick. Yano and Oskar both tagged in; Yano removed a corner pad. Oskar hit a flying guillotine leg drop for a nearfall at 5:30. He put Yano in the Altraum (sleeper). Togi and Yuto-Ice began trading forearm strikes! Yuto-Ice dropped him with a roundhouse kick to the chest. Yano hit a double low-blow uppercut on Oskar and Yuto-Ice! Yano got a rollup and pinned Oskar!
Yoh, Toru Yano, Togi Makabe, Yuji Nagata, and Master Wato defeated “The Unbound Co.” Shingo Takagi, Gedo, Taiji Ishimori, and “The Knockout Brothers” Oskar and Yuto-Ice at 6:27.
* Yuto-Ice and Makabe continued to brawl to the back! This was a pretty good fight. The bell rang repeatedly, but they ignored it. I don’t think Makabe or Gedo were ever officially in the match.
5. “The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Zack Sabre Jr., Kosei Fujita, and Hartley Jackson vs. Boltin Oleg, Aaron Wolf, and Tatsuya Matsumoto. The big bulls Oleg and Hartley traded shoulder blocks to open. Walker noted that Hartley was undefeated in the G1 undercards. Kosei and Matsumoto entered, and Tatsuya hit a series of bodyslams for a nearfall at 2:00. Sabre entered, and he tied Matsumoto in a pretzel on the mat. I don’t think the body is meant to bend that way!
Wolf jumped in at 4:30, and he hit some Judo throws on each TMDK member. Wolf hit a running elbow drop on Sabre for a nearfall. Sabre tied Aaron in an Octopus Stretch, but Wolf escaped. Sabre hit a series of European Uppercuts, then his neck-snap between the ankles. Kosei tagged back in at 6:30, and he hit some loud chops on Wolf. Aaron hit a belly-to-belly suplex on Fujita. Kosei hit a German Suplex.
Oleg ran over and easily picked up Fujita and flipped him in his arms. Wolf hit a suplex on Hartley, and the move popped the crowd. Aaron hit a powerslam on Sabre! Matsumoto hit his Orange Cassidy-style Beach Break slam. Fujita grabbed Matsumoto’s right arm, cranked it behind the back, until Matsumoto tapped. Some really good undercard matches today. Wolf and Fujita jawed at each other after the bell.
The Mighty Don’t Kneel” Zack Sabre Jr., Kosei Fujita, and Hartley Jackson defeated Boltin Oleg, Aaron Wolf, and Tatsuya Matsumoto at 9:44.
NOTE: In past years, six wrestlers reached the playoffs, with the top man in each block receiving a first-round bye. This year, we went back to just the top two in each block making the playoffs. All four men finished 6-3. (Konosuke Takeshita and Gabe Kidd also finished 6-3 in their respective Blocks but missed the playoffs due to tiebreakers).
6. Callum Newman (B Block) vs. Ryohei Oiwa (A Block) in a G1 Climax semifinal match. They charged at each other at the bell and immediately tied up on the mat. Charlton noted that Oiwa wrestled the fewest minutes overall across the nine round-robin matches. They fought to the floor, and Callum whipped Oiwa against the guardrails at 3:00. They went over the barricade and into the crowd. Newman hit a double stomp from the apron onto Oiwa’s back on the floor. He rolled Oiwa back into the ring and got a nearfall at 5:30.
Oiwa applied a headlock; he won matches with that this tournament! He hit a shoulder tackle, and they were both down at 7:00. Oiwa hit a senton for a nearfall. They traded German Suplexes. Oiwa hit a back suplex, and they both collapsed at 10:00. Oiwa hit a thudding headbutt. He sidestepped an Os Cutter and hit another German Suplex for a nearfall at 12:00. Callum hit a Michinoku Driver. He hit a hard clothesline at 13:30 and was in charge. Oiwa snapped the left arm and applied a top hammerlock. He dragged Newman to the mat. The crowd was alive, wanting to see Newman tap.
Callum hit a superkick, but Oiwa hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 15:00. Newman hit a low blow and got an inside cradle for a believable nearfall. He hit a running knee for a nearfall., then the Prince’s Curse brainbuster for a believable nearfall! This crowd was energized now! Oiwa re-applied the headlock! Callum hit a clothesline and collapsed onto Oiwa for a nearfall at 17:30. Oiwa hit a discus clothesline and got the pin!
Ryohei Oiwa defeated Callum Newman at 18:45 to advance to the G1 finals.
7. Yota Tsuji (A Block) vs. Yuya Uemura (B Block) in a G1 Climax semifinal match. Charlton said these two have fought 53 (!!!!!) singles matches in their career. (Obviously, many when they were Young Lions.) Standing switches and a feeling-out process. Yuya hit some armdrags. Yota hit a backbreaker over his knee at 2:30. Tsuji hit a second one. He stayed in charge and stomped on Uemura. Yuya got up and hit some chops at 6:00, then a dropkick. He hit a suplex and went for a cross-armbreaker, but Tsuji quickly got his feet on the ropes.
Tsuji dove through the ropes onto Uemura at 8:30. In the ring, he hit a running knee in the corner. He hit the Marlowe Crash (top-rope double stomp), this time on the lower back. Tsuji immediately locked in a Boston Crab, but Yuya scrambled to the ropes. The 10:00 call was spot-on. Uemura remained focused on the left arm, twisting it and again going for a cross-armbreaker. Yota hit a superkick, but Uemura hit a dropkick, and they were both down at 12:30. Yuya hit a back suplex for a nearfall.
Yuya hit a German Suplex. He hit a Dragon Suplex for a nearfall at 15:00. Tsuji hit a Gene Blaster to the back at 17:00! He immediately applied a Boston Crab, as he continued to focus on Yuya’s lower back. Yuya finally escaped at 19:00 (yes, he was in the hold for two full minutes). However, Tsuji immediately hit another backbreaker over his knee. Yuya got a rollup for a nearfall. Yuya snapped the left arm! He now applied a Boston Crab! Yuya switched to a modified Texas Cloverleaf. Tsuji finally reached the ropes at 22:00.
Yuya hit a High Fly Flow (frog splash) for a nearfall. He went for a top-rope crossbody block, but Tsuji cut him in half with a leaping Gene Blaster (spear)! Tsuji hit an inverted second-rope superplex, dropping Yuya stomach-first to the mat! He immediately hit another Gene Blaster for a nearfall at 24:00! He set up for a Fire Blaster (twisting spear), but Yuya blocked it. Yuya hit a Deadbolt (double-underhook suplex) and a running elbow. Yuya nailed the top-rope crossbody block, then the Deadbolt with a high bridge for the pin! An excellent match.
Yuya Uemura defeated Yota Tsuji at 25:19 to advance to the G1 Climax finals.
* Ryohei Oiwa came to the ring and confronted Yuya. He left with no punches thrown.
8. Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Satoshi Kojima. A nice video package aired of Tenzan’s career. Tenzan came out in his red jacket and horns on his head; he does look like he’s limping. He got on the mic and threw out the time limit!!! Kojima tried some shoulder blocks, but Tenzan didn’t go down. They traded forearm strikes and chops. Tenzan hit his Mongolian Chops, dropping Kojima. He hit a suplex and applied an Anaconda Vice on the mat at 2:00.
Kojima hit a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall. Charlton said Tenzan leads the all-time series 35-11!!! Tenzan fell, but Kojima shouted at him to get up, and the crowd rallied Tenzan to his feet. Tenzan hit some more Mongolian Chops. The 5:00 clock was on. He hit a back suplex. They traded chops. Satoshi hit a Koji Cutter at 7:30. He hit a clothesline for a nearfall. This crowd was totally into this. Satoshi hit a couple more clotheslines and scored the pin. Tenzan does the time-honored tradition of losing as he bows out. This was definitely on the high end of expectations.
Satoshi Kojima defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan at 9:22.
* Tenzan was about to speak, but some music played. Takashi Iizuka came to the ring, still looking as crazy and demented as ever. He got in the ring and attacked. Tenzan got on the mic and told Iizuka to “wake up.” Iizuka and Tenzan shook hands and hugged. Wrestlers came to ringside and presented him with numerous flower bouquets. He then spoke about his career.
Final Thoughts: Yuya vs. Yota was tremendous. But I never once thought Tsuji was winning. Why? Because he’s the champion. I’ve been watching wrestling in general long enough (and NJPW for maybe eight years), and it just makes no sense for the champion to win the tournament that crowns a No. 1 contender. It’s the big flaw with having the champion in both the G1 Climax and the New Japan Cup, as they ultimately lose, and typically before they reach the finals.
Okay, all that said, Gedo deserves credit for his booking here. Callum and Tsuji already climbed to the top in the past year. Now, Yuya and Oiwa have been put in position to be on top this year. I’ll lean toward Uemura winning on Sunday, but I certainly won’t be surprised if Oiwa pulls off the massive win. Keep in mind — Oiwa had to win a play-in spot to qualify for this field!
Be the first to comment