Yuya Uemura and Ryohei Oiwa have advanced to the G1 Climax 36 final with semifinal victories at Ryogoku Sumo Hall.
Uemura defeated IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji, while Oiwa eliminated Callum Newman on Saturday. The two will return to Ryogoku tomorrow to determine the tournament winner.
In the main event of the show. Hiroyoshi Tenzan brought his 35-year career to an end against longtime partner and rival Satoshi Kojima. New Japan announced a sellout attendance of 7,777.
Full results
- United Empire (HENARE, Great-O-Khan, Francesco Akira & Jakob Austin Young) def. Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Masatora Yasuda & Taisei Nakahara (7:54)
- HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita, SANADA, DOUKI & SHO) def. Konosuke Takeshita, Taichi, El Desperado & Ryusuke Taguchi (9:17)
- Gabe Kidd & Wheeler Yuta def. Drilla Moloney & Daiki Nagai (11:33)
- Yuji Nagata, Toru Yano, Togi Makabe, YOH & Master Wato def. Shingo Takagi, Yuto-Ice, OSKAR, Taiji Ishimori & Gedo (6:26)
- Zack Sabre Jr., Hartley Jackson & Kosei Fujita def. Aaron Wolf, Boltin Oleg & Tatsuya Matsumoto (9:41)
- G1 Climax semifinal: Ryohei Oiwa def. Callum Newman (18:44)
- G1 Climax semifinal: Yuya Uemura def. Yota Tsuji (25:10)
- Hiroyoshi Tenzan retirement match: Satoshi Kojima def. Hiroyoshi Tenzan (9:22)
Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Satoshi Kojima
Tenzan ended his career opposite the wrestler most closely associated with it.
The match had initially been announced with a five-minute limit, but Tenzan asked for the restriction to be removed before the bell. NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi approved the request at ringside, turning the match into a no-time-limit encounter.
Tenzan used his Mongolian Chops, suplexes and Anaconda Vice, while Kojima responded with his Machine Gun Chops and elbow drop.
Kojima eventually connected with a lariat, but Tenzan kicked out at one. A subsequent lariat ended the match at 9:22.
Takashi Iizuka interrupted the retirement ceremony and initially attacked his former partner. Tenzan appealed to Iizuka to remember the friendship they shared before Iizuka’s 2008 betrayal, eventually persuading him to shake hands and embrace.
A group of figures from Tenzan’s career then joined the ceremony, including Tatsumi Fujinami, Riki Choshu, Masahiro Chono, Keiji Muto, Jun Akiyama and Hiroshi Hase.
Chono delivered some closing words and his customary slap before Tenzan addressed the crowd. A 10-bell salute brought the ceremony to an end.
Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura
Yuya Uemura defeated his fellow 2018 NJPW Dojo class member and reigning IWGP Champion Yota Tsuji to earn his first place in a G1 Climax final.
Tsuji identified Uemura’s injured lower back as his target early, using backbreakers and a camel clutch before sending him into the guardrail with a suicide dive.
Uemura responded by concentrating on Tsuji’s arm. He maintained control of the limb through several exchanges and eventually created an opening for a back suplex and German suplex.
Tsuji struck Uemura in the back with a Gene Blaster before applying a Boston Crab. Uemura refused to submit and later escaped another attempt before using a Boston Crab of his own.
A High Fly Flow earned Uemura a near fall. When he attempted another, Tsuji intercepted him with a Gene Blaster.
The IWGP Heavyweight Champion followed with the Guerrero Special and another Gene Blaster for two. Tsuji then attempted the Fire Blaster, but Uemura countered into the Deadbolt Suplex.
Uemura hit a Shining Elbow and Lion’s Shiner before delivering another Deadbolt Suplex for the pin at 25:10.
Ryohei Oiwa, who earlier defeated Callum Newman in the other semifinal, entered the ring afterward for a brief faceoff with his opponent for Sunday.
Uemura said backstage that winning the G1 had been one of his goals since watching Togi Makabe defeat Shinsuke Nakamura in the 2009 final as a teenager. He has yet to win a championship during his eight years as a professional wrestler.
Ryohei Oiwa vs. Callum Newman
Ryohei Oiwa reached the final by overcoming Callum Newman’s speed and another attempt to bend the rules.
Oiwa entered wearing horns in tribute to Tenzan, for whom he previously served as an attendant. He also incorporated the Tenzan Suplex into the match.
Newman attacked quickly and later drove Oiwa into the ringside chairs. An Excalibur from the apron and a knee strike kept the B Block winner in control.
Oiwa slowed the pace by working Newman’s shoulder and neck. The two later exchanged German suplexes before Oiwa connected with a Tenzan Suplex.
Newman hit Kiss the Crown but could not complete the Make Way. Oiwa instead caught him in the Ark Clutch.
After taking out the referee, Newman struck Oiwa below the belt and delivered the Prince’s Curse. Oiwa survived and later trapped him in the Big Lock.
Another Kiss the Crown brought Newman a near fall, but Oiwa stopped his final charge and hit The Grip to win at 18:44.
Oiwa entered G1 Climax 36 through the play-in qualifiers and will now attempt to complete his run with his first tournament victory.
Shun Skywalker joins HOUSE OF TORTURE
Former Dragongate wrestler Shun Skywalker made a surprise appearance following HOUSE OF TORTURE’s victory over Takeshita, Taichi, El Desperado and Taguchi.
The group continued attacking NJPW World Television Champion Takeshita after the bell when Skywalker appeared at ringside. Rather than making the save, Skywalker joined HOUSE OF TORTURE and participated in the attack.
Skywalker said he had come to NJPW to defeat Takeshita. His appearance came 11 days after wrestling his final match for Dragongate on August 4, concluding a decade with the promotion.
Skywalker had announced his departure from Dragongate in June. He is a three-time former Open the Dream Gate Champion.
Other developments
- Kosei Fujita confronted NEVER Openweight Champion Aaron Wolf following TMDK’s six-man tag victory, indicating that he wants a championship opportunity.
- There was also further friction between former War Dogs partners Gabe Kidd and Drilla Moloney. After Kidd and Wheeler Yuta defeated Moloney and Daiki Nagai, Kidd discarded the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship belt and Moloney picked it up, signaling his interest in another meeting with the champion.
- NJPW formally announced Wrestle Kingdom 21 for January 4, 2027, at the Tokyo Dome as part of its 55th anniversary celebrations. The promotion additionally confirmed another January 4 Tokyo Dome event for 2028 and used an AI recreation of founder Antonio Inoki during the announcement.
The G1 Climax 36 concludes Sunday at Ryogoku Sumo Hall, with Uemura and Oiwa meeting for the tournament championship. Either man will become a first-time G1 winner.
