2023 edition of the G1 Climax
The G1 Climax 33 was a professional wrestling tournament promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The tournament commenced on July 15 and concluded on August 13, 2023. It is the thirty-third edition of G1 Climax and the forty-ninth edition of the tournament counting its previous forms under different names.
Considered NJPW's most important tournament, the G1 Climax featured 32 wrestlers, divided into four blocks of eight ("A", "B", "C", and "D"). Each participant faced all seven other wrestlers within the same block in singles matches. The winner of each block was determined via a point system, with two points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a defeat. There was a 20-minute time limit for the block matches instead the usual 30-minute time limit. Each night of the event seen matches from two blocks per night. On the final three days of the event, the top two scoring wrestlers of each block entered an eight-man playoff to determine the winner of the tournament, who also receives a future match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom .
It was the largest G1 Climax to date with 32 participants and like last year's G1 , it returned to the four-block format.
The event saw the G1 Climax debuts of Shota Umino , Hikuleo , Eddie Kingston , Ren Narita , Gabriel Kidd , Alex Coughlin , Shane Haste , Mikey Nicholls , Yota Tsuji and Kaito Kiyomiya with Kingston and Kiyomiya being outsiders from All Elite Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Noah respectively.[ 1] [ 2]
Production
Tournament rules
The tournament features 32 wrestlers, divided into four blocks of eight ("A", "B", "C", and "D"). Each participant faces all seven other wrestlers within the same block in singles matches. The winner of each
block is determined via a point system, with two points for a win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss; each night of the event sees one match from each block between two members competing for the tournament. In case of several wrestlers sharing the top score, the results of the matches those wrestlers had when facing each other in the tournament act as tiebreaker, with the one having the most wins over the other top-scorers determining the winner of the block.[ 1] [ 3] [ 4]
On the final three days of the event, the top two scoring wrestlers of each block enter an eight-man single-elimination playoff to determine the winner of the G1 Climax, who would gain a future match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship , NJPW's top championship, at Wrestle Kingdom , NJPW's biggest yearly event; if the IWGP Heavyweight Champion himself wins, he selects his opponent at Wrestle Kingdom. The matches of the tournament have a 20-minutes time limit (with the time limit being reached resulting in a tie); the semifinal (block winners) and final (semifinal winners) matches, where a winner must be determined, have no time limit.[ 5] [ 3] [ 4]
History
On April 8, 2023, at Sakura Genesis , NJPW announced that the 2023 edition of the G1 Climax would take place from July to August.[ 6] During Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall on June 4, NJPW announced the participants for the G1 Climax.[ 1]
Storylines
The event includes matches that result from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portray heroes , villains , or less distinguishable characters in scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.[ 7]
Venues
Dates
Venue
Location
July 15
Hokkai Kitayell
Toyohira-ku , Sapporo
July 16
July 18
Yamagata City General Sports Center
Tendo, Yamagata
July 19
Xebio Arena Sendai
Sendai , Miyagi
July 21
City Hall Plaza Aore Nagaoka
Nagaoka, Niigata
July 23
Big Hat
Nagano , Nagano
July 25
Korakuen Hall
Bunkyo, Tokyo
July 26
July 27
Ota City General Gymnasium
Ōta, Tokyo
July 30
Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
Nagoya, Aichi
August 1
Takamatsu City General Gymnasium
Takamatsu, Kagawa
August 2
Hiroshima Sun Plaza
Nishi-ku, Hiroshima
August 5
Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium
Namba , Osaka
August 6
August 8
Yokohama Budokan
Naka-ku, Yokohama
August 9
Act City Hamamatsu
Naka-ku, Hamamatsu
August 10
Funabashi Arena
Funabashi, Chiba
August 12
Ryōgoku Kokugikan
Sumida, Tokyo
August 13
Results
Night 1
The first night of the tournament took place on July 15, 2023, at Hokkai Kitayell in Toyohira-ku , Sapporo .[ 8]
Night 2
The second night of the tournament took place on July 16, 2023, at Hokkai Kitayell in Toyohira-ku , Sapporo .[ 9]
Night 3
The third night of the tournament took place on July 18, 2023, at Yamagata City General Sports Center in Toyohira-ku , Yamagata .[ 10]
Night 4
The fourth night of the tournament took place on July 19, 2023, at Xebio Arena Sendai in Sendai , Miyagi .[ 11]
Night 5
The fifth night of the tournament took place on July 21, 2023, at City Hall Plaza Aore Nagaoka in Nagaoka , Niigata .[ 12]
Night 6
The sixth night of the tournament took place on July 23, 2023, at Big Hat in Nagano , Nagano .[ 13]
Night 7
The seventh night of the tournament took place on July 25, 2023, at Korakuen Hall in Bunkyo, Tokyo .[ 14]
Night 8
The eighth night of the tournament took place on July 26, 2023, at Korakuen Hall in Bunkyo, Tokyo .[ 15]
Night 9
The ninth night of the tournament took place on July 27, 2023, at Ota City General Gymnasium in Ōta, Tokyo .[ 16]
Night 10
The tenth night of the tournament took place on July 30, 2023, at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in Nagoya, Aichi .[ 17]
Night 11
The eleventh night of the tournament took place on August 1, 2023, at Takamatsu City General Gymnasium in Takamatsu, Kagawa .[ 18]
Night 12
The twelfth night of the tournament took place on August 2, 2023, at Hiroshima Sun Plaza in Nishi-ku, Hiroshima .[ 19]
Night 13
The thirteenth night of the tournament took place on August 5, 2023, at Hiroshima Sun Plaza in Nishi-ku, Hiroshima .[ 20]
Night 14
The fourteenth night of the tournament took place on August 6, 2023, at Hiroshima Sun Plaza in Nishi-ku, Hiroshima .[ 21]
Night 15
The fifteenth night of the tournament took place on August 8, 2023, at Yokohama Budokan in Naka-ku, Yokohama .[ 22]
Night 16
The sixteenth night of the tournament took place on August 9, 2023, at Act City Hamamatsu in Naka-ku, Hamamatsu .[ 23]
Night 17
The seventeenth night of the tournament took place on August 10, 2023, at Funabashi Arena in Funabashi, Chiba .[ 24]
No. Results[ 24] Stipulations Times 1 Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi , Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji ) defeated TMDK (Kosei Fujita , Mikey Nicholls and Shane Haste ) by pinfall Six-man tag team match 7:55 2 Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa ), El Phantasmo and Shota Umino defeated Strong Style (El Desperado , Minoru Suzuki and Ren Narita ) and Hiroyoshi Tenzan by pinfall Eight-man tag team match 9:12 3 Bullet Club (Bullet Club War Dogs (Alex Coughlin and Gabriel Kidd ), Kenta and Chase Owens ) defeated Just 5 Guys (Douki , Taichi , Taka Michinoku and Yoshinobu Kanemaru ) by pinfall Eight-man tag team match 9:01 4 Eddie Kingston , Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tomohiro Ishii defeated United Empire (Great-O-Khan , Jeff Cobb and Henare ) by pinfall Six-man tag team match 9:43 5 Tetsuya Naito defeated Hikuleo (with Jado ) by pinfall Quarter-final singles match in the G1 Climax tournament 13:11 6 Will Ospreay (with United Empire (Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb )) defeated David Finlay (with Bullet Club War Dogs (Alex Coughlin , Gabe Kidd and Gedo )) by pinfall Quarter-final singles match in the G1 Climax tournament 17:21 7 Evil (with Dick Togo ) defeated Sanada by pinfall Quarter-final singles match in the G1 Climax tournament 16:16 8 Kazuchika Okada defeated Zack Sabre Jr. by pinfall Quarter-final singles match in the G1 Climax tournament 21:46
Night 18
The eighteenth night of the tournament took place on August 12, 2023, at Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Sumida, Tokyo .[ 25]
No. Results[ 25] Stipulations Times 1D Boltin Oleg defeated Oskar Leube , Yuto Nakashima and Ryohei Oiwa by pinfall Gauntlet match 3:10 2 Hayata and Kaito Kiyomiya defeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Master Wato by pinfall Tag team match 10:57 3 Strong Style (Minoru Suzuki and Ren Narita ) defeated Shota Umino and Tomoaki Honma by submission Tag team match 10:18 4 Bullet Club (Bullet Club War Dogs (Alex Coughlin , Gabe Kidd and David Finlay ), Chase Owens and Kenta ) (with Gedo ) defeated Chaos (Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi ), Yoh and Toru Yano ) and Togi Makabe ) by pinfall Ten-man tag team match 10:48 5 United Empire (Henare , Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb ) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (Bushi , Yota Tsuji and Shingo Takagi ) by submission Six-man tag team match 10:57 6 Eddie Kingston , Ryusuke Taguchi , Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tomohiro Ishii defeated TMDK (Kosei Fujita , Shane Haste , Mikey Nicholls and Zack Sabre Jr. ) by pinfall Eight-man tag team match 11:40 7 Guerrillas of Destiny (Hikuleo , Jado , Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa ) and El Phantasmo defeated Just 5 Guys ( Douki , Taka Michinoku , Sanada , Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru ) by pinfall Ten-man tag team match 11:56 8 Kazuchika Okada defeated Evil (with Dick Togo )Semi-final singles match in the G1 Climax tournament 18:18 9 Tetsuya Naito defeated Will Ospreay (with United Empire (Great-O-Khan , Henare and Jeff Cobb ))Semi-final singles match in the G1 Climax tournament 29:58
Night 19
The nineteenth and final night of the tournament took place on August 13, 2023, at Ryōgoku Kokugikan in Sumida, Tokyo .[ 26]
No. Results[ 26] Stipulations Times 1 Kaito Kiyomiya and Ryohei Oiwa defeated Oskar Leube and Toru Yano by pinfall Tag team match 7:47 2 Master Wato , Shota Umino , Tomoaki Honma and Yuji Nagata defeated Strong Style (El Desperado , Ren Narita and Minoru Suzuki ) and Yuto Nakashima by pinfall Eight-man tag team match 8:41 3 Eddie Kingston , Hiroshi Tanahashi and Chaos (Yoh and Tomohiro Ishii ) defeated TenKoji (Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima ), Tiger Mask and Togi Makabe by pinfall Eight-man tag team match 9:37 4 TMDK (Kosei Fujita , Shane Haste , Mikey Nicholls , and Zack Sabre Jr. ) defeated Bishamon (Yoshi-Hashi and Hirooki Goto ), Boltin Oleg and Ryusuke Taguchi by pinfall Eight-man tag team match 10:05 5 El Phantasmo and Guerrillas of Destiny (Hikuleo , Jado , Tanga Loa , and Tama Tonga ) defeated Bullet Club (Bullet Club War Dogs (Alex Coughlin , Gabe Kidd and David Finlay ), Chase Owens and Kenta ) by pinfall Ten-man tag team match 11:03 6 Los Ingobernables de Japon (Bushi , Hiromu Takahashi , Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji ) defeated United Empire (Great-O-Khan , Henare , Jeff Cobb and Will Ospreay ) by pinfall Eight-man tag team match 10:50 7 House of Torture [broken anchor ] (Dick Togo , Sho , Evil and Yujiro Takahashi ) defeated Just 5 Guys (Douki , Sanada , Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru ) by pinfall Eight-man tag team match 10:25 8 Tetsuya Naito defeated Kazuchika Okada by pinfall Final singles match in the G1 Climax tournament 34:18
Blocks
Tournament overview
Block A
Sanada
Owens
Hikuleo
Narita
Umino
Tsuji
Kidd
Kiyomiya
Sanada
—
Sanada (9:13)
Sanada (10:16)
Sanada (16:30)
Sanada (18:48)
Sanada (18:36)
Sanada (12:08)
Sanada (19:58)
Owens
Sanada (9:13)
—
Owens (11:20)
Narita (9:08)
Umino (9:35)
Tsuji (11:42)
Owens (2:55)
Kiyomiya (8:28)
Hikuleo
Sanada (10:16)
Owens (11:20)
—
Hikuleo (11:58)
Hikuleo (17:21)
Hikuleo (12:12)
Kidd (3:29)
Hikuleo (9:46)
Narita
Sanada (16:30)
Narita (9:08)
Hikuleo (11:58)
—
Draw (20:00)
Draw (20:00)
Kidd (10:05)
Narita (15:17)
Umino
Sanada (18:48)
Umino (9:35)
Hikuleo (17:21)
Draw (20:00)
—
Tsuji (19:20)
Umino (13:03)
Draw (20:00)
Tsuji
Sanada (18:36)
Tsuji (11:42)
Hikuleo (12:12)
Draw (20:00)
Tsuji (19:20)
—
Tsuji (14:47)
Kiyomiya (14:48)
Kidd
Sanada (12:08)
Owens (2:55)
Kidd (3:29)
Kidd (10:05)
Umino (13:03)
Tsuji (14:47)
—
Draw (11:44)
Kiyomiya
Sanada (19:58)
Kiyomiya (8:28)
Hikuleo (9:46)
Narita (15:17)
Draw (20:00)
Kiyomiya (14:48)
Draw (11:44)
—
Block B
Okada
Yoshi-Hashi
Taichi
Kenta
O-Khan
Ospreay
Loa
Phantasmo
Okada
—
Okada (16:32)
Okada (16:20)
Okada (19:10)
Okada (15:23)
Ospreay (17:21)
Okada (12:33)
Okada (16:21)
Yoshi-Hashi
Okada (16:32)
—
Taichi (13:13)
Kenta (12:16)
O-Khan (13:50)
Ospreay (13:04)
Yoshi-Hashi (12:35)
Yoshi-Hashi (10:56)
Taichi
Okada (16:20)
Taichi (13:13)
—
Kenta (2:11)
O-Khan (17:41)
Taichi (17:43)
Taichi (12:34)
Phantasmo (13:56)
Kenta
Okada (19:10)
Kenta (12:16)
Kenta (2:11)
—
Kenta (11:40)
Ospreay (14:02)
Loa (12:46)
Phantasmo (0:19)
O-Khan
Okada (15:23)
O-Khan (13:50)
O-Khan (17:41)
Kenta (11:40)
—
Ospreay (11:20)
Loa (12:41)
O-Khan (12:46)
Ospreay
Ospreay (17:21)
Ospreay (13:04)
Taichi (17:43)
Ospreay (14:02)
Ospreay (11:20)
—
Loa (15:34)
Ospreay (18:52)
Loa
Okada (12:33)
Yoshi-Hashi (12:35)
Taichi (12:34)
Loa (12:46)
Loa (12:41)
Loa (15:34)
—
Phantasmo (12:14)
Phantasmo
Okada (16:21)
Yoshi-Hashi (10:56)
Phantasmo (13:56)
Phantasmo (0:19)
O-Khan (12:46)
Ospreay (18:52)
Phantasmo (12:14)
—
Block C
Finlay
Ishii
Evil
Tonga
Takagi
Henare
Kingston
Nicholls
Finlay
—
Finlay (15:55)
Finlay (16:12)
Tonga (14:22)
Takagi (18:45)
Finlay (11:54)
Finlay (16:34)
Finlay (9:52)
Ishii
Finlay (15:55)
—
Evil (14:36)
Tonga (15:38)
Takagi (18:10)
Henare (14:21)
Ishii (16:12)
Ishii (13:01)
Evil
Finlay (16:12)
Evil (14:36)
—
Evil (17:34)
Evil (17:40)
Evil (12:03)
Evil (15:15)
Nicholls (9:40)
Tonga
Tonga (14:22)
Tonga (15:38)
Evil (17:34)
—
Draw (20:00)
Tonga (14:30)
Kingston (11:39)
Tonga (9:10)
Takagi
Takagi (18:45)
Takagi (18:10)
Evil (17:40)
Draw (20:00)
—
Henare (19:38)
Kingston (12:50)
Takagi (9:13)
Henare
Finlay (11:54)
Henare (14:21)
Evil (12:03)
Tonga (14:30)
Henare (19:38)
—
Kingston (10:32)
Nicholls (12:21)
Kingston
Finlay (16:34)
Ishii (16:12)
Evil (15:15)
Kingston (11:39)
Kingston (12:50)
Kingston (10:32)
—
Kingston (8:33)
Nicholls
Finlay (9:52)
Ishii (13:01)
Nicholls (9:40)
Tonga (9:10)
Takagi (9:13)
Nicholls (12:21)
Kingston (8:33)
—
Block D
Tanahashi
Naito
Goto
Sabre
Yano
Cobb
Haste
Coughlin
Tanahashi
—
Naito (17:54)
Tanahashi (14:40)
Sabre (16:09)
Tanahashi (7:45)
Cobb (10:30)
Tanahashi (12:04)
Coughlin (8:50)
Naito
Naito (17:54)
—
Naito (17:40)
Naito (18:30)
Naito (7:24)
Cobb (14:20)
Haste (13:44)
Naito (10:07)
Goto
Tanahashi (14:40)
Naito (17:40)
—
Sabre (14:30)
Goto (6:44)
Goto (11:33)
Goto (2:29)
Coughlin (6:23)
Sabre
Sabre (16:09)
Naito (18:30)
Sabre (14:30)
—
Sabre (5:37)
Cobb (16:16)
Sabre (13:23)
Sabre (11:13)
Yano
Tanahashi (7:45)
Naito (7:24)
Goto (6:44)
Sabre (5:37)
—
Yano (1:49)
Yano (6:09)
Coughlin (5:07)
Cobb
Cobb (10:30)
Cobb (14:20)
Goto (11:33)
Cobb (16:16)
Yano (1:49)
—
Draw (11:10)
Cobb (9:51)
Haste
Tanahashi (12:04)
Haste (13:44)
Goto (2:29)
Sabre (13:23)
Yano (6:09)
Draw (11:10)
—
Haste (10:55)
Coughlin
Coughlin (8:50)
Naito (10:07)
Coughlin (6:23)
Sabre (11:13)
Coughlin (5:07)
Cobb (9:51)
Haste (10:55)
—
References
^ a b c "NJPW reveals G1 Climax 33 participants" . Wrestling Observer Newsletter. June 4, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023 .
^ NJPW. "G1 Climax 33 Lineup revealed! 【G133】】 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . NJPW . Retrieved 2023-06-04 .
^ a b "New Japan Pro Wrestling's G1 Climax: All you need to know as tournament kicks off" . Daily Mirror . July 14, 2018. Retrieved September 6, 2021 .
^ a b Paez-Pumar, Luis (July 2, 2019). "A Guide To New Japan Pro Wrestling's G1 Climax, The Best Wrestling Event In The World" . Deadspin . Retrieved September 6, 2021 .
^ "NJPW reveals blocks and schedule for G1 Climax 33" . Wrestling Observer Newsletter. June 10, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023 .
^ "NJPW Announces Dates For G1 Climax 33" . Fightful. April 8, 2023. Retrieved July 12, 2023 .
^ Grabianowski, Ed (13 January 2006). "How Pro Wrestling Works" . HowStuffWorks . Discovery Communications . Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2012 .
^ a b "2023.07.15 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-07-15 .
^ a b "2023.07.16 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-07-15 .
^ a b "2023.07.18 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-07-18 .
^ a b "2023.07.19 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-07-19 .
^ a b "2023.07.21 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-07-21 .
^ a b "2023.07.23 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-07-23 .
^ a b "2023.07.25 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-07-25 .
^ a b "2023.07.26 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-07-26 .
^ a b "2023.07.27 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-07-26 .
^ a b "2023.07.30 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-07-30 .
^ a b "2023.08.01 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-08-01 .
^ a b "2023.08.02 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-08-02 .
^ a b "2023.08.05 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-08-06 .
^ a b "2023.08.06 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-08-06 .
^ a b "2023.08.08 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-08-08 .
^ a b "2023.08.09 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-08-04 .
^ a b "2023.08.10 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-08-10 .
^ a b "2023.08.12 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-08-04 .
^ a b "2023.08.13 G1 CLIMAX 33 | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING" . New Japan Pro-Wrestling . Retrieved 2023-08-14 .
External links
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