Prior to Sunday's New Japan Pro-Wrestling G1 Climax 28 finals event inside Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, many were calling this year's tournament perhaps the best in its history. There's no question we've witnessed some of the best pro wrestling matches we'll see all year throughout the past month, but there was still the one carrying the most importance set to take place -- A Block winner Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. B Block winner Kota Ibushi for the right to challenge for the IWGP heavyweight championship on Jan. 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 13 in the Tokyo Dome. It shouldn't be an overly-shocking development to anyone that Ibushi and Tanahashi put on a heart-racing G1 Climax final to polish this year's unforgettable tournament off, and in the end, the "Ace" valiantly showed everyone how much he really has left in the tank.
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Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Kota Ibushi via pinfall to win G1 Climax 28: This match didn't even require the bell to ring before we witnessed a dramatic moment that had fans in attendance on their feet and everyone cheering at home. Kenny Omega announced hours before the final that he would be in the corner of his best friend Ibushi. But what we didn't know until right before the match was that Tanahashi had enlisted the services of a corner man of his own: Katsuyori Shibata.
And in Tana's corner... SHIBATA! #TheWrestler #G128
— TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) August 12, 2018
➡️ https://t.co/8n90d75Nfk pic.twitter.com/qpYaj2e5wT
Shibata surprise appearance out of the way, it was time to get down to business, and these amazing athletes did just that and then some. This match had the high-flying spots, injury-selling, convincing false finishes -- everything you'd want and expect from a G1 Classic final match to leave you on the edge of your seat. Near the end of the bout, Ibushi turned even more violent than normal as Tanahashi was appearing to fade, baiting us all to believe the "Golden Star" was on his way to the main event of the Tokyo Dome. Tanahashi, however, used one last burst of his indelible babyface energy to put Ibushi away after three High Fly Flows.
HIGH FLY FLOW!!!!!!! @tanahashi1_100 IS THE WINNER OF THE G1 CLIMAX 28!!!! #G128 #NJPW pic.twitter.com/hpcYL50mnE
— Italo Santana 🇧🇷 (@BulletClubItal) August 12, 2018
After the brutal bout, Tanahashi approached his dejected opponent, but Ibushi politely conceded the moment to the victor and left the ring with Omega. Sunday's win marks the third time Tanahashi has claimed the G1 Climax, emerging victorious previously in 2007 and 2015, which is only further proof that we as fans are fortunate enough to enjoy one of the greatest pro wrestlers of this generation.
This match was everything we could have asked for and more to put a cap on one of the best G1 tournaments in history. But given the competitors in the ring, that should bring about no surprise. Two of the best in their craft vying for one of the most coveted prizes in the company will nearly always produce a memorable contest in New Japan.
As for the future ... well, there are some moving parts here. While Tanahashi is set to headline Wrestle Kingdom for the 10th time in his legendary career, the small chance remains it won't be Omega he's facing. Coming out of the tournament, both Tomohiro Ishii and Kota Ibushi -- and, to be completely fair, Toru Yano as well -- can lay claim to a chance at the IWGP title having both triumphed over the champ in clean fashion. And of course, to address the elephant in the room, questions surrounding a potential Omega departure to WWE in January will play a factor as well.
Regardless of the future, the present focus should be placed solely on the thrilling tournament we all watched this past month, which concluded in even more thrilling fashion in the form of Sunday's main event.
#g128 最終戦!!@tanahashi1_100 VS @ibushi_kota !
— njpwworld (@njpwworld) August 12, 2018
どちらも譲れないものがある!激しくぶつかり合う意地と意地!
試合は進むにつれ、激しさを増していく!
視聴&登録▷https://t.co/NxJKtVK94f
#NJPW #NJPWWorld #g128 pic.twitter.com/ahn9qgt5vC
G1 Climax 28 finals matches, results
- Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Hanma & Michael Elgin def. Yuji Nagata, Shota Umino & Ayato Yoshida via pinfall: Makabe got the pin over Yoshida following the King Kong knee drop off the top rope.
- Bad Luck Fale def. Toa Henare via pinfall: In a quick one, Fale finished off Henare with the Bad Luck Fall.
- Taichi & Takashi Iizuka def. Hirooki Goto & Yoshi-Hashi via pinfall: Taichi earned the victory over the man who cost him a spot in the G1, Yoshi-Hashi, following a Last Ride powerbomb.
- Cody & Hangman Page def. Juice Robinson & David Finlay via pinfall: Cody pinned Robinson upon nailing Din's Fire. Afterwards, he took the United States championship and declared his intentions to challenge for it in the future, calling the champ nothing but a ripoff of Kairi Sane in the process.
- NEVER openweight six-man tag team championship -- Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Taiji Ishimori def. The Young Bucks & Marty Scurll (c) to win the titles: This was scheduled to be a non-title match, but prior to the bout, the Tongans requested the championship be put on the line. President Harold Meij, who was sitting ringside, obliged after Matt Jackson asked that their titles go up for grabs. Tonga hit the Gun Stun on Scurll to claim gold for the Bullet Club OGs.
- Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA & Bushi def. Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru via submission: SANADA wrapped on Skull End to force Kanemaru to tap for the win.
- Tomohiro Ishii, Jay White & Toru Yano def. Kenny Omega, Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi via pinfall: Ishii put Owens away with the brainbuster, but the real story here came after the bout. With Ishii having defeated Omega during the G1, the "Stone Pitbull" grabbed the IWGP heavyweight championship and made it crystal clear to Omega what he wants. The champion looked more than happy to give Ishii his rightful chance in the near future.
- Rey Mysterio Jr., KUSHIDA & Sengokuenbu def. Kazuchika Okada & Roppongi 3K via pinfall: Mysterio notched his first career victory in New Japan by nailing Yoh with the 619 followed by a springboard plancha. It should also be noted here that the "mysterious" Sengojuenbu was simply a returning Ryusuke Taguchi under a mask that did little to hide his identity, which was played up throughout the match by the commentators.
There's room for only one Pirate in wrestling, according to Next US Champ @CodyRhodes. #G128
— TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) August 12, 2018
➡️ https://t.co/8n90d75Nfk pic.twitter.com/dZHvz65wv3
YES, PLEASE. #G128
— TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) August 12, 2018
➡️ https://t.co/8n90d75Nfk pic.twitter.com/q7pyRUgiEP
.@reymysterio and the Rainmaker. I can dig it. #G128
— TDE Wrestling (@totaldivaseps) August 12, 2018
➡️ https://t.co/8n90d75Nfk pic.twitter.com/sIYXsGi9s4
CBS Sports was with you throughout the entire G1 Climax 28 tournament. Below are the full results of the matches, as well as the final point standings.
NJPW G1 Climax 28 schedule, results
A BLOCK -- Saturday, July 14 -- Tokyo -- Ota General Gymnasium (Opening Day)
Togi Makabe def. YOSHI-HASHI via pinfall
Hangman Page def. Bad Luck Fale via disqualification (interference)
Michael Elgin def. EVIL via pinfall
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Minoru Suzuki via pinfall
Jay White def. Kazuchika Okada via pinfall
B BLOCK -- Sunday, July 15 -- Tokyo -- Ota General Gymnasium
Tomohiro Ishii def. Toru Yano via pinfall
Tama Tonga def. Juice Robinson via pinfall
Hirooki Goto def. SANADA via pinfall
Kota Ibushi def. Zack Sabre Jr. via pinfall
Kenny Omega def. Tetsuya Naito via pinfall
A BLOCK -- Monday, July 16 -- Hokkaido -- Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center Hokkai Kitayell
Michael Elgin def. Hangman Page via pinfall
EVIL def. YOSHI-HASHI via pinfall
Togi Makabe def. Minoru Suzuki via pinfall
Bad Luck Fale def. Kazuchika Okada via pinfall
Jay White def. Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall
B BLOCK -- Thursday, July 19 -- Tokyo -- Korakuen Hall
SANADA def. Tama Tonga via pinfall
Zack Sabre Jr. def. Toru Yano via pinfall
Kota Ibushi def. Juice Robinson via pinfall
Tetsuya Naito def. Tomohiro Ishii via pinfall
Kenny Omega def. Hirooki Goto via pinfall
A BLOCK -- Friday, July 20 -- Tokyo -- Korakuen Hall
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Bad Luck Fale via disqualification
EVIL def. Togi Makabe via pinfall
Minoru Suzuki def. YOSHI-HASHI via pinfall
Jay White def. Michael Elgin via pinfall
Kazuchika Okada def. Hangman Page via pinfall
B BLOCK -- Saturday, July 21 -- Tokyo -- Korakuen Hall
Tetsuya Naito def. Juice Robinson via pinfall
Tomohiro Ishii def. Hirooki Goto via pinfall
Toru Yano def. Kota Ibushi via pinfall
Kenny Omega def. Tama Tonga via disqualification
SANADA def. Zack Sabre Jr. via pinfall
A BLOCK -- Sunday, July 22 -- Tokyo -- Hachioji Esforta Arena
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Hangman Page via pinfall
Kazuchika Okada def. Togi Makabe via pinfall
YOSHI-HASHI def. Michael Elgin via pinfall
Minoru Suzuki def. Jay White via pinfall
EVIL def. Bad Luck Fale via disqualification
B BLOCK -- Thursday, July 26 -- Niigata -- Aore Nagaoka
Kenny Omega def. Juice Robinson via pinfall
Hirooki Goto def. Toru Yano via pinfall
Zack Sabre Jr. def. Tomohiro Ishii via submission
Tetsuya Naito def. Tama Tonga via pinfall
SANADA def. Kota Ibushi via pinfall
A BLOCK -- Friday, July 27 -- Shizuoka -- Act City Hamamatsu
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Togi Makabe via pinfall
Minoru Suzuki def. Michael Elgin via pinfall
Kazuchika Okada def. YOSHI-HASHI via pinfall
Bad Luck Fale def. Jay White via pinfall
EVIL def. Hangman Page via pinfall
B BLOCK -- Saturday, July 28 -- Aichi -- Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
Juice Robinson def. Toru Yano via pinfall
Tetsuya Naito def. Hirooki Goto via pinfall
Kota Ibushi def. Tomohiro Ishii via pinfall
Kenny Omega def. SANADA via pinfall
Zack Sabre Jr. def. Tama Tonga via disqualification
A BLOCK -- Monday, July 30 -- Kagawa -- Takamatsu City General Gymnasium Arena 1
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. YOSHI-HASHI via pinfall
Bad Luck Fale def. Togi Makabe via pinfall
Kazuchika Okada def. Michael Elgin via pinfall
Jay White def. Hangman Page via pinfall
Minoru Suzuki def. EVIL via pinfall
B BLOCK -- Wednesday, Aug. 1 -- Kagoshima -- Kagoshima Arena
Juice Robinson def. SANADA via pinfall
Kota Ibushi def. Hirooki Goto via pinfall
Tama Tonga def. Tomohiro Ishii via pinfall
Tetsuya Naito def. Toru Yano via pinfall
Kenny Omega def. Zack Sabre Jr. via pinfall
A BLOCK -- Thursday, Aug. 2 -- Fukuoka -- Fukuoka Public Gymnasium
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. EVIL via pinfall
Hangman Page def. Togi Makabe via pinfall
Michael Elgin def. Bad Luck Fale via disqualification
Kazuchika Okada def. Minoru Suzuki via pinfall
Jay White def. YOSHI-HASHI via pinfall
B BLOCK -- Saturday, Aug. 4 -- Osaka -- Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (Edion Arena Osaka)
Zack Sabre Jr. def. Juice Robinson via submission
Hirooki Goto def. Tama Tonga via disqualification
Tomohiro Ishii def. Kenny Omega via pinfall
SANADA def. Toru Yano via countout
Koba Ibushi def. Tetsuya Naito via pinfall
A BLOCK -- Sunday, Aug. 5 -- Osaka -- Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (Edion Arena Osaka)
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Michael Elgin via pinfall
Jay White def. Togi Makabe via pinfall
Kazuchika Okada def. EVIL via pinfall
YOSHI-HASHI def. Bad Luck Fale via disqualification
Hangman Page def. Minoru Suzuki via pinfall
B BLOCK -- Wednesday, Aug. 8 -- Kanagawa -- Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium
Tomohiro Ishii def. Juice Robinson via pinfall
Zack Sabre Jr. def. Hirooki Goto via pinfall
Toru Yano def. Kenny Omega via pinfall
Tama Tonga def. Kota Ibushi via pinfall
Tetsuya Naito def. SANADA via pinfall
A BLOCK -- Friday, Aug. 10 -- Tokyo -- Nippon Budokan
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada ends in a draw
Togi Makabe def. Michael Elgin via pinfall
EVIL def. Jay White via pinfall
YOSHI-HASHI def. Hangman Page via pinfall
Minoru Suzuki def. Bad Luck Fale via disqualification
B BLOCK -- Saturday, Aug. 11 -- Tokyo -- Nippon Budokan
Juice Robinson def. Hirooki Goto via pinfall
Tomohiro Ishii def. SANADA via pinfall
Toru Yano def. Tama Tonga via disqualification
Kota Ibushi def. Kenny Omega via pinfall
Zack Sabre Jr. def. Tetsuya Naito via pinfall
FINALS -- Sunday, Aug. 12 -- Tokyo -- Nippon Budokan
Hiroshi Tanahashi (A Block) def. Kota Ibushi (B Block) via pinfall
NJPW G1 Climax 28 final point standings
Block A | Points | Block B | Points |
---|---|---|---|
Hiroshi Tanahashi | 15 | Kota Ibushi | 12 |
Kazuchika Okada | 13 | Kenny Omega | 12 |
Jay White | 12 | Tetsuya Naito | 12 |
EVIL | 10 | Zack Sabre Jr. | 12 |
Minoru Suzuki | 10 | SANADA | 8 |
Michael Elgin | 6 | Tomohiro Ishii | 8 |
Bad Luck Fale | 6 | Hirooki Goto | 6 |
Hangman Page | 6 | Tama Tonga | 6 |
Togi Makabe | 6 | Juice Robinson | 4 |
YOSHI-HASHI | 6 | Toru Yano | 4 |