Yesterday I wrote that New Japan Pro Wrestling had announced the entrants and participants for this years G1 Climax. Today they have announced the matchups for every day of the 18-day tournament.
As you can see below, the tournament kicks off in Dallas, Texas with a blockbuster of a match – Ibushi vs KENTA! Not to mention Okada will face off against The Ace Tanahashi too.
Night 1 July 6th – Dallas, Texas – A Block
Kota Ibushi v. KENTA
Kazuchika Okada v. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Will Ospreay v. Lance Archer
EVIL v. Bad Luck Fale
SANADA v. Zack Sabre Jr.
Night 2 July 13th – Ota, Tokyo – B Block
Hirooki Goto v. Jay White
Juice Robinson v. Shingo Takagi
Tetsuya Naito v. Toru Nano
Tomohiro Ishii v. Jeff Cobb
Jon Moxley v. Taichi
Night 3 14th July – Ota, Tokyo – A Block
Hiroshi Tanahashi v. KENTA
Kota Ibuishi v. EVIL
Kazuchika Okada v. Zack Sabre Jr.
Will Ospreay v. SANADA
Lance Archer v. Bad Luck Fale
Night 4 July 15th – Sapporo – B Block
Tetsuya Naito v. Taichi
Jeff Cobb v. Jon Moxley
Juice Robinson v. Hirooki Goto
Tomohiro Ishii v. Jay White
Toru Yano v. Shingo Takagi
Night 5 July 18th – Korakuen – A Block
Kota Ibushi v. Will Ospreay
Hiroshi Tanahashi v. Zack Sabre Jr.
EVIL v. SANADA
Kazuchika Okada v Bad Luck Fale
KENTA v. Lance Archer
Night 6 July 19th – Korakuen – B Block
Tomohiro Ishii v. Jon Moxley
Hirooki Goto v. Tetsuya Naito
Juice Robinson v. Jeff Cobb
Toru Yano v. Jay White
Shingo Takagi v. Taichi
Night 7 July 20th – Korakuen – A Block
Kazuchika Okada v. Will Ospreay
Kota Ibushi v. SANADA
Hiroshi Tanahashi v. Lance Archer
KENTA v. EVIL
Zack Sabre Jr. v. Bad Luck Fale
Night 8 July 24th – Hiroshima – B Block
Tomohiro Ishii v. Tetsuya Naito
Jon Moxley v. Shingo Takagi
Jeff Cobb v Jay White
Hirooki Goto v. Taichi
Juice Robinson v. Toru Yano
Night 9 July 27th – Nagoya – A Block
Kazuchika Okada v. KENTA
Hiroshi Tanahashi v. SANADA
EVIL v. Zack Sabre Jr.
Will Ospreay v. Bad Luck Fale
Kota Ibushi v. Lance Archer
Night 10 July 28th – Nagoya – B Block
Tetsuya Naito v. Jon Moxley
Juice Robinson v. Tomohiro Ishii
Jeff Cobb v. Taichi
Hirooki Goto v. Toru Yano
Shingo Takagi v. Jay White
Night 11 July 30th – Takamatsu – A Block
KENTA v. SANADA
Will Ospreay v. Zack Sabre Jr.
Kazuchika Okada v. Lance Archer
Hiroshi Tanahashi v. EVIL
Kota Ibushi v. Bad Luck Fale
Night 12 August 1st – Fukoaka – B Block
Tetsuya Naito v. Juice Robinson
Jeff Cobb v. Shingo Takagi
Tomohiro Ishii v. Hirooki Goto
Taichi v. Jay White
Jon Moxley v. Toru Yano
Night 13 August 3rd – Osaka – A Block
Hiroshi Tanahashi v. Kota Ibushi
Kazuchika Okada v. SANADA
Will Ospreay v. EVIL
Zack Sabre Jr. v. Lance Archer
KENTA v. Bad Luck Fale
Night 14 August 4th – Osaka – B Block
Tetsuya Naito v. Shingo Takagi
Jon Moxley v. Jay White
Hirooki Goto v. Jeff Cobb
Juice Robinson v. Taichi
Tomohiro Ishii v. Toru Yano
Night 15 August 7th – Hamamatsu – A Block
Kazuchika Okada v. EVIL
Kota Ibushi v. Zack Sabre Jr.
Will Ospreay v. KENTA
Hiroshi Tanahashi v. Bad Luck Fale
SANADA v. Lance Archer
Night 16 August 8th – Yokohama – B Block
Jeff Cobb v. Tetsuya Naito
Tomohiro Ishii v. Shingo Takagi
Hirooki Goto v. Jon Moxley
Juice Robinson v. Jay White
Toru Yano v. Taichi
Night 17 August 10th – Budokan – A Block
Kazuchika Okada v. Kota Ibushi
Hiroshi Tanahashi v. Will Ospreay
KENTA v. Zack Sabre Jr.
EVIL v. Lance Archer
SANADA v. Bad Luck Fale
Night 18 August 11th – Budokan – B Block
Tetsuya Naito v. Jay White
Hirooki Goto v. Shingo Takagi
Juice Robinson v. Jon Moxley
Tomohiro Ishii v. Taichi
Jeff Cobb v. Toru Yano
The winner of Block A will take on the winner of Block B on August 12th at the legendary Nippon Budokan. The winner will receive the opportunity to face to the IWGP Heavyweight champion at Wrestle Kingdom next January.
Blake’s Take: If some of those matchups and days don’t whet your appetite then there’s something wrong with you! 🙂 Day 1 itself looks amazing and the folks of Dallas are in for a treat. Another that stands out is Night 16. You have Cobb v Naito, Ishii v Shingo and Goto v Moxley. Seriously I haven’t been this excited about a G1 in forever. This event will go down as THE best tournament the world has ever seen. Mark my words….
