NJPW G1 Climax 30 Finals (10/18) Golden Star Becomes A Golden God

Kota Ibushi has won the G1 Climax, and in doing so, made history. Not only the first wrestler to advance to the G1 Climax finals three years in a row, Ibushi also won the longest final match in G1 Climax history, with a 35min 12sec victory over SANADA. The first man since Hiroyoshi Tenzan to win two G1 Climaxes in a row, Ibushi had made good on his promise to win the G1 and “become God.”

Ibushi’s celebration was short-lived, during his backstage comments the self-proclaimed God was interrupted by Jay White. White was quick to share a Zima and remind Ibushi that White holds a victory over The Golden Star, and will be challenging him for his G1 Climax briefcase.

Beyond the main event. things heated up among the junior division, as they returned to action after getting a month break during the G1. Hiromu Takahashi used a pinfall victory over Yoshinobu Kanemaru to remind the IWGP Jr. Tag Champion that he hasn’t forgotten the nefarious ways that Kanemaru & El Desperado won the titles. Takahashi held the belts high, likely signaling a rematch from last month’s Jr. Tag Title tournament.

Will Ospreay & Great-O-Khan (fka Great-O-Kharn) debuted as a unit, with Japanese commentary dubbing them The Empire. After their dominant victory, Khan challenged Kazuchika Okada to a singles match. Plus EVIL got a big win over Los Ingobernables de Japon. After submitting BUSHI with the Scorpion Deathlock, EVIL held both of Tetsuya Naito’s title belts high.

It is a long road before Naito & Ibushi can clash in the Tokyo Dome, and if EVIL or Jay White have anything to say about it, they might not.

NJPW G1 Climax Finals
Available on NJPWWorld.com

• Suzuki-gun (Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., DOUKI & El Desperado) def. CHAOS (YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano) by pinfall. (10:34)
• Los Ingobernables de Japon (Shingo Takagi & Hiromu Takahashi) def. Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki & Yoshinobu Kanemaru by pinfall. (11:54)
  Hiromu Takahashi pinned Yoshinobu Kanemaru via Timebomb.
• Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, Jeff Cobb & Master Wato def. Bullet Club (Jay White, KENTA, Taiji Ishimori & Gedo) by submission. (9:12)
  Hiroshi Tanahashi submitted Gedo via Texas Cloverleaf.
• The Empire (Will Ospreay & The Great-O-Khan) def. CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada & SHO) by submission. (12:36)
  Will Ospreay submitted SHO via Figure Four Leglock.
• Bullet Club (EVIL & Yujiro Takahashi) def. Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI) by submission. (14:14)
  EVIL submitted BUSHI via Scorpion Deathlock.
• G1 Climax Final: Kota Ibushi def. SANADA by pinfall via Kamigoye. (35:12)