The New Japan Pro Wrestling G1 Climax 24 tournament is official here! For the first time EVER I will be providing complete coverage of the entire tournament, from the premiere event on July 21st, through the finals on August 10th, right here on Wrestlezone.com.
For those unfamiliar with G1 Climax, it’s easily the biggest tournament in professional wrestling. New Japan has selected 22 wrestlers this year – the most in history – who have been divided into two blocks. The participants from each block will face off in a series of epic matches, where eventually the winners from each block will meet in the grand finals on August 10th at the Seibu Dome.
You can check out the complete tournament blocks HERE.
NJPW G1 Climax 21: Night 1 of 13
July 21st 2014
Hokkaido, Japan
The main event for this kick-off event is a big one – former world champion Kazuchika Okada gets his hands on current IWGP Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles in a non-title Block B match. The attendance was announced as an standing room only sell-out of 6,000.
IWGP Intercontinental Champion Bad Luck Fale def. Tomohiro Ishii
Your pretty standard “little engine that could” match here, with the older, smaller Ishii fighting passionately against the Bullet Club’s mid-card champ. Fale essentially bullies his way through the first few minutes of the match, building up to the big moment where Ishii suplexes him, to a big pop. Fale kicks out and they do it all over again, this time with Ishii sneaking out of the crucifix powerbomb to hit a German suplex. He gets in a few headbutts, even kicking out of a chokeslam lariat, but eventually loses to the Bad Luck Fall in a little under 10:00.
