The 29th G1 Climax finally comes to an end!

Switchblade! Golden Star! Only one can win the G1 Climax and that Wrestle Kingdom 14 contract for an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Six Man Tag: Bullet Club VS Kenta, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI; Bullet Club wins.
• Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr; Suzuki-Gun wins.
• G1 Climax 29 Finals: Kota Ibushi VS Jay White; Ibushi wins and earns the Wrestle Kingdom 14 title match contract.

PLAY BY PLAY

NJPW and AXS set the scene for this epic G1 Climax Finals!

A new chapter will be written! Five weeks brings 20 down to two! The Golden Star returns to the finals, fueled by his commitment to NJPW! Kota Ibushi would drop to Kenta to a shocking 0-2 start, but would rally back with seven straight wins, including defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi in a G1 Climax 28 rematch and the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Kazuchika Okada, to take the A Block! Meanwhile, Jay White would struggle in his own run, going 0-3. But The Switchblade would still take six straight, becoming Jon Moxley’s first defeat in NJPW and denying Tetsuya Naito his destiny. Ibushi and White meet 1v1 for the first time ever, but White took a cheap shot on Ibushi’s bad ankle. Does Ibushi stand a chance of winning the G1? Can he even stand at all?

Six Man Tag: Guerrillas of Destiny & Bad Luck Fale VS Kenta, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI!

Mr. Takeover joins Chaos’ Stone Pitbull and Headhunter against Bullet Club’s Firing Squad! Will Kenta be a wild card in helping Ishii and Hashi defeat the Rogue General and the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions?

There’s a lot of trash talking as the referee tries to get the teams to sort out. Hashi calms Kenta and Ishii down and volunteers. Bullet Club gives a Low Sweet and Fale steps up. The bell rings and the match begins!

Fale and Hashi circle and tie up. Fale knees low fast, then puts Hashi in an open corner. Fale climbs up but the ref reprimands him. Fale backs off, but tries a sucker punch! Hashi ducks and throws forearms in return! Hashi whips but Fale blocks with pure strength! Fale whips Hashi into the corner but Hashi dodges. Hashi comes back to hit a corner clothesline, then he whips Fale to ropes. Fale reverses but Hashi dropkicks and blockbusters! Fans cheer as Hashi clubs Fale and throws forearms. Hashi runs but Tama Tonga gets cheap shots in. Tama grabs Hashi and Fale runs in, but Hashi dodges to send Fale into Tama! Hashi then runs, only to get run over! Fale sucker punches Ishii before he stomps Hashi.

Fale drags Hashi up and to the Bullet Club corner. Tag to Tonga Loa, and Bullet Club mugs Hashi. The referee reprimands them, he sees Tama holding Hashi down. Loa SLAPS Hashi before he scoop slams him. Tama tags in and slingshot elbows in and is feeling good! Tama taunts Kenta then drags Hashi up. Tama snap suplexes Hashi to a  corner, TWO! Tama drags Hashi up to tag Fale back in. Bullet Club mugs Hashi then Fale steps on Hashi. And again! And again, as he runs the ropes for an elbow drop! Cover, TWO! Hashi survives that super heavyweight elbow, but Loa tags in. Loa and Fale stand on Hashi’s ribs! Bullet Club is having fun hurting Hashi while we go to break.

NJPW on AXS returns to Hashi being let back up. Loa tags Tama before lifting Hashi high in a waistlock. Tama springboards, flying foraerm German Suplex! Cover, TWO! Ishii rushes in and coaches Hashi up but Tama tells him to get back. Tama turns around into Hashi’s forearms! Tama punches low but Hashi breaks free. Hashi kicks, Tama catches it, and then Tama ducks the spinning heel kick! Tama laughs at Hashi before dragging Hashi up. Tama calls for the brain buster, but Hashi counters with his own suplex, into a neckbreaker! Both men are down and fans rally up. Hashi hot tags to Ishii, Tama gets to Loa. Loa and Ishii collide again and again, but Ishii staggers. Loa runs and rams Ishii but Ishii comes back on the rebound. Loa rebounds to get run over!

Ishii runs at Fale with a leaping forearm, but bounces off! Ishii is shocked while Fale is just mad. Fale storms in and throws hands. Ishii ducks, kicks and tries to suplex. But Fale is too big! Fale scoops and slams Ishii down, then bails out. Loa tackles Ishii to a corner! Then runs corner to corner for a big clothesline! Loa keeps moving and hits another clothesline! Loa mocks the Pitbull, but fans rally up. Loa drags Ishii up, scoops, and hits a running slam! Cover, TWO! Ishii survives but Loa just smirks. Tag to Tama and GoD double whip Ishii. Body shot, uppercut, but Gun Stun is denied! Ishii gives Loa a German Suplex! Ishii is down but crawling towards the corner. But Kenta doesn’t want the tag!? Kenta hops off the apron and Ishii is angry. But Tama hits a corner splash! Then feeds Ishii to a double SPEAR from Fale and Loa!

Tama climbs up high and leaps with a splash! Hashi gets in and braeks the cover! Loa attacks Hashi while Kenta just watches. Hashi reverses the whip and lariats Loa down! GUN STUN gets a glancing blow and Tama throws Hashi out. Ishii is up, GUN STUN countered into a slam! Fale runs at Ishii and whips him to a corner. Ishii dodges and kicks, and suplexes Fale! Fale rolls out of the ring and fans are thunderous. Ishii LARIATS Tama! Kenta runs in to attack Ishii!? The Psycho Knee hits the Stone Pitbull square! As does GO TO SLEEP! Kenta betrays Chaos and lets Tama cover. Bullet Club wins!

Winners: Bullet Club, Tama Tonga pinning

Hashi goes after Kenta, but he’s got Fale and the Guerrillas on him right away! Bullet Club even fights off the LA Dojo Young Lions! Kenta grabs a mic to speak, even as fans boo. But wait, Shibata runs in! And DECKS Kenta! Shibata rams and BOOTS Kenta in the corner! Fans are losing their minds as The Wrestler is throwing forearms on Kenta! Shibata forearms Tama away to then hammer away on Kneta. Loa runs in but even he gets a big forearm! BOOT for Fale! Shibata runs corner to corner for the basement dropkick! Then he drags Kenta into the sleeper hold! Fans are at a fever pitch, but Jado SMACKS Shibata! And Kenta gets Shibata with his own sleeper! Jado SMACKS Shibata in the stomach!

Shibata fades out and Kenta runs to Penalty Kick!! Despite everything Shibata was just doing, he’s NOT an active wrestler, nor cleared to compete! But Tama SMACKS away with Jado’s kendo stick and chokes Shibata out! Kenta adds insult to injury as he sits on Shibata with Shibata’s own signature cross-legged pose. Bullet Club has a new member in #FangRevived! Tama’s cryptic Tweet is confirmed! What happens to NJPW now that Bullet Club has added this treacherous snake to the arsenal?

NJPW Media Backstage Interview

Bullet Club is feeling good as they arrive. This is a beautiful day, because it is Bullet Club Day! Actually, every day is Bullet Club Day, but this is an extra special day. They told the world they had recruited a “high caliber athlete.” Who is that? It’s “one of the greatest, if not the best” in this generation, KENTA! When Tama came to Japan, Kenta was dominant. Tama respects Kenta, who was brave enough to “go abroad and try something new.” But now Kenta is back, so thank God he’s back on Bullet Club’s side! They can use his energy, his vengeance, and the determination to prove Kenta wasn’t a fluke. Bullet Club is going to help Kenta reach the very top of his game! They closed out the G1 with a bang, huh? What a feeling. To think the fans were booing that. Shibata must’ve been happy he got cheered like that. He should thank Kenta for that. But today is a new beginning. Keep your eyes on Kenta, he’s just getting started.

As for Shibata, he wants to know what Kenta was saying. The reporters inform him, and Shibata’s response: “Do you know what I went through for that guy?” How much it took to get Kenta into NJPW? Kenta doesn’t understand a thing. But whatever. Shibata will let Kenta find his own path with his new buddies. When and where will Kenta face the consequences of turning on The Wrestler?

Kazuchika Okada & Hiroshi Tanahashi VS Minoru Suzuki & Zack Sabre Jr!

The all-star duo of the century reunites once more to take on the meanest tag team in the world! Will Rainmaker and Ace make up for their losses in the G1 against the King of Pancrase and the Submission Master? Or will they #JustTapOut?

The teams sort out and Tanahashi starts against ZSJ. Fans are already on Tanahashi’s side with the bell. They circle and feel out the grapple. ZSJ waistlocks but Tanahashi standing switches to a full nelson. ZSJ slips out and spins around but Tanahashi switches with him to get the headlock. ZSJ spins through to a keylock but Tanahashi resists and actually bridges ZSJ. ZSJ spins and reverses to a double wristlock to bring Tanahashi down for headscissors. ZSJ squeezes tight and pushes up to crank the neck. Then he drops back down to keep Tanahashi grounded. Tanahashi works his way up to a headstand, and bridges, only for ZSJ to dig knuckles into ribs. The referee reprimands ZSJ but Tanahashi works around to roll ZSJ over. Tanahashi pops out to get the Bow ‘n’ Arrow! But ZSJ pops out to a cover, ONE!

Tanahashi throws ZSJ with a headlock takeover, but ZSJ works up and around to his feet. ZSJ powers out and runs in, but gets an elbow. Tanahashi hops up for a second rope crossbody! Fans fire up as Tanahashi hits Suzuki for good measure. Okada comes in to help Tanahashi whip ZSJ and elbow him down. Suzuki protests but Okada just punches him off the apron. Tanahashi leaps to drop an elbow, but ZSJ catches it into an armbar! Suzuki has Okada in a hanging armbar, but the ref counts him. Suzuki lets go while Tanahashi gets a ropebreak. ZSJ holds on as Suzuki sends Okada into barriers! ZSJ drags Tanahashi up while Suzuki laces Okada’s arm through the rails! ZSJ drags Tanahashi out to do the same on the other side! Red Shoes has a hard time keeping up with both crafty wrestlers.

ZSJ gives Tanahashi a European Uppercut and gets back in the ring while Okada starts brawling with Suzuki. The ring count begins on Tanahashi, and Suzuki ROCKS Okada. Tanahashi climbs up at 10 of 20 and in at 11. ZSJ is on Tanahashi with a hammerlock stomp! Suzuki returns to the corner to tag in. Suzuki stands on Tanahashi’s head until Tanahashi pushes him away. These familiar foes start throwing forearms, and Suzuki ROCKS Tanahashi. Suzuki kicks Tanahashi over then kicks Okada off the apron! Suzuki sneers before going back to Tanahashi with a snapmare. Suzuki digs his knee into Tanahashi’s back while pulling the arms back. ZSJ tags in and he grabs a leg! Armbar and leglock on Tanahashi, then switch so that they keep the holds! And then switch to opposite sides! Red Shoes counts and Suzuki-Gun finally lets up on Tanahashi. Tanahashi crawls for his corner while we go to break.

NJPW on AXS returns as ZSJ drags Tanahashi up by the arm. ZSJ wrenches deep but Tanahashi forearms free! Tanahashi keeps throwing forearms but ZSJ hits back. ZSJ whips but Tanahashi reverses into a standing abdominal stretch! ZSJ switches and they go around, ZSJ getting the stretch on Tanahashi now. Fans rally as Tanahashi endures. Tanahashi slips around to reverse the hold back on ZSJ! ZSJ pries free and gets a leg, but so does Tanahashi! Tanahashi Dragon Screws ZSJ’s leg! Both men are down and fans rally up. Hot tag to Okada! Okada throws forearms then whips, but ZSJ reverses. Okada dodges the boot to elbow ZSJ down! Budokan fires up with Okada as he elbows Suzuki off the apron. Okada goes to ZSJ in the corner with a whip. He hits a big back elbow, then drops ZSJ with a DDT! Cover, TWO!

Fans rally up as Okada drags ZSJ to his feet. Okada scoops and slams ZSJ to then go up top. Okada leaps, but has to roll through as ZSJ dodges. ZSJ runs in but is caught in the Alabama lift. But ZSJ reverses it into an Octopus! Only for Okada to power through back to Alabama position. But ZSJ fights free to wrench and Pele the arm! Tag to Suzuki, and he runs at Okada in a corner for a helluva boot. Then he snapmares Okada down for a Penalty Kick! Cover, TWO! Suzuki sits Okada up for a basement boot! Suzuki grabs an arm and hammerlocks it to grab the other arm! Suzuki wrenches the arm but Tanahashi runs in to kick at Suzuki. Suzuki just takes the shots as he tortures Okada’s arm. Tanahashi keeps kicking but Suzuki just gets annoyed. Suzuki leans into Tanahashi’s forearms before giving back a knee!

Suzuki returns to Okada while Tanahashi slumps away. Okada fires off forearms and uppercuts, but Suzuki knees him, too. Suzuki has a front guillotine, then spins Okada around into piledriver position. But Okada counters into Alabama position, Air Raid Crash neckbreaker! Fans rally up as both men are down. Both men crawl for their corners, hot tags to Tanahashi and ZSJ! Tanahashi blocks another kick but ZSJ fights off the dragon screw. They start throwing hands but Tanahashi has the edge. ZSJ dodges to EuroUpper, but Tanahashi throws a big palm strike! Tanahashi runs, but into the Iron Octopus! Tanahashi endures as ZSJ pulls on the arms. Tanahashi powers out and has the leg, but ZSJ gets the arm again! Tanahashi still fights, and turns it into Twist ‘n’ Shout! Tanahashi runs and hits a big Slingblade! Cover, but Suzuki breaks it!

Okada goes after Suzuki and tosses him out. Tanahashi heads up top while Okada keeps Suzuki against barriers. Tanahashi is up top, High Fly Flow gets knees! And ZSJ has a Triangle Hold! Tanahashi flails and reaches, and bridges to a cover! TWO as ZSJ lets go! ZSJ hits a stiff Penalty kick! Fans are fired up as both men are down. Okada and Suzuki return to their corners, hot tags to Okada and Suzuki! Okada shotgun dropkicks Suzuki into the corner! Then he brings Suzuki out for a scoop slam! Okada heads up top, keeping to his formula. Macho Elbow hits! Fans fire up with the RAINMAKER POSE~! Okada drags Suzuki up, wristlocks but Suzuki elbows free. Okada just stares Suzuki down and they start brawling with big forearms! Neither backs down. In fact, Okada dares Suzuki to give him another.

Suzuki obliges and then dares Okada to do the same. Okada hits back but Suzuki hits harder! Okada returns the forearm but Suzuki keeps egging him on. Suzuki has a wild grin as Okada’s forearms do nothing to him. Suzuki’s one forearm ROCKS Okada again. Okada falls to his knees but fans rally up for him. Okada stands, Suzuki whips but Okada reverses. Suzuki holds ropes to deny Okada his dropkick! Okada sits up to get the Penalty Kick! Suzuki drags Okada up in a sleeper hold! Then spins him around, Gotch, but Tanahshi hits a Slingblade! Then a Slingblade for ZSJ! Tanahashi slingshots out to take down ZSJ! Okada has Suzuki with a dropkick to the back! Okada drags Suzuki back up, whips but Suzuki reverses. Suzuki follows, slides around, sleeper hold! But Okada spins out to ripcord, but Suzuki dodges to get the sleeper back!

Suzuki has the Gotch hold, but Okada manages a back drop! But Suzuki is right up to boot Okada! Okada rebounds but his boot is countered. Tilt-o-whirl from Suzuki?! Into the sleeper hold! ZSJ intercepts Tanahashi with a flying guillotine! Suzuki has Okada fading out! Then spins him for the Gotch, PILEDRIVER! Cover, Suzuki-Gun wins!!

Winners: Suzuki-Gun, Minoru Suzuki pinning

The Meanest Man in the World pins the IWGP Heavyweight Champion! And ZSJ chokes Tanahashi out just because! Is the G1 snub not going to matter now? Suzuki grabs a mic to tell Okada, “They wouldn’t even let me into the G1, and you lost to me? How embarrassing.” Suzuki stomps Okada until he’s out of the ring, and ZSJ shoves Tanahashi out, too. “I’ll put it simply for all of you.” If you put Suzuki in a match with “that group of playmates,” this is what happens. Okada, listen to this next part before you run home. To Okada and ALL of NJPW! “The IWGP Heavyweight Belt… GIVE IT TO ME!” Don’t try to wriggle out of it this time, either! Suzuki will never run away. He is the KING of pro-wrestling. Suzuki tells Budokan, “Suzuki-Gun, Ichiban!” Will the King of Pancrase be number one in NJPW?

G1 Climax 29 Finals: Kota Ibushi VS Jay White!

Both men struggled, but both men found a way to overcome and become the best in their respective blocks. A Block and B Block finally collide! Ibushi has already beaten Okada in their G1 encounter, but White has already proven he can be IWGP Heavyweight Champion once. Whose determination will carry them through to the very end?

Despite White promising he wouldn’t bring Gedo out, it was all a sham. That, and he now has all of Bullet Club ringside! But Ibushi has the fans solidly on his side. Red Shoes says that even before the match, Bullet Club is EJECTED!!  White and Gedo try to reason with him, but Red Shoes has had enough of Bullet Club’s antics as of late. Gedo negotiates, and he is allowed to stay, so long as he stays strictly by the blue corner. But the rest of Bullet Club is gone from ringside. White’s plan is foiled, the bell finally rings, and the G1 Climax Finals truly begins!

White dares Ibushi to do something, knowing full well what he did to Ibushi’s ankle. But then White bails out to talk with Gedo, specifically staying by the blue corner as promised. White dares Ibushi to come out and get him but Ibushi stays inside, daring White to fight. White returns and the two circle. Fans are of course still on Ibushi’s side and it annoys White. White and Ibushi stare down then tie up. Ibushi manages to push White to ropes, but he honors the ropebreak with pats on the shoulder. But then he avoids White’s sucker punch kick! Only for Gedo to swipe at him! White gets Ibushi’s bad leg but Ibushi has the ropes, so Red Shoes backs White right off. Red Shoes confronts Gedo, and finally EJECTS Gedo! White and Gedo try to reason with Red Shoes again but Red Shoes has drawn the line. Ibushi grabs White and puts him back in the ring!

Ibushi dodges, kicks and whips White. White reverses but Ibushi comes back with a flying enziguri! White bails out but Ibushi gets him right back in, for a dropkick! Fans fire up with Ibushi while White bails out again. Ibushi takes aim, runs to the corner, but White stops the Golden Triangle with a chop block! Ibushi is caught in the corner, and White pulls the bad leg against the crossbars! Red Shoes reprimands White and White lets up. White drags Ibushi up to whip him into railing! White stomps Ibushi and puts his leg through railing to pull on the bad ankle! Fans boo and Red Shoes again reprimands White. White lets up, then drags Ibushi to the ring. White puts Ibushi in, only to swing Ibushi’s leg into the post! Fans boo again as White slams Ibushi’s leg on the apron. White gets in the ring and flexes but fans still boo.

White drags Ibushi up and snap suplexes him down. Ibushi clutches the bad leg but White is on it with a grounded dragon screw. Cover, ONE! Fans rally but White is on Ibushi. Ibushi fires forearms first, but White CHOPS him down. White drags Ibushi up for another snap suplex. Ibushi’s bad leg continues to take the worse landing, but then White Half Hatch suplexes Ibushi into buckles! Cover, TWO! Fans cheer as Ibushi guts it out. White toys with Ibushi, wanting him to stand up. Ibushi slowly stands, and throws forearms on White. White knees low then runs, Ibushi leaps up, but White counters the huricanrana into a takedown and grounded dragon screw! White says, “No, no, no,” he’s too smart for Ibushi. White watches as Ibushi rolls and crawls to the corner. White runs in, but blocks the good leg’s boot. He grabs the bad leg, but Ibushi enziguris with the good leg!

Ibushi hobbles after White but White kicks the bad leg. Ibushi still jumps for a Snap-Rana! Fans rally up as White goes to a corner now. Ibushi grits his teeth and runs back in, only to get a boot. White runs, but into a powerslam! Ibushi hops on one leg for a moonsault! Cover, TWO! Fans continue to rally and Ibushi continues to fight through the pain. White slowly gets up but Ibushi drags him up. Ibushi fires off a strike fest, and manages a roundhouse to standing moonsault! Now Ibushi says, “No, no, no,” he’s too tough for White. Ibushi flips again, but White gets clear of the moonsault knee drop! Ibushi’s knees smash ring mat! White catches his breath while Ibushi clutches his legs. White stands and grins before he drags Ibushi up for a fast DDT!

Ibushi goes to a corner and White runs in, big EuroUpper! Knee-jammer! White shoves Ibushi out for a Blade Buster twisting suplex! Cover, TWO! Fans rally for Ibushi but White is on him first. White wants the inverted figure four but Ibushi pushes him away. Ibushi kicks from the mat and gets away from White. Ibushi jumps over the chop block to double stomp White’s back! Fans continue to give Ibushi life as he goes back to White. Ibushi scoops but White resists. White fights back, stomping the bad foot! Ibushi still kicks with the good foot! Only to walk into the Complete Shot and deadlift German! But White can’t bridge, so Ibushi is spared for the moment. White hobbles over to Ibushi and drags him up to the top rope. White goes after the bad leg again then he CHOPS Ibushi back.

White climbs up, but Ibushi fights White off! White hammers away on Ibushi’s leg and even rakes the eyes! White tries again, from the very top rope, for SUPERPLEX! The Switchblade drags Ibushi up and wants the fisherman, but Ibushi manages to counter to a PACKAGE TOMBSTONE! Both men are down but the fans are loving this! Ibushi rises first, and throws a forearm from his knees. White sits up to return the favor. Ibushi forearms again, but White again returns it. They continue to go back and forth, even as they stand up. Ibushi rocks White, but gives him more forearms. White falls to the mat, and fans fire up as Ibushi sits White up. White hits big body shots and a strike fest! BIG lariat! But Ibushi sits up!? Only to run into a massive urenage! White drags Ibushi up, fisherman lift, KIWI KRUSHER! Cover, TWO!!

Ibushi survives but White grabs his arm. White slashes the throat and drags Ibushi up, but Ibushi slips around to a roll-up. White rolls out and blocks the knee! Half nelson but Ibushi standing switches to use the Half ‘n’ Half first! Both men are down but Ibushi is rising. Fans fire up as Ibushi drags White up. Ibushi scoops White again but White fights free, only to get a mule kick. But White throws Ibushi into Red Shoes! And a low blow uppercut! Typical Jay White. And with no referee to keep order, Gedo comes out with a big smile on his face. Gedo throws a chair to white! White chop blocks Ibushi back down before he gets the chair. Gedo holds Ibushi’s leg for White to SMACK it! And SMACK it! Ibushi is clutching his ankle while Gedo gets away with the chair. White grabs the leg for another grounded dragon screw! And then, the inverted figure four, #TTO!

Ibushi endures as Gedo puts Red Shoes in the ring! Red Shoes slowly revives as White has Ibushi trapped! But fans rally up and Ibushi crawls towards ropes! White wrenches and bridges as hard as he can but Ibushi holds onto Red Shoes to avoid tapping out. Ibushi powers his way forward, even with White’s weight on his legs, for the ROPEBREAK! White holds on until Red Shoes counts, and fans boo again. Ibushi clutches his leg while Gedo is hiding from Red Shoes. White drags Ibushi up but Ibushi keeps hold of the rope. Red Shoes checks on Ibushi, but Ibushi refuses to quit over this. Ibushi drags himself up and White is right on him! Ibushi resists the sleeper suplex and hits a PELE on one good leg! Both men are down again, but Ibushi sits up first. Ibushi roars and fans fire up with him. Ibushi scoops White, and heads for a corner, to LONG DART! White crashes down and is dazed while we go to break.

NJPW on AXS returns, and Ibushi drags White up from the apron. Fans know what Ibushi wants here, but so does White. White resists the waistlock but Ibushi still lifts him up! DEADLIFT SUPER GERMAN! Cover, TWO!! White survives but Ibushi won’t give up here. Ibushi stands and drags White back up. White resists the powerbomb lift, even as Ibushi tries again and again. White clubs away at the bad ankle, then throws a SLAPPING palm strike! That just flipped Ibushi’s switch! White starts to laugh but Ibushi SLAPS him back! And SLAPS and SLAPS and SLAPS! Ibushi kicks White to a corner then throws more slapping strikes! White can only cover up as Ibushi kicks him. Red Shoes backs Ibushi off, but Ibushi dares White to man up!

White gets up and hobbles up to Ibushi. They go forehead to forehead, and White slaps, only for Ibushi to immediately SLAP him down! Fans are thunderous for Ibushi as he drags White back up. But White dragon screws outta nowhere! White drags Ibushi back up, but Ibushi point-blank LARIATS! Ibushi has White up in the powerbomb, sit-out LAST RIDE! Cover, TWO!! White still lives but Ibushi has more to give. Ibushi goes to the corner, “YAO~!” But White drops down to avoid Ibushi’s shout out to the King of Strong Style. Ibushi tries but White is dead weight on purpose. Red Shoes reprimands White but White laughs and eggs Ibushi on. White uses Red Shoes as a shield, so that Red Shoes doesn’t see Gedo run in! But Ibushi ducks Gedo’s attack to ROUNDHOUSE Gedo back out! But then White hits the SLEEPER SUPLEX! Only for Ibushi to stand right up! BOMAYE to the back!

White and Ibushi are both down, and Red Shoes realizes Gedo is here. Red Shoes tells Rocky Romero to help get Gedo out. Rocky does as asked and Ibushi sits up! Ibushi aims at White, “YAO~” for another BOMAYE!! Cover, TWO!?! White survives but barely! Ibushi still has one more move up his proverbial sleeve. He stands White up with the wristlocks but White kicks the ankle. Ibushi kicks back but White knocks Ibushi over. Ibushi throws forearms from the floor, then roars. White just kicks the leg more, but he gets a ROUNDHOUSE from the good leg! Ibushi has wild eyes as he ROUNDHOUSES White again! Ibushi drags White up, wristlocks, but White counters to BLADE RUNNER!! But he can’t cover, he’s too exhausted! White crawls over, but he doesn’t cover?! White has Ibushi’s arm, drags him up, reels Ibush in cross-armed, but Ibushi resists! Ibushi headbutts White!

Ibushi still has the wrists, straitjacket German Suplex! But he holds on and turns White over, KAMIG- SNAP HALF ‘N’ HALF! White has Ibushi again, for another Sleeper Suplex! And then another cross-arm lift, BRAINBUSTER! But White won’t end it there, he drags Ibushi right back up, but Ibushi spins out of Blade Runner for a V-Trigger! Then he tries again, but White slips out! White wants Blade Runner but Ibushi standing switches and hits another V-Trigger! And another! And finally, with both wrists, KAMIGOYE!! Cover, TWO!?!? Just what helped White do that?! But Ibushi shows no mercy, KAMIGOYE AGAIN!! Cover, Ibushi wins!!!

Winner: Kota Ibushi, by pinfall; wins the G1 Climax 29

The Golden Star makes a dream come true! It took so much out of him, but Ibushi has completed a historic Triple Crown. Ibushi has won Best of the Super Juniors, the New Japan Cup, and now the G1 Climax! He is presented with the G1 trophy and banner, and then the microphone to speak to Budokan.

“The G1 tournament has made this the most important month of my life.” Last year, he lost in the finals. But a year later, he would still make it to the finals. And this time, he won, so he is very happy. Ibushi says it is thanks to the efforts of all 20 wrestlers in the G1. He may be repeating himself, but avenging his loss is awesome! Fans cheer and chant his name once again. Ibushi wants to continue building NJPW to be bigger and bigger, together with everyone. It may not be his place, but he earned this closing speech, so he wants to say this now. NJPW and all of pro-wrestling will be huge! This is a new era for NJPW! Please come along with them, and thank you for everything! See you again at the next G1!

With that, Ibushi walks around the ring to reach a hand out to all the fans cheering. He shakes hands with commentary, the timekeepers, then returns to the ring to once again hold up the trophy and banner as streamers fly! Is the Golden Star Era going to truly take over NJPW at Wrestle Kingdom? Will Ibushi still meet The Rainmaker for the title? Or will someone else take Okada’s place in Tokyo?

NJPW Media Backstage Interview

As tired as Ibushi is, he is able to celebrate. “How brutal the G1 would be…” Ibushi was waiting for it for a whole year. “And somehow, I managed to seize it.” Ibushi worked so hard to take the cup. Now he understands. Ibushi thought he knew, but he was just pretending. He is incredibly happy. Can they tell? “It is the absolute best.” Ibushi repeats “the best” as he hands out beers for a toast. He makes sure everyone has one. “Okay, let’s do this!” All together, CHEERS! Ibushi chugs down the Miller and again says he’s incredibly happy. He thanks the fans for their support. Will Ibushi take this win all the way to the top of NJPW?

My Thoughts:

It may be a couple weeks late, but what a great end to the G1 Climax on AXS! We got the major plot points from the finale event, too. Kenta joining Bullet Club was a big surprise, even though it was clear something was up from him not starting and then ditching the tag. While Guerrillas of Destiny and Jay White have had a good run coming out of the lackluster non-end to the feud with The Elite, the rest of the Bullet Club hasn’t done much. With Kenta in there, and Fale looking legit again, they could make another run for having a lot of gold in their ranks. Meanwhile, Okada’s dance card before Wrestle Kingdom grows even longer. Sanada has a shot because he finally beat The Rainmaker, Ibushi would’ve had a claim whether or not he won tonight, and now Minoru Suzuki is after him!

Okada-Tanahashi VS Suzuki-Gun was a great match! Suzuki winning while ZSJ went after Tanahashi sets up some great title feuds with ZSJ perhaps putting his Rev-Pro title on the line out of arrogance. Suzuki’s story comes full circle, having not been in the G1 but earning a shot the old fashioned way, and it works as a replacement since Ibushi is going to have his shot because of the G1 Climax win. Sanada also has history with Suzuki, so the insane chance of Cold Skull taking the title off Okada to then defend it against Suzuki would make for an interesting lead into Wrestle Kingdom. Ibushi VS White was also a great match, and Ibushi winning was just the right call on so many levels. White has such Heel Heat, the fans would not want him to win. Ibushi is so over the fans would not want him to lose. And Ibushi dedicated himself to NJPW and that’s legit, so NJPW is giving him the push for that reason. It all came together for the Golden Star tonight.

At the same time, Ibushi will have to defend his contract like a title in itself, and you can imagine Bullet Club will want that. Kenta beat Ibushi in the very first round, so there is grounds for Kenta to want a shot. That would make for a great match, and another great test for Ibushi’s character to make it through his own string of challengers to parallel Okada. As for White, he beat both Moxley and Naito, who are both champions right now. Sadly we heard Moxley has an elbow infection, but hopefully it isn’t so serious as to keep him out of action in NJPW. Naito can still defend his title against White to keep his story of his dual championship destiny going. And of course, Naito VS Ibushi for the third time in 2019 can still happen somehow, perhaps even contract for title so that somehow someone potentially could become dual Intercontinental and Heavyweight Champion.

My Score: 9.5/10