This is a little unorthodox for us, but we know there’s a ton of interest in this weekend’s New Japan shows in Long Beach. So here’s a place to talk about them all weekend long with the rest of the With Spandex community!
The New Japan Pro Wrestling G1 Special begins on Saturday, July 1 on AXS TV and runs through July 2. The two-day event features a tournament to crown the first-ever IWGP United States Champion, an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match between Kazuchika Okada and Cody, and an Intercontinental Championship match between Hiroshi Tanahashi and Billy Gunn.
Here’s the complete card as we know it:
July 1:
1. IWGP Heavyweight Championship match: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Cody
2. IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match: Guerrillas of Destiny (c) vs. War Machine
3. United States Championship first round match: Michael Elgin vs. Kenny Omega
4. United States Championship first round match: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tetsuya Naito in a US title first round match
5. United States Championship first round match: Juice Robinson vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
6. United States Championship first round match: Jay Lethal vs. Hangman Page
7. David Finlay, Jay White, KUSHIDA & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Sho Tanaka, Yohei Komatsu, Yoshitatsu & Billy Gunn
8. Titan, Dragon Lee, Volador Jr. & Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Hiromu Takahashi, BUSHI, EVIL & SANADA
9. Roppongi Vice, Will Ospreay & The Briscoes vs. The Young Bucks, Marty Scurll, Yujiro Takahashi & Bad Luck Fale
July 2:
– The semifinals and finals of the U.S. title tournament
1. IWGP Intercontinental Championship match: Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs. Billy Gunn
2. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match: The Young Bucks (c) vs. Roppongi Vice
Please enjoy the shows and have fun down in the comments. We know how you like to do.
