Here Is The Complete Schedule Of Matches For New Japan’s G1 Climax Tournament


We are scant days from New Japan’s first two standalone United States shows ever, the G1 Special in Long Beach. These shows will not only crown the first-ever IWGP United States Champion, but will serve as the official-unofficial kickoff for the 27th annual G1 Climax tournament, the most prestigious singles heavyweight tournament in the universe.

We already know the full field of competitors in the tournament, and in which blocks they’ll be fighting. But now NJPW has released the entire big damn schedule of matches. And it is a BIG damn schedule of matches, so get ready for scrolling! The tournament begins on July 17 and runs all the way through the finals on August 13.

Here’s the schedule. Break out that scrolling finger, kids.

July 17 (Block A) 2 a.m. ET (English Commentary)
– Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
– Togi Makabe vs. Bad Luck Fale
– Yuji Nagata vs. YOSHI-HASHI
– Kota Ibushi vs. Tetsuya Naito
– Hirooki Goto vs. Tomohiro Ishii

July 20 (Block B) 5:30 a.m. ET (English Commentary)
– Satoshi Kojima vs. Juice Robinson
– Michael Elgin vs. Tama Tonga
– Kazuchika Okada vs. Toru Yano
– SANADA vs. EVIL
– Minoru Suzuki vs. Kenny Omega

July 21 (Block A) 5:30 a.m. ET (English Commentary)
– Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Bad Luck Fale
– Togi Makabe vs. Tomohiro Ishii
– Yuji Nagata vs. Hirooki Goto
– Kota Ibushi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
– YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tetsuya Naito

July 22 (Block B) 5:30 a.m. ET (English Commentary)
– Satoshi Kojima vs. Toru Yano
– Michael Elgin vs. Kazuchika Okada
– Juice Robinson vs. EVIL
– Minoru Suzuki vs. SANADA
– Kenny Omega vs. Tama Tonga

July 23 (Block A) 5:30 a.m. ET
– Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yuji nagata
– Togi Makabe vs. Hirooki Goto
– Kota Ibushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii
– YOSHI-HASHI vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
– Bad Luck Fale vs. Tetsuya Naito

July 25 (Block B) 5:30 a.m. ET
– Satoshi Kojima vs. Michael Elgin
– Juice Robinson vs. Minoru Suzuki
– SANADA vs. Kazuchika Okada
– Toru Yano vs. Kenny Omega
– Tama Tonga vs. EVIL

July 26 (Block A) 5:30 a.m. ET
– Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto
– Togi Makabe vs. Kota Ibushi
– Yuji Nagata vs. Tetsuya Naito
– YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tomohiro Ishii
– Bad Luck Fale vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

July 27 (Block B) 5:30 a.m. ET
– Satoshi Kojima vs. Kazuchika Okada
– Michael Elgin vs. Kenny Omega
– Juice Robinson vs. Tama Tonga
– Toru Yano vs. SANADA
– Minoru Suzuki vs. EVIL

July 29 (Block A) 5:30 a.m. ET
– Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. YOSHI-HASHI
– Togi Makabe vs. Yuji Nagata
– Bad Luck Fale vs. Kota Ibushi
– Hirooki Goto vs. vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
– Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tetsuya Naito

July 30 (Block B) 3:30 a.m. ET
– Satoshi Kojima vs. Kenny Omega
– SANADA vs. Michael Elgin
– Juice Robinson vs. Kazuchika Okada
– Toru Yano vs. EVIL
– Minoru Suzuki vs. Tama Tonga


August 1st (A Block) 5:30 a.m. ET
– Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kota Ibushi
– Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yuji Nagata
– YOSHI-HASHI vs. Bad Luck Fale
– Tetsuya Naito vs. Hirooki Goto
– Togi Makabe vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

August 2nd (B Block) 5:30 a.m. ET
– Kenny Omega vs. EVIL
– Minoru Suzuki vs. Satoshi Kojima
– Kazuchika Okada vs. Tama Tonga
– SANADA vs. Juice Robinson
– Michael Elgin vs. Toru Yano

August 4th (A Block) 5:30 a.m. ET
– Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
– Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Togi Makabe
– Kota Ibushi vs. Yuji Nagata
– Hirooki Goto vs. YOSHI-HASHI
– Tomohiro Ishii vs. Bad Luck Fale

August 5th (B Block) 4 a.m. ET
– Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL
– Satoshi Kojima vs. SANADA
– Minoru Suzuki vs. Michael Elgin
– Tama Tonga vs. Toru Yano
– Kenny Omega vs. Juice Robinson

August 6th (A Block) 3 a.m. ET
– Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii
– Tetsuya Naito vs. Togi Makabe
– Hirooki Goto vs. Bad Luck Fale
– Kota Ibushi vs. YOSHI-HASHI
– Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Yuji Nagata

August 8th (B Block) 5:30 a.m. ET
– Kazuchika Okada vs. Minoru Suzuki
– Kenny Omega vs. SANADA
– Juice Robinson vs. Toru Yano
– Michael Elgin vs. EVIL
– Satoshi Kojima vs. Tama Tonga

August 11th (A Block Finals, 5:30 a.m. ET) (English Commentary)
– Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito
– Kota Ibushi vs. Hirooki Goto
– Tomohiro Ishii vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
– Bad Luck Fale vs. Yuji Nagata
– Togi Makabe vs. YOSHI-HASHI

August 12th (B Block Finals, 5:30 a.m. ET) (English Commentary)
– Kazuchika Okada vs. Kenny Omega
– Minoru Suzuki vs. Toru Yano
– Tama Tonga vs. SANADA
– Michael Elgin vs. Juice Robinson
– Satoshi Kojima vs. EVIL

August 13th (G1 Climax 27 Finals, 2 a.m. ET) (English Commentary)
– A Block winner vs. B Block winner

The most notable date (to me, and to many others, probably) is August 12, the last night of the tournament before the finals. It JUST SO HAPPENS that’s the night Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega will have their third match of 2017. Hmmm. HMMMMMMM. Their first two matches, as you may have heard, were a big deal. Omega hasn’t been able to best Okada yet, and there’s a chance Okada might not be holding that IWGP Heavyweight Championship by the time this match rolls around.

Regardless, expectations could not possibly be higher. Probably a good way to close out the Block B competition, I’d say.

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