G1 Special in San Francisco

G1 Special in San Francisco was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on July 7, 2018 at the Cow Palace in the San Francisco suburb of Daly City, California.[2] The event was broadcast on AXS TV in the United States.[3]

G1 Special in San Francisco
Promotional poster featuring various NJPW wrestlers
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling
DateJuly 7, 2018
CityDaly City, California, U.S.
VenueCow Palace
Attendance6,333[1]
Event chronology
← Previous
Strong Style Evolved UK		 Next →
G1 Climax 28
G1 Special chronology
← Previous
G1 Special in USA		 Next →
G1 Climax in Dallas

Production
Other on-screen personnel
Role: Name:
Commentators Jim Ross (English-language announcer)
Josh Barnett (English-language announcer)
Ring announcers Makoto Abe
Referees Kenta Sato
Marty Asami
Red Shoes Unno
Tiger Hattori

Background

On March 25, 2018, NJPW announced there would be another G1 Special event taking place in the San Francisco area on July 7, 2018, at the Cow Palace in Daly City, California.[4] While tickets for the first G1 Special event sold out in two hours,[5] Pro Wrestling Torch reported that NJPW management was upset with the initial ticket sales for G1 Special in San Francisco.[6]

Storylines
Official logo of the event

G1 Special in San Francisco featured professional wrestling matches that involved wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds, plots, and storylines that played out on NJPW shows. Wrestlers portrayed heroes or villains as they followed a series of events that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches.[7]

On June 9 at Dominion in Osaka-jo Hall, Kenny Omega defeated Kazuchika Okada 2 falls to 1 to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the first time,[8] ending Okada's reign, the longest in the championship's history at 720 days. After the match, after making peace with The Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson) in the ring,[9] Omega would announce during the post match comments that himself, Ibushi, and The Young Bucks had the formed a new sub group "The Golden☆Elite".[10] The following day at a press conference aired on NJPW World, Kenny Omega confirmed that he and The Young Bucks were still Bullet Club members, as well as clarifying that while Kota Ibushi had joined The Elite, he was not a member of Bullet Club. Omega also claimed he was still the leader of Bullet Club,[11][12] and announced that his first defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship would be against Cody at the G1 Special at the Cow Palace in San Francisco.[11]

On January 28, 2018, at The New Beginning in Sapporo, "Switchblade" Jay White defeated Omega to become the IWGP United States Champion.[13] At Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall White lost by pinfall in a tag team match to Juice Robinson; because of this loss White would defend his title against Robinson at G1 Special.

During the 25th Best of the Super Juniors tournament Dragon Lee defeated eventual tournament winner Hiromu Takahashi. At Dominion Takahashi defeated Will Ospreay to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Backstage, after a successful title defense against El Desperado, Hiromu challenged Lee to a match, which Lee accepted. The match was officially announced for G1 Special on June 21 via NJPW's website.

On June 9 at Dominion, The Young Bucks defeated Sanada and Evil of Los Ingobernables de Japon to win the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships for the first time, making them the third duo in Bullet Club to do so. After the match, The Young Bucks offered them a rematch for the titles. One day later, it was announced that their first defense of the IWGP Tag Team Championship would be against Sanada and Evil at G1 Special.[14]

At Kizuna Road Hirooki Goto defeated Michael Elgin to regain the NEVER Openweight Championship; after the match he was challenged by Jeff Cobb and the match was made for G1 Special on June 21.

At Dominion Marty Scurll, Hangman Page, and Cody defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jushin Thunder Liger, and Rey Mysterio Jr.. A match between Tanahashi and KUSHIDA against Scurll and Page at G1 Special was also officially announced on June 21.

On June 9 at Dominion Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano. Suzuki and Ishii brawled after the match. This led to three matches being made for Strong Style Evolved UK. On Night 1, Suzuki and Sabre would defend the RPW Undisputed British Tag Team Championship against Ishii and Kazuchika Okada, while on Night 2 Okada faced Sabre and Ishii defended the RPW British Heavyweight Championship against Suzuki. On June 21, a rematch pitting Suzuki and Sabre against Ishii and Yano was announced for G1 Special.

Aftermath

During the match for the Junior Heavyweight Title, Takahashi received a Dragon Driver from Dragon Lee and landed on his neck. Backstage, after winning the match, Takahashi fainted and was sent to a hospital.[15] It was later revealed that Takahashi had broken his neck.[16]

Results
No. Results Stipulations Times[17]
1 Bullet Club (King Haku, Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Yujiro Takahashi and Chase Owens) defeated Chaos (Yoshi-Hashi, Gedo, Rocky Romero, Yoh and Sho) Ten-man tag team match[18] 09:20
2 Chaos (Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano) defeated Suzuki-gun (Minoru Suzuki and Zack Sabre Jr.) Tag team match[18] 09:42
3 Bullet Club (Hangman Page and Marty Scurll) defeated Taguchi Japan (Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kushida) Tag team match[18] 09:52
4 Hirooki Goto (c) defeated Jeff Cobb Singles match for the NEVER Openweight Championship[18] 12:10
5 The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) (c) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (Sanada and Evil) Tag team match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship[18] 16:05
6 Chaos (Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japon (Tetsuya Naito and Bushi) Tag team match[18] 11:58
7 Hiromu Takahashi (c) defeated Dragon Lee Singles match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship[18] 16:18
8 Juice Robinson defeated Jay White (c) Singles match for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship[18] 23:22
9 Kenny Omega (c) defeated Cody Singles match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship[18] 34:14
  • (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match

See also

References
  1. https://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/144651?showResult=1
  2. Decker, Kyle (March 25, 2018). "New Japan Pro Wrestling's G1 special to return to the United States this summer". Cagesideseats. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  3. ""G1 Special In San Francisco" To Air Live On AXS TV". May 25, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  4. Gagnon, Joshua (March 25, 2018). "NJPW Announces Next US Show At Tonight's Strong Style Evolved". Wrestling Inc. Retrieved March 25, 2018.
  5. 戦略発表会で、木谷オーナーが「2020年の東京ドーム満員を目指す」とコメント！さらにアメリカへの“本格進出”、道場の設立も視野に!!. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). May 16, 2017. Archived from the original on May 16, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2017.
  6. "NJPW G1 Special in San Francisco sees slow initial ticket sales, management's reaction to bolster sales". Pro Wrestling Torch. May 2, 2018. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  7. Grabianowski, Ed. "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks, Inc. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 18, 2013. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  8. "Kenny Omega Beat Kazuchika Okada in One of the Best Wrestling Matches Ever". 11 June 2018.
  9. "NJPW Dominion 2018 results: Another Okada-Omega classic, big Chris Jericho surprise".
  10. "Fight Size Update: 'Golden Elite Shirts' Available For Purchase, Steffanie Newell Undergoes Another Name Change, Ronda Rousey, More - Fightful Wrestling". www.fightful.com.
  11. "NJPW Announced Upcoming U.S. Matches, Including A Championship Defense". 11 June 2018.
  12. "Kenny Omega finally reaches NJPW's pinnacle".
  13. Dave Meltzer (January 27, 2018). "NJPW NEW BEGINNING IN SAPPORO NIGHT TWO LIVE RESULTS: OMEGA-WHITE". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  14. NJPW. "Huge matches set for G1 Special in San Francisco! Cody v Kenny, Juice v Switchblade, and a major tag title match! - NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING". NJPW.
  15. Solowrestling (2018-07-08). "Hiromu Takahashi podría haberse lesionado gravemente durante NJPW G1 Special in San Francisco" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2018-07-12.
  16. "WOR: Hiromu, Hodge, UFC Lesnar, G-1 special, King of Indies, more!". WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results. June 8, 2018. Retrieved December 28, 2018.
  17. "NJPW G1 Special In San Francisco « Events Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  18. "G1 Special in San Francisco". NJPW1972.com. New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
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