During a press conference on NJPW‘s streaming service, New Japan World, the promotion announced the current match card for their upcoming G1 Special event in San Francisco on July 7, 2018.
The G1 Special lineup as it stands following NJPW Dominion:
- IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Kenny Omega (c) vs. Cody - IWGP Tag Team Championships
The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) (c) vs. EVIL & SANADA (Dominion rematch) - IWGP United States Championship
Jay White (c) vs. Juice Robinson - Kazuchika Okada & Will Ospreay (Chaos) vs. Tetsuya Naito & BUSHI (Los Ingobernables de Japon)
Following the hugely successful NJPW event, Dominion, this past weekend, several new champions were crowned. This includes the Young Bucks who, in their first championship attempt since becoming heavyweights, managed to win the titles from LIJ’s EVIL & SANADA. Without another feud in the making, a rematch from the recent pay-per-view will suffice as the likely only repeat bout on the show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLUgtPqYpiU
The current IWGP United States Champion, Jay White, did not defend his title at Dominion but instead featured in a tag team match alongside YOSHI-HASHI against Juice Robinson and former-challenger David Finlay. Robinson managed to get the pin over the champion to win the match, setting up his title shot at the G1 Special.
The biggest win of the weekend, however, came in the main event where the longest reigning and arguably most prestigious champion in NJPW history, Kazuchika Okada, lost the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to Kenny Omega.
After the 60-minute-plus match, the Young Bucks reunited with Omega following months of begrudged in-faction feuding. What was more surprising in the background of this, however, was the appearance of Cody at the top of the ramp. Looking like he was ready to put their past behind him, the ‘American Nightmare’ decided to turn his back on Omega once again and walked away speechless. Their championship bout will main-event the G1 Special with good reason but don’t expect this feud to end there, regardless of the result.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftdpsZrWTJQ
Due to the announcement of the, as of writing, only non-title match on the card, it has been confirmed that rematches for the IWGP Intercontinental and Junior Heavyweight Championships will not take place.
Plans have yet to be announced for Chris Jericho, who defeated Naito for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, and Hiromu Takahashi, who defeated WIll Ospreay for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Other championship matches to be determined:
- NEVER Openweight Championship – Michael Elgin (c)
- NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championships – Bullet Club (Marty Scurll & The Young Bucks) (c)
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships – Suzuki-gun (El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) (c)
The G1 Special will take place at the legendary Cow Palace in San Francisco, California on July 7, 2018.
Are you excited about the G1 Special? Is there even the slightest chance Omega could lose to Cody on his first title defense? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter here. You can also join us on Discord to chat with Oli, Luke, the magazine team, the website writers and each other here!
6 years ago by Wrestle Talk
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