NJPW

The final match for the G1 Climax 32 tournament has been determined, following the two semi-final matches on Wednesday’s (August 17) show.

During the event, Block A winner Kazuchika Okada faced off against Block B victor Tama Tonga, and Block C leader Tetsuya Naito battled Block D champion Will Ospreay, to determine the two stars who will meet in the final.

Okada ultimately pinned Tonga after a Rainmaker clothesline to advance to the tournament’s final 2 in the semi-main event. In the final match of Tuesday’s show, Ospreay defeated Naito with Stormbreaker, meaning that the tournament final will be Okada vs Ospreay.

Following his win, Ospreay took to the mic to acknowledge that Okada has had his number in the past, vowing to finally pin the Rainmaker and carry NJPW out of the ‘dark ages’.

Ospreay joined NJPW in 2016 as part of Okada’s CHAOS faction, notably after he was recommended to NJPW following his match with Okada at NJPW/RevPro Global Wars UK 2015.

The British star turned on Okada during their G1 Climax bout in 2020 to form his United Empire faction. Okada has defeated Ospreay on several occasions since them, most recently in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 2 in January for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title.

The final match will air on Thursday’s (August 18) show. The G1 Climax tournament winner generally wins the right to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at the next Wrestle Kingdom show, which other stars can challenge for in the lead-up to the Tokyo Dome show.

A big update has emerged on AEW’s presence at the January 2023 NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 event, which you can read about right here.

If you’re in the UK but didn’t manage to get tickets to Clash at the Castle on September 3, WrestleTalk is hosting a watch party at The Joiner on Worship in Shoreditch, London, and we’d love for you to join us! Click here for more details.

• Final
• Kazuchika Okada
• G1 Climax
• Will Ospreay

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