NJPW G1 Climax 36: Night Five Results and Analysis from Nagaoka

NJPW G1 Climax 36 Night Five

July 22nd, 2026 | Aore Nagaoka in Nagaoka, Niigata | Attendance: 1,555

The B Block returned to action with four matches, including a scheduled bout between Shota Umino and Ren Narita.

B Block: Aaron Wolf [4] vs. Gabe Kidd [4]

Gabe Kidd continued the unpredictable antics that have defined his tournament run. He spent a significant portion of the match dismissing Aaron Wolf, taunting him and mocking his judo background. This proved to be a tactical misstep, as it allowed Wolf to confidently leverage his grappling strengths. Wolf flipped and tossed Kidd around with authority, establishing himself as the dominant force in the clinch. It was one of the most compelling performances Wolf has delivered in the tournament. Kidd showed a willingness to fire back, briefly making the contest feel evenly matched. While some of Kidd’s showmanship felt like overcompensation, the in-ring action remained consistently strong. Ultimately, Kidd secured the victory with a devastating piledriver at the 9:51 mark, providing a solid opener for the card. [***]

B Block: HENARE [4] vs. OSCAR [4]

Promising a classic big-man showdown, this bout failed to fully deliver on that potential. The structural issues appear rooted in a common challenge for larger wrestlers today. Like HANAKO, Hikuleo, and Raquel Rodriguez before him, OSKAR has struggled to move with the fluidity expected of a heavyweight competitor. He shows flashes of brilliance at points, yet frequently lapses into awkward patterns that disrupt the flow. At times, OSKAR matched HENARE stride for stride; other times, he appeared overwhelmed and sold the damage like a much smaller wrestler. Much of OSKAR’s work felt desperate against HENARE’s steady pressure. HENARE claimed the win with an impressive sitout powerbomb at the 11:46 mark. The effort contained genuine merit, but the inconsistent delivery undermined the overall impact. [**½]

B Block: Teasing Moloney [4] vs. Yuya Uemura [4]

On paper, this matchup is a dream pairing—two of the few New Japan performers I actively enjoy watching, whose styles complement each other seamlessly. However, their previous New Japan Cup encounter peaked at merely good (***). Here, they exchanged grappling sequences and evenly contested early rounds with strong crowd support for both. Drilla Moloney and Yuya Uemura worked the mat with the cohesive intensity of a stable like TMDK. The transitions were crisp and executed smoothly, making for a highly enjoyable contest. However, the mutual respect between two babyfaces limited the heat and stakes of the rivalry. Late near-falls were well-crafted, and I found myself fooled by a few flash pins before Moloney finally broke through with the Drilla Killa for the victory in 17:48. An improvement over their Cup meeting, yet still slightly beneath their ceiling. [***¼]

B Block: Callum Newman [4] vs. Zack Sabre Jr. [2]

I’ve encountered widespread acclaim for this pairing, and while I appreciated the contest, I remain uncertain about the level of consensus. From the opening bell, the two men attacked each other with intensity, and ZSJ appeared visibly engaged. He relished the opportunity to systematically degrade Callum Newman, targeting the shoulder with methodical precision. Newman responded with dedicated selling, which proved crucial as he battled through the injury to generate offense and secure the leverage necessary for near-falls. Newman’s fire grew as he confronted ZSJ, daring him to target the damaged shoulder; ZSJ answered by slapping him relentlessly, escalating the drama. As the match progressed, ZSJ grew more anxious as Newman refused to capitulate. His submission holds lacked crispness, and his offensive maneuvers became telegraphed. Newman ultimately turned the tide, catching a PK attempt and converting it into a pinning combination to win in 20:11. While not the transcendent experience some have suggested, it remains a very serviceable main event. [***½]

A Block
Points
B Block
Points

Konosuke Takeshita 4 (2-1) Drilla Moloney 6 (3-1) Yota Tsuji 4 (2-1) Gabe Kidd 6 (3-1) Ryohei Oiwa 4 (2-1) HENARE 6 (3-1) Boltin Oleg 4 (2-1) Callum Newman 6 (3-1) Jake Lee 4 (2-1) Aaron Wolf 4 (2-1) Hirooki Goto 4 (2-1) Ren Narita 4 (2-1) Shingo Takagi 2 (1-2) Yuya Uemura 4 (2-2) Yuto-Ice 2 (1-2) OSKAR 4 (2-2) Great-O-Khan 2 (1-2) Zack Saber Jr. 2 (1-3) SANADA 2 (1-2) Shota Umino 0 (0-9) Injured

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