David Finlay got lost in the shuffle for a good while.
The former NEVER Openweight Champion had his last chance to fix his string of losses on night thirteen or he would be eliminated. Given that his opponent was Yota Tsuji, that wouldn’t be an easy task. Yota fired off early by getting the better of him thanks to a forearm exchange. He followed that up with a couple of dives that knocked Finlay for the loop. Every time Finlay would get some momentum going, Yota would come back seconds later with a devastating move such as a back breaker or a flipping powerbomb.
These two traded forearm shots again, but Finlay got the better of this exchange this time around. Finlay then decapitated the poor man with a clothesline that only got him a two count. Tsuji was able to come back with a superkick and spear, which was a nail biting nearfall. Yota went to put an end to Finlay with the Marlowe Crash (top-rope Stomp), but Finlay moved out of the way and connected with a standing powerbomb.
The last few minutes became a counter fest into powerful moves; Finlay went for the overkill, but Yota countered and hit a buckle bomb. Finlay returned the favor with his own buckle bomb and stunner. Finlay finally hit the Oblivion, but that only got a two count. Yota tried for another spear, but he was caught with a knee to his face. Finlay hit the overkill and got the three count.
Though David was able to safe his spot in the G1, SANADA and Taichi couldn’t. The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion lost to Hiroshi Tanahashi and Taichi failed to beat the newcomer, Callum Newman.
Check out the full results for Night Thirteen of the G1 Climax:
- A Block: David Finlay def. Yota Tsuji
- A Block: Yuya Uemura def. Ryohei Oiwa
- A Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi def. SANADA
- A Block: EVIL def. Oleg Boltin
- A Block: Callum Newman def. Taichi
- Rocky Romero & Konosuke Takeshita def. Tomoaki Honma & Shota Umino
- Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Ren Narita def. Daiki Nagai & Shingo Takagi
- Zack Sabre Jr. & Hartley Jackson def. Drilla Moloney & Taiji Ishimori
- Jado & El Phantasmo def. Shoma Kato & YOSHI-HASHI
A Block Standings
Yuya Uemura — 10 points (5-3)
EVIL — 10 points (5-3)
Yota Tsuji — 8 points (4-4)
Boltin Oleg — 8 points (4-4)
Ryohei Oiwa — 8 points (4-4)
Callum Newman — 8 points (4-4)
Hiroshi Tanahashi — 8 points (4-4)
David Finlay — 8 points (4-4)
Eliminated
SANADA — 6 points (3-5)
Taichi — 6 points (3-5)
B Block Standings
Ren Narita — 10 points (5-2)
Zack Sabre Jr. — 10 points (5-2)
TAKESHITA — 10 points (5-2)
Shota Umino — 8 points (4-3)
YOSHI-HASHI — 8 points (4-3)
Drilla Moloney — 8 points (4-3)
GOK — 8 points (4-3)
Shingo Takagi — 6 points (3-4)
Eliminated
El Phantasmo — 6 points (3-4)
Gabe Kidd — 0 points (0-1)