NJPW G1 Climax 36 Final 2026 - WrestleFile Contemporary Verdict

The opener exists primarily to continue the junior-tag issue around DOUKI and SHO. Independent reports agree that SHO uses his metal sheet and a Místico mask to create the opening for DOUKI to submit Masatora Yasuda with the Darkness Stretch. That finish keeps El Desperado connected to the rivalry without having him take the fall and lets House of Torture leave the final night with forward momentum. The match is more storyline bridge than tournament attraction, but it accomplishes that role efficiently and gives the crowd an immediate conflict to react to.

Makabe and Yano defeat Akira and Zane Jay in a compact tag designed to reset the card after the opener. Makabe scores the decisive fall on Jay with the King Kong Knee Drop, giving the veteran team a straightforward win while protecting Akira from the pin. The bout has little connection to the tournament final and does not create a major new program, so its archival value is limited. It works as a crowd-friendly undercard match and a reminder of New Japan's older generation without demanding too much time from the event.

Kosei Fujita, Hartley Jackson and Zack Sabre Jr. defeat Boltin Oleg, Master Wato and Tatsuya Matsumoto, with Fujita forcing Matsumoto to submit. The result keeps TMDK strong after the tournament and gives Fujita the deciding moment instead of placing the finish on Sabre. Oleg remains protected after a strong G1 run, and the match functions as a useful post-tournament reset for several wrestlers who need new directions. It is not one of the final night's major attractions, but the booking keeps future singles and faction options available.

United Empire's Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan and HENARE defeat Daiki Nagai, OSKAR and Yuto-Ice in a faction match that matters most for what follows. The teams already have overlapping issues, and the match maintains that tension without resolving it. Jeff Cobb's later return and connection to Unbound Co. gives the faction material on this show more importance in hindsight. The official result itself is straightforward, with United Empire winning before the evening's larger roster development reframes where the rivalry can go next.

Takagi and Moloney versus Kidd and Yuta gives the undercard its strongest hard-hitting pairing. The match puts four wrestlers with established physical styles into a tag that can be worked at a higher intensity than the earlier faction bouts. Takagi and Moloney winning keeps Unbound Co. moving forward after the tournament while Kidd remains protected by the tag format. The result also helps bridge into the faction stories that continue through Destruction season, making it more useful than a one-night exhibition even without a championship at stake.

Shun Skywalker, SANADA and Ren Narita defeat Takeshita, Taichi and Kojima in a six-man tag that keeps several heavyweight threads moving at once. Skywalker's presence is especially important because he had recently entered New Japan's orbit, while Takeshita remains connected to championship and tournament-level programs. The match does not deliver a decisive singles conclusion, but it gives House of Torture another win and keeps Skywalker's integration visible on a major event. Its value is mostly directional rather than historical on its own.

Tsuji and Ishimori defeat Goto and YOH in the final match before the tournament final. The placement is important because Tsuji is the IWGP Heavyweight Champion whose next major challenger will emerge from the main event. Keeping Tsuji visible on the card allows the audience to connect the championship directly to what follows. Ishimori scores the deciding fall on YOH, protecting Goto while continuing junior-division issues at the same time. The match therefore serves two divisions and sets the stage for Oiwa's post-final title challenge.

Oiwa and Uemura build the final around control, counters and escalation rather than trying to imitate a thirty-minute sprint. Uemura repeatedly attacks the arm and forces Oiwa to solve technical problems, while Oiwa returns to headlocks and positional pressure before expanding into bigger suplexes and lariats. Independent reports describe the crowd becoming increasingly invested as the match moves beyond the grounded opening into a tense final stretch. Oiwa eventually forces the submission with Big Rock, winning the tournament after entering through the qualifying path. The finish is decisive, the match creates a new main-event player, and the post-match IWGP Heavyweight title challenge gives the victory immediate consequence.