Yuya Uemura, Callum Newman Earn G1 Climax 36 Semi-Final Spots

The G1 Climax 36 semi-finals were decided at the end of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Korakuen Hall show on Thursday, August 13. Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Callum Newman and Yuya Uemura both won their final league matches to claim the final two spots, joining Yota Tsuji and Ryohei Oiwa.

Five of the eight men in B Block were still in contention for advancement, but the opening tournament match pitted two men who had already been eliminated, Aaron Wolf and Zack Sabre Jr. Even so, there was a palpable excitement surrounding the chance to see these two finally tie it up. They delivered a really fun clash of styles, with Wolf showcasing his frightening strength, Judo skills, and raw ability, while ZSJ countered with his impeccable limb work, striking ability, and sheer guts.

ZSJ’s strategy focused on doing as much damage to Wolf’s arm as possible, using his aforementioned limb work alongside some diabolical strikes. One particularly impactful tactic was tenderising Wolf’s arm with a series of European uppercuts.

While Wolf was able to withstand a great deal of punishment from the veteran ZSJ and should be commended for his incredible fighting spirit, he was ultimately unable to outsmart his much more seasoned opponent, with ZSJ putting him away with a pinning combination at 15:44.

This was a tremendous match, a career-high moment for Wolf, and an excellent way to start the evening. Wolf finishes his first-ever G1 Climax with eight points, while ZSJ finishes his 10th with an even 10.

The next match of the evening may not have been as enjoyable to watch, but it carried significant tournament implications, as Ren Narita was one win away from guaranteeing himself a spot in the semi-finals if he could defeat Gabe Kidd. Kidd was also in contention for a playoff spot, although his path was a little more complicated. This was the third singles meeting between the two dating back to 2023, with Kidd entering the match with a 2-0 record against Narita, including a G1 block match in 2023.

This was your classic plunder match of the evening. Both men have utilized the area outside the ring throughout this tournament, so they were very comfortable in that setting. Both used chairs and other objects to gain an advantage, but Kidd got the last laugh after powerbombing Ren Narita through a table.

Back in the ring, the match finally officially started with Kidd and Narita once again jostling for the upper hand. Narita made it to his feet first and climbed to the top rope, but Kidd was able to get up before he could launch his attack and caught him with a devastating knee strike, followed by a Drill-A-Hole Piledriver for the quick three-count at 2:11. With that loss, Narita is now 0-3 in singles matches against Gabe Kidd and is officially eliminated from playoff contention. One thing the two men have in common is that they both finished league play with 12 points, a career high for each of them.

The semi-main event saw the giant OSKAR take on Yuya Uemura in a match where Uemura would automatically advance to the semi-finals with a victory following Narita’s loss earlier in the evening. Uemura entered the show with 10 points and a shot at a playoff spot, while OSKAR had eight points and was already eliminated. Despite having wrestled each other 22 times before this show, including in an incredible tag team match at New Beginning in Osaka, this was the first singles meeting of their careers.

OSKAR rushed at Uemura before the bell rang, shocking many in attendance at Korakuen. While Uemura showed plenty of fighting spirit early on, OSKAR quickly took control. Every move felt calculated and filled with venom. Although the two have been rivals as members of tag teams in the past, OSKAR’s hatred seemed to be focused more on Shota Umino. However, with Umino injured and unable to face OSKAR in the G1, the German appeared to redirect that pent-up aggression towards Umino’s close friend and former tag team partner.

Uemura eventually got some measure of revenge on OSKAR by targeting his arm, looking to set up submissions and slow the giant down. OSKAR still had plenty of strength left in the tank, but Uemura continued to focus his attacks on the increasingly weakened limb. Perhaps due to OSKAR’s diminishing strength, Uemura was able to hit more powerful attacks, including a crowd-pleasing bodyslam, before trapping him in a devastating Kimura Lock. OSKAR only barely escaped, seemingly using the last of his reserve power to reach safety.

“Heat Storm” would eventually win the critical contest after locking in one final armbar following a Hurricanrana that twisted OSKAR into position. The match was called at 17:25. With the victory, Uemura advances to his first G1 semi-final, where he will take on Yota Tsuji.

Callum Newman and HENARE battled in an all-United Empire match with major tournament implications: if Newman won, he would earn the fourth and final semi-final spot, while a loss would see Gabe Kidd take the spot instead. Despite being teammates, the two absolutely shellacked each other for more than 20 minutes. This was their first singles meeting, yet they still showed excellent chemistry.

HENARE gained the early advantage, mauling Newman with a devastating combination of power moves. Newman eventually answered with his speed, using it to trip up the powerhouse and knowing that he would be in trouble if HENARE caught him again. He caught HENARE with a wild dropkick on the outside, sending him crashing into a row of chairs before setting up a couple of tables at ringside. The two would then make their way back into the ring.

Newman was shocked by a Māori Drop and later a Berserker Bomb before HENARE finally launched his friend into the tables on the outside. It was perhaps that moment that led to Newman developing one of the most disgusting bruises I’ve ever seen on his abdomen. Even so, Newman somehow regained some ground after making his way back into the ring, connecting with an Oz Cutter before following it up with a Prince’s Curse.

Knowing the end of the match was in sight, Newman and HENARE began throwing everything they had at one another. HENARE hit Newman with a Rampage before Newman answered with a Fire Bolt. HENARE then mauled Newman with shots to the abdomen before signalling for the HENARE Bomb. Newman escaped the move and hit a Kiss the Crown followed by Make Way to earn the hard-fought victory at 23:04, securing the final semi-final spot. The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion will take on Ryohei Oiwa on Saturday night.

For more coverage from the tournament and everything surrounding New Japan Pro-Wrestling, WrestlePurists will keep you updated.

G1 Climax 2026 – Current Standings:

A Block:

Yota Tsuji – 12 points (6-3) – ADVANCED

Ryohei Oiwa – 12 points (6-3) – ADVANCED

Konosuke Takeshita – 12 points (6-3)

Boltin Oleg – 10 points (5-4)

Hirooki Goto – 8 points (4-5)

SANADA – 8 points (4-5)

Shingo Takagi – 8 points (4-5)

Yuto-Ice – 8 points (4-5)

Great-O-Khan – 6 points (3-6)

Jake Lee – 6 points (3-6)

B Block:

Callum Newman – 12 points (6-3) – ADVANCED

Yuya Uemura – 12 points (6-3) – ADVANCED

Gabe Kidd – 12 points (6-3)

Drilla Moloney – 10 points (5-4)

Ren Narita – 10 points (5-4)

Zack Sabre Jr. – 10 points (5-4)

Aaron Wolf – 8 points (4-5)

HENARE – 8 points (4-5)

OSKAR – 8 points (4-5)

Shota Umino – 0 points (0-9)

NOTE – Shota Umino withdrew from the competition after suffering a concussion and forfeited his remaining tournament matches.