New Japan Pro Wrestling has released the full lineup for the upcoming G1 Special in San Francisco. The show takes place just outside city limits in the Cow Palace on July 7th, 2018.
NJPW G1 Special in San Francisco Lineup
- Sho, Yoh, Rocky Romero, Gedo, YOSHI-HASHI (CHAOS) vs Chase Owens, Yujiro Takahashi, Tanga Loa, Tama Tonga, and King Haku (Bullet Club)
- Toru Yano and Tomohiro Ishii (CHAOS) vs Zack Sabre Jr and Minoru Suzuki (Suzuki-Gun)
- KUSHIDA and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Marty Scurll and Hangman Page (Bullet Club)
- NEVER Openweight Championship
Hirooki Goto (CHAOS) (c) vs Jeff Cobb - IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
the Young Bucks (Bullet Club) (c) vs SANADA and EVIL (LIJ) - Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada (CHAOS) vs Tetsuya Naito and BUSHI (LIJ)
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Hiromu Takahashi (LIJ) (c) vs Dragon Lee (CMLL) - IWGP United States Championship
Jay White (CHAOS) (c) vs Juice Robinson - IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Kenny Omega (Bullet Club) (c) vs Cody (Bullet Club)
G1 Special: Backstory Behind The Top Matches
- Omega vs Cody was announced shortly after Dominion. It will be the second time the two have faced each other since the Bullet Club civil war angle began. In the first meeting, Cody defeated Omega at Ring of Honor’s Supercard of Honor show this April.
- Jay White has been attacking Juice Robinson after matches during the Kizuna Road tour. Robinson’s arm is now in a cast and could still be by the time this match comes around in a few weeks.
- Takahashi challenged Dragon Lee to a title match after he defeated El Desperado in Tokyo last week. There has been some speculation the two longtime rivals could end up in a mask vs hair match somewhere down the line.
- Goto lost the NEVER Openweight title to Elgin at Dominion but then won it back on the 1st night of the Kizuna Road tour. Jeff Cobb challenged him to a match immediately after he won back the title.
- Last but certainly not least, King Haku will return to New Japan Pro Wrestling on July 7th. He will be teaming with his sons, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa. HIKULEO, his youngest son, is still out with a leg injury.
