Gabe Kidd Claims IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship from Shota Umino While YOH Retains at NJPW Road to G1 Climax

By Noah Leatherland

NJPW were back in Korakuen Hall as they gear up for the upcoming G1 Climax. Just days before the tournament kicks off, the heavyweight scene has been shaken up as AEW’s Gabe Kidd took the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship from Shota Umino.

Kidd’s violent tendencies were on full display here, attacking Umino before the bell and brawling around the arena straight away. It was not long before streaks of red were dripping down the champion’s face. Kidd made a point to disrespect the NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi, spitting in his face and tossing the white belt to the ground. Umino battled back with heart, delivering heavy attacks of his own, as well as withstanding a number of piledrivers, kicking out of every one. Ultimately, it would be Jon Moxley-esque Paradigm Shift that would put Umino down for the count.

Kidd now starts his second reign as IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion, now the ninth champion in the NJPW record books.

The two men are set to meet each other again in the G1 Climax. Both members of the B Block, a tournament match between the two is scheduled for August 8th. Kidd is already looking forward to that encounter.

Then, in the main event, YOH made his first defence of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship against Francesco Akira. This one also spilled into violence, with weapons being introduced fairly soon into the match. In what turned out to be a very hard-fought, back-and-forth bout, YOH emerged victorious upon nailing Akira with the Direct Drive.

Here are the full results for NJPW Road to G1 Climax Day 6:

• DOUKI, Ren Narita, SANADA & SHO def. El Desperado, Masatora Yasuda, Taichi & Yuya Uemura (8:03)
• Aaron Wolf, Hirooki Goto, Oleg Boltin & Tatsuya Matsumoto def. Daiki Nagai, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & Yuto-Ice (8:33)
• Dick Togo & Yoshinobu Kanemaru def. Jado & Tiger Mask and Gedo & Taiji Ishimori (6:26)
• G1 Climax 36 Block B Qualifier: OSKAR def. Yujiro Takahashi (9:54)
• G1 Climax 36 Block A Qualifier: Ryohei Oiwa def. El Phantasmo (9:36)
• IWGP Global Heavyweight Title: Gabe Kidd def. Shota Umino (c) (8:48)
• IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title: YOH (c) def. Francesco Akira (26:38)