Yuya Uemura vs. Ryohei Oiwa: A Love Letter To Classic Puroresu | G1 Climax 36 Final
The first New Japan Pro Wrestling match I saw was the ever-epic 35-minute #G1Final classic between Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi in 2018. Made me an instant fan of both wrestlers and the presentation of the league, a new experience for me. Eight years later, Yuya Uemura and Ryohei Oiwa's 35 minutes of pure, exceptionally brilliant bell-to-bell in-ring class have succeeded in nurturing that first-time experience, which is incredibly rare. The contest glues me like nothing else I have seen in a long time. It flows extraordinarily; I cannot stress enough how easy it is to watch the two.
The first twenty minutes, the most basic, fundamentally sound, principled wrestling, is worked upon in the most effective, impactful manner I have ever seen in my real-time watching of the sport, especially with the extended time frame. The combat toil, absolutely magnificent registering, inflexion, selling, and in-ring storytelling masterclass viewers are taken through, maintaining peaks and valleys, ebbs and flows – I specifically want to highlight their prowess and the magic they produce to keep the investment, believability, and intensity off the charts. The finish is built like heaven, as I, like Hiroyoshi Tenzan on commentary, watch with watery eyes the beauty of physically narrated professional wrestling veneration.
I am an emotionally driven person when it comes to pro wrestling. It is my prized possession that at times I am too proud to be a fan of, which more often plays detrimentally. However, contests like these are when my pride is vindicated, and when it does then the overwhelm makes me tearful. Such was the ride of following #G1Climax passionately this year. It could not have culminated better. A perfect redefining point for #NJPW to cast a picture of the future and how great their potential could be by promoting skilled talents like Uemura and Oiwa in the main event picture and letting them be their fullest.
Along with Tanahashi and AJ Styles's retirements at #WrestleKingdom 20 and #RoyalRumble, respectively, the World Heavyweight Championship clinic between CM Punk and Roman Reigns at #WrestleMania 42, and the Feud Of The Year Lucha de Apuestas climax of El Grande Americanos at Noche De Los Grandes, the Grip overcoming the Heat Storm at #G1Climax36 belongs in my top 5 contests of 2026. According to record books, it produced one winner. For me, they both won. Pro wrestling won. Take a bow!
🤼🏽♂️ FULL MATCH
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