Judging by the reaction online, it looks like the New Japan Pro Wrestling G1 Special was a huge success for AXS TV. The show was the #2 worldwide trend on Twitter and the #1 trend in the United States.
AXS TV issued the following press release:
NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING ON AXS TV CAPTURES THE NATION’S ATTENTION AS KAZUCHIKA OKADA DEFENDED THE IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT BELT AGAINST CODY AT THE ‘G1 SPECIAL IN USA’
LOS ANGELES – July 1, 2017 – NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING’s first-ever U.S. event—the G1 SPECIAL IN USA—live on AXS TV tonight captured the nation’s attention as evidenced by #G1USA gaining the #1 spot on Twitter’s trending list in the U.S. during the four-hour broadcast. Headlining the night, IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada successfully defended his title against ROH World Champion “The American Nightmare” Cody.
Legendary wrestling broadcaster Jim Ross and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett were ringside to call the action on AXS TV’s first live NJPW broadcast from the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, California.
Here are the complete match results from tonight’s broadcast:
1st Match – 10-Man Tag Team
- Chaos (Beretta, Jay Briscoe, Mark Briscoe, Rocky Romero and Will Ospreay) defeated Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Marty Scurll, Matt Jackson, Nick Jackson and Yujiro)
2nd Match – 8-Man Tag Team
- Los Ingobernables de Japon (BUSHI, EVIL, Hiromu Takahashi and SANADA) defeated Dragon Lee, Jushin Thunder Liger, Titán and Volador Jr.
3rd Match – IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship Tournament Quarterfinal
- Jay Lethal defeated Hangman Page
4th Match – IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship Tournament Quarterfinal – No Time Limit
- Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Juice Robinson
5th Match – 8-Man Tag Team
- David Finlay, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Jay White and KUSHIDA defeated Billy Gunn, Sho Tanaka, Yohei Komatsu and Yoshitatsu
6th Match – IWGP Tag Team Championship
- War Machine (Hanson and Raymond Row) defeated Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga and Tanga Roa)
7th Match – IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship Tournament Quarterfinal
- Tomohiro Ishii defeated Tetsuya Naito
8th Match – IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship Tournament Quarterfinal
- Kenny Omega defeated Michael Elgin
9th Match – Main Event – IWGP Heavyweight Championship
- Kazuchika Okada (c) defeated Cody
AXS TV’s coverage of the G1 SPECIAL IN USA continues this Friday, July 7 with a special, four-hour presentation of night two starting at 8pE/5pP. The NJPW special will feature every match from night two in their entirety, headlined by the semifinals and finale of the inaugural IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship tournament. The semifinal matches feature Kenny Omega vs. Jay Lethal and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tomohiro Ishii.
Rounding out the night of strong style action are two more title matches: IWGP Intercontinental Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi puts his belt on the line against American Billy Gunn and IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champions The Young Bucks (brothers Matt and Nick Jackson) take on Ropongi Vice (Rocky Romero and Beretta).
ABOUT AXS TV
Launched in July 2012 by visionary entrepreneur CEO Mark Cuban, AXS TV is dedicated to providing groundbreaking music programming, stand-up comedy performances from today’s top comedians, and hard-hitting mixed martial arts promotions. The network’s hit franchise series include THE BIG INTERVIEW with Dan Rather; ROCK & ROLL ROAD TRIP WITH SAMMY HAGAR; THE WORLD’S GREATEST TRIBUTE BANDS; GOTHAM COMEDY LIVE; AXS TV FIGHTS; and NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING.
AXS TV is a partnership between Mark Cuban, AEG, Ryan Seacrest Media, Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and CBS. The network is available in the United States via AT&T U-verse, Charter/Spectrum TV, Comcast/Xfinity, DIRECTV, DIRECTV NOW, DISH, Frontier, Sling TV, Altice/Suddenlink, Time Warner Cable/Spectrum TV, Verizon FiOS, and other cable, satellite and telco providers, including members of the National Cable Television Cooperative. The network is also distributed in Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. For more information, please visit www.axs.tv and www.axs.tv/press. Follow AXS TV on Facebook, Twitter @axstv; Instagram; Cyber Dust and YouTube.
