New Japan is finally entering the world of iPPV (internet PPV) starting with the big 8/5 Osaka show, one of the tastiest lineups of the 2012 G1 Climax with Tanahashi vs. Marufuji, Nakamura vs. Okada, and Makabe vs. Naito. But despite a campaign by SSS forum regular enuhito in Japan to show New Japan to the world, this is only available in Japan with no apparent workarounds at the moment. However, it’s my understanding that there may be plans to eventually screen New Japan shows live to the world using the iPPV format. If this happens it will be the first time this has ever happened, as having followed New Japan since the 1990s I’ve still never been able to see it live on my screen.

I remember All Japan airing the main matches of its 2/27/00 Budokan show (Kobashi vs. Vader and Misawa vs. Akiyama) live online at a cost and people in the west were able to watch it so didn’t expect iPPV to be such a distant reality, but there are signs now that in the near future we’ll be able to watch important New Japan shows as they happen. I will keep you updated if there is any confirmation of this.

–> “NJPW 40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR ~ G1 CLIMAX XXI ~THE ONE AND ONLY~” <--

NJPW, 8/1/12 (Asahi Newstar)
Tokyo Korakuen Hall
2,020 Fans – Super No Vacancy Full House

1. G1 Climax – Block B: Rush [2] beat Hirooki Goto [0] (8:02) with the Rush Driver.
2. G1 Climax – Block A: Minoru Suzuki [2] beat Yujiro Takahashi [0] (8:05) with a Gotch-style piledriver.
3. G1 Climax – Block A: Karl Anderson [2] beat Yuji Nagata [0] (11:28) with the Gun Stun.
4. G1 Climax – Block B: Lance Archer [2] beat Togi Makabe [0] (9:55) with the Blackout.
5. G1 Climax – Block A: Naomichi Marufuji [2] beat Satoshi Kojima [0] (11:37) with a huracanrana.
5. G1 Climax – Block B: Kazuchika Okada [2] beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan [0] (11:20) with the Rainmaker.
6. G1 Climax – Block B: Tetsuya Naito [2] beat Shinsuke Nakamura [0] (13:39) with a Stardust press.
7. G1 Climax – Block A: Hiroshi Tanahashi [2] beat Shelton Benjamin [0] (13:54) with the High Fly Flow.

* An exciting first day of the 2012 at an again packed Korakuen Hall saw plenty of surprise results and some expected ones, Tanahashi closing the show with a victory over Shelton Benjamin. Naito scored another big win over Nakamura in the semi final, while Okada defeated Tenzan in their first ever singles match. Marufuji stunned Kojima with a quick huracanrana to ensure it was a bad opening day for the IWGP Tag Team Champions, while Archer upset Makabe and Anderson did likewise to Nagata. The first match of the 2012 G1 saw yet another surprise in what was a rematch from January’s “FANTASTICA MANIA 2012″ with a reverse result, CMLL’s Rush pinning Hirooki Goto.