5-Star Match Review: Ryohei Oiwa vs. Yuya Uemura – NJPW G1 Climax 2026 Final

It’s been a while since I’ve reviewed a recent NJPW match so I figured I’d take a look and see what people are talking about across the internet. Sure enough, the G1 Climax concluded this past Sunday and, like in previous years, it ended with an absolute classic. This match is unlike almost anything else seen this year and, in NJPW’s case, different from much of what they’ve promoted for several years. In fact, I think that this match is definitely a contender for Match of the Year and by the time you’re done reading this, it’s likely you’ll be thinking the same.

The Story

Oiwa and Uemura are younger stars in New Japan, debuting in 2021 and 2018, respectively. Whereas Uemura experienced fairly standard career milestones – heavy dojo training, foreign excursion, and gradual elevation – Oiwa’s career was a bit more unusual. Rather than begin his outside-NJPW excursion in another country, he went to NOAH for seasoning instead. Both wrestlers are also throwbacks in a sense, wrestling in a more conservative, scientific style, at least compared to flashier wrestlers like Tsuji, Goto, and Takeshita. Oiwa in particular has an interesting gimmick in that one of his finishers is a bog-standard headlock. Yes, he wins big matches with one of the first moves every trainee learns during basic training. Seems like a stretch, right? Well apparently it has brought Oiwa immense success throughout his career, including the G1.

With two more technical wrestlers competing in the final, there was an underpinning expectation of something special. During the entrances and throughout the match the Japanese commentators kept referencing some “New Standard” while in the days since it happened people have compared this match to that famous Antonio Inoki/Billy Robinson masterpiece. That’s certainly a high bar, so let’s see how close it gets to reaching it.

The Match

This took place on August 16, 2026

NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi and the recently-retired Hiroyoshi Tenzan are guests on commentary. The crowd is hot for both guys but mostly Oiwa as the bell rings. A tense and cautious feeling-out process dominates the opening few minutes. Uemura wrestles into a corner to force a break and then applies a headlock. He works that hold extensively and reapplies it following a failed counter attempt from Oiwa. Another technical exchange ends with Uemura reapplying his headlock until Oiwa escapes and hits a shoulderblock. Oiwa works his headlock, hits a senton for two, and reapplies it until Uemura escapes and starts working the arm. Oiwa tries escaping a basic armlock but Uemura’s quick to counter-wrestle back into his chosen hold. Oiwa escapes again but Uemura lands another armdrag and works the arm some more. That’s followed by a fantastic wrist-lock counter sequence that leaves Uemura still in control.

Uemura works a short-arm scissor and keeps it applied despite Oiwa’s multiple attempts at counters and roll-ups. Oiwa carefully escapes and tries another headlock but Uemura grapples back into an armlock. Oiwa fights out by sending Uemura into a corner and charges. He uses a headscissor to regain feeling in his arm. More hold exchanges. Uemura gets a quick two-count from a bridging cover. Uemura escapes a headlock by fighting into a corner and lands chops. Oiwa blocks a charge and headlocks Uemura off the apron into the middle of the ring. More technical, split-second countering as Oiwa switches to a cravate hold. Uemura escapes, lands a judo arm throw and twists Oiwa’s arm. Both men go down.

Uemura hits some quick moves followed by a corner splash into an underhook suplex for two. He twists Oiwa’s arm again and attempts his double overhook suplex but Oiwa counters with a headlock into a DDT. Uemura avoids a gutwrench suplex and wrenches the arm. Oiwa gets two off a backslide and then another following a Doctor Bomb. He attempts a suplex, Uemura escapes, and lands a Saito Suplex of his own instead. Then Oiwa powers through and lands the same.

Both men collide against the ropes and start smashing into each other. Oiwa resists a Dragon Suplex so Uemura hits a German instead. Uemura hits his own followed by a successful Dragon for two. A frog splash gets Uemura a near-fall. Oiwa reverses Uemura’s overhead suplex with his own and reapplies the headlock. Oiwa tightens it as much as possible and keeps it cinched in through a Backdrop Suplex. Uemura fights to his feet so Oiwa head-butts him. Uemura answers with an enzuigiri and lands the Kanukki Suplex. Uemura follows with a Shining Elbow Drop and attempts a frog splash. Oiwa dodges and goes back to the headlock. He attempts a lariat. Uemura counters with an armdrag into an armbar. Oiwa rolls over to a cover for two. Uemura never lets go and switches to a wristlock. Oiwa uses his free hand to land a forearm. Uemura maintains his hold. Oiwa frees himself and tries the headlock again. Uemura maintains his hold. Oiwa scoop slams him. Uemura still maintains his hold. Oiwa wrestles into a bridging German Suplex for two. Uemura’s wristlock continues. Somehow Oiwa manages to land an Angle Slam-like suplex to final free himself.

Oiwa attempts a lariat, escapes a Kanukki Suplex, and connects with a lariat with his free arm. Uemura resists a bit more but eats a discus lariat. Back to the headlock. Uemura escapes. Running discus lariat. two-count. Oiwa applies the tightest, strongest headlock he can. Uemura fights with everything he has left until one final squeeze. Uemura gives up. Oiwa wins!

Winner of the 2026 G1 Climax after 35:10 via HEADLOCK: Ryohei Oiwa

You can watch the full match here.

Review

I’m not surprised Hiroyoshi Tenzan was moved to tears after watching that. If I was him I’d be just as happy knowing that, having just retired, the company would be in such good hands following a match like that. It was a standout contest the likes of which we don’t see often, especially with NJPW having elements of AEW’s flashier style up and down its roster. This was exactly what was promised, a throwback to a more scientific style and a prime example of getting more out of less and the same story they told throughout the tournament.

The match was as much defined by what is lacked as what it featured. It had no blood, weapons, brawling, or overused strong-style forearm exchanges that went on too long. They never left the ring, with only a handful of dives being executed and the sole apron spot being a creative headlock spot that saw Oiwa drag Uemura back in. They only threw a handful of bombs which were used in desperation situations rather than haphazardly or at forgettable moments. Rather than structure their wrestling with multiple short chains they opted for fewer longer chains that sold the lethality of their simple submission finishers. They spent far more time on the mat and made that groundwork both meaningful and exciting. By taking these minimalistic and methodical choices, these wrestlers made the little things matter so much more.

Most importantly, though, was how both wrestlers’ respective finishers were worked into every empty space possible. They got a wristlock and a headlock over. That in itself is an incredible display of wrestling talent. It’s no different than what The Undertaker did with Kurt Angle at No Way Out 2006: he took a hold viewers were unfamiliar with and, through careful and consistent storytelling, got that move over by match’s end. Not only was this brilliant storytelling it resurrected the age-old less-is-more discussion: why waste time and energy doing tons of flips, extended finisher exchange sequences, and high-risk head-drops when the same drama can be drawn from technical holds? I’m not saying this is inherently better, but it’s different enough to warrant praise and attention, especially at a time when the two biggest promotions are getting more tribal and critical of each other.

Final Rating: *****

I rarely see a match worthy of the full five-star treatment and this year I’ve seen three: CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, and El Grande Americano vs. Original El Grande Americano, and this. Those earlier two epics had their own charms. Punk/Reigns had the spectacle, grandeur, and flawless execution of WWE’s main-event style formula. EGA/OEGA felt like classic lucha with an amazing story, flawless chemistry, and a significant level of emotional investment and catharsis that’s rarely found in today’s generic content-driven environment. Both of those matches were filled with intensity. This one, while not as emotional, explosive, or narratively-heavy, was defined by flawless technique that created a different sort of tension. Their choices led to a simpler but no less captivating match that went by in the blink of an eye and remained tense without ever falling into a typical peak-valley pattern.

Only four days have gone by since this match took place and it’s fair to say we have another deserving contender for Match of the Year.

Thanks for reading.