G1 Special in San Francisco

G1 Special in San Francisco is an upcoming professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). The show will take place on July 7, 2018, in Daly City, California, the United States at Cow Palace. This is the third NJPW shows that the promotion had produced independently in the U.S. This will be the second event under the G1 Special name. The event's name refers to the annual G1 Climax tournament as the show also serves as a prelude to the 2018 G1 Climax. The event will be headlined by Kenny Omega defending the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Cody in a rematch from the main event of ROH's Supercard of Honor XII.

Background
Since 2017, NJPW returned to presenting shows in the United States independently, following a direct response to WWE taking four wrestlers, including AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura, from NJPW in January 2016. The first show was the G1 Special in USA, which was a success, with tickets and meet-and-greets selling out within 2 hours after being available for purchase. NJPW even went public with their plan of an American expansion, which included establishing a subsidiary and running extended tours in the United States with California as the base, while also establishing a dojo for training Americans in Los Angeles, run by Rocky Romero. The full-scale running of the American market was set to launch in 2018.

Following the success, of the first show, NJPW promoted a second named Strong Style Evolved, which was a success, with tickets sold out within hours, despite NJPW having not announced any matches for the two shows. During this time, NJPW opened their Dojo in the United States with Katsuyori Shibata serving as the head trainer and ROH wrestler Scorpio Sky serving as an assistant trainer. NJPW also filled a trademark in the United States over Strong Style, King of Sports, and Strong Style Evolved. However, they were initially refused due to not being signed, resulting in them being not properly verified. On March 25 at Strong Style Evolved, NJPW Chairman Naoki Sugabayashi announced that NJPW would promote a third show in the United States the G1 Special in San Francisco which will take place on July 7 at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, the follow-up event to Strong Style Evolved. Dave Meltzer said that the date "The show is a giant test [...] the surprised me and the location was a good one [...] the last event in the Cow Palace was by WWE [...], since 2004, that was a long time ago [...] if they really sell it out it would be since 1999".

NJPW had previously partnered with Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW) for the NJPW Invasion Tour 2011 and since 2014 they have been partnered with Ring of Honor (ROH), co-producing shows annually in North America. The show marked the third time NJPW presented shows in the United States independently, as opposed to partnering up with an American promotion.

On April 25, NJPW announced that they would put 10,000 tickets on sale on May 1, costing from $40 to $300. The show could be possibly the biggest professional wrestling event not promoted by WWE. Following the announcement, it was thought that it was initially that 4,500 tickets were sold given the amount of sold tickets displayed on Ticketmaster. It was later reported by Pro Wrestling Torch, that the number of tickets that were sold was 3,300, but it marked 4,500 tickets, due to 1,000 tickets being reserved for "Team NJPW" fan club, which they could purchase them when they want. NJPW management was upset with the initial sales and had to reach out to big names in wrestling to help to increase the sales. They also expected the sales to be around 4,000, if NJPW isn't able to secure a big name.

On May 25, it was announced that the show would broadcast on air on the AXS TV network in the United States, while also being announced that Jim Ross and Josh Barnett would provide commentary for the event, like in the previous NJPW events in the United States and also NJPW announced the first group of wrestlers taking part in the event; Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kenny Omega. On May 31, NJPW started distributing flyers, which was followed by AXS TV starting a giveaway to help increase the tickets sales. On June 12, NJPW announced a partial card, containing only four matches, which three are contested for championships. On June 12, it was announced that the BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! and LEC would be the official sponsors for the event.

Storylines
G1 Special in San Francisco features professional wrestling matches that involved different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.

The G1 Special in San Francisco will be main evented by Kenny Omega defending the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Cody. The storyline behind the match dates back to 2017. On June 11, 2017 at Dominion 6.11 in Osaka-jo Hall, Omega and Kazuchika Okada wrestled to a 60-minute time limit draw for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. The match also started a storyline, where Omega and Cody began having problems with each other with Cody wanting to throw in the towel for Omega, insisting he was too badly injured. On July 1, during the first night of G1 Special in USA, Cody unsuccessfully challenged Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. During the match, Omega, playing off what had happened at Dominion, walked out, wanting to throw in the towel for Cody, which led to Cody confronting him after the show. The following day, after Omega became the inaugural IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, apparently Cody and Omega resolved their issues. Cody would then starting feuding with Omega's former tag team partner Kota Ibushi, comparing Ibushi to Brutus Beefcake and Omega to Hulk Hogan, claiming that Ibushi was nothing more than a sidekick in their team. On January 5, at New Years Dash!, Cody lead to an attempt to attack Kota Ibushi, when Omega came down to make the save for Ibushi, this led to tensions between Omega and Cody over the leadership of Bullet Club, with Omega affirming that he was the leader of the stable.

On January 28 at The New Beginning in Sapporo, Omega lost the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship to Jay White. After the match, Omega's Bullet Club stablemate Hangman Page assert himself as the next challenger, after taking White's belt away from him. Omega took the belt from Page and gave it back to the White, leading to an argument between Omega and Page. This led Cody, The Young Bucks and Marty Scurll coming to the ring to calm things, but this ended up in an argument between Omega and Cody. This led to Omega accidentally shoving Matt Jackson, which led to The Young Bucks walking out of the ring. Apparently, when things calmed down, Cody turned on Omega and when Page went to assist Cody to further attack Omega, Kota Ibushi returned to the ring to save his former tag team partner. Omega and Ibushi then embraced in the ring, reuniting the Golden☆Lovers. Following the Bullet Club Civil War, between Cody and Omega over the leadership of Bullet Club, Cody tried to manipulate The Young Bucks turning on Omega, and almost resulted with Matt Jackson. On February 23 in first night of the Honor Rising: Japan, the Golden☆Lovers teamed up with Chase Owens in a losing effort against Cody, Page and Scurll. After the match, Cody and Omega went on to attack each other and the Bullet Club had to separate them. Cody would then say that Bullet Club belong to him and he was it's leader. The following night, in the second night of the Honor Rising: Japan, the Golden☆Lovers made their tag team return defeating Cody and Scurll. The two would be scheduled to face each other at ROH's Supercard of Honor XII on April 7. On March 3, at ROH's 16th Anniversary Show, after Cody defeated Matt Taven, Omega revealed to be Cody's Barry the Bear and afterwards attacked him. Cody's wife Brandi Rhodes would then kiss Omega. In the weeks, leading to the match, Omega called him an "evil project of a WWE reject". On March 30, at Ring of Honor Wrestling tapings, Cody responded to Omega calling him a "reject for it's developmental system". Omega would then confront him and also provoking Cody, saying it wasn't the first time that Brandi did that, leading to a brawl between them until the other members of the Bullet Club separated, Cody would then push Matt Jackson into Omega, to make Matt think that Omega pushed him". On April 7 at ROH's Supercard of Honor XII, Omega faced Cody in a match. During the match, The Young Bucks attempted to help Omega. However, their plan backfired and The Young Bucks accidentally cost Omega the match. On May 3 in the first night of Wrestling Dontaku, after Omega defeated Hangman Page, he promised that the next time, he faced Cody, that the would settle their diferences. On June 9, at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall, Omega defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. After the match, Omega and Cody had a stare down, leading to NJPW making the match official on June 11.

In the IWGP Tag Team Championship match, The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson will make their first title defense against Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL and SANADA). On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku, The Young Bucks (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) challenged Los Ingobernables de Japon (EVIL and SANADA) into a title match for their IWGP Tag Team Championship. Before they could say anything The Young Bucks attacked them. Afterwards, EVIL and SANADA ended up accepting The Young Bucks challenge. Early that night, The Young Bucks and their Bullet Club stablemate Marty Scurll won the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship. On June 9, at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall, The Young Bucks defeated EVIL and SANADA to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship. Following the match, EVIL on the behalf of L.I.J. challenged The Young Bucks to a rematch. The Young Bucks, later offered EVIL and SANADA a rematch of the titles. NJPW announced the rematch between the two teams on June 11.

In the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship match, Jay White will make their fourth title defense against Juice Robinson. On June 9, at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall, Robinson teamed with David Finlay against White and his CHAOS stablemate Yoshi-Hashi, in a winning effort, with Robinson pinning White. After the match, in a backstage interview, Robinson challenged White to a match for his IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. Robinson and White both trained together in the NJPW Dojo. Robinson would then be given opportunities for the NEVER Openweight, IWGP Intercontinental and United States Heavyweight Championship. Meanwhile, White on a excursion to the United States and later returned under the "Switchblade" and won the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. The title match was officially announced on June 11. On June 18, White pinned Robinson, before their match at G1 Special in San Francisco. Following the match, White attacked Robinson, causing him to injure his left hand. NJPW as going to pull him out of the tour, but he insisted on continuing to work the rest of the tour.