NJPW G1 Climax 31 night 14 results: Tanahashi vs. Cobb
The G1 Climax 31 B Block continued today in Sendai.
Hiroshi Tanahashi faced Jeff Cobb in the main event, while Hirooki Goto took on EVIL in the semi-main.
Kazuchika Okada vs. Chase Owens, SANADA vs. YOSHI-HASHI and Taichi vs. Tama Tonga were the other tournament matches.
Hiromu Takahashi vs. Ryohei Oiwa was the non-tournament opener today.
Here are results and a report from the show.
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Recommended matches —
- Jeff Cobb vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi
- Kazuchika Okada vs. Chase Owens
- Taichi vs. Tama Tonga
- SANADA vs. YOSHI-HASHI
Report —
Hiromu Takahashi defeated Ryohei Oiwa (7:16)
This was just Hiromu toying with Oiwa.
Oiwa scored a quick knockdown with a shoulder tackle. He went for a slam, but Hiromu blocked. They traded chops. Hiromu won the chop battle, then continued to lay in the chops. He hit about 40 unanswered chops.
Oiwa’s chest was bright red from all the chops. Hiromu went for a series of covers off the chops, but Oiwa kept kicking out. Hiromu went for a crab, but Oiwa got to the ropes before it was applied.
Oiwa missed with two dropkick attempts. He hit one on the third try. Hiromu blocked another slam. Oiwa hit a slam and a gutwrench throw for a two count. He went for a crab, but Hiromu blocked and started chopping again.
Hiromu applied a full Boston crab. Oiwa couldn’t reach the ropes and tapped out.
B Block: Tama Tonga (w/Jado) defeated Taichi (w/Miho Abe) (12:58)
The story of the match was Tama going after Taichi’s taped-up ribs. Taichi wasn’t able to sustain any offense without selling the ribs. A simple story, but a good match.
Tonga used a body scissors early. Taichi answered with a kick, but dropped to the mat to sell the damage to his ribs from the hold.
Tonga blocked an enzuigiri and hit a dropkick. He missed a corner splash and Taichi hit a gamengiri in the corner, but again sold his ribs. Tonga missed his supreme flow frog splash. Taichi hit an axe bomber. He hit a second, but Tonga popped right up.
Taichi blocked a Gun Stun and hit a backdrop suplex. Tonga avoided Black Mephisto and hit a death valley bomb. Tonga hit a frog splash for a near fall.
Tonga then connected with the Gun Stun for the upset win.
B Block: SANADA defeated YOSHI-HASHI (17:35)
I don’t think of either of these guys as a ring general who can have a good match with anyone, so this had me worried. To their credit, they delivered and had a very good match.
YOSHI-HASHI got the better of a mat wrestling sequence. SANADA hit a dropkick. He went to the apron to try a springboard, but YH cut him off and pulled him to the floor. YH hit a drop toe hold onto the barricade to take control of the bout.
Back inside, YH hit some strikes. He connected with a running chop in the corner. SANADA avoided a neckbreaker, hit a dropkick to the knee, then used an atomic drop to set up a paradise lock.
After breaking the hold, SANADA sent YH to the floor with a rana. He went for a plancha, but missed. YH followed with his own plancha. YH hit a blockbuster for a near fall as he remained in the plus position.
SANADA avoided one powerbomb, but YH was able to hit a misdirection lariat. He then hit the powerbomb for a near fall. SANADA blocked a bunker buster and hit a magic screw into a double down as the match reset.
SANADA hit a missile dropkick. He used the threat of a TKO to set up Skull End. YH fought out of the hold and went for Kharma. SANADA reversed into the TKO for a two count. SANADA went for a moonsault, but YH got his knees up. YH tried a senton bomb, but SANADA got his knees up.
They exchanged strikes. Time stood still as YH waited to set up a spot. YH used a dragon suplex, but SANADA rolled through. YH hit a meteora, then hit Kumagoroshi for another two count.
SANADA used an O’Connor roll for a near fall. YH used a cradle for a two count as they traded near falls. SANADA draped YH across the top rope to hit a TKO.
SANADA hit a moonsault, then locked in Skull End. YH tapped out.
B Block: Kazuchika Okada defeated Chase Owens (15:37)
They told a great story. Okada was in cruise control. Owens got lucky on blocking a couple of big moves, then gained confidence as the match wore on. Owens didn’t score much of his own offense, but he had a counter for all of Okada’s big moves and almost pulled off the upset.
Okada broke cleanly after locking up, then hit some tackles. Okada did some of his greatest hits with a neckbreaker and a running back elbow. Owens got his knees up on a slingshot senton, allowing a brief flurry.
Okada hit a DDT on the floor to regain control. He went for the Money Clip in the ring, but Owens forced free and hit a backbreaker. Owens got another flurry with a top rope cutter and a slingshot spear for near falls.
Okada reversed a whip and hit a dropkick. He used the Money Clip, but Owens forced a rope break. Okada hit a slam and a top rope elbow drop. Okada hit his Rainmaker pose.
Owens elbowed free of a Rainmaker attempt Owens hit two v-triggers. Okada stepped out of the way of a third and hit a German suplex. Owens avoided a Rainmaker and a dropkick. Okada hit a backdrop to avoid the package piledriver.
Okada used a backslide to set up a Rainmaker attempt. Owens hit two kicks and another v-trigger to break the attempt. Okada slid out of another package driver attempt. Okada used the Money Clip to set up a tombstone.
Owens ducked a Rainmaker and used a backslide to set up a package driver attempt. They traded cradles for near falls.
Okada hit a backbreaker, then went back to the Money Clip. Owens tapped out.
B Block: EVIL (w/Dick Togo) defeated Hirooki Goto (14:16)
They used every EVIL trope at least once. Goto tried and had a better match than most guys have had with EVIL, but this was no good.
Togo immediately exposed a turnbuckle. EVIL bumped Goto into the ring announcer for a countout tease. EVIL bumped Goto into the ring announcer again. EVIL sent Goto into the exposed buckle. Goto fired out and hit an ushigoroshi.
EVIL bumped the referee. Togo jumped in and they hit a Magic Killer for a near fall. EVIL hit Darkness Falls for a near fall. Goto managed a reverse GTR and a lariat for a two count.
Goto cradled EVIL, but Togo took the ref. Togo jumped into the ring. Goto sent EVIL into Goto. Goto sent EVIL into the buckle and hit the GTW for a near fall.
Goto went for a GTR, but EVIL hooked the ref. Togo choked Goto with his ligature. EVIL hit Everything is EVIL and got the pin.
B Block: Jeff Cobb defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi (19:05)
Great main event. For all their issues, NJPW has perfectly booked Cobb this year. His matches never go too long, everything he does looks great, plus he sells just enough to make his opponents credible. Tanahashi continues to have an incredible year in the ring as well.
Tana did his best to avoid Cobb’s power. He took a powder after a lockup. Tana worked a side headlock. Cobb came back and nailed a dropkick and a standing moonsault, trying to show he could win with his agility if Tana avoided his power.
Cobb went for a somersault senton to mock Tana, but missed with it. Tana then hit a senton for a near fall. Tana hit a dropkick to the legs and a dragon screw. Tana used his Texas Clover Hold, but Cobb forced a rope break. Cobb sold the damage to his legs.
Cobb went for a superplex, but Tana blocked and dragged Cobb down the apron to hit a dragon screw in the ropes, still attacking the legs.
Tana hit a High Fly Flow to the floor. Cobb just beat the count back in. Cobb blocked a slingblade. Tana reversed a suplex attempt into twist and shout. Tana hit slingblade for a near fall.
Cobb got his legs up and Tana crashed and burned on a High Fly Flow. They traded strikes. Tana reversed a spin cycle into another slingblade for a near fall.
Tana went for High Fly Flow again, but Cobb caught him and hit an F5. Tana reversed a Tour of the Islands into an inside cradle and a near fall.
Cobb absorbed a palm strike, then hit a deadlift German and a Tour of the Islands for the pin to remain undefeated.
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Here is the lineup for the next show:
G1 Climax 31 night 15, Wednesday, October 13, 5:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
- A Block: Shingo Takagi vs. Great-O-Khan
- A Block: Toru Yano vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
- A Block: KENTA vs. Tanga Loa
- A Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Yujiro Takahashi
- Kota Ibushi vs. Satoshi Kojima
- Hiromu Takahashi vs. Kosei Fujita