NJPW G1 Climax 31 night 17 results: A Block finals
The G1 Climax 31 A Block concluded today in Yokohama.
Five wrestlers remained mathematically alive heading into the final day of A Block action.
Here are results and a report from the show.
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Recommended matches —
- Kota Ibushi vs. KENTA
- Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tanga Loa
Report —
Great-O-Khan defeated Satoshi Kojima (10:25)
O-Khan attacked before the bell and they brawled around ringside. O-Khan dominated the early-going. Kojima came back with machine gun chops, a DDT on the apron and a DDT in the center of the ring.
Kojima hit a brainbuster for a near fall. O-Khan blocked a lariat with a pump kick. Kojima blocked the Eliminator with a lariat. O-Khan used the iron claw. Kojima blocked the Eliminator. They hit simultaneous lariats.
O-Khan used the sheep killer to set up the Eliminator and score the pin.
A Block: Toru Yano defeated Tomohiro Ishii (11:08)
Ishii needed to win and every 12-pointer to lose or go to a double DQ, so he was effectively out but not mathematically eliminated headed into the night.
The story of the match was Ishii being wise to all of Yano’s tricks and narrowly avoiding defeat, until he didn’t. Ishii was good, Yano was Yano.
Yano used a towel around Ishii’s neck to take him down and try to score two quick pinfalls, but failed. Yano exposed a buckle.
Yano went outside and crawled under the ring. Ishii threw a corner pad at Yano on the floor. Yano whipped Ishii into the exposed buckle and used a schoolboy for a near fall.
Ishii blocked three low blow attempts and hit an enzuigiri. Yano turned one sliding attempt into a crucifix for a near fall. Ishii hit the sliding lariat on the second attempt.
Ishii hit a headbutt. Yano blocked a Vertical Drop Brainbuster, hit a low blow, then used a backslide to pin Ishii.
A Block: Shingo Takagi & Yujiro Takahashi (w/Pieter) went to a double countout (13:36)
This was ruled a draw and each got one point. There was some good brawling here, but also some clunky spots.
Yujiro whiffed on a suicide dive as Shingo prepared to step into the ring, but Shingo sold the dive anyway.
Pieter provided a distraction and Yujiro hit Shingo with his walking stick on the floor. Yujiro maintained control of the brawl and tried to steal a countout win.
Shingo made his comeback with noshigami and a sliding lariat. Shingo was begging the crowd for reactions. Yujiro hit a hotshot across the tope strand. Shingo dead-weighted Yujiro on an Angle slam, but Yujiro powered him up and hit the move.
Yujiro used Miami Shine for a near fall. Shingo blocked Big Juice with a lariat and pounded the mat to try to wake the crowd up. Yujiro raked the eyes. Shingo blocked Pimp Juice and hit Made in Japan for a near fall.
Yujiro blocked Last of the Dragon by biting Shingo’s hand. Yujiro rolled to the apron and low-bridged Shingo to the floor. Yujiro repeatedly sent Shingo into the fence to try to steal the countout. Both beat the count in at 19.
They continued to brawl on the outside. Yujiro hit Pimp Juice on the floor. Shingo hit a DVD on the floor. Yujiro hooked his ankle and prevented him from beating the 20 count. A double countout.
A Block: Tanga Loa (w/Jado) defeated Zack Sabre Jr. (17:31)
The pace these guys worked was insane. A great match.
Sabre tried to steal a quick submission with a cobra twist, but Loa fought it off. Loa tried to get a countout win by baiting Sabre to the floor. They did several countout teases. Loa went for a quick submission of his own with the OJK, but Sabre forced a break.
Sabre came back with a RNC in the ropes. Loa cut him off again and hit a standing moonsault. Sabre came back with la mistica. Loa hit a frog splash for a near fall. They traded suplexes and no-sold them.
Loa went for an electric chair. Sabre fought through and went for a clutch, but Loa reversed into an Apesh*t attempt. Sabre caught Loa in a flying octopus. Loa got the ropes for a break, then hit a lariat.
Loa hit a powerbomb for a near fall. Sabre got another octopus applied, then used it to set up a code red for a near fall. Sabre kicked at Loa’s arm, then hit two PKs. Loa kicked out at one. Loa got the better of a striking battle.
Sabre used a European clutch for a near fall. Loa reversed the clutch into his own clutch and got the pin.
A Block: Kota Ibushi defeated KENTA (26:16)
This was fun. They did one million things in the match. Some hit, some missed, but the drama was there.
They exchanged tentative strikes from kickboxing stances. Ibushi caught KENTA right in the face on a flying mid kick. KENTA rolled outside. Ibushi went out after, but KENTA posted him and took control of the bout. Both just beat a very generous 19 count back in.
KENTA used an STF. Ibushi got a brief comeback and went for the golden triangle moonsault, but KENTA tripped him up and Ibushi crashed to the floor. KENTA sent Ibushi up and over the barricade.
KENTA dragged Ibushi backstage. KENTA made it back to the ring. Ibushi beat another very generous 19 count back in. KENTA sent Ibushi into an exposed turnbuckle. KENTA used a chinlock.
Ibushi hit a powerslam and a moonsault. KENTA hit some short kicks. He went for a Busaiku knee, but Ibushi used a Matrix kip-up to avoid it and hit a kick and a half-and-half suplex. KENTA avoided the Bomaye and bumped Ibushi into the referee in the exposed turnbuckle. Red Shoes was down on the floor.
KENTA hit a DDT. KENTA brought a chair in. Ibushi no-sold a chair shot. Ibushi teased using the chair, but hit a kick to the head instead. Ibushi introduced a table on the floor. He teased a German off the apron, but KENTA blocked. Ibushi hit a backdrop on the apron.
Ibushi placed KENTA on the table. The table legs gave way. KENTA laid there anyway. Ibushi hit a splash off the post to KENTA on the table. The table refused to break. Both made it back in after yet another long 19 count.
KENTA hit a green killer and a double stomp off the top for a near fall. Ibushi fought out of a GTS. KENTA hit a series of palm strikes. Ibushi blasted KENTA with Kamigoye, but KENTA kicked out.
KENTA avoided another Kamigoye and sent Ibushi into the exposed buckle. KENTA used a hip toss for a near fall, then got Game Over applied. Ibushi forced a rope break at 25 minutes.
Ibushi hit a head kick. KENTA sent Ibushi into the exposed buckle and used a schoolboy for a near fall. KENTA hit a Busaiku knee for a near fall.
Ibushi blocked GTS and hit a v-trigger. He hit a Kamigoye to the back, then another Kamigoye to the front to get the pin and win the block.
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Here is the lineup for the next show:
G1 Climax 31 night 18, Wednesday, October 20, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time on NJPW World —
- B Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb
- B Block: SANADA vs. EVIL
- B Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Chase Owens
- B Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Tama Tonga
- B Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Taichi
- Hiromu Takahashi & BUSHI vs. Ryohei Oiwa & Kosei Fujita