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SEP.23.2021

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G1 Climax Update: Night 3 【G131】

Great-O-Khan sits at the top, but Zack stands tallest

Great-O-Khan sits alone at the top of A Block in G1 competition after night three in Ota, but isn’t the only wrestler undefeated. His six points comes as a result of the two granted to competitors following Tetsuya Naito’s withdrawal; a withdrawal at the hands of Zack Sabre Jr, who got his second submission win of the tournament and exorcised some ghosts in Ota on September 23.

The night’s main event of Sabre versus Shingo Takagi was a rematch from the 2009 WxW 16 Carat Tournament semifinal. Then, a young Shingo submitted an even younger ZSJ with a quick barrage of strikes followed by a rear naked choke.

It set up a battle of two extremely proud individuals 12 years on. The world champion Takagi would certainly work a more submission based game than he is traditionally wont to, throwing back to Oberhausen with his attempts to find that same choke, as well as torquing Sabre with a reverse STF. Yet Sabre had walked in Gavin grade the most of over a decade of anticipation and preparation. After Shingo got the upper hand early, and tried to take away Sabre’s base with Dragon Screw, ZSJ created a weakness in Shingo’s right shoulder for which even the pugnacious Takagi could not cover.

With Shingo’s Pumping Bomber somewhat neutralized, Sabre would turn up the pressure, and remind his opponent just what happened to LIJ teammate Naito with elbows thudding into the neck and trap. Takagi’s beast like perseverance saw him hit Made In Japan, Noshigami, and came close to Last of the Dragon, but in hooking Sabre’s head for the finishing blow, Takagi gave up his right arm. As ZSJ transitioned from a double wrist to a triangle, eventually a modified cross arm breaker would be what sealed the deal, Takagi submitting and giving Sabre arguably his biggest NJPW victory among a parade of high profile victims over the years.

While Naito’s forfeiture of all remaining matches meant nobody is not on the board in A Block, Kota Ibushi was in desperate need of a win to prove himself among a mire of self doubt following his return. Tomohiro Ishii was tough opposition as ever though, and desperation was indeed the order of the day.

While Ibushi was able to flow on occasion with effortless grace from a plancha outside to a second rope moonsault within the ring, his offense was rougher hewn than usual, and delivered with a chipped shoulder and an anger as directed perhaps at himself as at his opponent. Indeed Ishii relished dragging the fury from Ibushi with taunts as he stood over the reigning G1 winner after delivering solid blows, and a crunching superplex.

Yet Ibushi did not want to lose his third match straight after returning from illness, and removed his knee pad for Kamigoye. Ishii resisted, and almost swung the match his way with a headbutt to the breadbasket, but on the third try, the knee hit flush enough to grant a scrappy victory.

Yujiro Takahashi and KENTA saw the G1’s first BULLET CLUB derby. After Yujiro scored a huge opening win over Ibushi, and KENTA was trying to bounce back from defeat at the hands of Toru Yano, it’s perhaps no surprise that customary pre-match Too Sweets were out the window.

Instead the match was hard fought and with a violence few would expect from former World Tag League partners and current teammates. Attacks on the floor would lead KENTA to drop Yujiro with a DDT, and almost score a countout win before willingly rolling Yujiro back inside, either to inflict more damage or out of some sense of sportsmanship.

Takahashi was able to control KENTA with a well placed Intercollege Slam and the Miami Shine, but neither Pimp, nor Big Juice was forthcoming. Go 2 Sleep did connect instead, before a Too Sweet ended the night for BULLET CLUB on a friendlier note.

The G1 action kicked off in Ota with Great-O-Khan seeking two points and revenge for the New Japan Cup, where being tied to the guardrail by his braid led to the Dominator cutting his own hair, only to be rolled up in defeat. Indeed, O-Khan carried the very same hair with him to the ring in Ota, and even used it to suffocate Yano as he set to work. 

As Yano tried to hit and run, O-Khan had the upper hand, and when Yano produced handcuffs, he was not going to fall to the same resourcefulness that brought Yano to countout victory over the United Empire in Nagoya. Rather, O-Khan cuffed Yano, and disposed of the key that the master producer deployed. Yanomanaged to detach himself from the guardrail with cuff still attached before the 20 count, but an Eliminator quickly followed to give O-Khan victory. When O-Khan attempted to make Yano kiss the hair, and his boot after the match however, a low blow saw the KOPW 2021 holder escape as O-Khan fumed. 

A Block action continues in Kobe Sunday. B Block hit Ota Friday Live and FREE in English on NJPW World.

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