Hokkaido sees second night of B Block action
Tetsuya Naito was victorious in the main event in Hokkai Kita Yell on September 24 as B Block took to the ring for the second night of a Sapporo double header in G1 Climax 30. now joins Toru Yano and Juice Robinson at the top of B Block with 4 points each, while SANADA, Hiroshi Tanahashi and YOSHI-HASHI linger at zero.
The first group match saw Hirooki Goto and SANADA attempt to avenge Osaka losses. With shoulder heavily taped after the assault from KENTA at the weekend, there was nonetheless no hesitation from the CHAOS member as he tied up and exchanged holds with SANADA before bowling Cold Skull over with a tackle and hip toss. SANADA misdirected Goto out to the floor though, and took control when Goto swung too aggressively at his opponent and lariated the ring post.
With a shove into the corner, Goto was able to change the flow of the match with a backdrop suplex and left handed bulldog, but SANADA had the edge in mobility, a dropkick followed by a plancha as applause rippled through Hokkai Kita Yell. Back inside, and when Goto attempted Ushigoroshi, SANADA again had the upper hand, escaping and using an O’Connor Roll to get into Skull End, with Goto narrowly making the ropes.
Goto managed to buy some time with a lariat, but again using his right arm. Gritting his teeth, the warrior looked for GTR, countered into a chain of sleepers, before a Goto Shiki nearly scored a flash three. The two men exchanged more roll ups before SANADA incredibly hit his own Ushigoroshi; a neck screw off the ropes followed, but a Moonsault only caught the mat.
As the two men fought back to their feet, SANADA was still unable to put away Goto, who hit a rope assisted GTR for a nearfall. A short range headbutt was followed by GTW for Goto, before a mid kick and GTR for an emphatic win.
Toru Yano and Hiroshi Tanahashi was next up; Tanahashi heading to the ring with a G1 spring in his step but internally no doubt concerned about the producers various traps. That included Yano trying to bait Tanahashi outside to no avail. reluctantly inside, Yano showed the classic mat work taught to him at Nippon Univeristy before trying to take the corner pad off; Tanahashi played the pad like a guitar before using it to Dragon Screw Yano, but the Master Thief took Tanahashi to the floor.
After a long walk to the staging area, Yano and Tanahashi traded blows before Yano raked the eyes of the Ace and ran to the ring, but Tanahashi too barely beat the 20 count before landing a forearm to knock the thief down. Out on the floor, Tanahashi relieved Yano of the tape he found under the ring and blindfolded Yano; nonetheless the producer found his way back into the ring. Incredibly blinded, Yano had the wherewithal to draw the referee, low blow Tanahashi and score the three.
KENTA and Juice Robinson hit the ring both at 1-0, Juice eager to get moving against the BULLET CLUB member, but KENTA controlling the pace, before finally being caught with a headlock takedown. Sensing the danger, KENTA prevented a jab combo by rolling to the floor and quickly found an opening on re-entry, kicking at Juice’s chest and dropping double knees across the back.
In firm control of the bout, KENTA landed stiff shots to Juice, punctuated by trash talk and arrogant covers. A side suplex, and Robinson was able to buy some time to recover though, jabs finding their mark, and a DDT following when KENTA ducked an expected right. A thumb to the eye was followed by a powerslam for KENTA though, and control of the match slipped away from Robinson, who took a Stungun over the top rope and diving lariat.
Reacting out of desperation, Juice managed to land a wild flapjack that lawn darted KENTA to the mat before finding a lariat in the corner and Cannonball. With the crowd on his side, Juice wanted a Superplex, but was fought off the top rope, KENTA responding with a shotgun dropkick and a huge run of offense in the corner. Green Killer followed for two, but Juice was able to avoid a Busaiku Knee and hit a Full Nelson Slam.
The two men traded blows in the ring, Robinson eventually landing a lariat response to a KENTA backfist and following with Juicebox. Robinson dropped the straps on his singlet and wanted Pulp Friction before KENTA countered, and followed a rollup with repeated overhand rights. Juice refused to take Go2 Sleep however, finding his way to Pulp Friction and a significant victory.
YOSHI-HASHI exploded out the gates against EVIL, using his metal pole to attack Dick Togo and get the jump on the King of Darkness and fire up in the corner. Sticking and running effectively, YOSHI-HASHI had the match in brief control, but Togo pulled on YOSHI-HASHI’s heels, taking him to the floor where EVIL delivered a snap suplex onto a pile of chairs.
EVIL maintained dark control of the match, punishing YOSHI-HASHI’s back with every inch of the ring, and the corner. YOSHI-HASHI’s heart continued to beat though, and a suplex counter gave the Headhunter a huge offensive opportunity. With enough awareness to again knock Togo away from the ring, YOSHI-HASHI pressed the advantage, but EVIL showed his own ring awareness, crotching his opponent when the CHAOS member looked for a swanton.
A top rope Superplex followed, and EVIL again went to the bad back, a pair of shots into exposed steel and Darkness Falls leading to two. YOSHI-HASHI avoided EVIL though, and sent the King of Darkness into the steel his opponent had exposed before scoring a side kick to knock his opponent down.
YOSHI-HASHI kept up the offense, hitting Kumagoroshi into the Butterfly Lock, before sending EVIL crashing into Togo and reapplying the hold. Again and again, EVIL was pulled to center ring as the former double IWGP Champion faded. EVIL finally made it to the ropes though, and after YOSHI-HASHI prevented a low blow, swung hard with a lariat.
YOSHI-HASHI still avoided the EVIL, double knees and a Swanton connecting for two. A desperate EVIL drew the referee, but YOSHI-HASHI again attacked the interfering Togo, nearly hitting Karma before EVIL resorted to a low blow and the EVIL for his first two points.
Zack Sabre Junior, fresh off beating EVIL in Osaka took on Tetsuya Naito in the main event, drawing the champion’s ire by kicking his IWGP belts on Naito’s entrance. The two men attempted to outwrestle one another at the bell, going quickly to the mat where Naito tried to lean on his Animal Hamaguchi honed amateur skills to prevent submission attempts. ZSJ finally broke the impasse by finding the wrist of Naito. When Naito found the ropes, ZSJ arrogantly shot his opponent to the opposite side, leading to the pace quickening, but ZSJ responded admirably, looking for flash pins before Naito took over and went to the neck.
Sabre was able to respond once more though, grounding Naito and doing his own damage to the long troubled neck of Naito. A ground neck twist was followed by a neck lock over the ropes, and ZSJ further piled on the pressure with some ugly holds in the ring. Firmly in control, Sabre switched to strikes, with stiff elbows followed by a hard necklock take down. Struggling to his feet though, a neckbreaker brought Naito time and valuable control. Despite some damage done with the double leg Nelson hold however, a shocking swing DDT out of nowhere instantly changed the flow of the match, ZSJ following with a Frankensteiner into a neck and arm triangle.
As the ferocity of the match escalated, Naito got free and scored with a kick to Sabre before dropping the Briton with a neckbreaker off the apron to the floor. Capitalizing, Naito reeled off hard back elbows to Sabre’s neck. At the 20 minute mark, Naito looked for a top rope Frankensteiner and scored, and though ZSJ fought off a Destino attempt, Naito hit a rope assisted DDT and navigated into Pluma Blanca.
Sabre made the ropes, and when Naito tried to push his advantage with a flying forearm, the submission master capitalized with a flying Octopus. With five minutes left on the clock, pace quickened, and ZSJ tried to finish Naito with the Zack Driver. Naito prevented the hold at first, but after a running Destino, Sabre prevented the full version, hitting his driver, but unable to follow up with a cover. Instead Sabre went into a front chancerie, and then rolled Naito through for a European and then Japanese Leg Roll Clutch. As time ran out, Zack went for the kill, but Naito countered a second Zack Driver with a half Destino, and then hit the full move to score the three count.
