Tetsuya Naito, Toru Yano top B Block after action in Korakuen Hall
September 29 saw G1 Climax 30 come to Tokyo for the first time on the tour, with B Block action ending with Tetsuya Naito and Toru Yano atop the table on six points, while SANADA lingers at zero.
First up in block action on the night were YOSHI-HASHI and SANADA battling to each try and break their ducks thus far in the tournament. YOSHI-HASHI scored the first offence of the matchup, controlling SANADA on the mat and unleashing shoulder tackles and a tijeras before sending SANADA out to the floor. Cold Skull responded by sending YOSHI-HASHI to the guardrails though, and used the steel to deliver a Magic Screw on the floor.
Having created a weakness in the neck of his opponent, SANADA set to work, and threatened Skull End, but YOSHI-HASHI countered with the Bunker Buster to buy some time. The Headhunter neckbreaker followed, and YOSHI-HASHI looked to follow with a powerbomb, but a dropkick was the answer from SANADA, and Cold Skull followed with a plancha to the floor.
Back inside, YOSHI-HASHI again blocked a Skull End attempt, and connected with a lariat and running powerbomb for two. A swanton only found the knees of his opponent though, and SANADA flipped himself into Skull End with hooks in. Still Yoshi-HASHI didn’t surrender, pushing SANADA’s bicep to relieve neck pressure, but SANADA reapplied the hold.
SANADA thought he had the match in hand and headed up top for the Muto Moonsault, but YOSHI-HASHI got his knees up. As both reset Headhunter and Cold Skull traded blows, SANADA stopping the exchange with a TKO for two. YOSHI-HASHI responded with a Dragon Suplex and Kumagoroshi, but when he wanted Karma, SANADA again got Skull End instead, swinging YOSHI-HASHI around. The CHAOS member managed to roll SANADA up for two, and moments later hit Karma for victory.
Zack Sabre Junior and KENTA were next to the ring, both men tied up at 1-1. The two tacticians were hesitant in trying to expose the other before ZSJ found the Achilles of KENTA, who scrambled to the floor.
Knowing he’d been had on the mat, KENTA changed his gameplan on re-entry, landing a barrage of stiff strikes before bouncing his British opponent off the guardrails. The punishment continued in ring, Sabre able to maneuver on the mat, but KENTA quickly shutting him down before the Suzuki-Gun technician finally found a target in KENTA’s surgically repaired left shoulder.
ZSJ ducked a back fist and hit a Northern Lights into a double wrist lock on KENTA, sending the striker to the ropes but buying himself some time. Still KENTA’s offense stayed brutal and effective, a tornado Stungun and more strikes keeping him in control. Green Killer got another nearfall for KENTA, who followed with a corner charge and double stomp, getting closer and closer to victory with each blow, but ZSJ refused to stay down for three, again shouldering out of a pinfall after the Busaiku Knee.
The Briton resisted Go 2 Sleep, getting caught hard with a shotei for his troubles, but a second attempt at the move from KENTA led to a triangle. KENTA transitioned into Game Over, but Sabre responded, maneuvering into Clarky Cat and forcing a critical rope break. Pulling out all he could, Sabre went for something big on the run, but got caught hard and cold with KENTA’s knee, again tasting the joint on Go2Sleep.
Juice Robinson and Hiroshi Tanahashi got the second half action started. After a feeling out process early, Juice scored the first knockdown with a big boot, before landing a big senton and working over the Ace’s neck with a Full Nelson.
Tanahashi responded with a dropkick and Dragon Screws. Legs damaged, Juice managed to hit a spinebuster all the same, and jabs and a DDT brought Robinson a two count. Firing the Korakuen crowd up behind him with stomps and claps, Robinson closed in with a Cannonball, and hit a huge superplex and Jackhammer to the Ace, still unable to pick up the three count.
Tanahashi dug down deep and prevented Pulp Friction, instead landing Slingblade, and a High Fly attack, Robinson rolling through and getting two instead. A big right connected, and Robinson again tried for Pulp Friction, but this time, Tanahashi rolled through and cradled Robinson for the three count.
Toru Yano immediately went for the corner in his bout with EVIL, going for the pads, and catching EVIL with a blow, but being caught himself off a distraction from Dick Togo. thinking fast, Yano tried to tape EVIL’s wrist to the guardrail, again foiled by Togo. In ring, both men traded attempts to shoot each other into the now all exposed corners, but Togo came into EVIL’s employ again, cushioning a blow and leading to a Fisherman suplex for two.
Again thanks to his ringside Spoiler, EVIL hit a low blow, before Yano replied in kind, both to his opponent and Togo, rolling up EVIL to score the three.
As the main event got underway, Hirooki Goto tried to out muscle Tetsuya Naito before a stern El Ingobernable hit a dropkick to send Goto out to the floor. There Naito piled on pressure to Goto’s still hurt and heavily taped shoulder, coming back inside with focused offense before Goto brought a little time with a backdrop suplex.
A left side bulldog found the mark for Goto, and the Fierce Warrior tried to build some steam, but Naito was again able to go to the shoulder, and sink in Pluma Blanca, Goto finding the ropes at the ten minute mark. The two combatants fought for control on the top rope, and Goto eventually landed a huge superplex, sending Naito reeling out to the floor. Goto seemed to be using the referee’s count to recover, but instead surprised Naito with a plancha, firing up inside and misdirecting El Ingobernable into a lariat.
The shoulder still hurting, Goto attempted to push the advantage but instead felt a swing DDT from Naito. A series of hard back elbows would find their mark for the double IWGP Champion, followed by a Frankensteiner, but when Naito closed in on victory and attempteed a running Destino, a short GTR was the response. Goto again hit the move, assisted by the ropes, and wanted GTW, but was countered by a Destino in mid air.
As both men fought to their knees, and then their feet, they traded hard forearm shivers, Goto fighting through shoulder pain before Naito proved too much in the exchange. An enzuigiri followed, but when Naito went for Valentia, he was countered into Ushigoroshi at the 20 minute mark. Naito rung the arm on the break and went for Destino, but was caught with a thunderous GTW, a mid kick finding the mark, but Naito acted on instinct to hit Valentia and then Destino for the victory.
