Tetsuya Naito leads B Block after Hiroshima action
G1 Climax 30 passed its midway point in Hiroshima on October 6, with Tetsuya Naito leading the way on eight points as YOSHI-HASHI sits last at two.
Hirooki Goto and Toru Yano was the first tournament match on the schedule for the night, and a match that had typically seen quick results rendered in prior years. Yano went right for the shenanigans with Goto by offering him a shirt, but was rolled up with Goto Shiki for the win in just 18 seconds; the fastest match in G1 Climax history.
Having his record of the fastest victory thus far in the G1 rudely broken by the man he beat just last week, Zack Sabre Junior steeled himself for a technical affair from his Tokyo Dome opponent in January, SANADA. Looking for another quick victory, ZSJ went for a series of rolling cradles early, before he and SANADA traded speedy pinfalls, no result being rendered before the two stood off.
Taking a more considered approach, Sabre came up with the left ankle of SANADA, before each combatant tried to hyper extend the arm and wrist of their opponents. With no clear advantage established in the opening minutes, Sabre eventually quickened the pace with strikes, baiting SANADA into a dropkick and plancha attempt, where he was caught with a Cobra on the floor. Still though, Cold Skull was able to respond, dropkicking out the knees of the Briton on re-entry to the ring, with ZSJ replying with a short arm twist.
The arm work finally gave Sabre a clear edge for the first time in the matchup just past the ten minute mark as he found an arm triangle that forced SANADA to lift his opponent, further damaging the arm, and only creating an opportunity for another cobra. SANADA escaped the hold, but nearly didn’t escape a European Clutch that got two for ZSJ, the Briton having the edge in maneuverability as he delivered a reverse Dragon sleeper out of a SANADA O’Connor roll. SANADA still had the strength edge, however, using the ropes to escape ZSJ and hit an assisted TKO, before a Moonsault followed for the win.
EVIL was first to the ring after the intermission, and first to go on the offense against Juice Robinson, assaulting the Flamboyant One before the bell, before Juice flew in with a cross body. Dick Togo was quick to ensure things didn’t stay Juice’s way for long however, pulling on Robinson’s heels and leading to a lariat over the ropes from EVIL, and a snap suplex onto a stack of chairs.
Having found his advantage, EVIL targeted the lower back of Juice with a half crab and a violent throw into the exposed steel turnbuckle. Robinson dug deep though, and rallied with shots to EVIL and a plancha to Togo to remove him from the equation, at least temporarily. A cannonball and high cross followed for two, before Juice found a full Nelson, only to be overpowered with a thrust kick, and a boot sending Robinson plunging from the second rope at the ten minute mark.
EVIL missed a follow up senton though, and Juice connected with a lariat in the corner before taking EVIL to the top rope. A superplex drilled the King of Darkness, and a Jackhammer followed, only getting a near two from the referee. EVIL was able to get free from the Juicebox however, and Togo recovered from ringside to deliver a chair shot to Robinson’s spine from ringside, Darkness Falls connecting for two on the follow-up.
Robinson managed to avoid an attempt at EVIL, and sent his opponent into Dick Togo, landing Juicebox for two and getting close to victory. Just as he went for the deciding blow though, EVIL used Togo’s distraction from ringside to hit a low blow and EVIL for three.
Tetsuya Naito took his time to get ready for his first match in front of his adopted home crowd of Hiroshima as double IWGP Champion. A considered pace from Naito saw YOSHI-HASHI take advantage, the pace quickening as the headhunter took his opponent outside, and mocked Naito’s pose from center ring.
Naito was able to show his champion’s edge however, forcing YOSHI-HASHI to fight up from underneath, which he did with a Bunker Buster counter to Naito’s DDT attempt. A Headhunter followed from the top rope as YOSHI-HASHI continued to build momentum, but Naito was there to cut his opponent off, a Frankensteiner counter coming from a powerbomb attempt. YOSHI-HASHI did get the powerbomb moments later, again finding big offense from the underneath position as Naito was raining blows from the corner.
YOSHI-HASHI sunk in the Butterfly Lock, but not all the way, as Naito escaped and landed his swinging DDT and Gloria for a near fall. YOSHI-HASHI escaped Destino however, and countered a second attempt with a lariat that put both men to the mat. As both fought to their feet, forearm blows went back and forth between the two men, before YOSHI-HASHI landed a shoulder breaker and caught the Butterfly Lock once more.
After a long spell in the hold, Naito was finally able to make the ropes at the 15 minute mark before trying for Kumagoroshi, only to be countered with knees and trademark back elbows from El Ingobernable. Still YOSHI-HASHI kept firing in however, a huge release Dragon suplex followed by a lariat for two as the crowd stamped their feet. A second Kumagoroshi attempt would be followed by Destino, but YOSHI-HASHI countered the full version by finally scoring Ushigoroshi getting an even nearer two count as the crowd rallied behind the Headhunter.
YOSHI-HASHI couldn’t hoist Naito for Karma however, and the double champion connected with Valentia for two. With the thumbs down to the crowd indicating he’d seen enough, Naito landed the full Destino, scoring the three to put him clear at the top of the table in B Block and YOSHI-HASHI dead last.
Hiroshi Tanahashi walked to the ring with a new hair cut and a spring to his step to face KENTA in the main event, and preened somewhat when pushing KENTA to the ropes, but the BULLET CLUB member was quick to mess with the Ace’s hair style before bailing to the floor.
Tanahashi was quick to follow though, and struck KENTA with a dropkick and cross body before KENTA cut the Ace off at the ropes, and then went after the often troubled left knee. KENTA kept the assault going outside the ring as well as within, wrapping Tanahashi’s knee over the guardrail and stomping to do further damage as Tanahashi struggled.
The Ace finally found his form with a Dragon Screw to KENTA, and a flipping senton for a two count. The left knee still troubling him though, a half step hesitation led to a KENTA powerslam and a trademark tornado Gunstun to put Tanahashi to the mat, where KENTA locked in a Figure Four.
Tanahashi escaped to the apron, where a struggle ensued for control, both men firing in forearm shots before KENTA found a dropkick to the knee and Dragon Screw from apron to floor. Taking advantage of his speed edge, the BULLET CLUB member found a dropkick in the corner and double stomp from the top, before again locking in the Figure Four.
Tanahashi worked free of the hold and landed a Slingblade fo0r distance before he and KENTA traded bitter blows and backfists. KENTA showed ring awareness in baiting Tanahashi to the apron and looking for Green Killer, but Tanahashi reacted perfectly to the situation, landing a Dragon Screw over the ropes and following in ring before he looked for his own submission with the Texas Cloverleaf.
While KENTA got free of the hold, Tanahashi followed up with a corner dropkick. As the Ace looked to press the advantage though, an attack from behind by KENTA led to the referee pancaked on the mat, and nobody in control of the match. KENTA looked to seize the edge by taking his US Heavyweight right to challenge briefcase, which rattled off the skull of Tanahashi at the 20 minute mark. A PK and Busaiku Knee followed, for two as the referee came to his senses, but the damage appeared done.
Tanahashi had no answer to a knee to the jaw from KENTA who looked to follow with Go2Sleep, but Tanahashi was able to instinctively land Twist and Shout. Two more followed for the Ace, as did Slingblade for two and a High Fly Attack before Tanahashi went back to the Texas Cloverleaf. This time the hold was put in fully, and Tanahashi scored a tap out victory.
