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SECOND 10/14 NJPW G1 CLIMAX REPORT

By Matt Macklin on 2020-10-14 18:15:00

G1 Climax Day 16, October 14th:

B Block

KENTA defeated YOSHI-HASHI

What a great match this was! KENTA began by playing the bully heel, kicking at YOSHI and working over his arm. YOSHI came back with all the babyface fire and stood up to KENTA’s strikes, doing his best to match them. He used a Butterfly Lock and went into a sleeper. KENTA unsuccessfully went for the LeBelle Lock. There was a fantastic forearm exchange, won by KENTA when he dropped YOSHI with a pair of spinning back hands. He went for a GTS, but YOSHI countered into a DDT and then hit a lariat and a Brainbuster for a great near fall. YOSHI went for Karma, but KENTA turned it into the LeBelle Lock to make YOSHI submit after a long struggle. This is one of the sleeper matches of the tournament.

Zack Sabre Jr defeated Juice Robinson 

This was another good match. ZSJ went after the arm, and as always, had some really creative counters to cut off Juice. Juice hit some really great looking right hands, that ZSJ sold really well. There was one scary spot when Juice tried to power out of a triangle choke, with ZSJ coming down awkwardly on his neck. ZSJ landed on his feet out of a gut buster and hit two very hard PKs.  ZSJ tried to keep Juice down in various holds, but his size meant he was able to escape. He dropped ZSJ with a big right hand and went for Pulp Friction, but ZSJ countered into a European Clutch to pick up the win. 

Tetsuya Naito defeated Toru Yano 

This was the usual Yano match, but longer. Naito took forever to get into the ring and take off his entrance gear, which wound Yano up.  Naito almost beat Yano at his own game early on. Yano tied Naito to young lion, Yota Tsuji on the outside, so Naito had to bring him into the ring to break the count. Naito then used Tsuji as a weapon. The finish saw Naito low blow and roll up Yano after a ref distraction, so he beat Yano at his own game. 

EVIL defeated Hirooki Goto

Goto and EVIL have always had good chemistry together, but with EVILs Bullet Club heel stick, it took away from that slightly. It was a decent match with Goto selling his various injuries well and showing lots of fire as he fought off both EVIL and Dick Togo. Togo even ate an Ushigoroshi. Goto hit a reverse GTR, but more distractions from Togo allowed EVIL to hit the STO and score a decisive win that eliminates Goto from the competition. 

SANADA defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi 

This was an excellent main event. Another big time Tanahashi performance, bringing the best out of SANADA, making him look like a star. Tanahashi worked over the knee with Dragon Screws, setting up for the eventual Cloverleaf. Tanahashi hit the High Fly Flow Cross Body to the floor, a move he saves for special occasions and had supposedly retired a few years ago. SANADA tried to put The Ace down with Skull End, and a moonsault attempt was met with the knees. Tanahashi blocked a hurricanrana and applied a Cloverleaf. They went back and forth as SANADA struggled to lock on the Skull End again. Tanahashi eventually dropped SANADA and went for the High Fly Flow, but he missed. SANADA hit two moonsault, one to the back and one to the front to finish off the legend and eliminate him from contention. It was a huge win, that puts SANADA as a favorite to win his block. 

B Block Standings:

  • Tetsuya Naito -- 12 points 
  • EVIL -- 12 points 
  • SANADA -- 10 points
  • Zack Sabre Jr. -- 10 points 
  • Hirooki Goto -- 8 points (eliminated)
  • KENTA -- 8 points (eliminated)
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi -- 6 points (eliminated)
  • Juice Robinson -- 6 points (eliminated)
  • Toru Yano -- 6 points (eliminated)
  • YOSHI-HASHI -- 2 points (eliminated)

We have four men still alive in B Block as we head into the final block matches this weekend. 

 

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