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A Block gets a Winner, 10/18/21 A Block Results from New Japan's G1 Climax 31 - from the Yokohama Budokan, in Kanagawa, Japan:
Satoshi Kojima vs. Great O-Khan
O-Khan pins Kojima with an Eliminator.
Despite this not being a G1 Climax match, Great O-Khan finished with 8 points total which is still a good showing in this long tournament.
G1 Climax 31 - A Block Matches:
Tomohiro Ishii vs. Toru Yano
The match quickly spills to the floor. They throw each other into the guardrails. Yano crawls under the ring. Ishii climbs into the ring and takes off the turnbuckle pad. Yano is about to be counted out, but he pops out from under the ring. Ishii throws the turnbuckle pad into Yano's face which stuns him. Yano is able to jump in the ring before the count out. The camera catches a glimpse of all the tape, handcuffs and tools on the floor that Yano was trying to get. Ishii chops and kicks Yano. Ishii steps on the Yano's neck. Yano rakes Ishii's eyes, but Ishii hits a lariat. Ishii pulls Yano's shirt over his head and chops him hard in the chest. Yano "hulks" and starts screaming at Ishii. They start throwing elbows. Ishii hits a suplex. Yano pops up and throws Ishii with some amateur wrestling moves. Yano whips Ishii across the ring with belly-to-belly suplex. Ishii whips Yano into the corner without a turnbuckle pad, then hits a release German suplex. Ishii goes for a lariat, but misses. Yano tries for multiple pinning combinations. Ishii kicks out. Ishii charges at Yano. Yano trips up Ishii who falls head first into the metal bolt in the corner. Yano with a school boy. Two count. Yano tries for several low blows. Ishii blocks them all, and kicks Yano in the face. Ishii goes for a sliding lariat, but Yano reverses into a crucifix pin. Ishii kicks out. Ishii tries for a brainbuster. Yano reverses out. Ishii with headbutt. Yano grabs the referee, then hits a low blow on Ishii. Yano with a backslide pin on Ishii.
Yano pins Ishii.
Toru Yano earns 2 points and finishes with 10 points.
Tomohiro Ishii finishes with 10 points.
Solid match. No tricks with tape or hand cuffs by Yano. Aside from the low blows, he beat Ishii with wrestling.
Shingo Takagi vs. Yujiro Takahashi, with Pieter
Takagi was about to enter the ring until Takahashi hit a tope suicida. Takagi fell into the guardrail. Takagi recovered and pounded Takahashi with headbutts. Takagi with shoulder tackle and a suplex. Takagi bounced Takahashi's head off the ring apron and threw him into the guardrail. Pieter tried to distract Takagi, but he ignored her. Takahashi hits Takagi with his Pimp Stick. Back in the ring, Takahashi with a big boot and lariat. Takahashi with a back suplex. Takagi kicks out at two. Takahashi hits a Fisherman Buster. Two count. Takagi fights back with a Noshigami and a sliding lariat. Takahashi with a Hot Shot, then a Collegiate Slam. Takahashi follows up with Miami Shine. Two count. Takahashi goes for Big Juice but Takagi blocks it. Takagi hits a lariat. Takahashi tries for Pimp Juice. Takagi reverses into Made in Japan. Two count. Takagi goes for Last of the Dragon, but Takahashi bites his hand. Takagi retaliates with a right punch to the jaw. Takagi charges at Takahashi who pulls the top rope down and he goes flying to the floor. Both men battle on the floor. Takahashi hits Pimp Juice on the floor. He tries to climb back into the ring, but Takagi recovers and hits a Death Valley Driver on the floor. Referee is counting. Takagi tries to get back in the ring. Takahashi grabs his leg. The referee counts 20.
Match is declared a double count-out.
Kevin Kelly and Chris Charlton are trying to get the rules down. They announce that both Shingo Takagi and Yujiro Takahashi earn one point each.
Yujiro Takahashi finishes with 5 points.
Shingo Takagi finishes with 13 points. At this point, Shingo is in the lead, on paper, with two more matches to go.
Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Tanga Loa, with Jado
Both men begin with brawling and throwing kicks. ZSJ applies the Octopus Lock. Tanga gets to the ropes. ZSJ comes off the ropes and Tanga drops him with a shoulder tackle. Tanga throws ZSJ to the floor and pummels him against the guardrails. ZSJ grabs Tanga in a Dragon Sleeper with body scissors. Tanga powers him up into a suplex. ZSJ slides out of the hold and applies the Octopus Lock again. Tanga powers out and hiptosses ZSJ on the floor. Tanga slams ZSJ on the floor and stomps on his neck. ZSJ attempts an ankle submission but Tanga rakes his eyes. Tanga with a back suplex on the ring apron. Tanga pounds and stomps on ZSJ and avoids any attempt at a ZSJ submission. Tanga with a dropkick to the face and a standing moonsault. Two count. Tanga applies Operation Jado Killer. ZSJ tries for the ropes and Tanga rolls him to the middle of the ring. ZSJ was able to get to the ropes and escapes to the ring apron. ZSJ shakes out his left arm due to the effects of OJK. ZSJ catches Tanga in a sleeper. ZSJ takes Tanga down to the mat, hits a neck twist and a dropkick to the head. ZSJ follows with a hammerlock submission. ZSJ starts swatting at Tanga with kicks, rather than following up with submissions. Tanga drops ZSJ with a Spinebuster. Tanga throws an elbow to the face, and shakes off the pain of the hammerlock. Both men get to their feet and exchange strikes. Tanga hits a top rope headbutt. ZSJ kicks out at two. ZSJ with a release German suplex. Tanga hits his own release German suplex. ZSJ with a tornado DDT. Tanga with a lariat. They go for finishers but they reverse out of each other's moves. ZSJ applies the Octopus Lock again. Tanga gets a break in the ropes. Tanga with powerbomb. Two count. ZSJ goes for another arm submission. Tanga floors him with an elbow. They trade elbows. ZSJ rolls up Tanga in a pin with a bridge. Tanga kicks out, and reverses ZSJ into a roll up pin.
Tanga pins ZSJ.
WOW! Tanga Loa pins Zack Sabre Jr. and earns 2 points and finishes with 6 points total.
Zack Sabre Jr. finishes with 12 points total.
Tanga and Jado hug each other and Jado claps for Tanga. Tanga is still selling his arm.
This is why I love the G1 Climax - storylines. Zack Sabre Jr. was a submission machine, who tapped out Shingo Takagi, Kota Ibushi, Great O-Khan and Tetsuya Naito (who he also injured). Zack was on a roll to take the A Block. Tanga Loa was only able to get two natural wins in the tournament. He learned from each match, Jado never got involved, and Tanga was able use everything he learned to pin the wrestler who looked unbeatable. Tanga Loa will not win the G1, but his win over Zack will be remembered. Both Zack and Tanga left this match looking strong.
Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga got signature solo wins in this G1 Climax already. Also, with World Tag League on the horizon, this storyline could continue if Guerillas of Destiny choose to enter and face Dangerous Tekkers.
Kota Ibushi vs. KENTA
KENTA played cat and mouse with Ibushi early on. KENTA applied a headlock. Ibushi pushed KENTA into the ropes and he followed with high kick to the face. KENTA was stunned and rolled to the floor. KENTA pulled Ibushi to the floor and smashed him into guardrails and the ringpost. KENTA took off a turnbuckle pad. KENTA throws Ibushi into the metal bolt. KENTA with side Russian leg sweep. KENTA applies a neck submission with his legs. Ibushi gets to the ropes. KENTA kicks mockingly at Ibushi's face. Ibushi starts to get angry. KENTA applies an STF. Ibushi gets to the ropes. Both men take the match to the floor. They go into the crowd. The referee follows them. They disappear behind the locker room curtain. The referee gets back to the ring and begins the count. KENTA appears and runs to the ring. Ibushi follows and gets to the ring at the count of 19. KENTA stomps on Ibushi and locks a rear chin lock in a camel clutch position. Ibushi fights out and connects with a dropkick. Ibushi with a powerslam and a moonsault. Two count. KENTA drops Ibushi by the throat on the top rope. KENTA hits a flying clothesline from the top rope. KENTA continues to kick mockingly at Ibushi. KENTA connects with striking combination. Ibushi counters with spinning thrust kick and release half nelson suplex. KENTA sends Ibushi into the referee who all hit the metal bolt in the corner. The referee goes to the floor. KENTA hit a DDT. KENTA gets a chair and hits Ibushi in the back. Ibushi cringes as he gets hit, but he gets angry. He stands and stares at KENTA, who still holding the chair. KENTA tries to hit Ibushi, who ducks. Ibushi kicks KENTA in the gut, then takes the chair. He goes to hit KENTA who is begging not to be hit. Ibushi throws the chair away and lays a stiff kick into KENTA's head. Ibushi goes outside of the ring and gets a table. He tries to suplex KENTA through the table. KENTA fights out. They battle on the floor. Ibushi puts KENTA on the table. Ibushi hits KENTA with a kick to the head. KENTA falls back on the table and the table legs fall. KENTA is lying on the table at a 45 degree position. KENTA goes to the top ropes and hits a splash onto KENTA. OUCH! Both men are in pain. The referee is counting them out. Both men get back to the ring by 19. KENTA hits a Green Killer. KENTA with a dropkick to the face, then a double stomp. Two count. KENTA hits multiple open hand slaps. Ibushi with a high kick. Ibushi hits a Kamigoye. KENTA kicks out at two!! Ibushi goes for another Kamigoye, but KENTA reverses and sends him head first into the corner and the metal bolt. KENTA goes for a pin. Two count. KENTA applies Game Over on Ibushi. Ibushi gets to the ropes. Ibushi hits a high kick. Ibushi goes for Kamigoye. KENTA avoids it and again sends Ibushi into the metal bolt in the corner. KENTA rolls up Ibushi for a pin. Ibushi kicks out at two. KENTA hits a Psycho Knee. Two count. KENTA goes for Go To Sleep. Ibushi blocks it and hits a high knee. Ibushi hits a Kamigoye to the back of KENTA's head. Ibushi hits another Kamigoye to the face.
Ibushi pins KENTA.
Kota Ibushi earns 2 points, finishes with 14 points, and wins the A Block, beating Shingo Takagi by 1 point.
KENTA finishes with 12 points.
This is the 4th year in a row that Kota Ibushi is in the finals of the G1 Climax.
Good match. Many of the tricks that KENTA used in prior matches did not work. Ibushi was able to overcome them all.
Ibushi was emotional after the match. Ibushi gets the mic and thanks the fans. He tells KENTA that he truly thanks him for the match. He promises the fans that he will win the Finals. He will not give up, lose, or betray the fans. He bows in the ring to all the fans.
FINAL A Block Standings as of 10/18/21:
Kota Ibushi - 14 (WINNER)
Yujiro Takahashi - 5
Great O-Khan - 8
Tanga Loa - 6
Toru Yano - 10
KENTA - 12
Zack Sabre Jr. - 12
Tomohiro Ishii - 10
Shingo Takagi - 13
Tetsuya Naito - Forfeit
Chris Charlton and Kevin Kelly stated that despite winning the A Block, Kota Ibushi is an "underdog". He will be facing either Kazuchika Okada or Jeff Cobb. No matter who he faces, he will be facing an opponent who will be undefeated.
Thank you for reading.
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