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ZACK SABRE JR. VS. SHINGO TAKAGI & MORE: 9/23 NJPW G1 CLIMAX REPORT FROM OTA CITY

Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shingo Takagi; 9/23/21 A Block Results from New Japan's G1 Climax 31 From Ota City, Tokyo Japan:

No opening matches tonight.

G1 Climax 31 A Block Matches:

Yuji Nagata vs. Tanga Loa, with Jado

Tetsuya Naito was supposed to face Tanga Loa in this match.   Naito got his knee injured in his A Block match against Zack Sabre Jr. and is now unable to compete in the G1 Climax.   Naito's injury forces him to forfeit every remaining match, and his opponents will get an automatic 2 points.

I expected such a situation due to COVID, but not by an injury so early, nor between two men who were consistently performing in the ring for the IWGP Tag Team Titles over the summer.  Very unfortunate for Tetsuya Naito and for New Japan.  I hope he has a safe recovery.

The match started slow but quickly broke down into a striking battle.  

Tanga Loa hit Apesh** and pinned Nagata.

Tanga Loa wins but already has 2 points due to Naito's injury.

Solid match.  No big spots.  No interference by Jado.   However, Tanga Loa got ring experience with a New Japan Legend, which is valuable.

Toru Yano vs. Great O-Khan

O-Khan came to the ring first.  He stood on the turnbuckle and held up a braid of hair.   It was O-Khan's braid which Yano tied to the guardrail in last years's G1 Climax 30.   O-Khan got counted out of the ring and lost to Yano.   O-Khan had to cut his own braid to free himself from the guardrail.   Ever since, O-Khan has had a green extension braid in the back of his head.

Yano came to the ring and saw what O-Khan was doing in the ring.  He got scared and apologized to O-Khan.  O-Khan attacked him in the entryway.   Poor Yano did not get to pimp his merchandise.

O-Khan beat down Yano on the outside.  Yano fought back and whipped O-Khan into the guardrail.  Yano tried to tie O-Khan's hair again to the guardrail.   O-Khan punched his way out and threw Yano in the ring.  Both men brawled with punches and strikes.  O-Khan punished Yano in a modified Anaconda Vice.   Yano gets a rope break. Yano slapped O-Khan in the back of the head.   O-Khan chased Yano around the ring.  Yano grabbed his hand sanitizer spray bottle and sprayed O-Khan in the eyes.   O-Khan threw Yano into the guardrail and pulled out handcuffs.   He tried to handcuff Yano to the guardrail, but Yano grabbed the cuffs and escaped back into the ring.  He threw the cuffs into the entryway.   O-Khan with Mongolian chops.  Yano took off the turnbuckle pad.  Yano and O-Khan fight over the pad.  The referee takes a bump during the fight.   Yano whips O-Khan out of the ring.  Yano pulls out another handcuffs and locks it on the guardrail.  He grabs O-Khan and tries to handcuff him.  O-Khan grabs Yano's face with an Iron Claw and slams him into the guardrail.   O-Khan cuffs Yano to the guardrail.  O-Khan mugs for the camera showing how he outsmarted Yano.    Yano pulls out a key from his tights to uncuff himself.  O-Khan kicks Yano in the head and takes the key.   O-Khan gets back in the ring, waving the key in the air.  The referee begins to count him out.  Yano cannot uncuff himself.   Somehow he unscrews the guardrail and the railing comes loose, which allows the cuffs to slide off.   Yano gets back in the ring before the count out.  O-Khan goes for the Eliminator.  Yano goes for a takedown pin.  Two count.  Backslide by Yano.  Two count.  O-Khan hits the Eliminator.

O-Khan pins Yano.

Great O-Khan earns 2 points.  

O-Khan tried to make Yano kiss his boots at the end of the match.   But Yano hit a low blow and ran from the ring.   O-Khan was pissed as he grabbed Yano's advertising chair and chased down Yano.  Young lions ran to stop O-Khan in the locker room.

Typical Yano comedy match.  O-Khan still looked like a monster.  I do like that they followed up on the braid cut from last year's G1 30.   I thought O-Khan was going to feud with Yano after that incident, but they waited till the G1 31 to continue the story.  They may continue this storyline in next year's G1 32.  

KENTA vs. Yujiro Takahashi, with Pieter

KENTA offered the Two Sweet Salute to Takahashi.  Takahashi walked away.   KENTA offered the Two Sweet Salute to Pieter.  She also walked away.  

KENTA and Takahashi locked up.  KENTA offered the Salute again.   Takahashi kicked KENTA in the gut and stomped on him on the mat.  They rolled to the floor and brawled on the floor.  KENTA tried to throw Takahashi into Pieter but Takahashi stopped himself from hitting her.  KENTA hit a DDT on the floor.  KENTA threw Takahashi back into the ring and they continue to brawl.  Takahashi hits a Fisherman Buster and almost pins KENTA.  KENTA counters with DDT, flying clothesline and an STF.   Takahashi gets to the ropes. KENTA with a draping DDT.   Two count.  KENTA with a Yakuza kick and another delayed dropkick in the corner.   KENTA misses one double stomp but connects with a second.  Two count.  KENTA goes for Go To Sleep but Takahashi reverses into a DDT.   Takahashi hits a Collegiate Slam.  Two count.  Takahashi hits a wicked elbow to the face of KENTA and hits Miami Shine.   Two count.  Both trade near fall pins.  KENTA hits Takahashi with a Psycho Knee.  

KENTA goes for another GTS.   Takahashi pushes KENTA who almost hits the referee.  Takahashi goes for a low blow (which is the same tactic that EVIL uses).   KENTA blocks the low blow and reverses into Game Over.

Takahashi taps out.

KENTA wins and earns 2 points.

After the match, Takahashi bows to KENTA in ring, as an apology for early in the match.  Takahashi offers the Two Sweet Salute.   KENTA accepts.   All is fine with Bullet Club.

Kota Ibushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii

The match quickly becomes a striking match, with both men hitting elbows and chops.   Ibushi's chest is already red from Ishii's chops, only minutes in.  Ibushi dares Ishii to hit him harder.  Both men traded big moves.  Ishii hit a delayed Superplex.   Ibushi hit a moonsault.   But they kept going back to strikes.    Anger set in and they started slapping each other in the face, which made them even more frustrated with each other.  Both men were tired.   Ibushi went for a Kamigoye.   Ishii resisted.   KENTA threw a stiff kick on the side of Ishii's head.  Damn!  Ishii hulked up and threw a headbutt under the chin of Ibushi which knocked him off his feet.   Holy Crap!   Both men were down.   As they got to their feet, Ishii hit lariats on Ibushi.  Ibushi's main weapon was his kicks which kept connecting to Ishii's head.  Ibushi hit a high knee and went for Kamigoye.   Ishi blocked it and went for a brainbuster.   Ibushi blocked it and hit another high knee under Ishii's chin.  Ibushi finally connects a Kamigoye.

Ibushi pins Ishii.

Kokta Ibushi wins and earns 2 points.

Really good match.   Not a "high spots" type of match, but a Japanese Strong-style type of match, which looked like a fight.  So much fun to watch.   

Shingo Takagi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

As he walked to the ring, Kevin Kelly asked Zack Sabre Jr. if he was proud of himself, referring to injuring Tetsuya Naito.   ZSJ made snarky comments towards Kelly and kept going to the ring.

They started the match with mat wrestling, which both men can do.   Especially ZSJ.   When Takagi hit a power move, ZSJ would back off, and try to take it back to the mat.  ZSJ takes the advantage with a neck twist and dropkick to the head of Takagi.    ZSJ focused his attack on the neck of Takagi.  ZSJ trapped Takagi in the ropes with an arm and neck submission.   Referee broke it up.  ZSJ began attacking the right arm and shoulder of Takagi.   Takagi could not throw strikes with his right arm.  Takagi stunned ZSJ with a Noshigami.  He tied up ZSJ in the ropes and hit a running shoulder block to the knee, which looked wicked.  ZSJ countered with a Triangle submission.  Takagi powered out and hit a powerbomb, then an STF.  Takagi goes for Made in Japan.  ZSJ counters with a back suplex.   Takagi hits one of his own.  They trade strikes.   Takagi hits a sliding lariat.  ZSJ tries for a European Clutch.   Two count.  Both men hit lariats.  ZSJ takes down Takagi with La Mistica then traps him in a Clarky Cat.  Takagi gets to the ropes.  Takagi goes for a Pumping Bomber.   ZSJ avoids it and hits a Zack Driver.  Two count.  Pace picks up.    Takagi blocks a kick.  ZSJ hits him with slaps.  Takagi hits Made in Japan.  Two count.  25 minutes gone.  5 minutes left.

Takagi hits a Pumping Bomber.  Takagi goes for Last of the Dragon, but ZSJ reverses into a rear naked choke.  ZSJ transitioned back into attacking the right arm and neck with another Triangle choke.  Takagi tried to power him up into a powerbomb position.   ZSJ repositioned his legs from around the neck Takagi to a position to hyper extend the right arm.     

Takagi taps out (while Takagi was in a standing position).  Wow! 

Zack Sabre Jr. wins and earns 2 points.    More importantly, Zack Sabre Jr. made the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion submit.

Damn!  This was a great match.   ZSJ has submitted both Naito and Takagi and is 2-0 in the G1.  He had a game plan to focus on wrestling, weakening body parts and submissions, and avoiding Takagi's power and Strong-Style of striking, slapping and elbowing.  Both Takagi and ZSJ told a great story in this match.   Even if Zack Sabre Jr. does not win the G1, he should get a future title match based on this win.  

ZSJ poses in the ring with both the IWGP Tag Team and IWGP World Heavyweight Belts.   He passed the belt to Takagi and told him he can hold it for him for a while.

ZSJ takes the mic and asks the crowd "Are you surprised?"  He said 2 down, 7 to go.  

In the interview area, ZSJ says "In summary, that is the Japanese Dragon done.  I wonder where the American Dragon is.  Hmmmmm?  I wonder where that ******** is?"

I hope this is a tease of what is to come.

A Block Standings as of 9/23:

Kota Ibushi - 4

Yujiro Takahashi - 4

Great O-Khan - 6

Tanga Loa - 2

Toru Yano - 4

KENTA - 4

Zack Sabre Jr. - 4

Tomohiro Ishii - 2

Shingo Takagi - 4

Tetsuya Naito - Forfeit

The numbers will be inflated a bit as the A Block proceeds.  Everyone got 2 points due to Tetsuya Naito's injury.  However, with Zack Sabre Jr. getting the only true win over Naito and submitting Shingo Takagi tonight, the Dangerous Tekker looks to be the leader of the A Block, despite Great O-Khan's lead with 6 points.

Thank you for reading.

 

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