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Three way Tie for the Lead in B Block. 9/24/21 B Block Results from New Japan's G1 Climax 31 from Ota City, Tokyo, Japan:
This show is free on New Japan World. Please check it out.
No opening matches scheduled.
G1 Climax 31 B Block Matches
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto
Both men are looking for their first win in the G1. The match starts off with an exchange of headlocks. Goto hit a few striking kicks to the back of Tanahashi. Tanahashi surprises Goto with a quick Victory Roll for a two count. Tanahashi begins to work on Goto's left leg, stomping on the left knee and dropping elbows. Tanahashi traps Goto in an Indian Deathlock. Goto battles back with chops and elbows. Goto hits a spinning high kick and a Bulldog. Tanahashi hits a flipping senton from the second rope. Pace of the match picks up. Tanahashi dropkicks Goto's left knee. Goto hits an Ushigaroshi on Tanahashi but he uses his injured knee, so he was slow to follow up. Tanahashi was groggy and crawled to the corner. Goto hit a lariat to the back of his head and lifted Tanahashi on the top rope. Goto hit a neckbreaker from off the top rope. Goto came off the top rope with an elbow to Tanahashi's chest. Two count. Goto puts Tanahashi back on the top rope. Goto picks him up for a Ushigaroshi off the top rope. Tanahashi slides out. Goto goes for a suplex. Tanahashi reverses into Twist and Shout. Tanahashi with a Slingblade. Tanahashi hits Aces High on Goto. Tanahashi goes for and misses a High Fly Flow. Goto hits a lariat to the back of his head. Both men throw strikes. Goto stuns Tanahashi with a headbutt to the jaw and hits a Reverse GTR. Two count. Goto went for a GTR. Tanahashi reverses out. Goto tries for the GTR again. Tanahashi rolls Goto into a small package.
Tanahashi pins Goto.
Hiroshi Tanahashi earns 2 points.
Goto was questioning the referee but the three count was made.
Solid match between these two veterans. Goto worked hard on punishing the neck of Tanahashi and it looked like all he needed was that final GTR, but the Ace used wrestling to get the surprise pinfall.
Tama Tonga, with Jado vs. Chase Owens
Both Bullet Club members gave a respectful Two Sweet Salute before the match.
The match started with both men using chain wrestling and moving with speed. Tama went for Gun Stun early, which Owens avoided. Owens went for the Package Piledriver which Tama crawled away from. They both got frustrated and started throwing punches. Tama began attacking the right arm of Owens. Owens used his speed to hit and avoid the power of Tama. Owens caught Tama with a hip toss and turned it into a neckbreaker. Very cool! Owens hit another Bobby Eaton style neckbreaker and Owens threw up the "X" for the Midnight Express. Owens goes for the pin. Two count. Owens throws a combination of strikes which drops Tama to his knees. Owens goes to pick up Tama, but Tama powers him up and hits a Death Valley Driver. Owens looks like the wind is knocked out of him. Tama with a pin attempt. Two count. Tama goes for a double underhook piledriver. Owens slides out and goes for a figure four leg lock. Tama reverses into a small package. Two count. Tama charges at Owens who avoid it. Tama bounces off the ropes and Owens hits a release German suplex. Owens with a backbreaker and a Tiger Driver. Two count. Owens applies the STF. Tama gets the rope break. Owens hits the dropkick to the knee. Tama hits a Tonga Twist, but is unable to follow up. Pace quickens. Owens with a V-Trigger and a Jewel Heist. Two count. Owens hits another V-Trigger. Owens picks up Tama for Package Piledriver. Tama flips out of the Package Piledriver and hits the Gun Stun.
Tama Tonga pins Chase Owens.
Tama Tonga earns 2 points.
Tama and Jado help Owens off the mat. They gave the Two Sweet Salute and they all embrace. Tama and Jado help Owens back to the locker room.
Another great wrestling match. Owens is a technician and he brought out the best in Tama Tonga who has been mainly a tag wrestler for over a year. Tama showed what a great athlete he is. The flip out of the Piledriver into a Gun Stun was very cool. Despite being a heel faction, there was no interference by Jado or any other Bullet Club member.
YOSHI-HASHI vs. Jeff Cobb
In the early moments of the match, Cobb hit a massive shoulder block which stunned YOSHI-HASHI and hurt his left shoulder. Cobb began a methodical power based attack, with dropkicks and suplexes. YOSHI-HASHI fought back using his speed to attack the leg of Cobb. But Cobb cornered YOSHI-HASHI and hammered him with chops and lariats. Cobb hit a belly-to-belly suplex and a Spincycle. Two count. Cobb with a standing moonsault. Two count. YOSHI-HASHI surprised Cobb with a Dragon Suplex and a hard lariat. YOSHI-HASHI hit two super kicks then hit a Destroyer. Two count. YOSHI-HASHI hits a running double knee to the face. Cobb kicks out at two. YOSHI-HASHI tries for Kharma but he cannot lift Cobb. Cobb plants YOSHI-HASHI with a release German suplex. Cobb tries for a Tour of the Islands but YOSHI-HASHI avoids it. YOSHI-HASHI with a small package. Two count. Cobb drills YOSHI-HASHI with spear. Cobb hits the Tour of the Islands.
Cobb pins YOSHI-HASHI.
Jeff Cobb earns 2 points and the first to 4 points in B Block.
SANADA vs. Taichi, with Miho Abe
Both men began the match playing to the crowd and showing off their pectoral muscles. They traded arm submissions early on. SANADA hit a backbreaker and Taichi rolled to the floor. SANADA hit a plancha over the top rope onto Taichi. Taichi was really favoring his back. Chris Charlton said on commentary that Taichi had a history of back problems. SANADA hit a Magic Killer. Two count. SANADA went for Skull End. Taichi reversed into a Stretch Plum. Taichi looked to be struggling to put on the submission due to his back. The pace quickens. SANADA hits a Tiger Driver. Taichi hits the Dangerous Backdrop. SANADA with a Tiger Suplex. Both men spill out to the floor. Back in the ring, they trade elbows and kicks. Taichi drops SANADA with an Ax Bomber. SANADA goes for Skull End. Taichi escapes. SANADA goes for the O'Conner Roll. Taichi reverses and attempts a Gedo Clutch. SANADA reverses into another O'Conner Roll, but Taichi chokes SANADA around his neck. Taichi with another Gedo Clutch. Two count. SANADA hits a TKO. Two count. SANADA goes for a moonsault and Taichi gets the knees up. SANADA is clutching his gut. Back to their feet, SANADA goes for Skull End. Taichi reverses and goes for Black Mephisto. SANADA reverses out and blocks a Taichi kick. Taichi with a high kick to SANADA's face. Taichi hits a Dangerous Backdrop with a bridge. SANADA kicks out at two. SANADA tries for another O'Conner Roll, but Taichi kicks out. SANADA sets up for another moonsault, but Taichi moves out of the way and stuns SANADA with an elbow. Taichi hits Black Mephisto.
Taichi pins SANADA.
Taichi earns 2 points and shares the lead with 4 points with Jeff Cobb.
Both men are exhausted. Taichi rolls over to SANADA and they have words. No heelish behavior by Taichi. Both men showed respect to each other.
Another great match. Taichi sold his back injury very well. After Dangerous Tekkers battle Los Ingobernales de Japon all summer for the IWGP Tag Team Titles, I expected nothing less than a great match between these two men.
Kazuchika Okada vs. EVIL, with Dick Togo
EVIL avoided Okada at the start of the match. Togo distracted Okada which allowed EVIL to attack. His advantage was short-lived, as Okada took control of EVIL with kicks and chops. Togo again distracted Okada and EVIL tossed Okada to the floor. EVIL threw Okada into guardrails and knocking over tables at ringside. Togo took off a turnbuckle pad and EVIL whipped Okada into the exposed bolt in the corner. Okada and EVIL hit each other with strikes and elbows. EVIL charged at Okada who dodged and EVIL ran chest first into the exposed bolt. Okada with a neckbreaker. Okada hits a DDT and only a two count. EVIL escapes the ring and Okada chases. EVIL throws Okada into the guardrail and hits Okada with a chair in the gut. EVIL puts a stunned Okada in the chair and charges at him for a lariat. Okada trips up EVIL who goes head first into the chair. Back in the ring, Okada hits a dropkick and applies the Money Clip. EVIL gets the rope break. Okada hits an elbow from the top rope. EVIL is stunned. Okada makes his Rainmaker pose. Okada goes for the ripcord for the Rainmaker but EVIL grabs Okada's hair. Red Shoes scolds EVIL. Togo hits Okada with a chair. EVIL hits a big lariat on Okada. Two count. EVIL hits a top rope superplex. EVIL grabs the tights of Okada and rolls him up for the pin. Two count. EVIL goes for Everything is Evil, but Okada avoids it and rolls up EVIL for a two count. Okada goes for a backslide but hits a lariat on EVIL. Okada takes three kicks to the face from EVIL, but counters with a high dropkick. He plants EVIL with a spinning tombstone. EVIL avoids the Rainmaker, and throws Red Shoes into Okada. Red Shoes is down. Low blow on Okada by EVIL. All men are down. EVIL gets back up and tries for Everything is Evil. Okada reverses and applies the Money Clip. EVIL reaches out and grabs Red Shoes and he throws him out of the ring. Dick Togo jumps into the ring and pounds on Okada. EVIL and Togo go for the Magic Killer. Okada kicks Togo away and Okada send EVIL back first into the exposed bolt in the turnbuckle. Okada hits a Shotgun Dropkick on Togo who flies across the ring. Red Shoes gets back into the ring. EVIL and Okada trade reversals on their finishing moves. EVIL hits Darkness Falls. Two count. EVIL hits two lariats on Okada. EVIL bounces off the ropes for a third. Okada catches EVIL and uses EVIL's finishing move. Kevin Kelly screams "Everything is OKADA!"
Okada hits a sitdown tombstone on EVIL then hits the Rainmaker.
Okada pins EVIL.
Okada earns 2 points and creates a 3 way tie in B Block with Jeff Cobb and Taichi.
Okada takes the mic and says that he has two wins, but he will have lots more to come. He thanks the fans for coming out. Okada says he will make it rain in the G1 Climax.
Great main event. Okada looks sharp and at the top of this game. Okada will not face Cobb until the final night of B Block on October 20. I can see that match determining the winner of B Block.
B Block Standings as of 9/24/21
YOSHI-HASHI - 0
EVIL - 2
Jeff Cobb - 4
Chase Owens - 0
SANADA - 2
Tama Tonga - 2
Hirooki Goto - 0
Taichi - 4
Hiroshi Tanahashi - 2
Kazuchika Okada - 4
Overall, on paper, A Block looked to be the more interesting Block. However, tonight's B Block had really good matches. Tama Tonga and Chase Owens had a better match than I would have expected. All the members of B Block are solid single wrestlers and will tell great stories throughout the tournament.
If you are able to watch this free event, please check it out.
B Block action returns on Wednesday, Sept. 29.
Thank you for reading.
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