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IBUSHI VS. TAKAGI, ISHII VS. ZACK SABRE JR & MORE: 10/3 NJPW G1 CLIMAX 31 REPORT FROM AICHI, JAPAN

10/3 A Block Results from New Japan's G1 Climax 31 from Aichi, Japan:

Kosei Fujita vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru

Kanemaru gets the submission win with a Boston Crab.

Toru Yano vs. BUSHI

Yano pins BUSHI after a low blow and a school boy pin.

G1 Climax 31 - A Block Matches:

Great O-Khan vs. KENTA

Both men exchanged words on the mic.  KENTA was trying so mind games.  They agree that whoever loses must bow to the winner.   They grappled and traded chops.   O-Khan used his power to get the advantage.   The referee took a bump.   KENTA got a chair and beat down O-Khan.   KENTA placed a chair on O-Khan and hit a double stomp.   KENTA went under the ring pulled out a baseball bat.   He was about to hit O-Khan, but O-Khan blocked the attack.  The referee saw O-Khan with the bat, but KENTA rolled him up from behind.

KENTA pins O-Khan.

KENTA earns 2 points and ties for the lead of A Block with 8 points.

KENTA gets on the mic and expects O-Khan to bow to him.   O-Khan goes to bow but he attacks KENTA and hits the Eliminator.

Tanga Loa, with Jado vs. Yujiro Takahashi, with Pieter

All Bullet Club members do the Two Sweet Salute.   There was some heel shenanigans by both men until they got serious.   Tanga used his power get the advantage.   Tanga hits a standing moonsault.   Takahashi rolls to the floor and Tanga pummeled him on the floor.   Tanga hit senton on Takahashi.   Tanga applied a version of the Cobra clutch, but Takahashi get to the ropes.   Takahashi fights back with a Hot Shot and a Yakuza kick.   Tanga rolls to the floor and Takahashi hits a tope suicida.    They get back in the ring and Tanga hits Blue Thunder.   Two count.    A few near falls.   Takahashi hits a Collegiate Slam.  Two count.   Tanga counters with a sit down power bomb.  Two count.   Takahashi with Miami Shine.    Two count.   Takahashi goes for Big Juice.   Tanga reverses out and hits Apeshit.

Tanga Loa pins Takahashi.

Tanga Loa earns his first win and 2 points.

Good match.   Both wrestlers performed well.   Tanga Loa gets better with each single match he has.   Takahashi is a solid worker and can tell a story.  It was cool to see Tanga Loa putting an ice pack on Takahashi and hear him say “Thank you” to him.  Also, very cool to see all four Bullet Club members head to the locker room together.

Tomohiro Ishii vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Awesome chain wrestling to start this match.   ZSJ almost get a quick win with a European Clutch.  Ishii kicks out just before 3.    The start throwing strikes.    ZSJ was losing this battle.    ZSJ goes after Ishii’s right arm with submissions.    ZSJ stomps on Ishii’s arm and starts twisting Ishiii’s fingers.   Ishii counters with a belly to belly suplex.   Ishii goes for a suplex but ZSJ ties him up in a submission.  ZSJ with a sunset bomb.   ZSJ goes for another arm submission but Ishii gets to the ropes.   Ishii fights back power moves.   Ishii tried for a Sliding Lariat but ZSJ reverses into an arm submission.   Ishii gets to the ropes.   

Pace picks up.  They hit each with wicked strikes.   Powerbomb by Ishii.  Two count.   They moved with speed and hit each other with power moves.  Ishii tore off his arm brace and hit a lariat.    Ishii hits a brainbuster.

Ishii pins ZSJ.

Tomohiro Ishii earns 2 points and gets to 6 points.   

Damn this match was awesome.   I did not think Zack could make Ishii submit.   However, it would have been cool to see Zack go undefeated with all submission wins.  I am amazed how fast Ishii can move and how he can keep pace with technical wizard like Zack.  I highly recommend this match.

Kota Ibushi vs. Shingo Takagi

Both men were cautious about locking up at first.  Takagi hits a Pumping Bomber to the back of Ibushi’s head.  Takagi hits a lariat that sends Ibushi over the top rope.  Takagi drops Ibushi’s head on the ring apron.  Back in the ring, Takagi hits a DDT and a backdrop suplex.  The attacks focused on the head and neck.   Ibushi fights back with chops, slaps and kicks.  Takagi goes to the floor.   Ibushi hits a top rope Asai Moonsault.  Insane.   

Back in the ring, Takagi hits a Death Valley Driver and a spinning neck breaker.   Ibushi comes back with kicks.   Both men are beating the hell out of each other.  Just brutal.    Takagi hit a sliding lariat to the back of Ibushi’s head.   Takagi with a superplex.  Two count.  Takagi hits Made in Japan.  Two count.   Wow so close.   Ibushi connected with a knee to Takagi’s face.   Ibushi hits a Bomaye.  Ibushi hits a Last Ride.    Two count.   Takagi with a headbutt and wicked knee strike.   Takagi with a Pumping Bomber.   Two count.   Ibushi hits some kicks and hits Kamigoye.  Two count!    Ibushi with a Kamigoye to the back of Takagi’s head.   Ibushi with a final Kamigoye.

Ibushi pins Takagi.

Kota Ibushi earns 2 points but now is in a tie for the lead.   More importantly, Kota Ibushi has pinned the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.  This should put him in line for a title match.  

Wow.  This match was awesome.   I don’t know how these men do not cause major injuries to each other with the strikes that they hit.   This match is highly recommended.

A Block Standings as of 10/3/21:

Kota Ibushi - 8

Yujiro Takahashi - 4

Great O-Khan - 8

Tanga Loa - 4

Toru Yano - 6

KENTA - 8

Zack Sabre Jr. - 8

Tomohiro Ishii - 6

Shingo Takagi - 6

Tetsuya Naito - Forfeit

Thank you for reading.

 

 

 

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