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OKADA VS. COBB & MORE: 10/20 NJPW G1 CLIMAX BLOCK B REPORT FROM TOKYO

By James Kurokawa on 2021-10-20 17:48:00

Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb! 10/20/21 B Block Results from New Japan's G1 Climax 31 from Nippon Budokan, Tokyo Japan:

Kosei Fujita and Ryohei Oiwa vs. BUSHI and Hiromu Takahashi

Oiwa taps out to a Boston Crab from Hiromu.

G1 Climax 31 - B Block Matches:

YOSHI-HASHI vs. Chase Owens

Both men were fairly evenly matched.  

YOSHI-HASHI pins Owens with Karma.

YOSHI-HASHI finishes with 6 points total.

Chase Owens finishes with 4 points.

Match was solid.  Both men put in great performances throughout the G1 tournament.  Chase Owens' highlight was his pinfall win over Hiroshi Tanahashi, which could put him in line for an IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Title shot.

Hirooki Goto vs. Tama Tonga, with Jado

Tama seemed dominant in the early moments, probably still high off his win over Okada.   Goto seemed to be fighting from behind.  Tama hit a Tonga Twist, then an SRC, then a Supreme Flow.  Goto kicks out at two.  Goto counters with an ushigaroshi.  Goto hits top rope neckbreaker.  Goto hits a Reverse GTR and a lariat, but Goto does not go for the pin.  They reverse out of each other's finishers.  Tama hits a Bloody Sunday.  Two count.   Tama goes for a Gun Stun.  Goto blocks it.  Goto rolls Tama into a Sanshiki pin.  

Goto pins Tama.

Hirooki Goto finishes with 6 points.

Tama Tonga finishes with 6 points.

Good match.  I enjoy watching Goto in singles matches, because he can good matches with anyone.  Since he holds the NEVER Openweight 6-man Titles, he has been wrestling mostly tag matches, but he shows how great he is in the G1.   

Tama Tonga looked awesome in the G1.  After he and Tanga Loa lost the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Titles to Dangerous Tekkers back at Road to Dominion in June, both he and his brother worked hard to prepare for this tournament.  Tama Tonga had a win over Kazuchika Okada.  Tanga Loa beat Zack Sabre Jr.  Both men had great performances in the G1.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Taichi, with Miho Abe

Taichi comes to the ring with tape on his ribs.  

Tanahashi grabs a headlock and Taichi immediately plants him with a Dangerous Backdrop.  Tanahashi kicks out at two.   Taichi tosses off his tights already.  Taichi tries for Black Mephisto, but he cannot lift Tanahashi due to his ribs.  Taichi with an Ax Bomber.  Tanahashi punches Taichi in the ribs.  Taichi goes to the mat in pain.  Tanahashi stands on Taichi's chest.  Tanahashi switches to Taichi's left leg and applies an Indian Death Lock.   He bridges back and grabs Taichi's chin, bending him in half, applying pressure to the ribs and left leg.  Taichi is able to get to the ropes.  Taichi hits Tanahashi in the face with a spinning kick.  Taichi winces in pain with every offensive move he makes.  Taichi continues to kick Tanahashi in the head.  Taichi goes for a Kamagiri, but Tanahashi ties him to the Tree of Woe.   Tanahashi hits a dropkick to Taichi's gut.  Taichi falls to the mat in pain.  Tanahashi goes to pick him up, but Taichi kicks him in the head.  Taichi with another spin kick then connects with a Kamagiri.  But he is slow to follow up.  Tanahashi with Dragon screw.  Tanahashi applies the Texasclover Hold. Taichi gets to the ropes.  The New Japan doctor comes to ringside to check on Taichi.   Taichi does not want to stop the match.  Taichi goes for another Dangerous Backdrop.  Tanahashi reverses into a Slingblade.  Taichi gets up and counters with a Dangerous Backdrop.  Taichi hits Tensho Jujihou (his version of the superkick).  Tanahashi is laid out but Taichi cannot make the quick cover.  Taichi crawls to make the pinfall cover.  Tanahashi kicks out at two.  Taichi gets into a sumo stance in the corner.  He charges Tanahashi.   Tanahashi hits him with a quick left.  Taichi connects with a right punch which knocks Tanahashi to the mat.  Taichi tries for Black Mephisto, but Tanahashi reverses into Twist and Shout.  Tanahashi hits a Slingblade.  Tanahashi hits Aces High.   Tanahashi climbs the to the top rope and tries for a High Fly Flow.   Taichi moves out of the way and Tanahashi hits hard.  Taichi quickly traps Tanahashi with a Gedo Clutch.

Taichi pins Tanahashi.

Taichi finishes with 6 points total.

Hiroshi Tanahashi finishes with 8 points total.

Tanahashi left the ring disappointed.   Taichi looked worse as he left the ring in pain.  

Wow!  Great match!   Taichi had to fight from behind but he was able to overcome the injury to earn the win.  

SANADA vs. EVIL, with Dick Togo

EVIL and Togo decided to leave the match.  EVIL rang the ring bell and tried to leave ringside.   SANADA raced after him and threw EVIL in the ring.   SANADA rang the bell to start the match.   SANADA attacks EVIL but EVIL runs to the floor.  EVIL throws SANADA into the guardrail.  EVIL wraps a chair on SANADA's head, and hits him with another chair.   Back in the ring, both men hit each other with chops.  They exchange suplexes.  SANADA traps EVIL in the Paradise Lock.  Togo jumps in the ring.  SANADA puts Togo in the Paradise Lock.  SANADA dropkicks them both in the rear end.  EVIL rolls to the floor.   SANADA goes for a Plancha but misses.  EVIL sends SANADA into the timekeeper's table.   EVIL applies the Darkness Scorpion on SANADA on the floor.   EVIL lets go of SANADA and jumps back in the ring.   SANDA jumps in the ring before the count out.  EVIL hits Darkness Falls.   SANADA kicks out at two.   EVIL goes for Everything is Evil, but SANADA blocks it.  SANADA sends EVIL chest first into the metal bolt in the turnbuckle.  EVIL and Togo took off the turnbuckle pad earlier in the match.   SANADA hits a Backdrop Suplex.  SANADA hits a top rope dropkick and then a TKO.   EVIL kicks out at two.   SANADA goes to the top rope.  Togo throws a chair to SANADA.   Togo screams at the referee to disqualify SANADA.   SANADA puts the chair down and the referee removes the chair from the ring.   SANADA dropkicks Togo off the ring apron.   SANADA applies a Dragon Sleeper on EVIL.   He transitions into Skull End.  SANADA goes to the top rope to hit a moonsault.  EVIL gets his knees up.  Both men get to their feet.  SANADA throws a kick.  EVIL catches it and throws it at the referee, who takes a bump.   Togo jumps in the ring.  EVIL and Togo go for a Magic Killer.   SANADA kicks Togo off.  SANADA lifts up EVIL in a suplex, puts EVIL's legs on the shoulders of Togo and drops EVIL with a Magic Killer.   EVIL kicks out at two.  SANADA applies a Dragon Sleeper and swings EVIL in a circle to set up for Skull End.  EVIL grabs the referee and tries for a low blow.  SANADA avoids it.  EVIL goes for his finisher, but SANADA pushes him off and EVIL almost hits the referee.   SANADA hits a low blow on EVIL.  SANADA with a roll up with a bridge.   Togo pulls the referee from the ring.  Togo jumps in the ring and tries to choke out SANADA with his wire.   SANADA blocks it and sends Togo to the mat.   EVIL gets a chair and tries to hit SANADA, who ducks.  EVIL throws the chair to SANADA.  SANADA throws the chair to Togo, then dropkicks the chair into Togo's face.  The referee gets Togo out of the ring.  EVIL throws the chair into SANADA's face.  EVIL hits Everything is Evil on SANADA.

EVIL pins SANADA.

EVIL finishes with 14 points total.

SANADA finishes with 8 points total.

EVIL poses in the ring stepping on SANADA's head.   Shingo Takagi, who is at ringside commentary gets angry and wants to defend his Los Ingobernales de Japon teammate.  He is not allowed to do so, due to COVID protocols.   EVIL badmouths Takagi and returns to the locker room.

I feel like a broken record here.  These are great wrestlers and this match would have been a great match without the constant interference.   

For EVIL, now that the G1 is done, we shall see what happens with the storyline with the House of Torture.  There are a lot of moving parts in this, as it relates to EVIL, Yujiro Takahashi and SHO, and how they will fit into the concept of Bullet Club.  When Jay White returns to Japan, what is the hierarchy of Bullet Club?

Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb

Both men charge at each other.  Cobb attacks with a lariat.  Okada ducks.  Okada throws a bunch of elbows.  Cobb connects with a lariat.   Cobb attempts a Tour of the Islands early.   Okada quickly punches his way out.  Cobb stuns Okada with a quick jab to the gut.  Okada counters with a neck breaker.  Okada hits a snapmare and dropkicks Cobb in the head.  Okada hits a reverse neckbreaker.  Okada applies a reverse chinlock with a knee to Cobb's back.  Okada whips Cobb into the ropes, but Cobb stuns Okada with a running elbow.   Okada rolls towards the ropes.   Cobb stomps and stands on Okada's back and makes his Rainmaker pose.  Okada rolls to the floor.  Cobb punches Okada in the lower back.  Cobb again stands on Okada's back in front of the Japanese announce team.   Shingo Takagi applauds Cobb.  Back in the ring, Cobb lifts Okada in a vertical suplex and walks around the ring, then throws Okada across the ring and he lands on his back.  Cobb hits a belly-to-belly suplex, he holds on, then hits another belly-to-belly suplex.  Okada kicks out at two.  Okada clutches at his back.   Cobb drives his knee into Okada's back.  Cobb hits an uppercut to the lower back.  Cobb picks up Okada and runs him into the turnbuckles three times.  Cobb hits a running back suplex.  Cobb goes for a pin.  Okada kicks out.   Cobb goes for a standing moonsault, but Okada moves out of the way.  Cobb comes off the ropes but Okada hits a Flap Jack.  Okada hits an elbow.  Okada with a DDT.  Okada goes for a Money Clip.   Cobb pushes Okada into the corner.   Okada puts Cobb on the top rope.  Okada dropkicks him and he falls to the floor.  Okada tries for a plancha but Cobb catches him.  Cobb powers him up into a suplex, but Okada rolls out.  Okada goes for DDT, but Cobb backdrops him on the floor.  Back in the ring, Cobb hits a dropkick.   Okada dodges Cobb's attack and Cobb goes to the ring apron.  Okada dropkicks Cobb who goes to the floor.   Okada hits a flipping senton onto Cobb on the ring floor.  Wow!   Back in the ring, Okada hits a top rope dropkick.  Okada with a body slam and a top rope elbow.   Raimaker pose!   Okada goes for the Rainmaker, which Cobb reverses into a Spincycle.   Cobb with an Oklahoma Stampede.  Two count.  Cobb with a standing moonsault.   Two count.  Cobb whips Okada into the ropes for a Tour of the Islands, but Okada hangs onto the ropes.   Okada goes for the Rainmaker, but Cobb reverses into a release German Suplex.  Cobb tries for another Tour of the Islands but Okada reverses out and attempts a tombstone.  Cobb flips over and hits Okada with his own tombstone.  Cobb stands, still holding Okada, and hits a spinning jumping tombstone.  Cobb rolls off Okada and does not go for the pin.   Both men look exhausted.  Cobb gets to his feet first.   Cobb makes the Rainmaker pose.  Cobb goes for another Tour of the Islands and Okada rolls out and hits a spinning lariat.  Okada grabs the wrist of Cobb.  Cobb hits three big boots to the face.  Okada shrugs it off and hits a dropkick.  Okada applies the Money Clip.  Cobb was about to grab the ropes, but Okada picks him up and hits a tombstone.  Okada applies the Money Clip.  Cobb gets to his feet and goes for the ropes.  Okada releases the hold and they try multiple reversals on pin attempts.  Cobb hits a headbutt to Okada's chin.  Cobb goes for a Tour of the Islands but they reverse out of each other's finishers.  Cobb puts Okada on the top rope.  Cobb hits a dropkick.  Okada falls but his legs gets caught on the top rope.  He is hanging upside down.  The referee tries to get him free.  Okada frees himself but Cobb picks him up and puts him on the top rope.  Cobb picks him up for Tour of the Islands off the top rope, but Okada reverses out and hits a DDT.   Cobb is stunned and dazed.  Okada goes for a Rainmaker but Cobb avoids it.  Okada hits a dropkick.  Okada hits a sit down tombstone.  Okada hits the Rainmaker.

Okada pins Cobb.

Kazuchika Okada finishes with 16 points.

Jeff Cobb finishes with 16 points.   

Kazuchika Okada gets the tie breaker win and wins the B Block.   It will be Kota Ibushi vs. Kazuchika Okada in the Finals of the G1 Climax 31.

Great fun match.  The feud between Okada and Cobb has been great in 2021.   I would have liked to see Cobb win the whole thing, but I understand the outcome, as we are heading towards Wrestle Kingdom.  Jeff Cobb is a monster, and I hope remains a big part of New Japan in the years to come.  Hopefully, he will get a chance a major title soon.

Final B Block Standings as of 10/20/21

YOSHI-HASHI - 6

EVIL - 14

Jeff Cobb - 16

Chase Owens - 4

SANADA - 8

Tama Tonga - 6

Hirooki Goto - 6

Taichi - 6

Hiroshi Tanahashi - 8

Kazuchika Okada - 16 (WINNER)

As of this writing, there is no card for the Finals of G1 Climax 31 yet, other than Ibushi vs. Okada.   Stay tuned.

Thank you for reading.

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