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G1 Climax 30 B Block Match: Hirooki Goto (4-3) vs. EVIL (5-2)
Our semi-main event of the evening was Hirooki Goto facing EVIL. Goto stood at 4-3 following a win over Tanahashi, while EVIL came in at 5-2 following a win over Naito on G1 Climax 30 Night 14. Goto owned a 3-2 record against EVIL coming in.
Both men traded headlocks to start this G1 Climax 30 contest. EVIL gained control using his chair homerun on Goto on the floor behind the ref's back. Back in the ring, he removed the corner mat and ran Goto into the exposed turnbuckle twice. Goto was heavily favoring his taped-up arm at this point.
Goto avoided a third whip into the exposed turnbuckle and hit a backdrop driver. He followed with a spinning heel kick in the corner and running bulldog for a two count. EVIL regained control of this G1 Climax 30 encounter and hit a fisherman's buster for a near fall. Goto blocked Darkness Falls and caught EVIL with Ushigoroshi.
EVIL nailed a lariat to regain the advantage of this G1 Climax 30 contest and hit Darkness Falls for a near fall. Goto reversed a lariat into a neckbreaker, which led to both men being down. The two men traded strikes ending with Goto hitting a clothesline sending EVIL to the floor.
Goto then followed with a plancha onto both EVIL and Dick Togo. Back in the ring, Goto hit a diving elbow for a two count. EVIL raked the eyes to avoid GTR. The two men then met each other with lariats before EVIL tried distracting the ref. Dick Togo came in the ring with the choker, but Goto caught him with Ushigoroshi.
Goto then hit a lariat and a mid kick. EVIL blocked GTR, so Goto hit a reverse GTR for a near fall. After a series of reversals, EVIL reversed a lariat into Everything Is EVIL for the win in under 16 minutes. EVIL got his sixth win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30. Goto is officially eliminated and EVIL needs one more win on Saturday to win the block.
That was a pretty good match. EVIL had less interference than usual and got a relatively clean victory. Now, EVIL just has to win on Saturday to win the entire B Block of the G1 Climax 30.
Results: EVIL (12) defeats Hirooki Goto (8) via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/4
