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The A Block was to be decided on this evening in Ryogoku for the G1 Climax 30 Night 17. Heading into this show, four competitors had the chance to win with only Switchblade Jay White being able to control his fate. However, the results of the block were not the only things that surprised many fans coming out of this huge show.
The main event of the was the aforementioned match where Jay White faced Tomohiro Ishii. Switchblade took the block with a win here. Our semi main event featured Kota Ibushi battling Taichi with Ibushi needing a win and loss by White to take the block. The two other men still in the running to take the A Block, Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay, were to meet one on one. The rest of the block matches were Shingo Takagi against Minoru Suzuki and Yujiro Takahashi meeting Jeff Cobb.
There was another limited-capacity crowd in Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan for the first of three straight nights here. We also had live English commentary from Kevin Kelly, Rocky Romero and Chris Charlton for the last three nights of the tournament. The A Block standings heading in to G1 Climax 30 Night 17 were:
- Jay White, Kazuchika Okada, Kota Ibushi (6-2)
- Will Ospreay (5-3)
- Taichi, Jeff Cobb (4-4) *eliminated
- Minoru Suzuki, Shingo Takagi, Tomohiro Ishii (3-5) *eliminated
- Yujiro Takahashi (0-8) *eliminated
For Night 17, your "Matches To Watch" are:
- Shingo Takagi vs. Minoru Suzuki
- Will Ospreay vs. Kazuchika Okada
- Kota Ibushi vs. Taichi
- Jay White vs. Tomohiro Ishii
The opening contest for the G1 Climax 30 Night 17 was another Young Lions battle with implications in the "unofficial" C Block.
G1 Climax 30 Night 17: Yota Tsuji vs. Gabriel Kidd
The night kicked off with Yota Tsuji meeting Gabriel Kidd. Kidd defeated Tsuji on G1 Climax 30 Night 14. A win here for Yota would win him the C Block.
This G1 Climax 30 contest began with Tsuji coming out with a running dropkick on Kidd. Yota laid in the stomps and hit a running splash for a near fall. Kidd then went for some small package rollups for two counts.
Kidd worked over Tsuji with chops and strikes. After a leverage battle, Tsuji hit a suplex. Tsuji hit an elbow in the corner. He then hit a slam and senton, but Kidd reversed into a crucifix for a near fall. The two men traded strikes until Kidd hit a dropkick for a near fall.
Kidd went for the butterfly suplex which Tsuji reversed into an inside cradle for a two count. Tsuji hit a spear followed by a powerslam for a near fall. Tsuji then did his Giant Swing into the Boston Crab for the submission win in seven minutes. Yota Tsuji got his seventh win of the tour. He has won the C Block of the G1 Climax 30 now. This was another solid opener here.
Results: Yota Tsuji defeats Gabriel Kidd via submission
Star Rating: **3/4
Yujiro Takahashi (0-8) vs. Jeff Cobb (4-4) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
The A Block opening match was Yujiro Takahashi versus Jeff Cobb. Yujiro came in 0-8, while Cobb was 4-4 heading into G1 Climax 30 Night 17. If Yujiro won here, Will Ospreay was still in the running to win the block.
Yujiro tried to get early control in this G1 Climax 30 contest, but Cobb hit a dropkick sending him to the floor. Cobb caught Yujiro trying to run from him on the floor. He hit a reverse DDT, laying him out. Cobb made it back inside the ring before the countout. Yujiro started to work over Cobb in the ring. Cobb tried to get control with a standing moonsault, but he missed and Yujiro followed with a boot in the corner. Cobb evaded the sliding dropkick and went on offense. He hit a front suplex and followed with a running back suplex.
Yujiro came back with a stun gun. He then hit a big boot and fisherman's buster for a near fall. Cobb tried again to regain the upper hand using the gutwrenches, but Yujiro bit his hand. Yujiro then missed a corner attack, which led to Cobb hitting a lariat in the corner and followed the Athletic Plex for a two count. Cobb quickly followed with a standing moonsault for a near fall in this G1 Climax 30 match.
Yujiro reversed Tour of the Islands and hit an inside cradle for a two count. He then used the walking stick and followed with the Intercollegiate Slam. Yujiro hit Miami Shine for a near fall. He then followed with Pimp Juice for the win in ten and a half minutes. Yujiro Takahashi gets his first win in the G1 Climax 30.
That was a decent enough opening match for the A Block. With this win, Will Ospreay is still alive to win the block here in the G1 Climax 30.
Results: Yujiro Takahashi (2) defeats Jeff Cobb (8) via pinfall
Star Rating: **3/4
Shingo Takagi (3-5) vs. Minoru Suzuki (3-5) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
The next A Block match is a rematch from Summer Struggle in Jingu Stadium with Shingo Takagi battling the NEVER Openweight Champion Minoru Suzuki. Both men are both eliminated from the G1 Climax 30. If Shingo won, he would get a title shot down the road.
This G1 Climax 30 encounter started out hot with strikes exchanged at the bell. Shingo hit a double chop sending Suzuki to the ropes. Shingo went for the lariat, but Suzuki caught him in an armbar in the ropes. Minoru then took him to the floor to beat him down. Back in the ring, Suzuki started to lay into Shingo and focused on the arm.
Suzuki got a guillotine, but Shingo reversed into a vertical suplex. Takagi landed a lariat in the corner that hurt his arm. He then followed with two more short arm lariats. The two men once again traded forearms in this G1 Climax 30 contest, which brought a sinister smile to Suzuki's face.
Suzuki grabbed the sleeper and went for the Gotch Style Piledriver, but Shingo backdropped out. Suzuki evaded the sliding lariat and locked on the sleeper again. He went for the Gotch again, but Takagi reversed into the death valley driver.
Shingo laid in elbows on Suzuki and hit a sliding lariat for a near fall. Shingo once again favored his arm in this G1 Climax 30 battle. Suzuki reversed Pumping Bomber into a flying armbar. Minoru transitioned into a triangle, focusing on the arm. Suzuki further damaged the arm and kicked Shingo in the head. Suzuki then locked on Fujiwara armbar.
Suzuki reapplied the sleeper hold and went to transition into the Gotch, but Takagi met him with chops and short arm lariats. Suzuki responded with slaps and strikes. Takagi hit headbutts, but Suzuki reversed a DVD into the sleeper hold again. When Suzuki let go, Shingo hit a jab to the jaw and hit Last of the Dragon for the win in twelve and a half minutes. Shingo Takagi got his fourth win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30.
That was a physically intense, hard-hitting battle with great focused work on the arm by Suzuki. Shingo got a huge victory here in the G1 Climax 30 to set up a rematch for the NEVER Openweight Championship.
Results: Shingo Takagi (8) defeats Minoru Suzuki (6) via pinfall
Star Rating: ****
***Intermission followed***
Will Ospreay (5-3) vs. Kazuchika Okada (6-2) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
A Block action resumed with Will Ospreay against Kazuchika Okada. Ospreay came in at 5-3 following a loss to Cobb, while Okada stood at 6-2 following a win over Ishii on G1 Climax 30 Night 15. Ospreay is 0-5 against his CHAOS stablemate all time.
Ospreay hit a running dropkick, sending Okada to the floor at the bell to this G1 Climax 30 encounter. He quickly followed with the Sasake Special to the outside. He then hit Pip Pip Cheerio in the ring for a two count. Both men went for the finishers before taking it back to the floor. Okada hit a Hangman's DDT on the floor. Ospreay made it in at the fifteen count.
Okada hit a neckbreaker for just the one count. He then worked over Ospreay's neck. Ospreay hit a backdrop to regain the upper hand in this G1 Climax 30 contest. He then followed with an atomic drop, chop and standing shooting star press for a near fall. Okada evaded strikes and then followed with a stiff DDT for a near fall. Ospreay evaded a strike and hit a springboard side kick.
Ospreay blocked the dropkick, put Okada on the top rope and hit a dropkick himself, sending him to the floor in this G1 Climax 30 battle. Ospreay then did a flying flip dive over the ring post to the floor.
Back in the ring, the two men then traded strikes and reversals in this G1 Climax 30 contest until Okada went for the dropkick that Ospreay caught into a powerbomb. Ospreay landed three hook kicks and looked for the Hidden Blade. Okada evaded and got wrist control.
After a reversal of the Stormbreaker, Okada hit a short arm lariat while still holding the wrist. Okada met Ospreay with the dropkick and hit a tombstone. He followed with the Money Clip until Ospreay made it to the ropes.
Okada responded to a slap from Ospreay with a running dropkick. Ospreay blocked the tombstone. Ospreay reversed a lariat into a Spanish fly for a two count. Okada backdropped out of the Stormbreaker and reversed a cradle for a rollup just for a two count.
Ospreay hit the Oscutter and held on to transition into the Stormbreaker, but Okada reversed into the Money Clip. After a series of reversals, Okada countered out of Stormbreaker into a discus lariat. That was an awesome sequence in this G1 Climax 30 matchup.
While Okada put on the Money Clip again, Bea Priestley came down to ringside. Ospreay tried to reach for the ropes, but Okada locked back on the Money Clip when Priestley got on the apron. With that distraction, former Young Lion Tomoyuki Oka, now known as Great O'Kharn, came down and hit a Iron Claw slam on Okada. Ospreay feigned surprise and then hit Stormbreaker on Okada for the win in seventeen minutes. Will Ospreay got his sixth win and first over Okada. Ospreay has got twelve points and still alive in the G1 Climax 30.
After the match, Ospreay hit Hidden Blade on Okada and told him that he held him back. That was an absolutely spectacular match with a shocking heel turn and introduction of a potential new stable. Ospreay has had a great G1 Climax 30 tournament, but this angle has gave him a whole different direction. It also helps to give Okada something new outside of the heavyweight title scene.
Results: Will Ospreay (12) defeats Kazuchika Okada (12) via pinfall
Star Rating: *****
Taichi (4-4) vs. Kota Ibushi (6-2) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
Our semi main event of the evening was Taichi versus Kota Ibushi. Taichi came in at 4-4 following a win over Shingo, while Ibushi stood at 6-2 following his win over Yujiro on G1 Climax 30 Night 15. Ibushi keeps himself alive with a win here and needs a White loss to win the block.
The two men traded kicks to the hamstrings to kick off this G1 Climax 30 encounter. They then traded big boots to the face until both men collapse. Back on their feet, the two men traded mid kicks. The two men then traded high kicks to the head against each other.
Both men once again collapsed. Nothing but kicks in this contest so far. We got another kick to the hamstrings exchange. Both men collapse again. Kota looked for Kamigoye, but Taichi hit a sweeping kick to take him down.
Both men used the ropes to get up as the two were worn down by all the kicks. Both men held each other up for more kicks to the hamstrings. Taichi hit a few stiff kicks to the hamstrings and looked for the buzzsaw kick, but Ibushi hit a stiff kick of his own to the hamstring.
Ibushi nailed the buzzsaw kick and hit the Kamigoye for the win in 17 minutes. Kota Ibushi got his seventh win and his fourteenth points in the G1 Climax 30. With this win, Ospreay was eliminated.
That was a remarkable spectacle and a complete original kind of a match. Over 15 minutes of straight kicks, this was unique and different from any other encounter in this G1 Climax 30 tournament. Fans may not see another wrestling match like this all year.
Results: Kota Ibushi (14) defeats Taichi (8) via pinfall
Star Rating: ****1/2
Jay White (6-2) vs. Tomohiro Ishii (3-5) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
The main event of the evening was Switchblade Jay White facing Tomohiro Ishii. Ishii came in at 3-5 following a loss to Okada, while White stood at 6-2 following a win over Suzuki on G1 Climax 30 Night 15. If Switchblade wins, he will take the A Block. Ishii won their previous meeting in last year's tournament.
White stalled at the bell to start this G1 Climax 30 main event. Ishii responded with a forearm, sending White to the floor. After a Gedo distraction, White worked over Ishii on the outside. Back in the ring, White hit a leg drop for barely the one count. White continued to work over Tomohiro with a neckbreaker for another one count. Switchblade then taunted Ishii before Tomohiro caught him with a powerslam.
Ishii laid in strikes and landed a running shoulder block. White got back control in this G1 Climax 30 match by hitting the taped up right knee of Ishii. He followed with a DDT. White then worked over the injured knee. Ishii started to no sell White's attack after he was taunted. Ishii shrugged off the pain and fired back with a forearm until he missed a corner attack. White then hit a kneebreaker on his shoulder.
After Ishii fired some forearms, White evaded a sliding lariat and followed with an flatliner-German Suplex combo. Switchblade once again taunted Ishii in this G1 Climax 30 contest. White hit a uranage and followed with a head and arm suplex into the corner. Ishii quickly responded with a German Suplex into the corner.
Gedo helped Switchblade avoid a suplex from Ishii on the apron and hit a dragon screw through the ropes. Ishii hit a headbutt to the chest of White sending him to the floor.
Back in the ring for this G1 Climax 30 match, Ishii hit a superplex for a two count. White caught an enziguri and hit a reverse dragon screw. He hit another while Ishii was on his back. White then locked on the TTO (Tanahashi Tap Out) leg bar submission. Ishii made it to the ropes though. Jay went for the sleeper suplex, but instead hit a chop block. He then hit the sleeper suplex. White followed with the Kiwi Crusher for the two count.
Ishii reversed the Blade Runner into an inverted dragon screw. He then followed with a Kiwi Crusher kneebreaker on his injured knee in a reversal of roles in this G1 Climax 30 encounter. He hit another kneebreaker and did a front chop block. Ishii then applied an ankle lock and transitioned to a knee bar. Ishii fought off Gedo when he came in the ring, but White used the distraction to kick the knee. Ishii reversed Blade Runner and ran White into Gedo. He then hit the sliding lariat for a near fall.
White got out of the brainbuster and hit a low blow, while Gedo distracted the ref. White hit a Regal Plex for a two count. Ishii blocked White and hit a headbutt right to the jaw. White reversed a lariat into two sleeper suplexes. Ishii reversed Blade Runner twice in this G1 Climax 30 battle.
After a series of reversals, Ishii hit a Street Cutter. Gedo distracted the ref and got hit with the lariat in the ring. Ishii then hit a lariat on White for a near fall. Ishii followed with the brainbuster on White for the win in twenty four and a half minutes. Tomohiro Ishii pulled off upset and eliminated White from the A Block of the G1 Climax 30.
That was an excellent encounter with Ishii pulling out the upset win to eliminate White. That was amazing and such a shocking result to end the A Block of the G1 Climax 30. Kota Ibushi is your A Block winner and moves on to the Finals on Sunday.
Results: Tomohiro Ishii (8) defeats Jay White (12) via pinfall
Star Rating: ****3/4
