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G1 Climax 30 Night 1 featured two great matches as well as plenty of good ones from the competitors from the A Block. On Night 2, the talent from the B Block had a lot to live up to. Although the B Block did not have the hype of the A Block, they more than delivered an action-packed night.
Night 2 of the G1 Climax 30 featured the reigniting of one of the storied rivalries in NJPW with IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito facing Hiroshi Tanahashi. We also had a battle of two of the most known rule breakers in New Japan Pro Wrestling with Suzuki-gun's Zack Sabre Jr. against the Bullet Club's EVIL. We would also get the New Japan returns for Juice Robinson and KENTA, so there was more than enough for the fans in Osaka and watching at home to enjoy from the G1 Climax 30 Night 2.
Like the first night, there was a limited capacity crowd of about 2500 in attendance in Osaka. The crowd was a lot more vocal on this night, so it definitely enhanced the matches.
We kick things off with a preliminary match between the Young Lions.
Gabriel Kidd vs. Yota Tsuji
This G1 Climax 30 Night 2 opener featuring the New Japan dojo trainees didn't take long to turn into a slugfest with Tsuji taking control. Tsuji being the stronger and bigger of the two, used this to his advantage on multiple occasions. Gabriel Kidd being the only UK-based trainee using that style to throw Tsuji off of his game.
In the end, Tsuji hit a massive spear then a running powerslam for a near fall. Then he locked in the signature Young Lions finisher, the Boston crab, for the win in just over nine minutes. This was very stiff and crisp. The match overdelivered and really kicked off the G1 Climax 30 Night 2 off with a bang.
Results: Yota Tsuji defeats Gabriel Kidd via submission
Star Rating: ***1/2
YOSHI-HASHI vs. Juice Robinson (G1 Climax 30 B Block)
The B Block opener of the G1 Climax 30 was one-third of the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Champions YOSHI-HASHI of CHAOS facing the returning Juice Robinson. Juice made his return with a brand new look here. The best way to describe would be a mix of the Blues Brothers and Freddie Mercury with a white tank top and black sequent tights.
Early on, HASHI blocked the Juice punch combo and looked for a punch of his own, which Juice reversed into a huge Full Nelson slam. He then followed up with his signature running senton in the corner. Juice looked and felt motivated here in his return in the G1 Climax 30. HASHI tried locking in his Butterfly Lock submission and then transitioned that into a head and arm choke, which Juice got up from. HASHI then hit a backstabber, followed by a top rope senton for a close two count.
Juice went for an Unprettier, but HASHI reversed into a schoolboy for two. Juice then hit a right hand and then the left hand of God, which set up HASHI for the Unprettier for the win in sixteen minutes. Juice gains two points in the B Block of the G1 Climax 30.
This was an excellent match to kick the B Block off. Both men looked motivated here and put in the work to deliver an entertaining contest.
Results: Juice Robinson (2) defeats YOSHI-HASHI via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/4
SANADA vs. Toru Yano (G1 Climax 30 B Block)
The B Block of the G1 Climax 30 continued here with the King of Pro Wrestling 2020 champion Toru Yano against Los Ingobernables de Japon's SANADA. Yano was up to his usual comedy shenanigans in this one. SANADA tried to prevent some of Yano's signature spots early, but the KOPW 2020 finally got a hold of the turnbuckle padding. SANADA put Yano in a cradle spinning him around the ring with Yano hugging the padding in a funny visual.
We then got our first turnbuckle padding sword fight of sorts in a G1 Climax 30 match. After losing this battle, a frustrated Yano sat on the outside, trying to bait SANADA but almost got himself counted out.
In the end, SANADA put Yano in the paradise lock, looking to get him counted out on the entranceway. However, Young Lion Uemura released him for some reason. The Cold Skull looked to make the dojo trainee pay for this by putting him in the paradise lock, but Yano used the distraction to tape SANADA's leg to Uemura's. Yano beat SANADA to the ring as he dragged himself along with Uemura to the ring in time to answer the 20 count. Yano wins in just over six minutes for 2 points in the B Block.
This was the weakest G1 Climax 30 match so far. However, due to Yano's comedy antics, this was still entertaining throughout.
Results: Toru Yano (2) defeats SANADA via countout
Star Rating: **1/2
Hirooki Goto vs. KENTA (G1 Climax 30 B Block)
When Night 2 of the G1 Climax 30 resumed, we got a WrestleKingdom 14 rematch with Hirooki Goto of CHAOS against the Bullet Club's KENTA. This marked KENTA's return to Japan since winning the New Japan Cup USA for a shot at the IWGP United States Championship Match on NJPW Strong.
Once in the ring, after some stalling from KENTA, Goto overwhelmed him with his strength. KENTA gained the advantage by focusing on the arm of Goto. KENTA laid in stiff kicks to his opponent's right arm repeatedly. Goto eventually powered up absorbing the kicks of KENTA to get some headway, but KENTA went back to the arm every time.
KENTA hit his signature corner hesitation dropkick and then followed with a double stomp from the top right on the bad arm of Goto. This was a focused attack here from the Bullet Club member in this G1 Climax 30 B Block match.
After a two count off a shining wizard, KENTA looked for the Go To Sleep, but Goto blocked it. KENTA hit some stiff slaps and strikes, but Goto reversed and hit Ushigorshi then locked on an arm submission. After another reversal from KENTA, he locked in Game Over in the middle of the ring. Following a struggle, Goto tapped out to give KENTA the win in seventeen minutes and gained two points in the B Block of the G1 Climax 30.
This was a very good match. Both stars had strong psychology here with KENTA working over the arm of Goto, which paid off in the finish.
Results: KENTA (2) defeats Hirooki Goto via submission
Star Rating: ***3/4
EVIL vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (G1 Climax 30 B Block)
The next B Block match of the G1 Climax 30 featured the former IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion EVIL of the Bullet Club against one half of the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Zack Sabre Jr. This was a battle of two of NJPW's most known rule breakers, but due to how this match was, the Osaka faithful chose which competitor would be their favorite.
EVIL used a distraction from Dick Togo to start the match to get control. He beat down ZSJ on the outside before bringing him in the ring. This was where the fans in Osaka chose Sabre Jr. as their favorite in this G1 Climax 30 match due to the constant interference of Togo.
ZSJ finally gained an advantage by attacking EVIL's arm. He then transitioned into an arms trapped submission. ZSK broke the hold when Dick Togo gets the apron, but later EVIL sent Zack into Red Shoes, allowing Togo to get in the ring for the double team.
EVIL and Dick Togo double-teamed ZSJ with the ref down until Zack reversed a Magic Killer attempt. He tried locking Dick in a cross armbreaker, which EVIL broke. At this point, even the Japanese commentators were on Zack's side, chanting for him to win this G1 Climax 30 encounter.
EVIL sent Zack into an exposed turnbuckle when the ref finally got to his feet. EVIL got a near fall with Darkness Fall. However, when EVIL went for Everything Is EVIL, ZSJ reversed it and got a cradle for the win in 1minutes to a huge pop.
This was a solid match in the B Block of the G1 Climax 30, only held back by the constant interference. However, the finish was tremendous.
Results: Zack Sabre Jr. (2) defeats EVIL via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/4
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito (G1 Climax 30 B Block)
The main event featured two of NJPW's biggest stars with IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito battling "The Ace" Hiroshi Tanahashi. This G1 Climax 30 B Block match delivered in spades.
Early on during the match, Tanahashi got control by attacking the taped knee of Naito with a unique kneebreaker. The champion got his legs back under him on the outside. Tana tried to go outside after him, but Naito slid back in and did his signature run into the Ingobernable pose.
On the outside, Naito got control by running Tana into the guardrail. Back in the ring, Naito went after the knees of Tana this time. However, the Ace was able to get control again in this G1 Climax 30 match after reversing Naito's signature corner attack. After a Tana dragon screw which sent Naito to the outside, Tana hit a High Fly Flow from the top to the floor on the champion.
Naito avoided a countout, but Tana took advantage of this G1 Climax 30 battle by hitting two Dragon screws to the knee while his opponent was on the apron. After two more dragon screws, Tana then locked in his Texas Cloverleaf submission, but the champ got to the ropes.
A reversal exchange led to Tana hitting an arms-trapped suplex for a near fall. Naito then blocked an attack and hit a tornado DDT of his own. They traded big moves, with Tana hitting Slingblade and Naito, a reverse DDT.
The crowd were buzzing and loud, getting into this G1 Climax 30 B Block main event more. The two men then traded strikes back and forth. Naito won this exchange with repeated elbow strikes while holding onto Tana's arm. He then hit Valentia for a near fall. After a series of reversals, Tana hit two Slingblades and went to the top for High Fly Flow. He hit one to a standing Naito, but missed the second attempt when Naito moved out of the way. Naito then hit a running Destuno for a near fall.
In the end, with time running out, Naito tried another Destino that Tana blocks. However, the champion hit a brainbuster then nailed a standard Destino for the win in 27 minutes and got two points in the B Block of the G1 Climax 30. Post match, Naito cut a promo and did his LIJ call to end the night.
This was an incredible battle and the best match of the G1 Climax 30 so far. The two men, especially Tanahashi, put on fantastic performances to deliver a fitting end to a very good show.
Results: Tetsuya Naito (2) defeats Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall
Star Rating: ****3/4
