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Minoru Suzuki (3-1) vs. Kazuchika Okada (2-2) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
A Block competition resumed with NEVER Openweight Champion Minoru Suzuki facing Kazuchika Okada of CHAOS. Suzuki came in at 3-1 following a victory over Yujiro, while Okada stood at 2-2 following a win over Taichi on Night 7 of the G1 Climax 30.
We got a slow, tentative start from both men. This quickly turned into a strike exchange between the two men here in this G1 Climax 30 match. Suzuki landed a huge slap that echoed across the arena. He then followed with an armbar across the top rope. Suzuki then focused in and attacked Okada's arm on the outside.
Back in the ring, Suzuki landed a penalty kick to the arm and locked on a Kimura until Okada got to the ropes. The two men traded strikes once again, but Suzuki got the upper hand.
However, Okada reversed a choke into the air raid neckbreaker. We got another exchange with Suzuki no selling Okada's forearms. Okada then hit the dropkick. He followed with the tombstone and transitioned into the Money Clip. However, Suzuki reversed that into a cross armbreaker to focus on the arm again in this G1 Climax 30 battle.
Okada landed a lariat, while holding onto the arm. He looked for the Rainmaker, but Suzuki evaded instead, running into an Okada dropkick. Another Rainmaker attempt is reversed into a rear naked choke. Okada tried to reverse out into the Money Clip, but Suzuki blocked. Okada then reversed another choke and rolled up Suzuki for the win in just over fourteen minutes. Okada got his third win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30.
The tournament story for Okada of not using the Rainmaker yet his Money Clip submission not really working for him at the same time has been quite intriguing This one was a good contest overall.
Results: Kazuchika Okada (6) defeats Minoru Suzuki (6) via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/2
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
