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With the G1 Climax 30 hitting its midway point, many storylines and trends have surfaced. The standings are getting more interesting in both groups. The B Block has been giving us decent to good shows, while the A Block with their stacked lineup have delivered truly exciting cards. For Night 11 of the G1 Climax 30, the A Block delivered one of the best shows of the entire tournament and possibly the year from NJPW.
The main event was a first-time-ever encounter with Kota Ibushi facing Shingo Takagi. We got two other first-time-ever contests on this evening with Minoru Suzuki battling Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada against Jeff Cobb. The other A Block group matches would be Jay White versus Taichi and Tomohiro Ishii facing Yujiro Takahashi.
This would be our second straight night in Hiroshima in front of a limited capacity crowd of about 2000 fans. The A Block standings heading into G1 Climax Night 11 were:
- Kota Ibushi (4-1)
- Jay White, Kazuchika Okada, Minoru Suzuki, Taichi, Will Ospreay (3-2)
- Jeff Cobb, Shingo Takagi, Tomohiro Ishii (2-3)
- Yujiro Takahashi (0-5)
For Night 11, your "Matches To Watch" are:
- Minoru Suzuki vs. Will Ospreay
- Taichi vs. Jay White
- Kota Ibushi vs. Shingo Takagi
To kick things off on this night, we got another contest between the Young Lions of NJPW in what has been coined the C Block of the G1 Climax 30.
G1 Climax 30 Night 11: Gabriel Kidd vs. Yota Tsuji
The opening match of the evening was the New Japan dojo trainees of Gabriel Kidd against Yota Tsuji. These two men fought to a time limit draw in their last meeting on G1 Climax 30 Night 8.
Both men started out fast, exchanging strikes at the bell. Control moved back and forth here. Neither man took advantage for long in this G1 Climax 30 opening contest. We got a forearm exchange that ended with Kidd landing a beautiful dropkick.
Kidd tried following with his double underhook butterfly suplex, but Tsuji blocked. Yota hit a rolling powerslam and followed up with his spear for a near fall. He then locked on the Boston Crab. After some struggle, Tsuji pulled Kidd to mid-ring and sat back to get the submission win in just under seven minutes. Yota Tsuji is the first to four wins out of the Young Lions in the "unofficial" C Block of the G1 Climax 30.
This was a solid opener, with both Young Lions being highly competitive and aggressive in this one. You felt that they both wanted the win badly here.
Results: Yota Tsuji defeats Gabriel Kidd via submission
Star Rating: ***
G1 Climax 30 A Block Match: Yujiro Takahashi (0-5) vs. Tomohiro Ishii (2-3)
Our A Block opener on this night was Yujiro Takahashi facing Tomohiro Ishii. Yujiro came in still winless at 0-5, while Ishii stood at 2-3 after a win over Taichi on G1 Climax 30 Night 9.
Yujiro attacked Ishii before the bell to begin. Takahashi continued the assault on the floor, hitting a reverse DDT on the entranceway. Back in the ring, Yujiro hit a corner boot to the head for a two count. Yujiro dominated his opponent early on to the point that Ishii never took his shirt off in the opening minutes of this G1 Climax 30 contest. He finally gained control with a suplex and took off his shirt.
Every time Ishii gets control, Yujiro cut him off, though. Takahashi hit a fisherman buster, which Ishii came down selling his arm and neck. Ishii reversed a lariat into a German Suplex into the corner. Ishii followed up with an avalanche brainbuster from the top for a near fall. Yujiro regained the advantage in this G1 Climax 30 match with an Alabama Slam. He followed up with a lariat and Intercollegiate Slam for a near fall. Yujiro then hit Miami Shine for another close two count.
Ishii reversed a Pimp Juice attempt into a German Suplex. He then no-sold a lariat and hit an enziguri, followed by a lariat for a near fall. Yujiro reversed a brainbuster into one of his own. However, he then ran into a lariat. Ishii then tried the brainbuster, but Yujiro rolled him up for a two.
Yujiro went for Pimp Juice again, but Ishii landed a headbutt. He followed with a sliding lariat for a near fall. Ishii then hit the brainbuster to get the win in fifteen and a half minutes. Tomohiro Ishii gets his third win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30. This was one of Yujiro's strongest matches of the entire tournament so far.
Results: Tomohiro Ishii (6) defeats Yujiro Takahashi (0) via pinfall
Star Rating: ***
G1 Climax 30 A Block Match: Jeff Cobb (2-3) vs. Kazuchika Okada (3-2)
Our next A Block match of the evening was Jeff Cobb facing Kazuchika Okada. Cobb came in at 2-3 after his win over Switchblade in Hiroshima, while Okada stood at 3-2, following his victory over Suzuki on G1 Climax 30 Night 9. This was a first-time-ever match.
We got a tentative start to this G1 Climax 30 encounter. Okada is able to gain control with a sliding dropkick. He wore down Cobb until he responded with a front suplex. Okada started to pick up the pace and use his speed to regain the upper hand. We got a strike exchange between the two ending with a lariat from Cobb.
Jeff started displaying his power by gutwrenching Okada around from a standing position. He then turned a powerbomb attempt into an Athletic Plex with great ease. He followed with a standing moonsault for a two count. Okada regained control by landing his signature dropkick.
Okada followed up with the tombstone and locked on the Money Clip submission. Cobb fought to his feet, but Okada did a backslide looking for a lariat. However, Cobb hit a dropkick himself. He then did the Rainmaker pose showing some confidence in this G1 Climax 30 contest and set up for a ripcord Tour of the Islands. Okada reversed, but hit a German instead. He looked for Tour of the Islands, but Okada did a small package for a two count.
In the end, we saw a series of reversals finally ending with Okada rolling up Cobb for the win in eleven minutes. Kazuchika Okada gets his fourth win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30. This was a well-worked and paced, solid affair. With more time, it had all the potential to be great. It settled for a good match on this night.
Results: Kazuchika Okada (8) defeats Jeff Cobb (4) via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/4
***Intermission followed***
G1 Climax 30 A Block Match: Will Ospreay (3-2) vs. Minoru Suzuki (3-2)
Our A Block matches resumed with a champion vs. champion contest in Rev Pro British Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay facing NEVER Openweight Champion Minoru Suzuki. The two men came in at 3-2, with both taking losses on G1 Climax 30 Night 9. This was yet another first-time-ever battle.
This G1 Climax 30 encounter started hot with both men trading strikes. Ospreay knocked Suzuki to the floor and hit a plancha. They traded strikes on the outside, where Suzuki reversed a Pip Pip Cheerio into a Fujiwara armbar. Suzuki focused his attack on Ospreay's arm using the guardrail and ring post.
Back in the ring, he continued to wear down the arm in this G1 Climax 30 matchup. Both men traded strikes, with Suzuki getting the upper hand. Suzuki followed up with an Octopus Hold. Ospreay broke out and landed a kick. He followed up with a double hand chop and standing shooting star press for a two count.
Pip Pip Cheerio is reversed again into an armbar from Suzuki in the ring. Minoru is ruthless pulling back on the fingers, but Will made it to the ropes. Suzuki hit a big boot in the corner and set up for the penalty kick. Ospreay tried blocking with his arm, but the kick only further damaged the right arm.
Suzuki then made Ospreay strike him, which again hurt his arm with Suzuki no selling each forearm. A strike exchange followed with Suzuki once again taking control with vicious forearms. Ospreay kicked an incoming Suzuki and followed up with Pip Pip Cheerio finally. Suzuki caught Will on the top going after the arm, but Ospreay fought him off and went for a 450 splash. He landed on his feet, which led to a strike exchange with Ospreay winning this time with a side superkick in this G1 Climax 30 battle.
Ospreay looked for Stormbreaker, but Suzuki broke out, going after the right arm. The two men traded forearms with Suzuki laying him out again. Ospreay broke out of the choke by attacking Suzuki's arm and hit a suplex for a two. Suzuki evaded the Hidden Blade and did a tilt twirl into the sleeper hold.
Suzuki looked to transition into the Gotch Piledriver, but Ospreay nailed an enziguri. Ospreay tried to follow with a Stormbreaker, but Suzuki once again locked on the sleeper. However, Ospreay reversed that into the Stormbreaker to finally get the victory in fourteen and a half minutes. Will Ospreay gets his fourth win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30.
What a match! That was hard-hitting with plenty of innovative counters back and forth. This was a fantastic, first-time encounter. This was a tremendous individual performance from Suzuki here with the 52-year-old going move for move with Ospreay in this G1 Climax 30 battle.
Results: Will Ospreay (8) defeats Minoru Suzuki (6) via pinfall
Star Rating: ****1/4
G1 Climax 30 A Block Match: Jay White (3-2) vs. Taichi (3-2)
Our semi main event of the evening was Jay White versus Taichi. White came in at 3-2, following his loss to Cobb on G1 Climax 30 Night 9. Taichi stood at 3-2, following his loss to Ishii in Hiroshima. This is a rematch from last year's tournament with White winning that one.
White took a seat and clapped to Taichi's singing during his entrance. Hilarious! Both men looked to stall to kick off this G1 Climax 30 match. After a quick series of evaded strikes, Taichi slid to the outside. When White followed, Taichi used camera wiring to choke Switchblade. However, Jay used a distraction from Gedo to get the upper hand.
Back in the ring, White then started mocking the fans with clapping again. Taichi responded with a rake of the eyes and hit a high kick in the corner. The two men traded strikes, with Taichi getting the upper hand following a forearm to the back as this G1 Climax 30 battle heated up. He then hit a lariat for a two count. White hit a German Suplex that Taichi no sold. White followed with an uranage. He then tried the Blade Runner, but Taichi reversed into the Backdrop Driver.
Both men traded kicks and knees, ending with Taichi hitting a spin kick to take down Switchblade. He followed with the Gedo Clutch, but Gedo himself came in the ring to distract the ref. White tried to use that to land a low blow, but Taichi blocked and looked for the low blow himself. White blocked and ran Taichi into the ref. With the ref down in this G1 Climax 30 encounter, Taichi blocked Gedo and landed a low blow on him. He then caught White's low blow attempt and hit one followed by the Gedo Clutch for a near fall.
Taichi hit a Last Ride powerbomb for another close two. He removed his tights and looked for the thrust kick. White pushed the ref in the way. We then got a series of reversals, which ended with White reversing the thrust kick into the Blade Runner for the win in just over fifteen minutes. Jay White gets his fourth win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30
That was a surprisingly fun contest filled with a mix of heel shenanigans and smooth counters. Taichi has really stepped up in this G1 Climax 30 tournament.
Results: Jay White (8) defeats Taichi (6) via pinfall
Star Rating: ****
G1 Climax 30 A Block MatchShingo Takagi (2-3) vs. Kota Ibushi (3-2)
Our main event of G1 Climax 30 Night 11 was a first-time encounter between Shingo Takagi and Kota Ibushi. Shingo stood at 2-3 coming in, following a win over Yujiro in Hiroshima. Ibushi came in at 4-1, following his victory over Ospreay on Night 9.
We got a tentative start to this G1 Climax 30 main event with both men evading each other's strikes and offense. We then got an early strike exchange ending with Ibushi landing a dropkick to send Shingo to the floor. Once back in the ring, Ibushi took control.
Shingo blocked a springboard and hit a stun gun. He followed with a clothesline to the outside. Shingo worked over Ibushi's back and followed with a DDT on the floor. Back in the ring, Shingo worked over the midsection. He then hit a suplex for a two.
Both men traded strikes again until Shingo caught Ibushi's leg and hit a dragon screw. Ibushi no-sold a lariat in the corner and responded with a frankensteiner. He then hit a series of strikes followed by a standing moonsault for a two count. After rallying the crowd, Ibushi hit a plancha to the floor on Shingo.
Back in the ring in this G1 Climax 30 battle, we got the two men trading strikes ending with Shingo hitting a short lariat. A series of reversals then ended with Shingo hitting Noshigami for a near fall. Both men evaded strikes and then traded suplexes. They traded slaps followed by chops and kicks. Shingo landed a left jab and hit a series of forearms. Ibushi then landed on his feet following a German Suplex attempt. He followed with a buzzsaw kick to the back of the head. Ibushi then hit the Last Ride sit-out powerbomb for a near fall.
Shingo reversed a running knee strike into a pop-up death valley driver. Ibushi landed a kick while holding the wrist. Shingo then evaded a kick and reversed into Made In Japan for a near fall. He followed with three consecutive Pumping Bomber lariats for another close near fall in this heated G1 Climax 30 encounter.
Ibushi then landed a lariat and hit a Bomaye for a near fall. Shingo then reverses the Kamigoye into the Last of the Dragon for the win in 22 minutes. Shingo Takagi gets his third win and another two points in the G1 Climax 30.
This was an absolute banger of a match. It had hard-hitting strikes, innovative sequences and incredible counters. Both men had phenomenal chemistry in this G1 Climax 30 main event. This was one of the best matches of the tournament so far.
Results: Shingo Takagi (6) defeats Kota Ibushi (8) via pinfall
Star Rating: ****3/4
