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The opening weekend of the G1 Climax 30 kicked things off with a bang. The returning stars have all looked good while fans were treated with some fantastic wrestling. Night 3 of the G1 Climax 30 had the A Block back in action with some interesting encounters.
The main event of the evening was a rematch from last year's G1 Finals between Kota Ibushi and "Switchblade" Jay White. We would also see stablemates battle with Minoru Suzuki vs. Taichi and Tomohiro Ishii vs. Will Ospreay on Night 3 of the G1 Climax 30. We would also see Kazuchika Okada vs. Yujiro Takahashi and Shingo Takagi vs. Jeff Cobb on the night.
The action kicked off with a battle of the dojo trainees once again in front of a crowd of about 2,500 in Sapporo. Moving forward, we will be featuring a "Matches To Watch" section for those who want to save time and cherrypick the G1 Climax 30. Here are the "Matches to Watch" from Nights 1 and 2:
- Suzuki vs Ishii (Night 1)
- White vs Shingo (Night 1)
- Ibushi vs Okada (Night 1)
- Naito vs Tanahashi (Night 2)
For Night 3 of the G1 Climax 30, you should check out:
- Suzuki vs Taichi
- Ospreay vs Ishii
- White vs Ibushi
G1 Climax 30 Night 3: Yuya Uemura vs. Gabriel Kidd
This opener for Night 3 is the "unofficial" C Block of the G1 Climax 30 with the Young Lions continuing to battle. We have Yuya Uemura, coming off a win over Yota Tsuji on Night 1, against Gabriel Kidd, who lost to Tsuji on Night 2.
Gabriel Kidd brings a motivated intensity to this match. Uemura hits an excellent dropkick to stop Kidd's momentum. Both men trade strikes and European uppercuts to wear each other down.
In the end, Gabriel Kidd hits a big dropkick, followed by a delayed butterfly suplex for the win. This is the first win of the unofficial C Block of the G1 Climax 30 for Kidd. This encounter was crisp and very well executed from both men.
Rseults: Gabriel Kidd defeats Yuya Uemura via pinfall
Star Rating: ***
Shingo Takagi (0-1) vs. Jeff Cobb (0-1) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
This G1 Climax 30 match between Jeff Cobb and Shingo Takagi was a hard-hitting affair. The two men locked up to start off and transitioned into a strike exchange. Cobb used his power with a front suplex to gain control. After a bear hug from Cobb, Shingo hit a lariat. Jeff blocked a sliding lariat that led to the two men fighting for position.
The two men traded suplexes that laid them both out. They got into another strike exchange once back on their feet. Shingo hit a headbutt. Cobb responded with a superkick. Shingo hit a lariat, but Cobb hit one of his own. Shingo then reversed another and hit Noshigami. He then hit a Pumping Bomber lariat for a near fall.
Shingo set up for Last of the Dragon, but Cobb blocked and hit two rolling gutwrench suplexes. He followed up with a gutwrench powerbomb for a two count. Shingo reversed a fireman's carry into a DDT. There were some nice exchanges in this G1 Climax 30 encounter.
Shingo then hit Made In Japan for a near fall. Cobb reversed a Pumping Bomber into a snap German suplex. He then threw Shingo off the ropes to hit his Tour of the Islands finisher for the win. Cobb earned his first two points in the G1 Climax 30.
This was a good match to kick off the A Block competition. Jeff Cobb looks to still be working off the ring rust from his layoff, while Shingo remains one of the best of anyone in the G1 Climax 30.
Results: Jeff Cobb (2) defeats Shingo Takagi via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/2
Yujiro Takahashi (0-1) vs. Kazuchika Okada (0-1) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
The next A Block match was Kazuchika Okada facing his long standing rival, Yujiro Takahashi of the Bullet Club. Yujiro is the man who once cost Okada the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the New Japan Cup 2020 Finals against EVIL. Okada had his lower back taped up following the G1 Climax 30 A Block opener against Ibushi.
Early on, Yujiro took down Okada on the outside before taking control in the ring. Okada gained control by knocking Yujiro to the outside and hit a plancha to the floor. Yujiro regained control after that by hitting a fisherman buster for a two count. Okada hit his tombstone piledriver for a near fall. He then transitioned into his Cobra Clutch submission, called the Money Clip, but Yujiro bit him to break free.
Yujiro reversed or blocked the dropkick and discus Rainmaker. Finally, Okada hit his signature dropkick, followed by the discus Rainmaker. He then locked on the Money Clip for the submission win. Okada thus got his first two points of the G1 Climax 30.
Although the finish was fun, this was a slow-paced match that failed to deliver the quality we expect from the G1 Climax 30. This left something to be desired.
Results: Kazuchika Okada (2) defeats Yujiro Takahashi via submission
Star Rating: **1/2
***Intermission followed***
Taichi (1-0) vs. Minoru Suzuki (1-0) (G1 Climax 30 A Block)
The G1 Climax 30 A Block competition resumed with a battle of Suzuki-gun members with Taichi facing NEVER Openweight Champion Minoru Suzuki. This one started out hot with Suzuki coming in choking Taichi. The two men tried to separate themselves until the referee was knocked into the corner.
With the ref down, we got a steel chair joust between the two men. On the outside, Taichi challenged Suzuki to hit him harder, which Minoru obliges. The referee is knocked again a second time in this G1 Climax match, which Taichi used to hit Suzuki with his mic stand in the ring. Back to the outside, Taichi choked Suzuki with a camera wire.
The referee is knocked down a third time in this G1 Climax 30 brawl when Taichi grabbed a chair. He beat down on Suzuki on the outside until they returned to the ring. We got a strike exchange, with Suzuki challenging Taichi to hit him as hard as he can.
Suzuki blocked a kick and nailed Taichi with a stiff forearm that took him down. Taichi came back with a series of kicks. Suzuki finally got him in the choke and goes for the Gotch Piledriver, but Taichi blocked him and hits a Back Drop Driver.
Suzuki attempted the Gotch Piledriver for a second time, but Taichi reversed and hit Black Mephisto for the upset win. Taichi earned two points in the G1 Climax 30. This was an absolutely captivating brawl filled with chairs and stiff strikes. The finish really elevated this match — and Taichi, in the process.
Results: Taichi (4) defeats Minoru Suzuki (2) via pinfall
Star Rating: ***3/4
Will Ospreay (1-0) vs. Tomohiro Ishii (0-1) (G1 Climax 30 A Block)
We go from a battle of Suzuki-gun to a battle of CHAOS members with Will Ospreay facing Tomohiro Ishii in the G1 Climax 30 A Block. Ospreay tried to start off this G1 Climax 30 match with a sarcastic handshake twice, but Ishii had none of that. That led to a fast-paced back and forth and then a standoff.
In the corner, Ishii dared Ospreay to hit him. Ospreay hit slaps and strikes, but Tomohiro didn't budge. Will got Ishii off his feet and hit a standing shooting star press for a two-count. Will then started toying with Ishii in the corner and talked trash, which got Tomohiro up. Ishii nailed Ospreay with a stiff forearm.
Will hung Ishii on the ropes, but Tomohiro got out of the way of a top-rope double stomp. While on the apron, Ishii tried a lariat. However, Will reversed and hit a crazy springboard dropkick, knocking Ishii off the apron and to the floor. Ospreay tried for a Sasaki Special, but Ishii got out of the way with Will landing on his feet. After some reverses, Ospreay pushed Ishii into the guardrail and hit an OsCutter off of the guardrail.
Tomohiro avoided the countout in this G1 Climax 30 match, but Ospreay hit him with a springboard dropkick once back in the ring. Will then went to the top, but Ishii stopped him. He landed a headbutt and followed with an avalanche brainbuster to Ospreay.
Later, Ishii landed a sliding lariat for a near fall. Will then reversed another lariat into a C4 for his near fall. Ospreay hit the OsCutter for another close near fall. The sequences in this G1 Climax 30 encounter were fantastic.
Ishii blocked an OsCutter then tried for a Brainbuster, which Will reversed. Tomohiro then nailed Ospreay with a lariat. Will reversed another lariat into a Liger Bomb for a near fall. Ishii then hit another lariat, turning Will inside out for a two. Tomohiro then nearly took Will's head off with a headbutt under the chin.
In the end, Ishii blocked a Stormbreaker attempt, but Will hit him with a piledriver from that position instead for a near fall. Ospreay then hit the Hidden Blade, followed by the Stormbreaker, for the win, earning him two points in the G1 Climax 30. This was an excellent match focused on innovative moves and counters.
Results: Will Ospreay defeats Tomohiro Ishii via pinfall
Star Rating: ****3/4
Jay White (1-0) vs. Kota Ibushi (1-0) (G1 Climax 30 A Block)
The main event of Night 3 of the G1 Climax 30 was a rematch from last year's G1 Finals, with Switchblade Jay White facing Kota Ibushi. These two men have split their first two matches, with Ibushi winning during the G1 last year, and White winning at WrestleKingdom 14 Night 2.
White started off this G1 Climax 30 match by going to the outside and trolling the crowd because they can't chant "Ibushi" due to the pandemic restrictions. Ibushi nailed him with a kick once back in the ring. He then followed up with a plancha to the outside.
Switchblade focused his attack on Ibushi's right knee early on to gain control. Ibushi hit a dropkick and went for a second-rope moonsault, but White moved out of the way. Ibushi landed on his feet, which hurts his knee and gives Switchblade control again. White hit a great dead-lift German suplex that maked Ibushi land on his head.
Every time Kota attempted to take control, Switchblade went right back to the knee to control this G1 Climax 30 A Block match. Ibushi went for his deadlift German from the apron on Jay but Gedo grabbed White's foot. Jay then raked the eyes to regain control. Ibushi hit a vicious Bastard Driver, making Jay land on his head. Both men were down.
The story of this G1 Climax 30 main event was simple, but very effective. Kota looked for Kamigoye, but once again Jay hit dragon screws to his knee. He locked Ibushi in a leg bar submission, but Kota fought through it and got to the ropes.
Jay hit a sleeper suplex, which Ibushi immediately responded by hitting White with a Bomaye knee strike. Kota then followed with a Last Ride sit-out powerbomb for a near fall. Ibushi then set up for a Kamigoye, but Gedo got on the apron to fake throwing the towel. Jay used this moment to hit a low blow. He then followed with a Regal-plex for a two count.
Kota hit another Bomaye and nailed Gedo with a high kick on the apron. That distraction led to White hitting the Bladerunner for the abrupt end to this match. Switchblade won, earning him two points in the G1 Climax 30.
This was a great match that was enthralling and told a logical story throughout. These two men have unbelievable chemistry and always deliver entertaining contests. This was a fitting end to the G1 Climax 30 Night 3.
Results: Jay White defeats Kota Ibushi via pinfall
Star Rating: ****
Teddy Long snaps when Swerve Strickland's race is brought up HERE
