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The G1 Climax 30 is back with B Block competition on Night 4. NJPW is in Sapporo for this back to back show in front of a crowd of about 2500 on this night. After another really good show featuring the A Block, the B Block once again had to follow that up and attempt to deliver an entertaining night for the fans.
The main event featured the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion, Tetsuya Naito, against one half of the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, Zack Sabre Jr. Naito is coming off a win over Hiroshi Tanahashi in the main event of Night 3, while ZSJ pulled off an upset win over the former IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion, EVIL. Also, SANADA faced Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano took on Tanahashi, KENTA squared off against Juice Robinson, and EVIL faced YOSHI-HASHI.
On Night 4 of the G1 Climax 30, your "Matches To Watch" are:
- EVIL vs. YOSHI-HASHI
- Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
As usual, the show kicked off with a battle of the New Japan dojo trainees, the Young Lions. On this occasion, it would be a rematch from the first night of the G1 Climax 30.
Yuya Uemura vs. Yota Tsuji
NJPW Young Lions, Yuya Uemura and Yota Tsuji, opened Night 4 of the G1 Climax 30 with an "unofficial" C Block match. This is a rematch from Night 1 where Uemura defeated Tsuji. Tsuji just picked up a win over Gabriel Kidd on Night 2, while Uemura lost to Kidd on Night 3.
To start, there was a grappling exchange that transitioned into Uemura trying to work on the leg of his larger opponent. Tsuji used his power, but Uemura overcame him when he hit a beautiful dropkick. He once again went for Tsuji's legs, but Tsuji made it to the ropes. Then, Tsuji hit a running dropkick of his own in this well-worked example of strength versus speed.
In the end, Tsuji hits a spear, a rolling slam, and locked in the Young Lion special, the Boston Crab, for the win in eight minutes. Yota Tsuji secured his second win in the C Block of the G1 Climax 30.
Results: Yuya Uemura defeats Yota Tsuji via submission
Star Rating: **3/4
SANADA (0-1) vs. Hirooki Goto (0-1) - G1 Climax 30 B Block Match
In the first match of B Block competition, SANADA of Los Ingobernables de Japon faced one-third of the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions, Hirooki Goto of CHAOS. Both men lost their B Block opening matches, so this was an important match. We didn't mention in the Night 2 review that SANADA has a nice haircut and new attire for the G1 Climax 30. Goto suffered a shoulder injury in the block opener against KENTA and it was heavily taped here.
Early in this G1 Climax 30 encounter, the fight moved to the outside where SANADA evaded a lariat as Goto ran his injured shoulder into the ring post. From there, SANADA worked over his right arm. The Cold Skull countered Goto continuously, even locking in Skull End early. However, Goto escaped and nailed a discus lariat but reaggravated his injured shoulder.
The two men traded finisher attempts and pinning combinations. SANADA then nails his opponent with Goto's own Ushigoroshi but he missed his signature Muta-sault. Then, Goto hit a rope-assisted GTR, followed by a GTW to force a near fall. Goto quickly landed a stiff kick to the chest and the GTR for the win in eleven minutes. Hirooki Goto picked up his first two points in the G1 Climax 30.
This was a good match to kick off the event. There were plenty of entertaining counters and sequences that showed off the chemistry between these two men. B Block favorite, SANADA, is now 0-2.
Results: Hirooki Goto (2) defeats SANADA via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/2
Toru Yano (1-0) vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi (0-1) - G1 Climax 30 B Block Match
Next, KOPW 2020 Champion, Toru Yano, took on Hiroshi Tanahashi. Yano is coming off a countout win over SANADA on Night 2 of the G1 Climax 30, while The Ace lost to Naito in a classic main event. Tanahashi's hair looked as fabulous as the preacher's wife on Easter Sunday.
This G1 Climax 30 match started with "vintage" Yano going for the turnbuckle padding, which Tana reversed into a dragon screw. Then, The Ace grabbed the padding and did an air guitar with it. The two men fought up the entrance ramp.
They traded strikes until Yano rakes the eyes and ran to the ring. Tana made it in before the twenty-count, but Yano rolls him up for a two-count.
Unsurprisingly, Yano had tape hidden under the ring. However, Tana reversed and puts the tape over Yano's eyes. Yano was still able to make it in before the count-out though. He put the ref in front of him to avoid a Slingblade attempt from Tana.
Yano then gave The Ace a low blow behind the ref's back and rolled him up while still blindfolded with tape for the win in just over seven minutes. The 2020 KOPW Champion earned two more points in the G1 Climax 30.
This solid comedy match was a nice change of pace. Yano has pinned Tanahashi and Okada in the last month, proving he is the King of Pro Wrestling.
Results: Toru Yano (4) defeats Hiroshi Tanahashi via pinfall
Star Rating: **
***Intermission followed***
Juice Robinson (1-0) vs. KENTA (1-0) - G1 Climax 30 B Block Match
B Block competition in the G1 Climax 30 resumed with Juice Robinson vs. the winner of the New Japan Cup USA, KENTA of Bullet Club. Both men won on Night 2, so a victory here would give either of them momentum.
KENTA tried to dictate the pace early by rolling to the floor. Robinson attempted his Juice combo punches once KENTA was back in the ring, but KENTA rolls out again.
KENTA caught Juice on the apron with kicks. Then, he landed a second rope knee drop on Robinson, while he was hung up in the ropes to gain control in this G1 Climax 30 bout.
KENTA kept targeting his opponent's eyes to regain control whenever Robinson gained momentum. Still, Juice took control and rallied the crowd into a rhythmic clap as he placed his opponent on the top rope but KENTA blocked and hit a missile dropkick. He followed up with a running boot to the face and corner dropkick. KENTA then hits a diving foot stomp for a near fall.
Juice reversed a running knee and hits a full nelson slam. Both men were down and fight to their feet before a strike exchange. The exchange ended with Juice hitting a lariat followed by a gutbuster for another near fall as this G1 Climax 30 match picked up the energy late.
In the end, both men attempt their finishers. However, Juice nailed two Left Hand of God punches to knock out KENTA. He followed up with his finisher, Pulp Friction, for the win in seventeen minutes. Juice gains two more points in the G1 Climax 30. This was a very solid affair that could have been even better if it was shorter.
After the match, Juice seemingly challenged KENTA for his IWGP US title shot briefcase.
Results: Juice Robinson (4) defeats KENTA (2) via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/2
EVIL (0-1) vs. YOSHI-HASHI (0-1) - G1 Climax 30 B Block Match
Our next G1 Climax 30 contest was EVIL of Bullet Club against one-third of the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champions, YOSHI-HASHI of CHAOS. Both men are coming off losses on Night 2.
EVIL immediately tried to hit YOSHI-HASHI with a steel chair upon him entering, which mirrored how he attacked him to start their New Japan Cup 2020 match. However, this time HASHI was ready and attacked him with his signature stick.
EVIL took control when he distracts the referee, Red Shoes, allowing Dick Togo to attack HASHI. EVIL then went to the outside and laid out chairs. He then executed a suplex onto the chairs on the floor. The story to this G1 Climax 30 contest was that YOSHI-HASHI was prepared for any of EVIL's offense and tricks.
He evaded the exposed turnbuckle and used it himself. Late in the match, HASHI locked on his Butterfly Lock for a while, which EVIL withstood long enough to finally reach the ropes to force a break. HASHI fought off interference from Dick Togo on multiple occasions including blocking his wire choke.
He nailed EVIL with a huge lariat for a near fall. Then, HASHI looked to follow with his finisher, but EVIL blocked and threw him into Red Shoes. With the official distracted, EVIL hit a low blow and Everything Is EVIL for the win in seventeen minutes. EVIL gets his first two points in the G1 Climax 30.
This was a surprisingly good match that got even better as it went on. EVIL and YOSHI-HASHI told a good story that kept the crowd invested. This G1 Climax 30 battle was one of the best YOSHI-HASHI matches in a while.
Results: EVIL defeats YOSHI-HASHI via pinfall
Star Rating: ***3/4
Tetsuya Naito (1-0) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (1-0) - G1 Climax 30 B Block Match
The main event of G1 Climax 30 Night 4 was one half of the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, Zack Sabre Jr. of Suzuki-gun, versus the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion, Tetsuya Naito. Both men pulled off wins on Night 2 as ZSJ beat EVIL and Naito defeated Tanahashi in a match of the year candidate.
This contest started with some mat-based grappling. Unsurprisingly, this worked right into ZSJ's wheelhouse. Sabre Jr. capitalized on Naito while he was doing his trademark pose, going for several pinning combinations. Naito got on his feet and put ZSJ down with head scissors until he reached the ropes.
ZSJ regained the advantage when he pulled off a tornado DDT that astonished the crowd. Naito lands right on his head but ZSJ only earned a two-count. Then, he transitioned into a triangle chokehold before Naito does force a rope break.
Naito gained control with an apron assisted neck breaker on the floor. At the 20 minute mark of this G1 Climax 30 bout, Naito hits an avalanche frankensteiner off the top rope.
After some reversals, Naito then nails a tornado DDT for a near fall. He locked on a clutch submission, which ZSJ forced him to break. Naito then looked for a running forearm, but Zack reversed into an Octopus Hold and transitioned to the ground in this G1 Climax 30 battle. After a few minutes, Naito made it to the ropes to break free.
At the twenty-five minute mark, there was a strike exchange. ZSJ looked for the Zack Driver, which Naito reversed and hit a twisting Destino. He looked for the standard Destino, but Sabre hits a Zack Driver to put both men down.
ZSJ then went for two European Clutch pins to force a near fall as only three minutes remained. Naito reversed a Zack Driver into another Destino with two minutes remaining. Then, Naito nailed a third Destino for the win in twenty-eight minutes. Naito earns two more points in the G1 Climax 30.
This was an enthralling technical wrestling clinic as the main event delivered the match of the night again from the B Block of the G1 Climax 30.
Results: Tetsuya Naito defeats Zack Sabre Jr. via pinfall.
Star Rating: ****1/4
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