Results: NJPW G1 Climax 30 Day 15
G1 Climax 30 Day 15 Results
Yuya Uemura def. Gabriel Kidd
The whole theme of this match was both men trying to wear down each other’s arms so that there could be no resistance for their double arm suplexes. While Kidd employed a more grounded style befitting his British origins, Uemura employed a classic American underdog’s energy, throwing arm drags that would make Ricky Steamboat smile to set up his holds. Kidd hit a standing dropkick and tried for the double underhook suplex, but Uemura stuffed it and hit another arm drag followed by the double overhook suplex, which he has taken to calling the Kannuki (deadbolt) suplex. The results of these young lion matches has been quite even so far, but Uemura pulls ahead with only a few shows left.
A Block: Jeff Cobb def. Will Ospreay
This was the most obvious speed versus power match of the tournament, and it was entertaining watching Cobb creatively use his strength to stop or catch Ospreay’s high-energy offense. Cobb and Ospreay don’t have a lot in common in the way they wrestle, but they both tend to show off, and it has costed them matches. Ospreay tried for the Stormbreaker prematurely and Cobb simply threw him off. He was soon able to catch a running Cobb with a spanish fly followed by a springboard 450 splash for near fall. Cobb responded by catching Ospreay as he tried for the Oscutter, but Ospreay jumped to the corner to do it again and he caught Cobb off guard, landing it this time. He tried for the Stormbreaker once more, but again Cobb got out of it. He lifted Ospreay onto his shoulders and then dropped him into a German suplex. Cobb finished Ospreay off with the Tour of the Islands.
Jeff Cobb goes to 8 points
A Block: Kota Ibushi def. Yujiro Takahashi
Yujiro Takahashi’s performance in this tournament has been underwhelming to say the least. On paper, no one would buy him as a threat to the man who won the whole thing last year either. It’s true, most of the match was Ibushi simply physically dominating Yujiro, but Yujiro had some clever moments. He caught a running Ibushi and gave him a flapjack on the ropes, or grabbed his legs to stop a plancha. These moments enabled him to come closer than the physical mismatch would suggest. Yujiro was able to hit Ibushi with Miami Shine for a near fall, and he lifted Ibushi to the top rope for a super Fisherman’s suplex! Another Fisherman’s suplex granted Yujiro yet another near fall on last year’s G1 winner. However, it could only get him so far. Yujiro tried for the Pimp Juice DDT, but Ibushi pushed him away and hit a jumping knee strike followed by the Kamigoye. With this victory, Ospreay and Okada’s paths to the final become increasingly difficult.
Kota Ibushi goes to 12 points
A Block: Taichi def. Shingo Takagi (16:21)
Both Takagi and Taichi are all but out of contention from the Final at this point, so this match is a matter of pride more than anything else. Nevertheless, Taichi still found the chaotic energy within him to cheat. He stole the bell hammer from ringside and spent some time trying to choke Shingo with it. They really should have that thing hidden. After nearly receiving a backdrop driver from Taichi, Shingo, feeling cheeky, hit Taichi with a backdrop driver of his own. The match evolved into a wild festival of violence, as both athletes tried for their hardest strikes they could. After hitting an explosive gamengiri kick, Taichi gesticulated to the audience by imitating Shingo, grunting and flexing his muscles. The imitations of their opponents continued as the match progressed, with Shingo attempting Taichi’s Gedo Clutch and Taichi poorly attempting Shingo’s Last of the Dragon. Sure enough, neither man could imitate the other’s moves well enough to win. It would be Taichi’s thrust kick and Black Mephisto that would put Shingo Takagi down for the three count.
A Block: Jay White def. Minoru Suzuki (20:30)
Jay White spent the early going fleeing from Minoru Suzuki, and when he did finally find it within himself to face Suzuki, it was with a condescending attitude that only served to make Suzuki angry. He tried to throw hands with Suzuki, only to be leveled with ease. When he sneakily tried to use a chair, Suzuki grabbed it out of his hands and went to town on him. Jay White pivoted to attacking Suzuki’s vertical base, damaging his legs with modified dragonscrews. He tried for a snap sleeper suplex, but Suzuki caught his arm and slapped him in the face to send him running. Suzuki trapped Jay in a modified ankle lock, but Jay would crawl feebly to the ropes to break the hold, only to be pummeled yet again by Suzuki’s strikes. Gedo peeked his head into the ring, which got Suzuki’s attention and allowed Jay to capitalize with a chop block and the bladebuster. Jay called for the Blade Runner, but Suzuki somehow countered it into an armbar. He was tapping out but Gedo was distracting the referee again. Jay tried to sneak in the Blade Runner, but Suzuki grabbed his hair to stop him, then applied the sleeper hold. As he went for the Gotch-style piledriver, Gedo was pulling on the referee’s leg, and Jay was able to shift his weight to avoid the piledriver and hit a low blow. He followed up with the Blade Runner.
Jay White goes to 12 points
A Block: Kazuchika Okada def. Tomohiro Ishii (26:13)
Tomohiro Ishii is out of the running for the G1 Final at this point. Kazuchika Okada is on the bubble as well, though, with both entrants at 12 points having defeated him. To make it to the Final, he will have to win both today and against Ospreay on Friday and hope both Jay White and Kota Ibushi lose. Despite these odds, his hubris was on display here, as he tried to show that he could throw strikes with Ishii and not regret it. For the most part, he failed. Ishii battered him with strikes and made him squirm with a superplex. However, as he came off the ropes for a lariat, Okada hit a standing dropkick followed by a Tombstone piledriver, then applied the Money Clip, but Ishii put his foot on the bottom rope to break the hold with relative ease. Okada managed to avoid Ishii’s sliding lariat and grab the arm to try for the Money Clip again, but Ishii dropped him with a DDT and applied an armbar. Okada received the rope break as well, but the Stone Pitbull was still in control. Okada lifted Ishii to the top rope and dropkicked him, but Ishii just endured it, then performed a diving knee drop! Ishii lifted Okada for the vertical brainbuster, but Okada got out of it and hit a spinning tombstone piledriver! He tried yet again for the Money Clip, but Ishii broke it with a codebreaker! Okada’s standing dropkick granted him the opportunity to try for the Money Clip for the umpteenth time. Ishii was starting to fight out of it, but Okada transitioned into a backbreaker and reapplied the hold for the referee stoppage victory.
Kazuchika Okada goes to 12 points
G1 Climax 30 Standings
A Block:
- 12 points – Kota Ibushi, Jay White, Kazuchika Okada
- 10 points – Will Ospreay
- 8 points – Jeff Cobb, Taichi
- 6 points – Minoru Suzuki, Tomohiro Ishii, Shingo Takagi
- 0 points – Yujiro Takahashi
B Block:
- 10 points – Tetsuya Naito
- 8 points – EVIL, SANADA, Hirooki Goto, Zack Sabre Jr.
- 6 points – Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Juice Robinson, KENTA
- 2 points – YOSHI-HASHI
