G1 Climax 30 Day 17 Results

Yota Tsuji def. Gabriel Kidd (6:52)

It feels good being back in Sumo Hall for the first time since late last year. It’s a hopeful atmosphere, and pro-wrestling desperately needs more of those these days. Yota Tsuji and Gabriel Kidd did not practice any formalities in this match, throwing bombs and loud strikes at each other from the bell. Gabriel Kidd took the early advantage, but he got cocky and started talking trash to Tsuji, in Japanese, about how he represents the LA Dojo. Tsuji replied with a mighty spear, followed by a giant swing into the Boston crab to submit Gabriel Kidd.

A Block: Yujiro Takahashi def. Jeff Cobb (10:30)

The match began as predictably as possible, with Jeff Cobb being too strong to be vulnerable to anything that Yujiro could do. Yujiro, smartly, fled for his life, but upon Cobb following him, Yujiro planted him with a DDT on the outside mats, and he was able to methodically work over the dazed Cobb for that point forward. Jeff Cobb’s comebacks were explosive but short-lived until a powerful lariat put Yujiro on the back foot once more. Cobb landed the Athletic-Plex but Yujiro managed to slip out of the Tour of the Islands. He hit Cobb with his cane after pushing the referee and hit an olympic slam followed by Miami Shine for a two-count, and then the Pimp Juice DDT to put Cobb away. Yujiro avoids the fate of being the first winless G1 Climax participant since Tomoaki Honma in 2014.

Yujiro Takahashi’s final score is 2 points (1 win, 8 losses)
Jeff Cobb’s final score is 8 points (4 wins, 5 losses)

A Block: Shingo Takagi def. Minoru Suzuki

Their championship match at Summer Struggle told us what a match between Minoru Suzuki and Shingo Takagi will be: a battle of wills and hard heads. Shingo took control and perhaps pushed his luck, rubbing his boot against Suzuki’s head repeatedly. The angered Suzuki caught Shingo in a sleeper hold and tried early for the Gotch-style piledriver, but Shingo wiggled his legs to force Suzuki to put him down, and then hit a fireman’s carry bomb to get the edge back again. He came off the ropes for a Pumping Bomber but Suzuki caught him in an armbar! Shingo tried to stand up and powerbomb Suzuki with his trapped arm, but he could barely lift Suzuki off the mat. The complexion of this match changed as Suzuki continued wrenching on Shingo’s right arm with a Fujiwara armbar. Shingo was able to crawl and get his foot to the bottom rope to force Suzuki off of him, but he was still in trouble. However, as Shingo applied a chokehold yet again, Shingo wrested Suzuki off of him and hit a big punch with the force his hurt right arm could still produce, and then hit Last of the Dragon for the pinfall victory.

Minoru Suzuki’s final score is 6 points (3 wins, 6 losses)
Shingo Takagi’s final score is 8 points (4 wins, 5 losses)

A Block: Will Ospreay def. Kazuchika Okada (17:04)

Will Ospreay’s performance at the start of this match was the dictionary definition of “guns-blazing.” He hit a Sasuke Special in the first fifteen seconds. Out of overconfidence, or perhaps desperation, he tried for the Oscutter and the Stormbreaker soon after, but couldn’t make either of them stick. A great athlete in his own right, Okada understood that he would not be able to keep up with Ospreay’s speed, and tried his best to keep him grounded, with limited success. Ospreay lifted Okada to the top turnbuckle, then dropkicked him to the floor, mimicking a pattern that Okada often does. He followed that with a mental plancha over the corner post to Okada, then brought him back in the ring and tried again for the Stormbreaker, to no avail. Okada applied the Money Clip, but Ospreay was able to get the rope break before being worn down sufficiently. He felt Okada taking control and went for the kill, hitting a reverse frankensteiner followed by the Oscutter, but Ospreay would avoid the Stormbreaker once more and then try again for the Money Clip. We saw Bea Priestley, Will Ospreay’s girlfriend, show up at ringside and cheer Ospreay on. Okada persisted with the Money Clip, but then Bea entered the ring and got in the referee’s face. With the referee’s back turned, a large man entered the ring and chokeslammed Okada. This man was Tomoyuki Oka, AKA The Great O-Kharn, who had been on excursion in England with Revolution Pro-Wrestling. Until now, apparently. Will Ospreay acted surprised, but lifted Okada and finally hit the Stormbreaker for the win nonetheless.

Kazuchika Okada’s final score is 12 points (6 wins, 3 losses)
Will Ospreay’s final score is 12 points (6 wins, 3 losses)

Ospreay kissed his girlfriend after the match. He then entered the ring and hit the Hidden Blade on the fallen Okada. He told Okada that he was holding Ospreay back, and that he hoped Okada would be in pain tomorrow.

A Block: Kota Ibushi def. Taichi (17:12)

Whether as parts of tag teams or not, Kota Ibushi and Taichi have been at each other’s throats all summer. At this point, they had more to prove than just who could win. Japanese wrestlers will frequently let themselves be hit to show both their opponents and the fans just how much they can endure, but this was that taken to another level. For the first five minutes, all they did was kick the soul out of each other, and they even sat down and took turns letting themselves be kicked. The first other move was a backdrop driver from Taichi, which Ibushi dramatically backflipped out of to land on his feet. Their kicks became more ferocious after that, until gradually becoming more feeble. They were visibly getting both worn down and exhausted. Ibushi finally hit a high kick that put Taichi on his back, then called for the Kamigoye, but Taichi kicked his legs out from under him, and both men struggled to their feet. Ibushi caught Taichi’s leg as he tried for a buzzsaw kick, then stood up and kicked his leg to bring him to his knees, then hit a buzzsaw kick of his own. The Kamigoye sealed Taichi’s fate.

Kota Ibushi’s final score is 14 points (7 wins, 2 losses)
Taichi’s final score is 8 points (4 wins, 5 losses)

A Block: Tomohiro Ishii def. Jay White (24:35)

Jay White masterfully pushed Tomohiro Ishii’s buttons, testing his patience and challenging his hubris. Ishii is plenty a match for Jay White, and he’s defeated Jay White before. However, Jay White’s ego is bigger than Ishii’s neck is short, and he was hyperfocused on toying with his prey as much as possible, to make Ishii furious before defeating him and gloating. Eventually, Gedo called for Jay to finish Ishii off, and he suplexed Ishii into the turnbuckle pad. Turnabout is fair play, though, and Ishii made it to his feet and delivered his own German suplex into the pad. Finally taking Ishii as seriously as he deserved, Jay pivoted to attacking Ishii’s bandaged right knee, using the TTO submission and dragonscrew leg whips. Ishii barely made it to the ropes to break the TTO, but when he did, he decided to retaliate in much the same way. As Ishii wrenched on Jay’s knee, Gedo came in and Jay pushed Ishii into Gedo and the referee. However, Ishii was not out. He caught Gedo’s kick and pushed him into Jay, and then suplexed Jay for a near fall. He tried for the vertical drop brainbuster, but White dropped down out of it and hit Ishii with a low blow. Jay White tried multiple times for the Blade Runner, but couldn’t make one stick. Ishii hit a vertical suplex cutter, lariated Gedo inside out when he tried to interfere again, and hit a sliding lariat for a near fall! Finally, Jay White went up for the vertical drop brainbuster, and then came crashing down. Tomohiro Ishii wins, and with that, Jay White is out. Kota Ibushi is your G1 Climax 30 A Block Finalist!

Tomohiro Ishii’s final score is 8 points (4 wins, 5 losses)
Jay White’s final score is 12 points (6 wins, 3 losses)

G1 Climax 30 Standings

A Block:
  • 14 points – Kota Ibushi (Block winner)
  • 12 points – Jay White, Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay
  • 8 points – Jeff Cobb, Taichi, Shingo Takagi, Tomohiro Ishii
  • 6 points – Minoru Suzuki
  • 2 points – Yujiro Takahashi

B Block:
  • 12 points – Tetsuya Naito, EVIL
  • 10 points – SANADA, Zack Sabre Jr.
  • 8 points – Hirooki Goto, KENTA
  • 6 points – Hiroshi Tanahashi, Toru Yano, Juice Robinson
  • 2 points – YOSHI-HASHI