5 must watch G1 Climax 31 matches from Week 1

4) Kota Ibushi vs. Tomohiro Ishii - NJPW G1 Climax 31 Night 3

Two of the hardest hitting competitors in the G1 Climax 31 are Kota Ibushi and Tomohiro Ishii. On only the second night of action for the A Block, the two men clashed in a very important battle thanks to Ibushi and Ishii losing on Night 1 of the competition to Yujiro Takahashi and Shingo Takagi respectively.

In their four previous meetings, Ibushi had won three straight all in the G1 Climax tournament. The two men started the bout with chops and strikes setting the tone for their usual hard-hitting affair. There was also a captivating slap exchange that only further got the crowd loud for the intense action.

There were vicious German suplexes, lariats and overhand chops that made the fans watch wince. Ishii evaded the Kamigoye for much of this contest. He blocked an attempt with a brutal headbutt, but Ibushi wouldn't be denied much longer as he hit a standing Kamigoye followed by the standard version to get the victory on the G1 Climax 31 Night 3.

This is exactly what NJPW fans have come to expect from the Ibushi and Ishii matches. It was a scrappy fight that made both men look like warriors who could absorb any amount of punishment to claim victory. Ibushi got on the board in the G1 Climax 31, while Ishii started this year with an 0-2 record.