5 must watch G1 Climax 31 matches from Week 1

3) Shingo Takagi vs. Zack Sabre Jr. - NJPW G1 Climax 31 Night 3

IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi came into the G1 Climax 31 tournament with a huge target on his back. Not only did he possess the top prize in New Japan Pro Wrestling, but he has far and away been the best wrestler on the roster in 2021. He holds the record for most singles matches and most single victories this year.

Zack Sabre Jr. was on the other side of the spectrum, being a dark horse coming into the G1 Climax 31. Despite being one half of the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions with his Dangerous Tekkers tag team partner Taichi, ZSJ hasn't had a lot of singles success this year. He is a former winner of the New Japan Cup and former Revolution Pro British Heavyweight Champion though.

This marked the two men's first match since 2009 and first in NJPW. There was a lot of talk about AEW's own Bryan Danielson and how these two men are at the top of The American Dragon's list of dream matches.

Shingo started this G1 Climax 31 match with the upper hand and looked to get revenge for his fellow Los Ingobernables de Japon member Tetsuya Naito who ZSJ injured on Night 1.

The story was pretty simple with Zack Sabre Jr. using his superior grapple skills to wrap up Shingo, while Takagi used hard hitting strikes to counter. The intensity escalated as the match went on with the pace heightening.

ZSJ evaded much of Shingo's offense and finally reversed a powerbomb into a modified arm lock to beat the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. It was a superb wrestling clinic.