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There has been a certain theme with this G1 Climax 30 tournament. While the B Block will give us decent to good shows, A Block more than often gives us stellar overall events with more than one truly standout match somewhere on the card. Night 9 of the tournament continued this trend.
The main event of G1 Climax 30 Night 9 would be a rematch from WrestleKingdom 13 with Kota Ibushi meeting Will Ospreay. We would also get two guaranteed hard hitting contests with Tomohiro Ishii against Taichi and Kazuchika Okada facing Minoru Suzuki. The other A Block matches on this night would be Jeff Cobb battling Jay White and Shingo Takagi versus Yujiro Takahashi.
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We had another limited capacity, social-distanced crowd in Takamatsu on this evening. Heading into the night, the A Block standings were:
-- Jay White, Kota Ibushi, Minoru Suzuki, Taichi, Will Ospreay (3-1)
-- Kazuchika Okada (2-2)
-- Jeff Cobb, Shingo Takagi, Tomohiro Ishii (1-3)
-- Yujiro Takahashi (0-4)
For Night 9 of the G1 Climax 30, your "Matches To Watch" are:
-- Jeff Cobb vs. Jay White
-- Tomohiro Ishii vs. Taichi
-- Kota Ibushi vs. Will Ospreay
Our opening match was once again another in the series of contests featuring the New Japan dojo trainees.
G1 Climax 30 Night 9: Gabriel Kidd vs. Yuya Uemura
Our G1 Climax 30 Night 9 opener was the Young Lions of Gabriel Kidd facing Yuya Uemura. This was a rematch from Night 6 where Kidd gained the victory. The friendly rivalry between these two men has gotten hostile with Gabriel showing more cockiness over this tour.
We got some grappling and test of strength to start this G1 Climax 30 opening contest. This quickly transitioned into a strike exchange, which Uemura won with a running shoulder block. Kidd was able to get control with one of his own, followed by a dropkick. He then went for his butterfly suplex.
We got a series of pinning combinations back and forth which eventually led to Uemura locking on the Boston Crab. Kidd fought to the ropes though. However, Uemura hit an arm locked suplex followed by a high angle Boston Crab for the win in seven and a half minutes. Uemura gets his third win in the "unofficial" C Block of the G1 Climax 30.
This was decent yet not on the same level as the usual Young Lions matches that we have seen so far.
Results: Yuya Uemura defeats Gabriel Kidd via submission
Star Rating: **3/4
Yujiro Takahashi (0-4) vs. Shingo Takagi (1-3) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
Our first A Block match of the evening was Yujiro Takahashi of the Bullet Club facing Shingo Takagi of Los Ingobernables de Japon. Yujiro came in at 0-4, while Shingo stood at 1-3 following his loss to Ishii on Night 7 of the G1 Climax 30.
After a somewhat slow start, Yujiro got the advantage on the outside, throwing Shingo into the guardrails. He then nailed a reverse DDT on the apron to Shingo. Yujiro then started to wear down Shingo in the ring. Every time Shingo gained an advantage, Yujiro turned it around and cut him off.
We got a strike exchange that ended with each man landing lariats in this G1 Climax 30 contest. Yujiro once again got control landing an Angle Slam followed by Miami Shine. Shingo cut him off landing a left arm lariat, followed by a sliding lariat for a two count.
Yujiro blocked Last of the Dragon by biting Shingo's hand. He then knocked the ref down and tried using his cane, but Shingo broke his cane with a lariat. Takagi followed that by reversing a lariat into Noshigami. He then responded to a big boot by Yujiro with a Pumping Bomber, followed by Last of the Dragon for the win in thirteen and a half minutes. Shingo gets two more points in the G1 Climax 30.
This was longer than the usual Yujiro match, but still worked solidly on the back of the work from Shingo here.
Results: Shingo Takagi (4) defeats Yujiro Takahashi (0) via pinfall
Star Rating: **1/2
Jay White (3-1) vs. Jeff Cobb (1-3) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
Our next A Block contest was Switchblade Jay White of the Bullet Club against Jeff Cobb. White came in at 3-1, following his first loss of the G1 Climax 30 facing Ospreay on Night 7. Cobb stood at 1-3 following a loss to Ibushi on Night 7. This was a rematch from last year's G1 with White winning.
Switchblade did his usual stalling to start before we got some grappling in the ring. Cobb got an advantage with a dropkick. Gedo looked to pull White out of the ring, but Cobb pulled both in and did a double nocking knocker. He put White back in the ring, but Gedo pulled Cobb's leg to distract him so White took control.
Cobb hit a Samoan Drop and followed with the Front Suplex. However, White cut him off with a DDT. Switchblade hit a suplex in the corner and then followed with a Blade Buster for a two count. He hit an uranage for another near fall. White worked over the leg of Cobb to gain control of this G1 Climax 30 match.
Cobb hit an Athletic Plex and followed with a German Suplex. Gedo distracted Cobb with the ref's back turned, leading to a Sleeper Suplex. However, Cobb reversed Blade Runner and hit the Tour of the Islands. Gedo tried coming in, and Cobb threw him into Switchblade. Cobb followed with another Tour of the Islands for a huge upset win in twelve and a half minutes. Cobb gets his second win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30.
This was such a fun match with a terrific babyface comeback and performance from Jeff Cobb. He overcame the interference of Gedo and all of Switchblade's usual shenanigans. Jay White just makes the perfect heel foil for most, but Cobb really stepped up here in his best match so far of the G1 Climax 30.
Results: Jeff Cobb (4) defeats Jay White (6) via pinfall
Star Rating: ***3/4
***Intermission followed***
Minoru Suzuki (3-1) vs. Kazuchika Okada (2-2) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
A Block competition resumed with NEVER Openweight Champion Minoru Suzuki facing Kazuchika Okada of CHAOS. Suzuki came in at 3-1 following a victory over Yujiro, while Okada stood at 2-2 following a win over Taichi on Night 7 of the G1 Climax 30.
We got a slow, tentative start from both men. This quickly turned into a strike exchange between the two men here in this G1 Climax 30 match. Suzuki landed a huge slap that echoed across the arena. He then followed with an armbar across the top rope. Suzuki then focused in and attacked Okada's arm on the outside.
Back in the ring, Suzuki landed a penalty kick to the arm and locked on a Kimura until Okada got to the ropes. The two men traded strikes once again, but Suzuki got the upper hand.
However, Okada reversed a choke into the air raid neckbreaker. We got another exchange with Suzuki no selling Okada's forearms. Okada then hit the dropkick. He followed with the tombstone and transitioned into the Money Clip. However, Suzuki reversed that into a cross armbreaker to focus on the arm again in this G1 Climax 30 battle.
Okada landed a lariat, while holding onto the arm. He looked for the Rainmaker, but Suzuki evaded instead, running into an Okada dropkick. Another Rainmaker attempt is reversed into a rear naked choke. Okada tried to reverse out into the Money Clip, but Suzuki blocked. Okada then reversed another choke and rolled up Suzuki for the win in just over fourteen minutes. Okada got his third win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30.
The tournament story for Okada of not using the Rainmaker yet his Money Clip submission not really working for him at the same time has been quite intriguing This one was a good contest overall.
Results: Kazuchika Okada (6) defeats Minoru Suzuki (6) via pinfall
Star Rating: ***1/2
Tomohiro Ishii (1-3) vs. Taichi (3-1) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
Our next A Block of the G1 Climax 30 contest was Taichi of Suzuki-gun against Tomohiro Ishii of CHAOS. Taichi came in at 3-1 following his first loss to Okada on Night 7. Ishii stood at 1-3 following his first win over Shingo.
We got both men trading strikes right off the bat. There were kicks from Taichi and chops from Ishii with Taichi taking control. He threw Ishii to the outside to wear him down. Taichi then used the timekeeper's hammer on his opponent. Back in the ring, Ishii no sold some strikes from Taichi and landed a powerslam to get his first advantage. He then wore down his opponent with forearms and chops.
Taichi regained control with a knee to break out of the brainbuster and followed with a buzzsaw kick to get the upper hand in this G1 Climax 30 match. Taichi ripped off his tights, which instantly made Ishii pop up. Taichi blocked a lariat and nailed a enziguri. Taichi hit a strike to the back of the head, which bounced Ishii off the ropes into a backdrop driver. Ishii blocked a kick and hit a bucklebomb. He followed with a lariat to a running Taichi.
Ishii blocked a low blow and then no sold a buzzsaw kick. He followed with a lariat and then a powerbomb for a near fall. Ishii landed a huge lariat turning Taichi inside out for another two count. Taichi fought out of the Brainbuster again and threw the ref into Ishii, which allowed him to land a low blow in this G1 Climax 30 A Block contest. He followed with the Gedo Clutch for a near fall.
Taichi then landed a powerbomb himself for a two count. Ishii reversed a strike and landed a German Suplex which Taichi no sold. Ishii followed with a headbutt and a lariat for just the one count. Taichi then hit a backdrop driver for a close near fall.
We got a spell binding series of strikes and reversals from both men ending with Ishii landing his sliding lariat for a near fall. He then followed with the Brainbuster to get the win in nearly nineteen minutes. Ishii got his second win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30.
This was a great, hard-hitting encounter that gave Taichi his best match of the tournament so far. Tomohiro Ishii has been the MVP of the G1 Climax 30 to this point.
Results: Tomohiro Ishii (4) defeats Taichi (6) via pinfall
Star Rating: ****1/4
Will Ospreay (3-1) vs. Kota Ibushi (3-1) (G1 Climax 30 A Block Match)
Our main event of the evening was Will Ospreay against Kota Ibushi. Both men stood 3-1 following wins over White and Cobb respectively on Night 7 of the G1 Climax 30. They have split their first two matches against one another. The winner of this contest would be the A Block leader.
We got a tentative start to this G1 Climax 30 Night 9 closing ma with Ospreay showing off his cockiness. Ibushi tried to take advantage of Ospreay doing his Superman pose with an early Kamigoye attempt. Ospreay reversed and hit a springboard kick. On the outside, Ospreay followed up with Pip Pip Cheerio off the apron.
Back in the ring, Ospreay locked on a Tequila Sunrise to wear down his opponent. Ibushi got the upper hand by landing a beautiful dropkick. He landed some strikes and followed with a standing moonsault for a two count before rallying the crowd.
Both men traded strikes, ending with a Ibushi reversing a sliding dropkick into a double stomp. Ospreay reversed the Last Ride and landed a kick followed by Pip Pip Cheerio. He then hit a Sasake Special to the floor to a huge response from the Takamatsu crowd for this G1 Climax 30 main event.
Back in the ring, Ospreay landed a Curtain Call. The two men battled up on the top rope before Ibushi went for a springboard frankensteiner, which Ospreay landed on his feet in a great callback to their previous clashes in this G1 Climax 30 contest. They traded strikes with Ibushi no selling and hitting a stiff chop. Ibushi hit a German Suplex with a bridge for a near fall.
Ibushi followed up with a Bomaye for a two count. Ospreay reversed a Kamigoye and hit a side Superkick. He looked for a Stormbreaker but Ibushi broke out. Ospreay instead hit a Liger Bomb for a near fall. Will set up for the Hidden Blade, but Ibushi blocked and landed a buzzsaw kick. He then hit the Last Ride sit out powerbomb for a near fall in this G1 Climax 30 encounter.
We got a fast-paced series of reversals, which ended with Ospreay looking for the Oscutter. However, Ibushi landed a V-trigger knee strike in mid air. He quickly followed with the Kamigoye for the win in sixteen minutes. Ibushi got his fourth win and two more points in the G1 Climax 30. He now is the A Block leader.
That was a fantastic display of quickness, counters and exhilarating sequences. These two men have phenomenal chemistry that delivered yet another great match.
Results: Kota Ibushi (8) defeats Will Ospreay (6) via pinfall
Star Rating: ****1/4
