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BETHANY’S G1 CLIMAX 30: NIGHT 5 REPORT
SEPTEMBER 27, 2029
HYOGO, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
(a) GABRIEL KIDD vs. YOTA TSUJI
The match started with some nice submissions and reversals. They traded wristlocks and Kidd took Tsuji down to the mat. Kidd hit Tsuji with forearms and European uppercuts. Tsuji hit Kidd with a shoulder block to knock him down, and then applied a single-leg Boston Crab. Kidd hit a double-underhook suplex for the pin.
WINNER: Gabriel Kidd at 7:40. (***)
(Bethany’s Analysis: It was a fine Young Lions match, but not must-see like some of the other Young Lion matches.)
(1) YUJIRO TAKAHASHI (0) vs. TAICHI (4)
Taichi went outside to stall for time, and when Yujiro followed him, Taichi attacked Yijiro with the hammer and choked him with a cable.
Back in the ring, Taichi takes control until Yujiro pokes him in the eye. Yujiro goes for a piledriver. Taichi escaped, but Yujiro bit his fingers. Yujiro then hit a stiff forearm to Taichi that almost knocked Taichi out. The crowd chanted for moves from both men, which was strange, considering that they’re both heels.
Taichi takes off his pants, so you know it’s about to get real. Taichi pushed the ref into the corner and hit a low blow on Yujiro when the ref couldn’t see it. Taichi pins Yujiro.
WINNER: Taichi (6) at 11:05. (** ½)
(Bethany’s Analysis: Not very good. It was what you would expect from these two.)
(2) JEFF COBB (2) vs. MINORU SUZUKI (2)
Cobb tripped Suzuki at the start of the match, and Suzuki tried to get Cobb to go to the mat with him. They did a series of submissions and reversals.
Suzuki got Cobb in an arm lock over the top rope. The ref forced a break, and then the two of them fought outside. Back in the ring, Suziki took control and tried to pin Cobb with a foot on his chest, but only got a one count. They began trading forearm shots until Cobb went down.
Cobb hit a running powerslam and a standing moonsault, but only got a two count. Suzuki hit the Gotch-style piledriver for the win.
WINNER: Minoru Suzuki (4) at 9:24. (***1/2)
(Bethany’s Analysis: It was an okay match, but not on the level that you typically expect from Suzuki.)
(3) KOTA IBUSHI (2) vs. TOMOHIRO ISHII (0)
They stared each other down when the bell rang. Then they went for a collar-and-elbow and Ibushi pushed Ishii into the ropes. They went for another collar-and-elbow, and this time Ishii pushed Ibushi into the ropes. Ishii gave a clean rope break, but quickly tried to chop Ibushi. Ibushi ducked the chop.
They did a stiff forearm exchange. Ibushi went down to one knee, but he got back up. Ishii chopped Ibushi in the chest several times, but Ibushi tried to shake it off. Ibushi hit Ishii with forearms, but Ishii no-sold it. They had a cool exchange where Ibushi was kicking Ishii and Ishii was chopping Ibushi.
Ishii headbutted Ibushi in the ear. Ibushi hit a dropkick off of the top rope, but Ishii no-sold it. Ishii hit a power slam that Ibushi no-sold. They took turns hitting German suplexes that neither one sold. They got into a slapping contest, and Ibushi hit Ishii with a chop to take him off of his feet. Ishii got up and hit a huge Lariat that flipped Ibushi head-over-feet.
Ibushi went for the Kamigoye, but Ishii countered with a headbutt. Ibushi hit a Bomaye for a near fall. Then Ibushi hit the Kamigoye for the win.
WINNER: Kota Ibushi (4) at 15:41. (****1/2)
(Bethany’s Analysis: Amazing match! The chops, kicks, and slaps were just stiff and brutal. The match is must-see, and possibly match of the tournament so far. My recap doesn’t do it justice.)
(4) WILL OSPREAY (4) vs. SHINGO TAKAGI (0)
This is a re-match from the finals in the Best of the Super Juniors tournament last year that many people considered match of the year.
They started off with a test of strength, and then they invited one another to run the ropes and hit shoulder blocks. Ospreay wanted to shake Shingo’s hand. Shingo shook hands, but then attacked Ospreay.
Shingo went outside to slow things down. Ospreay followed him outside and Irish whipped him into the barricade. Back in the ring, Shingo hit a DDT. They went for a chop exchange. Ospreay did the handspring off of the ropes into a heel kick to the back of Shingo’s head. Ospreay hit a standing Shooting Star for a two count. He then hit a Phenomenal Forearm and Shingo rolled out of the ring.
Shingo was tied to the Tree of Woe and Ospreay hit a Van Terminator. Very cool spot. Ospreay hit a top rope Shooting Star for a two count. He went for an OsCutter, but Shingo countered.
Ospreay hit an OsCutter for a two count. Shingo hit Made in Japan for a two count. Shingo hit a huge Lariat that turned Ospreay inside out and got a two count. Ospreay went for a spinning elbow, but they collide and both went down.
Ospreay hit a Spanish Fly from out of nowhere and went for a pin, but Shingo reversed it and went for a pin of his own. Ospreay reversed that pin attempt into another pin attempt.
Shingo got Ospreay in a Fireman’s Carry and climbed the turnbuckle for a Death Valley Driver, but only got a one count. Then Shingo hit the Last of the Dragon and finally gets a three count.
WINNER: Shingo Takagi (2) at 22:04. (****)
(Bethany’s Analysis: Another fantastic match that my recap doesn’t do justice to. They had some really cool sequences that were too fast to keep up with. This is also a must-see match.)
(5) JAY WHITE (4) vs. KAZUCHIKA OKADA (2)
White stalled to start the match, rolling in and out of the ring. Okada finally went outside and Gedo attacked him. Okada chased Gedo into the ring, and White came up from behind to attack Okada.
They went back outside and White Irish whipped Okada into the barricade. White mocked the crowd with claps.
Gedo tried to trip Okada, and Okada went after him on the outside. Okada chased him up the ramp. White followed them, and Okada hit a double DDT on them both on the ramp. Okada dragged White back to the ring.
Okada hit the Tombstone and went for the Cobra Clutch, but White got a rope break. White attempted a couple of Slingblades, but Okada countered and hit him with a dropkick. Gedo got in the ring, but Okada dropkicked him. Okada hit the Rainmaker and applied the Cobra Clutch again.
White hit the Slingblade for the win.
WINNER: Jay White (6) at 18:50. (***)
(Bethany’s Analysis: It was a typical slow, plodding Jay White match with interference from Gedo. Okada needs to retire the Cobra Clutch.)
G1 CLIMAX 30 STANDINGS
A BLOCK
- Jay White (6)
- Taichi (6)
- Kota Ibushi (4)
- Minoru Suzuki (4)
- Will Ospreay (4)
- Shingo Takagi (2)
- Kazuchika Okada (2)
- Jeff Cobb (2)
- Tomohiro Ishii (0)
- Yujiro Takahashi (0)
B BLOCK
- Tetsuya Naito (4)
- Juice Robinson (4)
- Toru Yano (4)
- Zack Sabre, Jr (2)
- Evil (2)
- Kenta (2)
- Hirooki Goto (2)
- Hiroshi Tanhashi (0)
- Sanada (0)
- Yoshi-Hashi (0)
(Bethany Rupil cohosts the “New Japan Pride” with Javier Machado, a weekly podcast series dedicated to conversing about and analyzing the latest news and matches in New Japan. They are doing shows more frequently during the G1 Tournament. The show is VIP Exclusive.)
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