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NJPW G1 CLIMAX 30: NIGHT 6 SPOILER FREE VIEWING GUIDE
I will provide a list of matches for people to watch after each show at the top of my review.
NIGHT 6 VIEWING GUIDE
(1) Sanada vs. Yoshi-Hashi. (***¾)
(5) Hirooki Goto vs. Tetsuya Naito (****)
RADICAN’S G1 CLIMAX 30: NIGHT 6 REPORT
SEPT. 29, 2020
TOKYO, JAPAN
KORAKUEN HALL
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
English commentary provided by Kevin Kelly and Rocky Romero.
(a) YUYA UEMURA vs. GABRIEL KIDD
The action during the early going was good. Both men traded turns on the advantage working holds on the mat. The fans were into the action. Kidd got the upper hand and put the boots to Uemura in the corner. Later in the match they went to a big strike exchange. Uemura eventually caught Kidd coming off the ropes with a dropkick. He applied the Boston Crab. Kidd struggled and went for the ropes, but Uemura blocked him and sat down on the hold even further from a high angle for the submission win.
WINNER: Yuya Uemura at 9:10. (***)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was another really good opener from the unofficial C block with the Young Lions in action every night. You can tell these guys are holding back, which makes their respective futures even more exciting.)
(1) SANADA (0) vs. YOSHI-HASHI (0) – B Block match
It’s kind of sad that one of these guys is likely going to start the tournament 0-3. They had some decent action, but then Sanada hit a hangman’s neckbreaker off the barricade. Hashi came up selling his ankle. Sanada was about to lock in Skull End, but Hashi slipped out, flipped Sanada over, and hit a neckbreaker and the fans fired up. Hashi hit a Head Hunter a short time later.
Sanada mounted a comeback and the fans fired up. Hashi fired back and went for a powerbomb for the third time in the match. This time he connected for a nearfall. Hashi went up top, but Sanada got his knees up. Sanada floated over Hashi and got Skull End with the hooks in. The fans fired up. Hashi fought out of it, but Sanada applied it again.
The fans fired up once again behind Hashi. Sanada let go and went for the Muta Moonsault, but Hashi got his knees up. They had a big strike exchange and Sanada eventually caught Hashi with a big TKO for a two count. Hashi countered a Skull End attempt and eventually hit a dragon suplex. Sanada blocked Karma and got a standing Skull End. He swung Hashi around, but Hashi countered him and got an inside cradle for a nearfall. They went back and forth and Hashi hit a palm strike and a headbutt. He then hit a running meteora for a two count. Hashi lifted Sanada and this time he hit Karma for the win.
WINNER Yoshi-Hashi (2 pts) at 15:15. (***¾)
(Radican’s Analysis: A tremendous match and an upset for Hashi here. Sanada goes to 0-3, which is a disappointing start to his tournament. These two put together a really fun back and forth match with Hashi fighting desperately to stay out of the Skull End. This win should be a steep forward for Hashi going forward.)
(2) IWGP HVT. TAG TEAM CHAMPION ZACK SABRE JR. (2) vs. IWGP US HVT. CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGER KENTA (2) – B Block match
Kenta tried to bait Sabre into going down to the ground with him, but Sabre wasn’t having any of it at first. Sabre then got down with Kenta and got right on top of him. Kenta struggled, but Sabre got a leg lock. Kenta immediately went for the ropes. Sabre got down on the mat and Kenta nailed him with a kick. They went to the floor and Kenta sent Sabre flying into the guardrail. Sabre suddenly blocked a kick and went after Kenta’s leg, but Kenta managed to get to the ropes quickly.
Kenta fired back and got the upper hand. He began peppering Sabre with kicks while he was on his knees. Sabre told him to bring it and put his hands behind his back. Kenta knocked him over with a big kick to the chest. Sabre fired back and went after Kenta’s arm. Sabre hit a European uppercut, but Kenta shrugged it off and told him to bring it. Sabre ducked a backfist and hit a suplex. He went after Kenta with a double wrist lock, but he quickly got to the ropes.
Kenta got on a roll and hit a top rope clothesline, but he sold his arm and was slow to make the cover and only got a two count. A short time later he hit the Green Killer. Kenta went up top and hit a double stomp for a two count. Kenta went for a GTS, but Sabre blocked it. Kenta escaped and hit a pair of spinning backfists and a short time. Sabre went down.
Kenta set up for the GTS, but Sabre countered him and got an arm submission. Kenta got Game Over, but Sabre got right out and got a double arm submission using his legs. Kenta struggled, but managed to get to the ropes. Kenta blocked a PK, but Sabre hit some big palm strikes. Kenta hit a short knee. He then hit a GTS for the win.
WINNER: Kenta at 15:46 (4 pts). (***½)
(Radican’s Analysis: Really good match between these two with Sabre paying the price for trying to strike with Kenta late in the match.)
They took an intermission to sanitize the ring.
(3) JUICE ROBINSON (4) vs. HIROSHI TANAHASHI (0) – B Block match
Both men grabbed each other by the hair. Tanahashi teased a clean break and then hit Robison low in the breadbasket. Robinson eventually got the upper hand and went after Tanahashi’s lower back. The announcers talked about Tanahashi’s issues with his back and knees. Tanahashi fired back and hit a dropkick to Robinson’s knee. He then hit a dragon screw.
They went back and forth and Robinson caught Tanahashi with a lariat off the ropes. Robinson hit a cannonball. The fans fired up and Robinson went up top with Tanahashi seated. Tanahashi fought back and Robinson nearly went to the mat, but Robinson held on and hit a headbutt. He then hit a big superplex. Robinson held on and hit a Jackhammer for a two count.
Tanahashi blocked a Pulp Friction attempt and hit a Sling Blade. Tanahashi went up top and hit a standing HFF, but Robinson rolled through for a nearfall. Tanahashi avoided the LHOG. Robinson connected with a right and then the Left Hand of God. Tanahashi countered Pulp Friction and got a somewhat slow pinning combination for the win.
WINNER: Hiroshi Tanahshi (2 pts) at 14:16. (***½)
(Radican’s Analysis: Tanahashi being phased down the card is going to be an interesting process to watch in the coming years. Heck, even this year it will be interesting during this tournament. He’s clearly limited by injuries, but he’s still ridiculously good in the ring and has adopted a technical aspect to his wrestling that really helps him get by.)
(4) EVIL (W/DICK TOGO) (2) vs. KOPW PROVISIONAL CHAMPION TORU YANO (4)
Both men went after the turnbuckles right away. Yano took out Evil with a shot with one of the turnbuckles and then went after the others. Yano got tossed to the floor and Togo put the boots to him. Yano fired back and tossed Togo into the guardrail. He then taped Togo to the guardrail. Evil went after Yano, but got tossed into the guardrail.
Yano got another roll of tape and went to tape Evil to the guardrail, but Evil raked his eyes. Yano raked Evil’s eyes and dove back into the ring. Evil was about to get countered out, but he managed to get into the ring. All four corners of the ring were exposed and Evil whipped Yano into different corners.
Evil blocked a low blow and Togo got up on the apron. Evil then hit a low blow of his own. Evil went for EIE, but Yano escaped and shoved him towards the ref. Yano managed to hit a low blow on Evil. Togo got into the ring and Yano hit a low blow on him by kicking backwards. He then got the rollup on Evil for the win.
WINNER: Toru Yano (6 pts) at 4:33. (**)
(Radican’s Analysis: A nice palate cleanser after the first three matches of block action went a little longer than usual. I think Yano’s luck is about to change soon.)
(5) IWGP IC & IWGP HVT. CHAMPION TETSUYA NAITO (4) vs. NEVER OPENWEIGHT SIX MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPION HIROOKI GOTO (2) – B Block match
Goto had the advantage early, but Naito went right after Goto’s injured shoulder, which he sustained during his recent tournament match with Kenta. Naito went after Goto’s injured shoulder for several minutes until Goto cut him off with a backdrop suplex. Naito quickly fired back and hit a dropkick to the back of a seated Goto’s head and both men were down as the fans clapped.
Naito quickly went right back after Goto’s injured shoulder before nailing it with a dropkick. Goto struggled in a full nelson variation from Naito, who used his legs to crank on his shoulders. He struggled, but managed to get to the ropes. Goto countered Naito up top and went on the attack. Goto stood on the top rope in a deep squat and lifted Naito into a superplex. WOW! The fans fired up and Naito rolled to the floor in pain.
Goto went up top and hit an elbow drop with his injured shoulder for a two count. The fans fired up. Goto went for the Ushigoroshi, but Naito escaped. They went back and forth and Goto connected with a big clothesline as Naito came off the ropes. Naito suddenly hit a Tornado DDT using the ropes and both men were down.
Naito went right back on the attack. He hit Goto with his signature arm capture elbows. Naito placed Goto up top and hit a super hurricanrana. Naito smiled as he waited for Goto to get to his feet. Goto countered a Destino attempt into a reverse GTR and both men were down as the fans fired up once again.
Goto hit a top rope draping reverse GTR for a two count. He went for the GTR, but Naito fought out of it. Goto then went for an Ushigoroshi, but Naito countered it into a modified Destino and both men were down. The fans really fired up clapping in unison as the ref checked on both men.
Both men began trading blows from their knees. The fans began to clap with each forearm thrown. Both men got up and continued to trade forearms. The pace slowed and then they sped back up trading forearms. They went back and forth and Goto finally hit a Ushigoroshi to end the sequence.
The fans fired up and Naito blocked a GTR and hit Destino for a nearfall. The fans really fired up with the claps once again. Naito went for Destino, but Goto turned it into a HUGE Final Cut variation. Goto set up and nailed Naito with a giant kick to the chest. He set up for the GTR, but Naito suddenly lifted Goto up and hit the small drop. Naito then hit a full Destino and it was good for the win.
WINNER: Tetsuya Naito (6 pts) at 21:58. (****)
(Radican’s Analysis: The main event started slow, but the fans really got into the story they were telling of Goto overcoming the damage to his injured shoulder to beat Naito. Goto really got on track during the second half of the match and the crowd was extremely lively at times despite being limited to claps and stomps.)
Bushi came out and got into the ring. He was on commentary. Bushi gave Naito his trucker hat. He cut his usual post-match promo and then bumped fists with Bushi over the IWGP IC & IWGP Hvt. titles.
G1 CLIMAX 30 RECORDS AND STANDINGS THROUGH NIGHT 6
A BLOCK
Taichi (3-0, 6pts)
Jay White (3-0, 6pts)
Will Ospreay (2-1, 4pts)
Minoru Suzuki (2-1, 4pts)
Kota Ibushi (2-1, 4pts)
Jeff Cobb (1-2, 2pts)
Kazuchika Okada (1-2, 2pts)
Shingo Takagi (1-2, 2pts)
Tomohiro Ishii (0-3, 0pts)
Yujiro Takahashi (0-3, 0pts)
B BLOCK
Toru Yano (3-0, 6pts)
Tetsuya Naito (3-0, 6pts)
Juice Robinson (2-1, 4pts)
Kenta (2-1,4pts)
Hiroshi Tanahashi (1-2, 2pts)
Zack Sabre Jr. (1-2, 2pts)
Evil (1-2, 2pts)
Hirooki Goto (1-2, 2pts)
Yoshi-Hashi (1-2, 2pts)
Sanada (0-3, 0pts)
Contact Sean at radicansean@pwtorch.com. Follow Sean on Twitter @SR_Torch.
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