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NJPW G1 CLIMAX 30: NIGHT 1 SPOILER FREE VIEWERS GUIDE
I will provide a list of matches for people to watch after each show at the top of my review.
NIGHT 1
(4) Minoru Suzuki vs. Tomohiro Ishii. (****½)
(5) Jay White vs. Shingo (***¾)
(6) Kazuchika Okada vs. Kota Ibushi (****½)
RADICAN’S G1 CLIMAX 30: NIGHT 1 REPORT
SEPT. 19, 2020
OSAKA, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
English commentary: Kevin Kelly and Rocky Romero
(1) YUYA UEMURA vs. YOTA TSUJI – non tournament match
Uemura went after Tsuji’s arm during the early going, but he countered and went after Uemura’s leg. The fans fired up as both men began exchanging big forearms later in the match. Uemura finally hit a big backdrop and a vertical suplex for a two count. Tsuji was on a roll until Uemura caught him with a big dropkick off the ropes. He then got a Boston Crab a short time later and the fans fired up. Tsuji struggled to get to the ropes, but Uemura sat down on the hold. Uemura then transitioned it to a high angle Boston Crab and it was good for the win.
WINNER: Yuya Uemura at 6:57. (***)
(Radican’s Analysis: My hat off to these two for putting on a very entertaining 7 minute match that had the crowd rocking down the stretch to kick off the show.)
(2) YUJIRO TAKAHSHI (0) vs. WILL OSPREAY(0) – A Block match
Ospreay got a big ovation making his entrance and appeared emotional. The crowd fired up as Ospreay pumped them up. The crowd ate up Ospreay doing his signature fakeout dive spot during the opening minutes of the match. Takahashi fired back and shoved Ospreay into the guardrail on the floor before hitting an inverted DDT. Ospreay mounted a comeback and caught Takahashi with a handspring kick off the ropes and the fans fired up. He hit the Phenomenal Forearm a short time later. Ospreay got Takahashi up for the Strombreaker but he slipped out of it. Takahashi then hit an Angle Slam out of nowhere and both men were down. They went back and forth and Ospreay slipped out of Tokyo Pimps and hit a quick Hidden Blade right into a Stormbreaker for the win.
Winner: Will Ospreay (2 pts) at 7:34. (***¼)
(Radican’s Analysis: Good match. Ospreay was welcomed back with open arms by NJPW fans following the #SpeakOut allegations that were made against him.)
After the match, WIll Ospreay got on the mic and said he’s home. He said he missed the fans. Ospreay said before he came out he was scared and nervous, but then he looked in the mirror and said there’s no reason to be nervous because I’m Will Ospreay. Ospreay said he’s the best wrestler in the world right now. He said NJPW has been good during the pandemic era, but it’s so much better now that he’s back. Ospreay said G1 is about being the one and you are looking at him.
(2) JEFF COBB (0) vs. IWPG HVT. TAG TEAM CHAMPION TAICHI (0) – A Block match
Taichi offered a handshake and then tried to kick Cobb, but Cobb caught it and nailed him with a chop. Cobb then hit the A.J. Styles dropkick on Taichi and he rolled to the floor. Taichi got the timekeeper’s bell hammer and hit Cobb with it several times across his leg. He then went to work on Cobb’s leg and wrapped it around the guardrail, but the ref made him let go of the hold. Taichi worked a leg submission inside the ring, but Cobb managed to get to the ropes. Cobb finally mounted a comeback and used the ropes to help him get to to his feet.
Cobb went on the attack and drove Taichi into the corner. Cobb went to lift Taichi, but he raked his eyes and went back after Cobb’s leg. Taichi eventually caught Cobb in the corner with a big kick to the head and both men were down. Cobb blocked a roundhouse kick to his head. He then told Taichi to bring it. Taichi hit several kicks and Cobb fired back with forearms. Taichi tried to cut off a Cobb forearm, but he nailed him and Taichi collapsed to the mat. They went back and forth until Cobb hit a headbutt and Taichi hit a jumping high kick that left both men down on the mat. Taichi ripped his pants off and measured Cobb for a kick, but Cobb caught it and hit a big suplex and a standing moonsault for a near fall. Cobb went for TOI, but Taichi rolled him up for a two count. They went back and forth and Taichi hit a backdrop driver and both men were down once again as the fans fired up.
Taichi got up and hit a big clothesline on Cobb for a two count. Taichi tried to get Cobb on his back for Black Mephisto, but Cobb blocked it and hit a series of rolling gutwrench suplexes. Cobb went for a powerbomb, but Taichi slipped out only to eat a twisting backdrop driver. Cobb then went for TOI, but Taichi blocked it. Taichi hit a kick to Cobb’s leg and a jumping high kick. Cobb no-sold it and walked right into a superkick. Taichi then hit Black Mephisto for the win.
WINNER: Taichi (2 pts) at 12:47. (***½)
(Radican’s Analysis: Really good match with Taichi pecking away at Cobb’s leg to set up Black Mephisto for the win. The finishing stretch was fantastic and Cobb showed a lot of fire in taking the loss.)
The show went to a short intermission.
(4) MINORU SUZUKI (0) vs. TOMOHIRO ISHII (0) – A Block match
They went at it right away slapping each other in the face in the middle of the ring. Suzuki hit a gut punch and went for the Gotch, but Ishii escaped and went for the Vertical Brain Buster. Suzuki escaped and they came to a stalemate. They went at it trading blows again a short time later. Suzuki got an arm bar around the ropes and went after Ishii’s arm on the outside. He threw him arm first into the barricade. Suzuki then wrapped Ishii’s arm around the guardrail and worked it over. They traded slaps to the floor and Ishii collapsed after a hard slap from Suzuki and the fans applauded. They traded blows once Ishii got back into the ring and Suzuki sent Ishii into the corner with a big forearm. Ishii finally caught Suzuki coming off the ropes with a powerslam and both men were down.
Ishii got on top of Suzuki and taunted him with slaps before putting a boot on his face. Suzuki fired up and they went to another strike exchange. Suzuki smiled as they traded blows. Suzuki sent Ishii down to a knee with a big shot and then he hit another one and Ishii collapsed to the mat. The fans fired up and Suzuki hit a second PK. Ishii no-sold it and got to his feet. Suzuki hit another kick and Ishii shook his head. Suzuki went for another kick, but Ishii blocked it and sent him to the mat with a big forearm. They went back and forth off the ropes. Ishii no-sold a big kick to the head from Suzuki off the ropes. He then ducked a running kick and hit a German and both men were down! WOW!
The fans applauded as both men tried to get to their feet. Both men butted heads on their knees. They then began trading forearms. They got to their feet and continued to trade. They changed things up by trading slaps to the face. Both men continued to trade big slaps to the face. Ishii hit a big headbutt. Suzuki fired back with one of his own. Suzuki went for another headbutt, but Ishii cut it off and sent him to the mat with a big clothesline. Suzuki went for the Gotch, but Ishii got him on his back and hit a modified Cop Killa. He hit a sliding clothesline, but Suzuki kicked out at two. Suzuki blocked a VDBB, but Ishii managed to nail him with a jumping kick to the head. They went back and forth off the ropes and Suzuki got the choke. He went for the Gotch, but ishii fought out of it and hit a backdrop. Both men slapped each other across the face at the same time several times. Suzuki eventually decked Ishii with two short forearms to the head.
Suzuki got a wild look on his face as the fans applauded with Ishii down. Suzuki set up and hit a big sliding kick on a seated Ishii. Ishii no-sold and got right up and wiped Suzuki out with a big clothesline. Suzuki got up laughing. Ishii blocked a kick and hit a headbutt. He then hit a big running clothesline on Suzuki. Suzuki countered the VDBB into the Gotch suddenly for the win. WOW! What a match!
Winner: Minoru Suzuki (2 pts) at 13:00. (****½)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was an all out war from start to finish. These guys put on a 13 minute sprint that was just insane and everything you could want out of a match between both men. Ishii’s fighting spirit meter was insanely high on this night and the finishing sequence was mental.)
(5) JAY WHITE (W/GEDO) (0) vs. SHINGO TAKAGI (0) – A Block match
White acted like he was all pumped up to wrestle and as soon as the bell rang he rolled to the floor. Shingo went on a roll and took out White, who rolled to the floor. Gedo tried to distract Shingo, but he managed to block an attack from behind from White. Shingo tried to get back into the ring a short time later. Gedo held his boot and White knocked him off the apron to get the upper hand. White worked over Shingo’s back for a long period of time. Shingo fired back after White began dragging him down to the mat by the hair. Shingo returned the favor by tossing White across the ring by his hair. He then clotheslined White to the floor. The fans fired up as Shingo hit several punches and strikes back and forth on White. He then capped a big sequence with a DDT on the floor and the fans clapped in appreciation. White finally caught Shingo with a quick back suplex and both men were down.
They went back and forth and Shingo hit Noshigami and both men were down. Shingo got up first as the fans fired up. Shingo hit a nasty looking wheelbarrow deadlift German. Shingo outsmarted White when he tried to sit down so he couldn’t hit him with a strike. Shingo changed directions and wiped out White from behind. He then hit a sliding lariat on a seated White. Shingo went for Made in Japan. White blocked it, so he hit a gutbuster for a two count. White blocked MIJ again, but ate a big back elbow right before the 15 minute mark passed. Gedo got up on the apron and White rolled him up. He put his feet on the ropes and the ref saw it and stopped his count. White argued with the ref. They went back and forth and White hit a sleeper suplex.
White hit the Kiwi Crusher a short time later for a nearfall and the fans applauded. Shingo countered the Blade Runner into MIJ for a nearfall. Shingo went for Last of the Dragon. White grabbed the ref and Gedo tried to attack Shingo from behind. Shingo got rid of Gedo and White went after him. They went back and forth and Shingo hit a Pumping Bomber. The fans fired up big time, but White held onto the ropes when Shingo went for LOTD. Shingo hit LOTD, but White’s foot hit the ref in the head.
Shingo got a visual pin. White hit a low blow and hit a Regalplex for a nearfall. White set up for Blade Runner and hit it for the win.
WINNER: Jay White (2 pts) at 19:28. (***¾)
(Radican’s Analysis: Tremendous match with Shingo overcoming outside interference and getting a clear visual pin after White kicked the ref in the head as Shingo tried to hit Last of the Dragon. White is going to be a major threat in the tournament going forward given the tactics he uses to win matches.)
(6) KAZUCHIKA OKADA (0) vs. KOTA IBUSHI (0) – A Block match
Okada and Ibushi have not met since Okada beat Ibushi on the first night of Wrestle Kingdom in January. The pace was slow early. Ibushi went for a springboard to the floor, but Okada grabbed him and tossed him chest first into the guardrail. Okada hit a DDT on the floor a short time later. Okada methodically worked over Ibushi until Ibushi caught him with a dropkick to the midsection. Both men were down after the exchange.
Ibushi got up and hit a flying mid kick. They went back and forth again until Ibushi caught Okada with another kick. The fans fired up with both men down. Okada countered Ibushi and went for the Money Clip, but Ibushi hit a knee to his midsection. Okada caught Ibushi trying a splash in the corner and hit his signature neck breaker. Okada hit a Russian leg sweep and immediately applied the Money Clip. Ibushi struggled, but managed to get to the ropes.
Okada went for a tombstone on the floor, but Ibushi slipped out. He then ran up to the ropes and hit a quebrada all in one motion to the floor. The fans really fired up after Ibushi’s spectacular move. They battled up top and Okada nearly got an avalanche tombstone. Ibushi nearly lost his balance, but still managed to hit a standing rana off the top rope on Okada for a two count. The fans really fired up after that sequence. They traded counters between the Tombstone and the Bastard Driver. Okada slipped out of the Bastard Driver finally and hit the Tombstone and both men were down.
Both men began trading blows while on their knees. Both men told each other to bring it. They got to their feet and the pace picked up as they traded blows toe to toe. Ibushi suddenly sent Okada down with a blow and went for the Kamigoye, but Okada blocked it by grabbing Ibushi’s leg. Ibushi plastered Okada with a roundhouse kick to the head. Ibushi had a vacant look in his eyes after hitting that kick.
Ibushi set up for the Boma Ye, but Ibushi hit a jumping tombstone. Okada then grabbed the Money Clip and the fans fired up. Ibushi freed himself and went for the lawn dart, but Okada got the Money Clip on the opposite side. Ibushi shook Okada off and then avoided a shotgun dropkick from Okada right before the 20 minute mark.
Okada went for a spinning Rainmaker, but Ibushi hit a high kick and a V Trigger. He went for the Kamigoye, but Okada countered out of it and hit a dropkick. He then caught Ibushi with a dropkick off the ropes. They went back and forth and Ibushi hit a Boma Ye. He then hit the Kamigoye for the win. WOW!
WINNER: Kota Ibushi (2 pts) at 21:35. (****½)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was just an incredible match. It started slow and they built the match to a fever pitch down the stretch with a finish from Ibushi that came out of nowhere. Okada seemed to be in control most of the match, but Ibushi caught him in the end with his finishing sequence)
Ibushi got on the mic after the match and cut a promo. He said he was going to go back to back and win G1 again this year. Kevin Kelly and Rocky Romero talked about how Ibushi is more focused than he was in the past. Romero said he’s on the verge of major things.
G1 CLIMAX 30 STANDINGS AFTER NIGHT 1
A BLOCK
Kota Ibushi (2)
Will Ospreay (2)
Jay White (2)
Taichi (2)
Minorui Suzuki (2)
Kazuchika Okada (0)
Shingo Takagi (0)
Tomohiro Ishii (0)
Jeff Cobb (0)
Yujiro Takahashi (0)
Email Sean at radicansean@pwtorch.com. Follow Sean on Twitter @SR_Torch.
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