The second night of B Block Action is upon us, featuring matches with Jon Moxley, Jeff Cobb, Tomohiro Ishii and more. But first, the A Block preview tag matches.
Jushin Thunder Liger & Kota Ibushi b. Shota Umino & Yota Tsuji when Ibushi submitted Tsuji with a Half Crab – The usual Stars vs. Young Lions match. This was originally planned to be a six-man involving Will Ospreay, but due to an injury to Will Ospreay it was changed to a standard tag match. The main point to note is Umino was much more aggressive with the referee and his opponents. This may be due to his association with Jon Moxley.
After the match Liger took the mic and said this was his final match in Sapporo. He thanked the fans and bowed to them.
Los Ingobernables De Japon (EVIL, SANADA, & BUSHI) b. Tomoaki Honma, Toa Henare, & Ren Narita when BUSHI pinned Narita with an MX – The heels gained control when Honma missed a Kokeshi headbutt. Henare got the hot tag and ran wild. Narita tagged in and the babyfaces triple teamed Bushi. Their momentum didn’t last long after that because the heels returned the favor on Narita. Honma and Henare were held at bay while Bushi hit the MX on Narita to get the pin.
After the match, Evil & Sanada stared each other down because they will face each other in the next A Block night. When Sanada turned to leave, Evil rushed him and tried a surprise Everything Is Evil. Sanada escaped and tried for a Skull End. The two found themelves at a stalemate, so they left the ring independently.
Suzuki-Gun (Minoru Suzuki, Zack Sabre Jr., Lance Archer, & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) b. Hiroshi Tanahashi, KENTA, Mark Connors, & Karl Fredericks when Kanemaru pinned Connors with a Deep Impact DDT – Kenta and Archer traded blows early on. Kenta tried to tag Tanahashi in, but Tanahashi refused. Frederick instead got the tag. The match spilled to the floor shortly afterward. When the match got back in the ring, the heels were dominating Fredericks. When Fredericks reached for the tag, Tanahashi pushed Kenta back so he could get the tag. Sabre locked Tanahashi into a submission hold in the ring while everybody else brawled on the floor. Connors and Kanemaru got the respective double tag and the babyfaces made their comeback. Connors put Kanemaru in a Boston Crab that got broken up by Suzuki. Kanemaru soon hit a Deep Impact DDT on Connors for the pin.
After the match, Sabre continued to put Tanahashi in submission holds. Kenta tried to help Tanahashi to the back but Tanahashi seemingly refused the help.
IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI of CHAOS b. Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens of Bullet Club when Okada pinned Owens with a Rainmaker – The heels naturally took the match to the floor early and pummeled the babyfaces outside the ring. They got the heat on Hashi for several minutes until Okada got the hot tag. While Okada managed to slam fale, he was not able to land the neckbreaker. The heels battled back and tried to cut Okada off. Fale tried a Hand Grenade, but Okada countered with a dropkick. Hashi knocked Fale out of the ring while Okada hit a Rainmaker on Owens to pin him.
TOURNAMENT MATCHES
Shingo Takagi (0-1, 0) p. Toru Yano (1-0, 2) with a Pumping Bomber – Yano wanted to wrestle with his shirt on, while Takagi demanded he take it off. The exact opposite of what happened in Yano’s last match with Naito. When Yano finally started to remove his shirt, Takagi attacked. Yano managed to flip the odds and roll Takagi’s head up in the shirt. Takagi kicked out of a roll-up so Yano walked down to the ramp and sat in a chair like he was taking a countout loss. Takagi went after him and tried to fight him. Yano quickly slammed Takagi to the floor and put several obstacles in his way to get a count-out victory. Takagi still made it in at the count of 19. The match continued in the ring where Yano grabbed a chair. The referee tried to remove the chair when Bushi came out to distract him. While the ref’s back was turned, Takagi got control of the chair and threw it at Yano. He followed up with a Pumping Bomber and pinned Yano right as the referee turned back around.
Juice Robinson (1-0, 2) p. Hirooki Goto (1-0, 2) with Pulp Friction – The two started slow with the feeling out process, but soon picked up when Juice decked Goto with a leg lariat. The match went to the outside, which is a little surprising given both men are babyfaces. Back in the ring, the two went back and forth with the match escalating to bigger moves. Juice went for the Left Hand Of God, only for Goto to literally block with his head. Juice did likewise and then amazingly hit Pulp Friction to get the pin.
Jon Moxley (1-0, 2) p. Jeff Cobb (0-1, 0) with an Elevated DDT – The match was pretty competitive in the opening minites, with Cob using wrestling and power, while Moxley used brawling tactics. Outside the ring, Moxley tried to piledriver Cobb on the stage. Cobb escaped, and the two clotheslined each other to a double-down. The two brawled on the floor, with Moxley breaking the count by getting in and out of the ring. Cobb made a brief comeback, and tried to use a German Suplex to the floor. Moxley escaped and hit an Elevated DDT (Randy Orton style) and got the pin.
NEVER Openweight Champion Tomohiro Ishii (1-0, 2) p. Jay White (0-1, 2) with a Brainbuster – White tried to goad Ishii to come to the floor and face him. Ishii didn’t fall for it and quickly got the match back in the ring. Ishii tossed White around the ring and chased him to the outside. Gedo attacked Ishii from behind, and when Ishii turned around, White rammed him into the post. This gave White control of the match for several minutes. White made the mistake of taunting Ishii as he landed strikes. This only served to anger Ishii and fire him up for a comeback. Ishii landed a massive superplex and landed several strikes. White tried for a desperation Blade Runner that Ishii reversed into a German Suplex. Ishi landed a powerbomb for a near fall. Gedo got on the apron to distract Red Shoes. White again tried a Blade Runner, but Ishii dodged and hit a sliding lariat. Ishii reversed another Blade Runner into a DDT and hit a clothesline for another near fall. After that, Ishii finished off White with a Brainbuster.
Taichi (0-1, 0) p. IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito (0-1, 0) with a Last Ride Powerbomb – At first one might wonder why Taichi is in the main event. Well, for what it’s worth, Taichi has challenged for the IC Title before. That said, I probably still would have rather seen Ishii and White in the main event. This match had a lot of stalling since both guys are heels who excel in skullduggery. Taichi tried to goad Naito to come to the floor, while Naito would lay in the ring like he just wanted to get pinned. When Taichi took the bait, Naito tried to roll him up. The match went to the floor where the two brawled around on the outside. Naito grounded Taichi once the match got back in the ring and clamped Taichi in a Full Nelson with his legs. Taichi escaped and battled back with a Backdrop Suplex. taichi grabbed the Iron Fingers he gained from Takeshi Iizuka. Naito dodged the weapon and hit Gloria for a two count. Taichi kicked out and Naito set up a Destino. Taichi escaped and tried to fight back. Naito hit Destino, but Taichi kicked out. Naito tried a second Destino, which got reversed into Black Mephisto. Naito kicked out and tried a flying forearm. Taichi dodged and Naito hit Red Shoes. With Red Shoes down, Kanemaru tried to interfere. Naito fended him off and hit Taichi with a Snow Plow for a visual pinfall. WHen Red Shoes came to, Taichi landed a superkick for a near fall. At the 20 minute mark, Taichi again went for the Iron Fingers. This time, he was able to land the knockout blow. A Last Ride Powerbomb then gave Taichi his first G1 victory.
After the match, Taichi cut a promo, presumably gloating over his victory.
STANDINGS
4 Juice Robinson
4 Jon Moxley
4 Tomohiro Ishii
2 Hirooki Goto
2 Shingo Takagi
2 Taichi
2 Toru Yano
0 Jay White
0 Jeff Cobb
0 Tetsuya Naito
