Kota Ibushi has done what only two other men before him have. He has won the G1 Climax tournament two years in a row. In 2018, Ibushi also made the finals but lost to Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Going into the deciding match with Sanada, Ibushi’s left thigh and knee were taped up due to the 158 kicks thrown in his match against Taichi the other night. It really hampers his speed and offense on all levels.
Knowing that a title match at Wrestle Kingdom is at stake, Sanada and Ibushi are very tentative at the start, backing each other into the ropes, locking up and then disengaging.
Sanada concentrates his attacks on that injured leg. Sanada drop kicks Ibushi in the head or neck. Ibushi rolls right out of the ring as Sanada lands awkwardly. The finalists flip-flop between submission moves working over each other’s legs.
Sanada mows down Ibushi with kicks and chops as Ibushi hasn’t been able to collect himself since that drop kick. It takes him quite a bit of time to get to his feet after each blow. A Sanada figure four tears at Ibushi’s knee as he screams in agony.
The fight goes to the floor with Sanada leaping over the top rope onto Ibushi. Ibushi jumps over Sanada’s drop kick and lands on double stomp on Sanada’s chest on the apron of the ring. Sanada counters with a draping swinging neckbreaker off the apron and onto the arena floor.
Ibushi pulls out a big move catching Sanada as he leaps off the ropes and powerbombing him. The whiplash effect knocks all of the breath and energy out of Sanada. A sit-out powerbomb gets Ibushi a two count. Ibushi attempts to end the match with the Kamigoye, however, Sanada drops kicks him in the leg before he can execute it.
Sanada kicks out of Ibushi’s Bastard Driver and wrestles out of a Kamigoye to roll up Ibushi three times in a row, all for two counts. A high kick, a running knee strike and a Kamigoye still cannot win the match for Ibushi. A second Kamigoye though and Kota Ibushi has won the G1 Climax for the second consecutive year.
Japanese wrestling legend Masahiro Chono presented Ibushi with the trophy after the match. Chono won back-to-back G1s in 1991 and 1992 as did Hiroyoshi Tenzan in 2003 and 2004.
“In the era we live in and the challenges we are all facing, for all of you to come out here today I am truly grateful. I really would like to get back to the way things used to be and jam-pack these venues with screaming fans. I want to take this G1 and become IWGP Heavyweight Champion!” said a thankful Ibushi to the Ryōgoku Sumo Hall crowd.
Ibushi will now face the IWGP Heavyweight Champion in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom in January.
Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan and Bea Priestley also continued their feud with Kazuchika Okada and Chaos at tonight’s show.
Great-O-Khan staggers to the ring like a zombie. Bea Priestley accompanies Ospreay beaming with pride. Instead of being referred to as the “Ariel Assassin”, Ospreay is now just “The Assassin”. Okada is so pissed by Ospreay’s betrayal he doesn’t even take his robe off or wait for the bell to ring. He rushes across the ring to attack him, throwing him to the floor. In the ring, Sho’s kicks have no effect on Khan. Khan lifts up Sho slamming him to the mat.
Priestley and Ospreay assist Khan in choking out Sho keeping him cut off from his partner most of the match. Sho eventually hot tags in Okada who gives Khan some shots to the face and an elbow smash. Okada takes a shot at Ospreay. Ospreay steps off the apron to avoid trading blows with Okada.
Khan stands his ground against Okada using Mongolian Chops, head butts and power moves like his possible namesake Killer Khan. He whips Okada into a corner and follows up with a tremendous clothesline. He easily hoisting him up into a Tree of Woe and hitting Okada with a running double drop kick to the face.
Once Okada has been weakened Ospreay tags in. Ospreay and Okada have a slugfest in the middle of the ring. Sho tags in and begins wailing on Ospreay in a corner. The official tries to stop Sho. Sho shoves the official away. Commentators Chris Charlton and Rocky Romero say Sho and Ospreay were the best of friends and he is taking the Chaos betrayal very personally.
Khan chokeslams Okada to the mat as Ospreay locks Sho in the figure four. Sho taps out.
G1 Climax 30 Night 18 Results
Chaos (Toru Yano, Yoshi-Hashi, Tomohiro Ishii and Hirooki Goto) versus Suzuki-gun (Douki, El Desperado, Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi)
Yoshi-Hashi is pinned by Douki after a Zack Mephisto by Taichi and Sabre Jr. Taichi lays the boots to Yoshi. Ishii comes in to drive Suzuki-gun away. Douki hits Ishii in the leg with his steel pipe. Suzuki-gun works over Ishii injured leg. Yano rushes into the ring and gets wrapped up by Sabre Jr. Douki poses with the Never Openweight Tag Team belts issuing a challenge to Chaos.
Winners: Suzuki-gun (Douki, El Desperado, Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi)
Los Ingobernables de Japón (Hiromu Takahashi and Shingo Takagi) versus Suzuki-gun (Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Minoru Suzuki)
Takahashi ducks Kanemaru and his whiskey bottle. A super kick and a clothesline rocks Kanemaru. Shingo picks up the bottle choking Suzuki with it. Hiromu pins Kanemaru with Time Bomb. Shingo and Suzuki continue beating the crap out of each other after the bell has rang and the match is over.
Winners: Los Ingobernables de Japón (Hiromu Takahashi and Shingo Takagi)
Master Wato, Jeff Cobb, Juice Robinson and Hiroshi Tanahashi versus Bullet Club (Gedo, Taiji Ishimori, Kenta and Jay White)
The faces pull this one out after Tanahashi slaps the Cloverleaf on Gedo. Kenta taunts Tanahashi with his U.S. Championship contract briefcase. He shows off the crack in it where he clobbered The Ace in the head.
Winners: Master Wato, Jeff Cobb, Juice Robinson and Hiroshi Tanahashi
Chaos (Sho and Kazuchika Okada) versus Great-O-Khan and Will Ospreay
Winners: Great-O-Khan and Will Ospreay
Los Ingobernables de Japón (Bushi and Tetsuya Naito) versus Bullet Club (Yujiro Takahashi and Evil)
Bushi kicks out of Darkness Falls but submits to the Scorpion Death Lock. Evil refuses to give up the hold until Naito comes in kicking. As Naito jaw jacks with Evil, Togo slips into the ring garroting him from behind. Evil drops Naito with Everything is Evil.
Winners: Bullet Club (Yujiro Takahashi and Evil)
Kota Ibushi and Sanada – G1 CLIMAX 30 FINALS
Winner: Kota Ibushi
