This year’s NJPW G1 Climax tournament has begun with a bang. In the very first match of the tournament, Yujiro Takahashi defeated Kota Ibushi in grand style.
The best thing about the match was that Pieter is back to provide Yujiro with moral support. Ibushi begins his journey for a threepeat here. Yujiro shoves Ibushi off the top rope. He crashes to the floor. Pieter hands Yujiro his cane while she distracts the official. Yujiro hits Ibushi in the stomach and chokes him out with it. Yujiro escapes a Kamigoye by slinging Ibushi into the official. A low blow and the Pimp Juice DDT scores Yujiro a two count. Yujiro hits Ibushi with a moves, a pancake slam of sorts. He pins Ibushi. The crowd utters audible gasps.
Zack Sabre Jr. would also shock the crowd in attendance with his victory over Los Ingobernables de Japon leader Naito making him submit to a modified octopus like submission hold.
The winner of the G1 Climax tournament is usually rewarded with a championship title match at Wrestle Kingdom.
A Block Standings
| Name | Points |
|---|---|
| Great-O-Khan | 2 |
| Zack Sabre Jr. | 2 |
| Shingo Takagi | 2 |
| Yujiro Takahashi | 2 |
| Toru Yano | 2 |
| Kota Ibushi | 0 |
| Tomohiro Ishii | 0 |
| Kenta | 0 |
| Tanga Loa | 0 |
| Tetsuya Naito | 0 |
NJPW G1 CLIMAX 31 2021 – Night 1 Results
Ryohei Oiwa versus Sho
Oiwa gets creamed by Sho, mostly on the floor. Throwing Oiwa into the ringside barrier, Sho removes the covering around the turnbuckle supports like he did with Yoh in their recent match. Sho tries to shove the covering down Oiwa’s throat. Sho eventually forces Oiwa to submit to the Snake Bite submission.
Winner: Sho
Kota Ibushi versus Yujiro Takahashi – G1 Climax 31 Match
Winner: Yujiro Takahashi
Great-O-Khan versus Tanga Loa – G1 Climax 31 Match
Loa works over Khan. Courtesy: NJPW.
Loa is accompanied by Jado. A true test of strength and power between these two tanks. With the official’s back turned Jado clobbers Khan with his kendo stick on the floor. Loa follows up with a snap suplex on the floor. In the middle of the match Loa starts jaw-jacking. “I expected more from you! Empire who? Great who? Not you!” he yells as he slugs Khan in the face. That fires Khan up. He wins via The Eliminator.
Winner: Great-O-Khan
Toru Yano versus KENTA – G1 Climax 31 Match
Kenta sprays Yano in the face. Courtesy: NJPW.
Kenta hands a piece of paper to ring announcer Kimihiko Ozaki. It is a long list of accomplishments to counter Yano’s traditionally verbose introduction. Yano’s hair is back to normal. It isn’t blonde any more. The official finds a roll of tape under one of Yano’s knee pads. Yano demands that the official check Kenta too. He finds a roll of tape in the back of Kenta’s trunks. Kenta stalls outside the ring forever and ever. Every time Yano rolls out, Kenta rolls in. Every time Yano rolls in, Kenta rolls out. Yano throws his hands up, leaves the ring and begins walking up the aisle to the locker room. The official begins laying a count on Yano. Yano runs back into the ring. Kenta is waiting for him with some stomps.
Kenta rolls out onto the floor. While Yano complains to the official, Kenta steals Yano’s spray bottle of sanitizer. When Yano comes out onto the floor Kenta sprays him in the face with it blinding him. Kenta removes the lid pouring what’s left of the bottle into Yano’s face. Kenta pummels Yano all the way up the entrance way. The same place where Yano taped Kenta to the lighting apparatus to get him counted out last year. Kenta removes a roll of tape he had concealed there. Yano kicks Kenta in the gut throwing the tape away. Kenta pulls out another roll from another hiding spot. Kenta tapes Yano to the apparatus but Yano rips the tape apart making it back to the ring in time.
The tape would come into play once again later on as Kenta wraps up Yano’s hands and rolls him under the ring out of view of the official. Kenta wakes up the snoozing official telling them that Yano left the arena. The official begins their count. Yano slides back in from the other side of the ring, punches Kenta in the “lower abdomen” for a two count. Another punch there and an inside cradle wins the match for Yano.
Winner: Toru Yano
Tetsuya Naito versus Zack Sabre Jr. – G1 Climax 31 Match
Zach steals one from Naito making him tap out. The crowd is stunned again.
Winner: Zack Sabre Jr.
Tomohiro Ishii versus Shingo Takagi – G1 Climax 31 Match
This is like two freight trains colliding. Takagi wins the war of attrition with a Last of the Dragon.
Winner: Shingo Takagi
