The marquee match of G1 Climax 30 Night 4 saw IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental ‘Double Champion’ and leader of Los Ingobernables de Japon (LIJ) face former four-time Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro) Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion and Suzuki-Gun member Zack Sabre Jr (ZSJ).
ZSJ famously defeated Naito during the first round of the New Japan Cup 2018, a tournament he would go on to win. ZSJ would also spoil Naito’s chance of winning G1 Climax 28, when he unveiled the Zack Driver (handed down to him by Taka Michinoku).
However, Naito would come into the match with victories over ZSJ during G1 Climax 27 and Power Struggle 2018. The two rivals were ready for a battle as they underwent a feeling out process, where a focused ZSJ took advantage of Naito wishing to showboat and play mind games against the Submission Master.
Naito would settle back down, but ZSJ would continue to prove his Catch Wrestling style is a stylistic nightmare for the Lucha Libre influenced ‘Double Champion.’
ZSJ would trouble Naito with several submission holds throughout the match, forcing his opponent through pain in order to survive. ZSJ would attempt to call back to their G1 Climax 28 match and defeat Naito with the Zack Driver, but his final attempt to do so was reversed into a half Destino.
Naito would gain the fall over ZSJ at the 28 minute and 28-second mark to secure his 2-0 start to G1 Climax 30, after a thrilling victory over former eight-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi during G1 Climax 30 Night 2.
Despite taking the loss, ZSJ looked amazing against the IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Before the forced COVID-19 (Coronavirus, 2019) delay, ZSJ stated how his goal was to win an IWGP championship. While his Dangerous Tekkers (w/Taichi) team has captured the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, ZSJ has yet to win a singles IWGP championship.
If he continues competing against top-flight competition as he did against Naito, he will soon find an IWGP singles championship victory.
