G1 Climax 30 Night Two is the first night of Block B action. Earlier today, Block A got off to a critically acclaimed start, yet was only the first of many nights in what most wrestling journalists consider the biggest and most prestigious tournament in the industry.
Naito (LIJ) v Hiroshi Tanahashi (Hontai)
The marquee match features new IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental ‘Double Champion’ and Los Ingobernables de Japon (LIJ) leader Tetsuya Naito face former record-holding eight-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi.
Tanahashi is also two-time winners of the G1 Climax with Tanahashi winning G1 Climax 17 (2007), G1 Climax 25 (2015), and G1 Climax 28 (2018). Naito won G1 Climax 23 (2013) and G1 Climax 27 (2017).
With Tanahashi past his peak, he may not have the endurance to win another G1 Climax, however, a victory over Naito may allow him an opportunity at either the IWGP Heavyweight or IWGP Intercontinental Championship depending on how well he finishes in Block B.
Naito will look to continue the momentum gained after defeating Evil for the ‘Double Championship’ during Summer Struggle in Jingu.
The two last met in a singles match in 2017 during G1 Climax 27. Naito would defeat Tanahashi in block action to move their overall record against one another to 8-6 in favor of Tanahashi.
Evil (Bullet Club) v Zack Sabre Jr. (Suzuki-Gun)
Bullet Club member and former IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental ‘Double Champion’ Evil and Suzuki-Gun member and former four-time Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro) Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. (ZSJ) meet for the fourth time in the headline.
Evil currently leads 2-1 in singles competition over ZSJ after picking up a victory on July 27, 2019, during G1 Climax 29. He will be prime to carve his path back towards the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
After a successful V1 defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship with his Dangerous Tekkers tag team partner Taichi during Summer Struggle in Jingu, ZSJ will look to show that he remains a series threat in singles competition.
Kenta (Bullet Club) v Goto (CHAOS)
Hirooki Goto defeated Kenta for the NEVER Openweight Championship during Wrestle Kingdom 14 Night Two in what was Kenta’s V3 defense of the title.
Kenta is coming off winning the New Japan Cup USA 2020 tournament for a V3 opportunity at the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship currently held by Jon Moxley. While Goto recently captured the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Championship with fellow CHAOS members Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi.
This will be the second singles match between the two and will callback the bitter rivalry the two had during the latter half of 2019.
Sanada (LIJ) v Toru Yano (CHAOS)
The second G1 match during the second night of G1 Climax 30 sees the current KOPW (presumably King of Pro Wrestling) titleholder Toru Yano face Sanada.
Sanada is currently on a crash course with his former Cold Darkness tag team partner Evil, yet he has his sights on winning Block B and the entire G1 Climax 30 tournament.
Sanada will need to defeat Yano if he doesn’t want his path through Block B to be an intense journey of must-win matches.
Juice Robinson (Hontai) v Yoshi-Hashi (CHAOS)
The first match of Block B during G1 Climax 30 sees Juice Robinson take on Yoshi-Hashi. This will be the first match for Robinson since New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) went on a hiatus due to COVID-19 (Coronavirus 2019).
Yoshi-Hashi has been on the best form of his career and may be able to catch a rusty Juice Robinson by surprise. However, Juice may have a renewed energy after having time to collect his thoughts after FinJuice (his tag team with David Finlay) lost the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship to Guerrillas of Destiny (G.O.D.) on February 1st during the New Beginning in USA 2020 tour.
The opening match of the event sees NJPW Noge Dojo Young Lion Yota Tsuji face NJPW Los Angeles (LA) Dojo Young Lion Gabriel Kidd.
