10 must watch G1 Climax 31 matches
NJPW G1 Climax 31 once again produced quality pro wrestling and plenty of stories throughout the course of the premier tournament. Tetsuya Naito and Kota Ibushi bookended the tournament with heartbreaking injuries. Kazuchika Okada walked away with his third victory in the G1 Climax and will headline another Wrestle Kingdom in the Tokyo Dome.
There were exceptional matches that stole the show and saw performers step up in a huge way. Several lower card competitors were given the opportunity in the tournament and overachieved over the course of the last month, while the main event talent continued to be in top form. The expected bangers were right on point, while there were also some contests that exceeded expectations.
『G1』優勝決定戦は、飯伏が負傷でレフェリーストップに。
オカダが7年ぶり“3度目の優勝”を達成！
試合後、 IWGPヘビー4代目ベルトを会社に要求!!
【10.21日本武道館結果】
★試合の詳細は新日本プロレス・スマホサイトで速報中！
njpw.co.jp/318766
#njpw #G131 https://t.co/QL8z4dIiiZ
With the G1 Climax 31 finally in the books, it is an ideal time to look at the encounters that stood out the most over the duration of this stellar tournament. Despite the ups and downs, NJPW can be proud of the effort that the performers delivered. In this article, let's take a look at the ten must-watch G1 Climax 31 matches.
10) Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. SANADA - NJPW G1 Climax 31 Night 8
After another stacked night of action, G1 Climax goes back on the road for Friday night in Hamamatsu!
B Block hit the ring with Hiroshi Tanahashi vs SANADA your main event!
Full card, preview: njpw1972.com/104973
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The rivalry between Hiroshi Tanahashi and SANADA has evolved in many different G1 Climax matches. Heading into the G1 Climax 31 Night 8, both competitors were looking to keep up with the head of the pack in the B Block. Their previous meetings have always been impressive technical wrestling displays and this contest was no different.
The story of this G1 Climax 31 encounter was that the two men were evenly matched. The bout started out slow with a feeling out process and developed into a back-and-forth clash. Both men looked for their top rope finishers, but each man got their knees up to get the control back. SANADA looked for the O'Connor roll, but Tanahashi reversed into a dragon suplex for a nearfall.
The Ace immediately followed with the High Fly Flow on SANADA to get the victory. It was a great main event that escalated into drama as the bout went on. Neither man had a significant advantage, which helped the pace and how it intensified with the length needed to cap off the G1 Climax 31 Night 8 on the right note.