The scheduling of New Japan’s G1 Climax 30 was thrown off because of the pandemic, but the company didn’t hold back when it came to booking their signature tournament as a result. The final day of A Block action in Tokyo’s Ryogoku Sumo Hall on Fri., Oct. 16 was certainly testament to that.
Winning A Block would have been a surprise for Will Ospreay or Kazuchika Okada. Both men needed to come out on top of their match-up today (okay, in Okada’s case, he could have advanced with a draw, too) and have other results break their way. But advancing to Sunday’s finals probably would have been less of a shock than what happened.
Ospreay was participating in second G1 this year as part of his official move to heavyweight. This match against his legendary CHAOS stablemate turned out to be a huge part of that story, and very well may have set up a date between the two at Wrestle Kingdom in January.
The Brit won the match, but it was how and what happened afterward that are the story. Ospreay was assisted by both a distraction from his long-time girlfriend Bea Priestley and a surprise attack by The Great O-Kharn (Tomoyuki Oka, whose been on excursion to the United Kingdom and working in Rev Pro since 2018).
【10.16両国大会・第4試合】
— 新日本プロレスリング株式会社 (@njpw1972) October 16, 2020
『G1 CLIMAX 30』Aブロック公式戦！
オカダ・カズチカvsウィル・オスプレイ！
場内騒然！イギリス遠征中のグレート-O-カーンが乱入……！
★試合の詳細は新日本プロレス・スマホサイトで速報中！https://t.co/0UHQHglh5f#njpw #G1CLIMAX30 pic.twitter.com/Gb4fwhoBtR
The attack continued after the bell, with Ospreay nailing the Rainmaker with Hidden Blade and accusing him of holding him down. In the post-show interview, the Aerial Assassin said he’ll be starting his own group.
衝撃！ なんとオスプレイがオカダに裏切りのヒドゥン・ブレイド……!!
— 新日本プロレスリング株式会社 (@njpw1972) October 16, 2020
ビー・プレストリー、乱入したグレート-O-カーンと結託か…？
10.16『G1』両国大会の結果はコチラ！
⇒https://t.co/OUgthFQCoa#G1CLIWAX30 #NJPW pic.twitter.com/XbYodOFVTK
He won’t start that group with the G1 briefcase, however. Because thanks to his own win over Taichi (in a match that consisted almost entirely of kicks!)...
／
— njpwworld (@njpwworld) October 16, 2020
G1 CLIMAX30両国大会初日‼️
いよいよ ️ブロック1️⃣位が決定
＼
凄まじい蹴撃戦‼️
両者一歩も譲らない意地の張り合い
@ibushi_kota × @taichi0319
#njpwworld で配信中✨#G1CLIMAX30 全戦生配信 https://t.co/z1DNREy98D#njpw pic.twitter.com/9e8K7D1Ixw
... and Tomohiro Ishii’s win over Switchblade Jay White in the main event of the night, Kota Ibushi advanced to the final for the third year in a row.
石井が最終公式戦でジェイを意地の撃破！
— 新日本プロレスリング株式会社 (@njpw1972) October 16, 2020
飯伏はタイチとの蹴撃戦に競り勝つ！
Aブロック代表は飯伏に決定!!
【10.16両国結果】
★試合の詳細は新日本プロレス・スマホサイトで速報中！https://t.co/0UHQHgCRWN#njpw #G1CLIMAX30 pic.twitter.com/Xgqp1GfRuM
The Golden Star awaits the winner of B Block. Heading into the final day of action on Saturday, EVIL, Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & Zack Sabre Jr. are all in the running. There are a number of possible scenarios - including a three-way tie - not most observers think the SANADA/EVIL winner will face Ibushi on Sunday.
Stay tuned.