New Japan Pro Wrestling continued the 31st G1 Climax on Thursday. The show was headlined by a shocking upset, as Zack Sabre Jr. submitted IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi. The win comes just days after Sabre submitted Takagi’s fellow LIJ-mate Tetsuya Naito, injuring Naito and knocking him completely out of the round robin tournament.
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?G1 CLIMAX 31?(9/23)を公開‼️
＼『G1 CLIMAX 31』Aブロック公式戦‼️
鷹木がIWGP世界ヘビー級王者の意地を見せる‼️
果たして勝つのは⁉️? @Takagi__Shingo × @zacksabrejr
? #njpwworld で配信中??登録＆視聴⏩https://t.co/CcdQ1XrpWA#G131 #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/iqnE6UyiBS
— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) September 23, 2021
Sabre’s momentum takes on a new light in the wake of Naito’s injury. With two high-profile wins under his belt already, and fellow A Block stars like Kota Ibushi and Tomohiro Ishii struggling out of the gate, Sabre could have a very good chance at making it all the way to the finals. After the match, Sabre noted that now that he’s beaten the “Japanese Dragon,” he’d like a shot at the “American Dragon.”
Sabre wasn’t the only one who’s night was altered by Naito’s injury. Tanga Loa, originally scheduled to face Naito, ended up having to wrestle former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yuji Nagata in a match that left Loa absolutely battered. Loa got the victory against Nagata, but could barely leave the arena on his own two feet,
Plus Great-O-Khan continued to gain momentum with a big win over Toru Yano, and KENTA battled Yujiro Takahashi in a friendly competition.
In the semi-main event, Tomohiro Ishii and Kota Ibushi had a can’t miss fight; a nasty brawl full of odd rhythms and hard hits. Ibushi got the win, but questions have to be raised about his spirit, as he hasn’t quite found the spark that he’s had in other G1’s.
SEE ALSO: G1 Climax Results (NIGHT 1) (NIGHT 2)
Here are the full results:
9/23
NJPW G1 Climax 31 Night 3
Available on NJPWWorld.com
- Non-Tournament Match: Tanga Loa def. Yuji Nagata by pinfall via Ape Shit. (15:35)
- A Block: Great-O-Khan (6) def. Toru Yano (4) by pinfall via Eliminator. (11:30)
- A Block: KENTA (4) def. Yujiro Takahashi (4) by submission via Game Over. (15:48)
- A Block: Kota Ibushi (4) def. Tomohiro Ishii (2) by pinfall via Kamigoye. (17:42)
- A Block: Zack Sabre Jr. (4) def. Shingo Takagi (4) by submission via Standing Triangle Choke. (27:17)
The G1 Climax continues on Sept. 24th at 4:30am ET on NJPWWorld.com
