The A Block of G1 Climax 31 travels to Kobe World Hall for their third night of block competition on Sunday, September 26th, headlined by Zack Sabre Jr’s third consecutive Main Event to begin the tournament. Kobe World Hall was the site that many had circled on their calendar for their most anticipated match of the tournament as this card was originally headlined by Shingo Takagi vs. Tetsuya Naito. Naito was forced to withdraw from the tournament, so now Kobe World Hall will see a main event of Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Kota Ibushi. Zack Sabre Jr. is the talk of the block right now after starting the tournament 2-0 with definitive victories over block favorites, Shingo Takagi and, of course, the now-injured Tetsuya Naito. ZSJ’s main event run was mostly unplanned, but he seems to have stepped up to the occasion.

The semi-main event will have Tomohiro Ishii looking for his first win of this year’s G1 Climax tournament in his first match against KENTA in almost two years. The block competition is rounded out by Tanga Loa facing off with Toru Yano and Great-O-Khan looking to stay atop the block against Yujiro Takahashi.

This, of course, isn’t the last you’ll hear from me for this year’s G1. In daily preview posts, I am dissecting each tournament matchup, including 2021 and recent singles performance, individual head-to-head histories, and miscellaneous applicable research. Round robin tournaments are great equalizers for data: each wrestler competes in the same schedule throughout the tournament by facing each other wrestler once. So, as the tournament goes on and data points become more relevant, I’ll be including some advanced metrics and probabilities for each card as well. I’ll also help to dissect the complicated tiebreakers and other tournament nuances as they come up.

Of course, you can find interactive tables for NJPW’s 2021, detailed results and statistics of all 1571 G1 Climax matches to date, and This Year’s Tournament at SportOfProWrestling.com, and you can let me know what you find when you drill down by dropping me a line on Twitter @TheChrisSamsa.

NJPW G1 Climax 31 Night Five (A Block)
Date: September 26, 2021
City: Hyogo
Venue: Kobe World Hall
Time: 4:00pm JST
Watch: NJPWWorld (With Live English Commentary)

Local Time Conversions:
Text Description automatically generated

G1 Climax 31: A Block Results To Date

Table Description automatically generated

A Block Standings Explained

  • Great-O-Khan leads the block outright with 6 points at 3-0.
  • A helpful column to keep an eye on for the A Block now that the schedule is imbalanced is the Max Points column. This column will account for how many tournament matches each wrestler has left on their schedule and it will communicate the maximum amount of points a wrestler could end the tournament with.
  • Zack Sabre Jr sits alone in second place. Although he is tied with five other wrestlers with four points, Zack Sabre Jr is the only wrestler of that group who still has 7 matches left, therefore his maximum points are still 18.
  • Tanga Loa and Tomohiro Ishii round out the bottom of active wrestlers, both with 2 points. They have both scored their only points via Tetsuya Naito’s forfeits, but Tanga Loa only has one loss because he was the first to lap his scheduled match with Tetsuya Naito, therefore his maximum points are higher.

G1 Climax 31: A Block Table

A picture containing timeline Description automatically generated

Main Event
G1 Climax 31 A Block Match
Kota Ibushi [4] vs. Zack Sabre Jr [4]

A picture containing logo Description automatically generated

Zack Sabre Jr. and Kota Ibushi seem to be on completely different trajectories of late. Ibushi, still getting his stamina up after missing nearly two months to illness would normally be seen as the favorite in this match and in the A Block, but Zack Sabre Jr has come out of the gates white hot. He defeated (and injured) Tetsuya Naito on night one, and then he went on to defeat the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Shingo Takagi on night two. A curious point will be if ZSJ remains motivated to win the G1 Climax now that he’s slayed the dragon, and he could now justify challenging for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship without going on to win the grueling G1 Climax tournament.

Ibushi has dominated the all-time series against Zack Sabre Jr. 5-2, winning their last three matchups and winning all three of their G1 Climax matches. Maybe seeing ZSJ in the other corner is just what the doctor ordered for Ibushi to hit his stride as we cross the 1/3 point of A Block competition.

Recent History – 2021 Singles

Table Description automatically generated

  • Kota Ibushi’s ten singles victories are second-most in NJPW in 2021. Only Shingo Takagi has more than Ibushi with 15.
  • Zack Sabre Jr’s two G1 Climax tournament victories this year are the two longest singles victories of his NJPW career (27:17 – Shingo Takagi, 27:05 – Tetsuya Naito), accounting for nearly one-third of his singles match length this year.

Recent History – Last 365 Days Singles

Table Description automatically generated

  • Kota Ibushi’s .773 singles winning percentage over the last 365 days is the best among New Japan heavyweights. Only Hiromu Takahashi has a better winning percentage in the company over this timeframe (.800)

Recent History – Last 180 Days Singles

Table Description automatically generated

  • Most of Kota Ibushi’s success occurred over six months ago. In the last 6 months, Zack Sabre Jr. has a better singles record than Ibushi at 5-1-1, while Ibushi lands at 5-3.

Recent History – 2021 Individual Overall

Head To Head History

  • Ibushi and Zack Sabre Jr have wrestled in seven singles matches. Ibushi leads the all-time series 5-2 including a 3-0 record in G1 Climax matches.

History in Kobe World Hall

  • Kota Ibushi is 2-0 in Kobe World Hall, including a victory over Tomohiro Ishii in last year’s G1 Climax.
  • This will be Zack Sabre Jr’s first singles match in Kobe World Hall.

G1 Climax 31 – Tournament To Date

  • Tetsuya Naito set the record for the longest G1 Climax of all-time with an average match length of 22 minutes and 53 seconds. Through two matches, Zack Sabre Jr has averaged 27 minutes and 11 seconds, nearly doubling his all-time average G1 match length of 14 minutes and 50 seconds.
  • Through two matches, Zack Sabre Jr’s matches have averaged nearly 13 minutes longer than Kota Ibushi’s two matches.

G1 Climax – All Time

Table Description automatically generated

  • Ibushi has reached the finals in his last three G1 Climax tournaments. He is the only wrestler to ever reach three consecutive finals.
  • Ibushi won the last two G1 Climax tournaments, he is one of three wrestlers (Chono, Tenzan) to ever go back to back in the prestigious tournament.
  • Ibushi’s .617 G1 winning percentage is the highest in A Block.
  • Ibushi’s 17:09 average G1 winning match length is the highest in the A Block.
  • Kota Ibushi has averaged 11.6 points per tournament over the last 5 years of G1 tournaments.
  • Kota Ibushi’s stamina and conditioning has been impressive through the last three G1 tournaments. His 2018, 2019, and 2020 tournaments are three of the six longest individual tournaments in G1 History.
  • Zack Sabre Jr has averaged 10 points in his four previous G1 Climax appearances. His 10 point average is the third highest in his block, only behind Tetsuya Naito (12), and Kota Ibushi (11.6)
  • Zack Sabre Jr has won 9 G1 Climax matches by submission, that is the most in this year’s tournament, and 5 more than the next highest in the A Block (KENTA-4).

Match Five
G1 Climax 31 A Block Match
Tomohiro Ishii [2] vs. KENTA [4]

A picture containing text, indoor, person Description automatically generated

Tomohiro Ishii looks to gain his first victory of this year’s G1 Climax tournament as he steps into the ring with longtime rival, KENTA. Ishii’s allegiances are loose to begin with, but KENTA did join Bullet Club by turning on Ishii during the undercard on the final night of G1 Climax 29, and in doing so, he staked his claim to a NEVER Openweight Championship match at Royal Quest that saw Ishii knocked silly and KENTA walking out of The Copper Box Arena in London victorious. Ishii asked for a rematch, knowing that he was not at his best in London, and he still fell short at Power Struggle, leaving him with an 0-2 mark against KENTA.

KENTA sits in the middle of the pack with four points in this year’s G1 and he could separate himself from some of the pack, namely Ishii with a win in Kobe World Hall on Sunday.

Recent History – 2021 Singles

  • Tomohiro Ishii has been challenging to defeat this year. His 9 minute and 13 second Win//Loss Differential is fifth-best in NJPW.

Recent History – Last 365 Days Singles

  • KENTA’s 13 singles victories in the last 365 days land him 6th in NJPW.

Recent History – 2021 Individual Overall

Head To Head History

  • KENTA and Ishii met twice for the NEVER Openweight Championship in 2019. KENTA was victorious on both occasions.

History in Kobe World Hall

  • KENTA is 1-0 in singles matches in Kobe World Hall. He hasn’t wrestled here since February of 2002 when he was with NOAH.
  • Tomohiro Ishii is 0-3 in Kobe World Hall, including his G1 Climax loss to Kota Ibushi during last year’s tournament.

G1 Climax 31 – Tournament To Date

G1 Climax – All Time

Table Description automatically generated

  • Tomohiro Ishii has averaged 8.4 points over the last five tournaments.
  • Ishii’s 19 hours, 12 minutes, and 25 seconds of total G1 match length are the highest among active wrestlers in the A Block.

Match Four
G1 Climax 31 A Block Match
Toru Yano [4] vs. Tanga Loa [2]

A picture containing text, indoor Description automatically generated

Tanga Loa got on the board in his first G1 via a forfeit, and he accomplished his first singles victory of the tour by defeating Yuji Nagata in his “tune-up” match that was booked in-place of his scheduled block match against Tetsuya Naito. Tanga Loa will look to continue his winning ways against the challenging, but beatable Toru Yano.

Recent History – 2021 Singles

Recent History – Last 365 Days Singles

Recent History – 2021 Individual Overall

Head To Head History

  • This will be the first singles match between Tanga Loa and Toru Yano

History in Kobe World Hall

  • Toru Yano is 2-2 all-time in Kobe World Hall. He has not wrestled here in a singles match since September of 2013.
  • This will be Tanga Loa’s first singles match in Kobe World Hall. In 2017 Guerrillas Of Destiny lost an IWGP Tag Team Championship Three Way match in World Hall.

G1 Climax 31 – Tournament To Date

G1 Climax – All Time

Table Description automatically generated

  • Toru Yano enters his 16th G1 Climax, tying Masahiro Chono for the fourth-most G1 Tournaments. Only Hiroyoshi Tenzan (21), Hiroshi Tanahashi (20), and Yuji Nagata (19) have participated in more G1 tournaments than Yano.
  • Over the last ten G1 Climax tournaments, Toru Yano has averaged 7.8 points per year. He has not scored less than 6 and he has not scored more than 10.
  • Toru Yano’s 122 G1 Climax matches are fourth most all-time.
  • Toru Yano’s 68th G1 Climax loss in his tournament opener this year made him the losingest wrestler in G1 Climax history.
  • Toru Yano’s 52 G1 Climax victories are the ninth most all-time. With one more win he will surpass Togi Makabe for eighth most all-time.
  • Toru Yano has participated in 4 of the 10 shortest G1 Climax matches ever including the shortest, his 18 second loss to Hirooki Goto in last year’s tournament.

Match Three
G1 Climax 31 A Block Match
Great-O-Khan [6] vs. Yujiro Takahashi [4]

Graphical user interface, website Description automatically generated

Great-O-Khan enters the third night of A Block competition as the only wrestler in the block with six points. He is alone atop the block, though he and Zack Sabre Jr. could both still max out at 18 points. Yujiro Takahashi has been no slouch so far in this year’s tournament, showing much more fighting spirit than his entry into last year’s G1 Climax. After defeating Kota Ibushi, Yujiro also put up a fight against Bullet Club unit-mate KENTA in a prideful battle that he came up short in. O-Khan is the clear favorite here, but Yujiro can’t be ruled out. Great-O-Khan may very well be on the “start hot and trail off” trajectory that we’ve seen so many times in wrestler’s first G1 Climax tournament.

Recent History – 2021 Singles

  • Great-O-Khan’s last singles loss occurred on April 26th, 2021, when he lost to Tetsuya Naito.

Recent History – Last 365 Days Singles

Recent History – Last 90 Days Singles

  • Only Shingo Takagi (6-0) has a better singles record in the last 90 days than Great-O-Khan at 4-0.

Recent History – 2021 Individual Overall

Head To Head History

  • This will be the first singles match between Great-O-Khan and Yujiro Takahashi

History in Kobe World Hall

  • Yujiro Takahashi is 0-5 in Kobe World Hall including his loss to Taichi in last year’s G1 Climax tournament.
  • This will be Great-O-Khan’s first singles match in Kobe World Hall.

G1 Climax 31 – Tournament To Date

G1 Climax – All Time

Table Description automatically generated

  • Before his consecutive victories over Jeff Cobb and Kota Ibushi, Yujiro Takahashi last won back-to-back G1 Climax matches in 2014 when he defeated Yuji Nagata and Satoshi Kojima in the middle of G1 Climax 25.

Match Two
Special Singles Match
Shingo Takagi vs. Yuji Nagata

Graphical user interface, website Description automatically generated

Shingo Takagi was originally scheduled to be in the main event of tonight’s show against Tetsuya Naito, but instead he will wrestle Yuji Nagata in what is sure to be a hard-hitting and respectful “tune-up” match for Takagi. Nagata didn’t go easy on Tanga Loa in his first appearance on this tour, and he’s sure to give his all against IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Shingo Takagi.

Recent History – 2021 Singles

Table Description automatically generated

Recent History – Last 365 Days Singles

Table Description automatically generated

Recent History – 2021 Individual Overall

Head To Head History

  • This will be the first singles match between Shingo Takagi and Yuji Nagata.

History in Kobe World Hall

  • Shingo Takagi has a long, deep history in Kobe World Hall, dating back to his time with Dragon Gate. He is just 4-5 here, but his victories do include two Open The Dream Gate Title matches and his G1 Climax victory over Will Ospreay in last year’s G1. In NJPW, Shingo is 1-1 in World Hall.
  • Yuji Nagata is 4-2 in Kobe World Hall, including victories over Shinsuke Nakamura (2003), Hideo Saito (2011), and Stalker Ichikawa (Dragon Gate, 2007)

G1 Climax – All Time

Table Description automatically generated

While this is not a G1 Climax match, this does serve as an opportunity to continue highlighting Yuji Nagata’s all-time performance in the G1 Climax tournament.

  • Yuji Nagata’s 138 G1 Climax matches are the second-most all time, only behind Hiroshi Tanahashi’s 152.
  • Nagata is one of only two wrestlers who have surpassed 30 hours of G1 Climax match time. His 30 hours, 59 minutes, and 56 seconds are second only to Hiroshi Tanahashi.
  • Yuji Nagata’s 65 G1 Climax victories are third-most all time, behind Hiroshi Tanahashi (87) and Hiroyoshi Tenzan (66)
  • Toru Yano’s loss in his first G1 Climax match of this year’s tournament unseated Nagata as the person with the most G1 Climax losses.

Match One
Master Wato vs. Kosei Fujita

A picture containing text, indoor Description automatically generated

One of the most recent Young Lions to return from excursion, Master Wato, joins the tour to face off with Kosei Fujita in the night’s opener. It is pretty much a foregone conclusion that Master Wato will win this match, as he is significantly more experienced than Fujita, but it will be worthwhile to see whether Fujita can keep up with Wato’s more erratic in-ring style.

Recent History – 2021 Singles

Recent History – Last 365 Days Singles

Recent History – 2021 Individual Overall