Who makes it out in the bottom of the ninth?

B Block goes big for its ninth and final round! Yota Tsuji and Jeff Cobb have the main event, will the Gene Blast or Imperial Unit conquer the day?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Boltin Oleg & Toru Yano VS Shoma Kato & Katsuya Murashima; Oleg & Yano win.
• SANADA & Taka Michinoku VS Gabe Kidd & Jake Lee; Gabe & Jake win.
• Shota Umino & Tomoaki Honma VS EVIL & Dick Togo; Shota & Honma win.
• Six Man Tag: Los Ingobernables de Japon VS The United Empire; The United Empire wins.
• G1 Climax 34 B Block: Hirooki Goto VS HENARE; Henare wins.
• G1 Climax 34 B Block: El Phantasmo VS David Finlay; Finlay wins.
• G1 Climax 34 B Block: Konosuke Takeshita VS Ren Narita; Konosuke wins.
• G1 Climax 34 B Block: Yota Tsuji VS Jeff Cobb; Tsuji wins.

PLAY BY PLAY

Here are the FINAL A Block standings!

Zack Sabre Jr: 7-2, 12 points [FIRST ROUND BYE]
Shingo Takagi: 5-4, 10 points [A Block Second Seed]
Great-O-Khan: 5-4, 10 points [A Block Third Seed]
Tetsuya Naito: 5-4, 10 points [ELIMINATED]
Evil: 5-4, 10 points [ELIMINATED]
Sanada: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
Jake Lee: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
Gabe Kidd: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
Shota Umino: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
Callum Newman: 2-7, 4 points [ELIMINATED]

Here are the current B Block standings!

David Finlay: 5-3, 10 points
Jeff Cobb: 5-3, 10 points
Ren Narita: 5-3, 10 points
Hirooki Goto: 4-4, 8 points
Konosuke Takeshita: 4-4, 8 points
Yota Tsuji: 4-4, 8 points
Yuya Uemura: 4-5, 8 points [INJURY]
Henare: 3-5, 6 points [ELIMINATED]
Boltin Oleg: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
El Phantasmo: 3-5, 6 points [ELIMINATED]

G1 Climax 34 B Block: Hirooki Goto VS HENARE!

After some tough losses early, The Fierce Warrior has managed to #TurnItAllAround, because he is still in the running! However, he runs into the Face of Fury who has nothing to lose! Will the NEVER Openweight Champion never let Goto #GetBackUp? Or will Goto continue to turn back the clock and head towards the Climax?

The bell rings and the fans rally up as the two stare down. They circle, tie up, and are in a deadlock. Goto powers Henare to ropes, the ref counts, and Goto lets off. The fans applaud the clean break, and the two reset. Henare and Goto circle and tie up again, and Henare powers Goto to ropes. The ref counts, Henare lets off slowly, but cleanly. The fans cheer again, and the two reset. They tie up, Goto waistlocks but Henare switches. Goto wrenches free to wristlock, then hammerlocks. Goto then shifts to headlock, but Henare endures the grind. Henare powers up and out, and RAMS Goto! The fans cheer as both men stay up.

Goto runs, he RAMS Henare, and Henare stays up! Goto shoves Henare, Henare runs and RAMS Goto! Goto rebounds to RUN Henare over! The fans cheer and Henare is a bit surprised. Goto bumps Henare off buckles, ELBOWS him, then CLUBS him down. Goto whips corner to corner, but Henare comes back! Goto ROCKS Henare, runs, but Henare FLYING SHOULDER TACKLES! Down goes Goto and the fans cheer again. Henare drags Goto up to fireman’s carry, to WASTELAND SLAM and SENTON! Goto sputters, bails out, and Henare storms out after him. But Goto kicks first! Goto whips, but Henare reverses, and Goto hits railing!

The fans cheer while Goto slumps down. Henare storms up to stomp Goto, then he puts Goto in the ring. The fans applaud and Henare drags Goto up. Henare ROCKS Goto with a forearm and has him in a corner. Henare fires another forearm, and another, but Goto grits his teeth! Goto fires back, Henare snarls and ROCKS Goto again! Goto sits in the corner while the fans cheer Henare. Henare drags Goto up, snapmares, then KICKS him in the back! Goto writhes but Henare sits him back up, for another KICK! Cover, TWO! Goto’s tougher than that and the fans cheer. Henare frowns, but he drags Goto up again.

But Goto CHOPS! And CHOPS! And CHOPS! Henare kicks low! Henare whips Goto, Goto reverses and runs in, but Henare BOOTS him! Henare runs, but Goto follows to LARIAT! The fans cheer while both men are down! Goto sits up first and he brings Henare around. Goto fires forearms, whips corner to corner again, then runs in to MURAMASA! Then Goto reels Henare in for a SAIDO! Cover, TWO! Henare’s tougher than that and the fans cheer. Goto drags Henare back up, but Henare fights the fireman’s carry with forearms. Goto ROCKS Henare in return! Goto then runs in at the corner, but into an ELBOW!

Henare goes up, FLYING CHUCK! Both men are down and the fans rally back up! Goto flounders to a corner and Henare scowls as he takes aim. Henare runs up to LARIAT! Goto staggers, but he follows Henare to LARIAT! Goto whips but Henare reverses, then Henare runs in, but Goto blocks the “Native Knee!” Goto fireman’s carries for the USHIGOROSHI! Both men are down again and the fans fire up! Goto runs corner to corner but Henare meets him, DOUBLE LARIATS collide! Neither man falls so they start firing forearms! They go back and forth, harder and harder, faster and faster, and the fans rally up!

Goto gets the edge and he ROCKS Henare! But Henare KICKS Goto! Goto drops to a knee, but he rises up to CHOP! Henare KICKS again! Goto drops again but rises back up, to CHOP! So Henare KICKS! Goto again kneels and Henare fires up! The fans rally as Henare makes Goto stand, and he LARIATS! Goto stays up with grit and determination! Henare runs, but Goto catches him, spins him, and URA GTR! Then a LARIAT! Henare falls and the fans fire up! Goto roars and storms back to Henare. Goto drags Henare up, dragon sleepers, but Henare fights through! STREETS- NO, Goto fights that to suplex!

Henare slips free, Goto ELBOWS him, then runs, into a BERSERKER BOMB! Cover, TWO!! The fans fire up as Goto survives, but Henare snarls. The fans rally for “GO-TO-O! GO-TO-O!” Henare goes to a corner and he takes aim. Goto stands, Henare runs in, RAMP- NO, Goto stifles it with a GUILLOTINE FACELOCK! And then a suplex! But Henare slips free to CLUB Goto! Henare runs in, NATIVE KNEE! Ten minutes as Henare snapmares, runs, and RUGBY KICKS! Then Henare suplexes, STREETS- NO, Goto slips free! SLEEPER! Henare sputters and flails as Goto squeezes tight! The fans rally, but Henare’s fading!

Goto sits Henare down and the ref checks. Henare is stirring, so Goto lets off to run and PENALTY KICK! Goto drags Henare up, fireman’s carries, and G T W!! Cover, TWO!! Henare survives the shoutout to Shibata and then some, but Goto isn’t deterred. The fans are thunderous as Goto drags himself up and roars again! Goto gathers his power to BUZZSAW! Henare rises to RAMPAGE!! Cover, TWO!!! Goto survives and the fans are thunderous again! Henare huffs ‘n’ puffs and drags Goto back up! STREETS OF- NO, Goto fights that and suplexes, only for Henare to fight free! They fight for control, and Henare wrenches!

Henare CLUBS, but Goto ROCKS, and HEADBUTTS! Henare HEADBUTTS! Both men roar, DOUBLE HEADBUTTS hit!! Goto drops to a knee but Henare just fires up! Henare HEADBUTTS again and again and again! Henare roars, runs, but Goto bypasses him! Henare dodges Goto to RUNNING HEADBUTT!! And then STREETS OF RAGE!!! Cover, Henare wins!!

Winner: Henare, by pinfall (gains 2 points; Goto earns 0)

Goto could NOT #GetBackUp, his run is done! Henare just conquered one of the greatest NEVER Openweight Champions ever, does that make him THE greatest NEVER Openweight Champion ever?

G1 Climax 34 B Block: El Phantasmo w/ Jado VS David Finlay w/ Gedo!

Speaking of nothing to lose, The Headbanga can certainly pin a lot of what he’s lost on The Rebel! Bullet Club was falling apart under Jay White and David Finlay’s hostile takeover only made it worse. Will ELP finally get to take out all of his anger and frustration on the man responsible? Or will Finlay bury ELP in the past like everything else?

The fans already rally for “E L P! E L P!” but Finlay says that’s not gonna matter. The bell rings and the fans rally up more. ELP and Finlay step forward, forehead to forehead. Finlay shoves ELP, taunts him, pushes him some more, so ELP fires a forearm! Finlay fires back, they go back and forth faster and faster! The fans rally as ELP ROCKS Finlay again and again! Finlay throat chops! Finlay whips, ELP reverses but Finlay holds ropes. Finlay BOOTS back, but ELP LARIATS Finlay up and out! The fans cheer and ELP aims, to PLANCHA! Direct hit and down goes Finlay! The fans fire up and ELP is feeling it.

ELP drags Finlay up, ROCKS him again, then storms up to CHOP! They go around the way as ELP throws another forearm, but Finlay throat chops again! Finlay gets space and runs back in, but ELP dodges! Finlay goes crashing through the gate into No Man’s Land! The fans fire up while Finlay tumbles! Finlay clutches his arm, ELP stares down former tag team partner Taiji Ishimori on commentary, then goes after Finlay. ELP stomps Finlay, drags him up, and ROCKS him with a haymaker. Young Lions hurry to make sure fans are clear, and ELP fires off more hands! Gedo protests but ELP brings Finlay around, but Finlay GOURD BUSTERS ELP onto chairs!

Finlay grins but the ref reprimands. The ref wants this back in the ring but Finlay CLUBS ELP in front of the bleachers. Finlay stands ELP up, UPPERCUTS him, then ROCKS him. The ring count starts so Finlay brings ELP back to ringside with a headlock. Finlay pushes ELP in at 9 of 20, then drags him up for more forearms. Jado coaches ELP but Finlay whips corner to corner hard! ELP falls to the mat and Finlay talks trash, saying ELP should’ve just fallen in line. Finlay KNEES ELP in the side, then drags him up. Finlay scoops for a BACKBREAKER! ELP writhes and Gedo loves it as Finlay looms over ELP.

The fans rally for ELP and he sits up, but Finlay drags him up. ELP fires a forearm! But ELP is the one who falls to his knees. ELP rises to fire another forearm, but he falls against ropes. Finlay stomps away on ELP, even as the ref reprimands. Finlay stops as the ref counts, but Gedo tells ELP to just give up. Finlay drags ELP into a CAMEL CLUTCH! ELP endures being bent back, but he reaches out for ropes. Finlay pulls ELP back, but ELP reaches back to throw hands! Finlay lets go and ELP makes it to the ropes. The fans cheer, but Finlay storms back over. Finlay stands ELP up but ELP fires forearms! Finlay KNEES low!

Finlay runs, but ELP dodges and returns to RANA! Finlay bails out as ELP kips up! ELP builds speed to DIVE! Direct hit and Finlay hits railing! The fans fire up and ELP stands back up. Again, ELP glares at Taiji, then goes back for Finlay. ELP drags Finlay up, puts him in the ring, and takes aim. ELP goes up the ropes to SWANTON BOMB, then LIONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Finlay stays in this but the fans rally with ELP as he pounds the mat. ELP then tunes up the bad, SUDDEN- NO, Finlay blocks and spins ELP into an IRISH CURSE BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO! ELP is tougher than that, but Gedo says Finlay can just kill him slowly.

Finlay drags ELP up, reels him in, Canadian Rack, but ELP slips free! ELP BOOTS from a corner, goes up the corner, then leaps, TORNADO- NO! Finlay blocks the DDT, INTO OBLIVION!! Cover, TWO!! ELP survives and Finlay can’t believe it! Gedo says to keep on ELP, and Finlay drags ELP up. The fans rally, but Finlay UPPERCUTS ELP back down. ELP flounders to a corner, stands up, so Finlay UPPERCUTS him down again! ELP sits up while the fans continue to rally, and ELP stands. Finlay UPPERCUTS, but ELP doesn’t fall! Finlay UPPERCUTS again, but ELP still doesn’t fall! ELP storms around and fires up with the fans!

Finlay UPPERCUTS, ELP FOREARMS, repeat! ELP gets the edge, then winds up, but swings into another IRISH CURSE BACKBREAKER! Cover, TWO!! ELP survives again and Finlay is annoyed. Finlay talks trash, but Jado coaches ELP up. The fans rally as ELP sit sup, and he fires another forearm. There isn’t much to it, but ELP tries again. Finlay eggs ELP on, so ELP SLAPS him! Finlay BOOTS, stomps and drags ELP up again. But ELP cradle counters! TWO!! Finlay escapes, but ELP rolls him, with a bridge! TWO!! Finlay escapes again, but ELP mule kicks! ELP straitjackets and torture racks, but Finlay slips free!

Finlay ROLLING ELBOWS, but ELP suplexes! INTO OBLIVION!! Both men are down and the fans are fired up again! We pass 10 minutes and Finlay sputters. But ELP kips up! The fans fire up and ELP headbutts the buckles to fire up! ELP aims at Finlay, runs up, SUDDEN DEATH!! Cover, TWO!! Finlay survives and Gedo is relieved, but Jado says keep going! ELP slashes his throat, then drags Finlay up. ELP tucks the arms, but Finlay back drops free! ELP sunset flips, but Finlay rolls through! High stack, TWO, but Finlay deadlifts ELP for a BUCKLE BOMB!! And then another- NO, ELP slips free, and ELP POWERBOMBS Finlay!

ELP tucks Finlay in, for C R 2!!! ELP hurries to the ropes, goes up and THUNDERKISS 86!!! Cover, GEDO DRAGS THE REF OUT! So Jado DECKS Gedo! Another former friendship that’s been ruined by Bullet Club. ELP is beside himself, he had this if not for Gedo! But Finlay grabs his shillelagh! SHILLELAGH SMASH!! The ref is back, Finlay hauls ELP up for OVERKILL!! Cover, Finlay wins!

Winner: David Finlay, by pinfall (gains 2 points; ELP earns 0)

The Rebel couldn’t do it alone, he gets his Blacksmith to screw ELP over! But with this win, Finlay is B Block’s number one seed! Will Finlay need that first round bye to be ready for whoever he faces next? As for ELP, have all of these losses finally brought him to rock bottom? Or is there still hope for The Headbanga?

G1 Climax 34 B Block: Konosuke Takeshita VS Ren Narita!

Not only did The Alpha lose alongside The United Empire in an 8 Man Tag the other day, The House of Torture had to pile on by going after Konosuke’s knees! Does Konosuke still have a leg to stand on? Or will it be all too easy to steal a spot in the playoffs for the Souled Out Son of Strong Style?

Oh as if The House didn’t stack the deck enough, EVIL & DICK are dragging Konosuke out from the back! The fans boo but Ren laughs as he keeps the ref from doing anything about it. Dick & Evil stomp Konosuke on the ramp, drag him back up, and then put him in the ring. Ren finally lets the ref go, and he “puts one out” with Evil & Dick. The ref tells Evil & Dick to leave, so they oblige, having done their part. The bell rings, and Ren steps through to put on a KNEEBAR! Konosuke endures and the fans rally. Konosuke fights around, reaches over Ren and has the ROPEBREAK! The fans cheer, but Ren holds on until the ref counts 4.

Konosuke drags himself to the apron but Ren goes out after him. Ren pulls the jacket away to kick Konosuke. Ren then POSTS Konosuke, and brings him around to RAM into railing! The ref reprimands but Ren wraps the bad leg around railing! Ren BOOTS the railing to jam up the leg! And he BOOTS the railing again! The ref reprimands but Ren tells him to shut up. Ren brings Konosuke to No Man’s Land, then tears down railing to BOWL Konosuke into chairs! Not quite a strike but good enough for Ren. Ren leaves Konosuke behind but the fans rally up for “TA-KE-SH’TA!” The ring count starts and Konosuke hobbles back towards ringside.

The count is 10 of 20, Konosuke rolls in at 12, and the fans cheer. But Ren stomps away at the ropes! The ref reprimands but Ren CLUBS Konosuke to a corner. Ren runs in to ELBOW, then goes side to side to JUMP KICK! Ren then reels Konosuke in, but Konosuke fights the Half Hatch! Konosuke wrenches out, reels Ren back in, and RUSSIAN LEG SWEEPS! The fans cheer while both men are down. Ren goes to a corner, Konosuke slaps the bad leg into working. Konosuke storms over but Ren CHOKES him! The ref counts, Ren stops at 4, only to drag Konosuke into the post! Ren pulls on the bad leg!

The ref reprimands then counts, so Ren lets go at 4, to SLAM the leg into the steel! Konosuke tries to kick at Ren with the good leg, but Ren just SLAMS the bad leg again! Konosuke crawls out of the corner as the fans rally, but Ren storms in. Ren pushes Konosuke to a cover, TWO! Ren drags Konosuke up for a SHIN BREAKER! Then Ren ties up the legs for an INDIAN DEATHLOCK! Konosuke endures and Ren taunts him. The fans rally and Konosuke CHOPS! So Ren puts more pressure on the legs! Konosuke CHOPS again, Ren puts on even more pressure! Konosuke CHOPS, and ROCKS and fires shots on Ren!

Ren falls back, and Konosuke rains down more forearms! The fans rally as we pass five minutes, and Konosuke hobbles back to his feet. Konosuke drags Ren up but Ren kicks the bad leg! Konosuke sits back and clutches the knee. Ren storms up as Konosuke stands, and Ren just kicks the bad leg again! Ren eggs Konosuke on, kicks the leg, but Konosuke just gets pissed! Konosuke stands, Ren clinches, but Konosuke fights with elbows! So Ren CLAWS the eyes! The ref counts, Ren runs, but Konosuke ROCKS him! Ren KICKS the leg, Konosuke ROLLING- BLIZZARD PLEX! But Konosuke’s right back up!? GERMAN SUPLEX!!

The fans fire up as Konosuke roars, but Ren DROPKICKS the bad leg out! The fans rally for Konosuke while both men are down. Ren and Konosuke go to opposite ends, then Ren runs up. But Konosuke DUMPS Ren out! Konosuke builds speed!? The fans fire up, but Konosuke falls, the bad leg giving out! Ren grins and flips off the Konosuke fans. Ren goes into the ring, runs, but into a LARIAT! The fans fire up again and Konosuke grits his teeth. Konosuke rises as the fans rally, and Konosuke storms over to Ren at the corner. Konosuke whips Ren corner to corner but Ren reverses! Ren runs in, but into an elbow!

Ren knees low, then puts the bad leg in the ropes! The ref reprimands but Ren pulls on the leg! The ref counts, Ren lets go to run side to side, but Konosuke still LARIATS him down! The fans fire up again as Konosuke rises. Konosuke roars, then hobbles over to Ren. Konosuke stands Ren up, but Ren fights the waistlock with elbows. Ren CHOKES Konosuke, but the ref reprimands. Konosuke powers free, and he whips Ren. Ren ducks ‘n’ dodges, but the knee stomp is stopped! Konosuke gest under, BLUE- NO, Ren slips free to sunset flip! TWO, into the KNEEBAR!! Ren pulls on the leg but Konosuke still endures!

The fans rally, Konosuke drags Ren with him as he goes to the ROPEBREAK! Ren lets go, and he stomps the bad leg again. Ren vows to end this, and he goes up a corner. Konosuke rises, and he UPPERCUTS Ren first! We pass 10 minutes as Konosuke climbs up, but Ren fires body shots. The fans rally as Konosuke still brings Ren up! SUPERPLEX! The fans fire up while both men are down! Ren writhes, Konosuke roars, and the fans are with The Alpha! But Ren kicks the leg out! GUILLOTINE FACELOCK! With body scissors to boot! Konosuke endures but Ren squeezes tight! Konosuke still rises up!

Konosuke powers Ren into a suplex, but Ren slips free! SLEEPER! Ren becomes a backpack, but Konosuke shifts him around into the gut wrench, and tuck! BASTARD DRIVER!! Both men are down and the fans fire up again! Konosuke clutches his leg but Ren is in a daze! The fans rally as hard as they can for “TA-KE-SH’TA!” Konosuke rises, but wait, Dick Togo returns! The fans boo, the ref stops Dick, but that just lets Evil get in from the other side! Evil SHOVES Konosuke into the ref! The fans boo as Dick uses the SPOILER CHOKER on Konosuke! The fans tell Evil & Dick to leave, but they hit MAGIC KILLER instead!

The fans boo but Ren crawls to a cover, TWO!! Konosuke is still in this, but Ren uses the kickout as a chance to FLOP onto the ref! Ren grins as he grabs his pushup bar! But Konosuke blocks the attack! Konosuke TOSSES Ren, so Dick CLOBBERS Konosuke! The fans boo as Dick & Evil mug Konosuke again! Evil has a chair, but Konosuke moves! Dick takes the chairshot! The fans fire up as Konosuke dodges again, ALPHA ELBOW through the chair!! Down goes the King of Darkness, and Konosuke tells the ref to handle these jerks! The ref officially EJECTS Evil & Dick, and the Young Lions usher them away! But Ren hits DOWN TO DIE!!

Ren goes to a corner, climbs up, and he takes aim again! HELL’S GUILLOTINE!! Cover, TWO?!?! Konosuke survives and the fans are fired up again! Ren vows to end it now, and he drags Konosuke up. The fans rally for “TA-KE-SH’TA!” as hard as they can, and he fires boxing elbows! ALPHA ELBOW!! Konosuke hauls Ren up, suplexes, but Ren knees fere! Ren shoves Konosuke at the ref, Konosuke stops short, but Ren CHOP BLOCKS him! KNEE, and DOUBLE- NO! Konosuke turns that into a LAST RIDE!!! Cover, TWO!!! Ren survives and this match reaches 15 minutes, but Konosuke rises. Off comes the elbow pad!

The fans fire up as Konosuke kisses the bicep. Konosuke stands Ren up, but Ren catches the leg! KNEEBAR!! Konosuke endures again, reaches out, and bites his hand to ignore the pain in his leg! The fans rally as hard as they can, but Ren drags Konosuke from the ropes! KNEEBAR!! Konosuke endures again, even as Ren pulls as hard as he can on the leg! Konosuke uses his height to get up, and he CLUBS Ren! GERMAN SUPLEX!! Ren ends up folded and the fans are thunderous! Konosuke stands, winds up, and roars into the ALPHA ELBOW!!! Ren’s mouthguard goes flying!! Cover, Konosuke wins!!!

Winner: Konosuke Takeshita, by pinfall (gains 2 points; Ren earns 0)

The House of Torture keeps trying to screw everyone else over, but it just keeps failing them! Ren is OUT, and Konosuke is IN! Is Konosuke about to prove he IS The Alpha of Wrestling?

G1 Climax 34 B Block: Yota Tsuji VS Jeff Cobb!

And it all comes down to this! Another classic “win and you’re in” scenario as we now know David Finlay is the first seed, and Konosuke Takeshita is in the Wild Card match. Will Yota still turn this into the GENE1 with a powerful move into the playoffs? Or will the Imperial Unit still be on track to conquer the Climax?

The bell rings and the fans rally up as the two step forward. Cobb talks smack but Yota just grins. Yota steps back, Cobb eggs him on, and Yota runs in to RAM Cobb! Cobb stays put, and he dares Yota to try again. Yota runs to RAM Cobb again, but still Cobb stays up. Cobb again eggs Yota on, so Yota tries a third time, only for Cobb to RUN Yota over! The fans cheer and Yota stands up to fire a forearm. And another, and another! Cobb ROCKS Yota back with one! The forearms go back and forth and the fans rally up. They go faster and faster, then Yota kicks low. Yota RAMS Cobb, Cobb rebounds, but Yota rolls him up! Cobb rolls through so Yota BOOTS him!

Yota runs, and he finally RUNS Cobb over! The fans cheer, and Yota waits on Cobb. Cobb stands, and Yota CHOPS! Yota CHOPS again, and then CHOPS again! Cobb grits his teeth but Yota whips. Cobb blocks, breaks free, but Yota BODY BLOWS! Yota has Cobb in a corner, runs corner to corner, but Cobb dodges the splash! Yota tries again, but Cobb POUNCES him away! Yota sputters, the fans rally, and Cobb storms over. Cobb stomps Yota, KNEES him in the back again and again, then UPPERCUTS Yota in the back! Yota writhes but Cobb covers, TWO! Cobb pushes Yota back down to cover, TWO! Cobb tries a third time, TWO!!

Yota escapes at the last possible second and Cobb is surprised! Cobb drags Yota up and CHOPS him now. Yota goes to a corner, and Cobb RAMS into him again and again! Cobb lets off, to run in and RAM Yota again! The fans applaud while Yota stumbles out of the corner and drops to his knees. Cobb brings Yota back up, mockingly applauds, and then DROPKICKS him down! The fans cheer as Cobb got up to hit Yota in the face! Cover, TWO! Yota stays in this and Cobb grows annoyed, but Red Shoes assures him, his count was fair. Cobb eggs Yota on, drags him up, but then Yota fires forearms!

Cobb sighs, and he swings, but into Yota’s BACKBREAKER! FLATLINER! STOMP- NO! Cobb blocks it with a pushup! Cobb then pushes Yota away, scoops him on the return, for a POWERSLAM! Cobb shakes his head, and he GACHIMUCHI MOONSAULTS, onto knees! Yota saves himself as we pass five minutes and the fans rally up. Cobb sputters to a corner and Yota rises. The fans rally, Yota goes corner to corner, and he STINGER SPLASHES! Yota keeps moving, and he FLIPPING RANAS! Cobb staggers up, swings, but into the BACKBREAKER! FLATLINER! And STOMP! Cover, TWO! Cobb stays in this but Yota stays cool.

The fans rally, Yota drags Cobb up and grins. Yota suplexes, but Cobb blocks! Cobb suplexes Yota, but Yota fights free! Yota wrenches, swings, but into the URENAGE! FALLING HAMMER! Cover, TWO! GACHIMUCHI MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO!! Yota survives the big impacts and the fans fire up. Cobb snarls and he signals to spin Yota! Cobb fireman’s carries, but Yota slips free. Cobb waistlocks, shoves, but Yota stops himself! Yota BOOTS back, runs up, but into a SUPERKICK! Yota SUPERKICKS back! Cobb DECKS Yota! Yota springs up to GENE- NO, Cobb rolls that through, drags Yota up, and gut wrenches him!

Yota arm-drags free of the Canadian Rack, then GENE BLASTERS!! Cover, TWO!!! Cobb survives and shocks Yota! The fans fire up again while both men are down, and they rally as hard as they can for both men, “YO-TA! YO-TA!” “COBBU! COBBU!” Yota stands first, storms over to Cobb and hauls him up, and he again tries to suplex! Cobb fights that, so Yota fires forearm after forearm. Cobb wobbles, Yota tries again, but Cobb might just be too big! Yota fires more forearms, but Cobb roars! Yota ROCKS Cobb! And suplexes! ORANGE CRUSH!! Cover, TWO!! Cobb survives but Yota roars! The fans fire up and Yota drags Cobb up again.

We pass 10 minutes as Yota V-TRIGGERS Cobb point-blank! Yota then goes up and up and MAROON- LARIAT!! Cobb takes Yota out of the air, then hauls him back up! F5 THOUSAND!! Both men are down again and the fans fire up! Cobb crawls over to cover, TWO!! Yota stays in this but Cobb fires back up! Cobb drags Yota back up, reels him in, TOUR OF THE- NO, Yota slips free, and HEADBUTTS!! Cobb roars, but Yota V-TRIGGERS!! Yota runs, into a LARIAT!! Cobb turns Yota inside out, and he staggers back over! Cobb whips, but takes a GENE BLASTER outta nowhere!! Yota fires up, aims, and the fans are thunderous!

Yota runs in, GENE BLASTER again!!! Cover, YOTA WINS!!!

Winner: Yota Tsuji, by pinfall (gains 2 points; Cobb earns 0)

The Imperial Unit was just demolished! Cobb is OUT of the G1, Yota is IN! Will the NJPW World Television Champion have to change the channel and prepare to defend his own title?

As for Yota, the last Reiwa Musketeer standing, he catches his breath, and he hears the official confirmation that yes, he IS B Block’s third seed! He moves on to the playoffs, and now The Alpha knows who to prepare for. Yota then gets the mic, and he asks everyone here and watching at home, “Please, don’t forget this: We put our lives on the line to wrestle in this ring.” The fans cheer because they absolutely understand. Yota continues to say, “In this ring, I will wrestle not as a member of a faction, or a generation, but as one man. I won the New Japan Cup in the Spring, and I will be the only one to ever go on to win G1 in the Summer.”

The fans cheer that, hoping to see history made. Yota vows, “I will do what I can, which is something nobody else can! Are you ready? The G1 is mine.” The fans here are definitely ready, but are NJPW and the world ready for Yota to take the lead?

Here are the FINAL A Block standings!

Zack Sabre Jr: 7-2, 12 points [FIRST ROUND BYE]
Shingo Takagi: 5-4, 10 points [A Block Second Seed]
Great-O-Khan: 5-4, 10 points [A Block Third Seed]
Tetsuya Naito: 5-4, 10 points [ELIMINATED]
Evil: 5-4, 10 points [ELIMINATED]
Sanada: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
Jake Lee: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
Gabe Kidd: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
Shota Umino: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
Callum Newman: 2-7, 4 points [ELIMINATED]

Here are the FINAL B Block standings!

David Finlay: 6-3, 12 points [FIRST ROUND BYE]
Konosuke Takeshita: 5-4, 10 points [A Block Second Seed]
Yota Tsuji: 5-4, 10 points [A Block Third Seed]
Jeff Cobb: 5-4, 10 points [ELIMINATED]
Ren Narita: 5-4, 10 points [ELIMINATED]
Yuya Uemura: 4-5, 8 points [INJURY]
Henare: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
Hirooki Goto: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
Boltin Oleg: 4-5, 8 points [ELIMINATED]
El Phantasmo: 3-6, 6 points [ELIMINATED]

My Thoughts:

Another great round for the G1, though B Block’s final round seemed maybe a little less dramatic than A Block’s. Sadly, we were a match short since Yuya Uemura is injured, so it literally had less going on. But even with what we got, Finlay beating ELP with his favorite cheating tactics was just the same old, same old. It does add to ELP’s crisis of confidence story, so that’s fine, but how great would it have been if Finlay was at risk of not being the top seed? That Finlay would actually have to fight through a Wild Card match to get to the semifinals? But at the same time, Faces being heroes, they’re the ones who struggle to succeed, so it fits that in B Block, it is a Heel that coasts.

Meanwhile, great win for Henare over Goto, I wouldn’t mind seeing those two feud over the NEVER Openweight title in the Destruction tour. Ren of course tried and tried but he could not stop Konosuke, so I am pleasantly surprised that Konosuke, a guy from AEW and DDT Pro, is in the playoffs of a NJPW tournament. I don’t see Konosuke making it further than this, though, given Yota is his opponent. Yota VS Cobb was really good, the crowd was maybe tired from being so fired up for Konosuke just before it, but great win for Yota.

As I put it, Yota’s the only Reiwa Musketeer moving on. Shota had his moment making sure Evil lost, and Ren basically had his moment here failing to stop Konosuke. Yota feels like top musketeer because, as he’s reminding us, he only just won the New Japan Cup earlier this year. Yota has a lot in his favor for being the B Block finalist this year, and he should definitely be the B Block finalist. I’m not saying he should win it all, but they at least need to tease the possibility of history being made.

My Score: 8.9/10