10 Best Matches From The G1 Climax 30
Out of 91 brutal tournament matches, these are this year’s 10 most essential G1 wars.
The G1 Climax is now over and we've been gifted a scintillating few weeks of professional wrestling. It is the first tour since the start of the pandemic to truly capture the feeling of wrestling before everything hit, and has provided an indescribable comfort for fans everywhere. While it wasn't perfect, with some wrestlers slightly disappointing and a few big rematches not living up to expectations, there was plenty of absolutely magnificent contests to celebrate and praise.
Some veterans proved why they were still so essential in the tournaments like Hiroshi Tanahashi and Minoru Suzuki, some undercard wrestlers truly came into their own with stellar runs like Taichi and YOSHI-HASHI, and we got consistent greatness from Tetsuya Naito and Tomohiro Ishii, among others.
Including the finals match between SANADA and Kota Ibushi, there were 91 tournament matches this year, meaning that not every great contest can be included. Yet, these 10 are a brilliant encapsulation of this year's tournament for fans old and new, matches that told beautiful stories and that will hold up for years to come. It was so special in a time of chaos to have such a wonderful G1 Climax
10. SANADA Vs. EVIL (G1 Night 18)
While many have complained about the prevalence of outside interference in this match, it perfectly fit the story that SANADA and EVIL were telling and the overall narrative of the last few months. It wouldn't have made any sense for EVIL to go full main event Okada as a heel when his reign has been defined by his dastardly behaviour.
SANADA and EVIL were one of the most popular tag teams in New Japan Pro Wrestling for years before the infamous EVIL heel turn of 2020. On his path to true cruelty, he cheated and broke down his friend SANADA in the New Japan Cup, scars that haven't faded for the Cold Skull. Now, after months of them being separated, these former friends square off with the entire tournament on the line and it feels so investing from the second the bell rings.
The two have always had good chemistry and the extra anger makes the work even more compelling, but where it truly sings is the narrative catharsis of watching SANADA utilise EVIL's interference against him, using Dick Togo's botched assistance to get a perfect O'Connor Roll pinfall over the King of Darkness and plant himself in the G1 Finals.