Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for another exciting night of action in the WWE Fantasy G1 Climax Tournament. If you’ve missed any of the previous nights catch up on them here. Tonight is round 4 of the SmackDown Block. Here are the SmackDown Block Rankings going into Round 4:
Kevin Owens (3-0) – 6
Luke Harper (2-1) – 4
AJ Styles (2-1) – 4
John Cena (2-1) – 4
Shinsuke Nakamura (2-1) – 4
Sami Zayn (2-1) – 4
Rusev (1-2) – 2
Randy Orton (1-2) – 2
Dolph Ziggler (0-3) – 0
Baron Corbin (0-3) – 0
G1 Climax Night 8: August 1st SmackDown Live
Dolph Ziggler (0-3) vs. Baron Corbin (0-3)
Both Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin have been unable to get a win thus far in the tournament. Both men are desperate to get their first victory of the tournament and get some points on the board.
Match Highlights: Both men lock up. Corbin pushes Ziggler down to the mat and flexes. They lock up again. Dolph gets a rear waist lock and transitions into a School Boy for a near fall. Corbin immediately pops up off of the mat and clotheslines Ziggler. Corbin picks Ziggler up and drops him back down with a Font Suplex Slam for a near fall. Corbin locks in a nerve hold.
Ziggler fights out of the hold and hits a dropkick. Ziggler attempts to lock in a Sleeper, but Corbin shakes him off. Corbin charges at Ziggler and gets hit with a Super Kick from Ziggler. Ziggler gets a near fall. Ziggler attempts the Zig Zag. Corbin blocks the Zig Zag by holding on to the top rope. Corbin hits Deep Six for a near fall.
Corbin argues with the referee over his count. Corbin turns around and gets hit with the Fame Asser for a near fall. Now Ziggler argues with the referee over the count. Ziggler turns around and Corbin hits him with End of Days for the win.
Winner: Baron Corbin
Kevin Owens (3-0) vs. Rusev w/ Lana (1-2)
Kevin Owens is the only undefeated competitor in the SmackDown Block. Owens continues to prove he will do whatever is necessary to win. Rusev had a controversial upset victory over John Cena in the second round but was unable to follow up on that momentum in the third round against AJ Styles.
Match Highlights: Owens and Rusev go nose to nose and start talking trash to each other. Owens slaps Rusev. Rusev retaliates and slaps him back. Owens acts like he’s going to punch Rusev, but thumbs in the eye. Owens whips Rusev into the ropes and attempts the Pop Up Powerbomb. As Owens pops Rusev up, Rusev thumbs in Owens in the eye. Owens falls back and Rusev lands on top of his chest. Rusev hooks a leg and gets a near fall. Owens rolls out of the ring and yells “He’s a cheater!”.
Lana laughs at Owens. Owens starts approaching Lana. Rusev rolls out of the ring. Rusev attacks Owens from behind. Rusev attempts to whip Owens into the barricade. Owens reveres and Rusev ends up crashing into the barricade. Owens Cannonballs Rusev against the barricade. Owens looks at Lana and says “Your husband sucks!”.
Owens gets Rusev back in the ring and applies a headlock. Rusev fights out of the hold and hits a back suplex. Rusev hits a spinning heel kick for a near fall. Rusev attempts a running splash but Owens moves out of the way. Owens goes to bounce off of the ropes but Lana grabs his foot. Owens starts yelling at Lana. Owens turns around and gets hit with a Macka Kick for a near fall.
Rusev attempts to lock in the Accolade. Owens slips out of the hold and Super Kicks Rusev. Owens hits a running senton for a near fall. Owens whips Rusev into the corner. Owens charge in and Rusev moves out of the way. Rusev hits a Fallaway Slam for a near fall. Rusev attempts the Bulplex. Owens blocks and counters into a Pumphandle Neckbreaker for a near fall. Lana gets up on the apron and starts yelling at Owens. Rusev charges at Owens. Owens dodges Rusev and he runs into Lana and knocks her off the apron. Owens rolls Rusev up and grabs his tights for the win.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Luke Harper (2-1) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (2-1)
Luke Harper suffered his first loss in the last round to Kevin Owens. Harper is looking to rebound tonight and score an upset against Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura won a hard fought battle against Randy Orton in the main event of round three. The King of Strong Style will need to bring his “A” game tonight because Harper is ready to prove he is one of the best wrestlers in the WWE.
Match Highlights: Both men shake hands at the start of the match. They lock up and start chain wrestling. Harper gets the advantage and Gator Rolls Nakamura. Harper transitions to a front head lock. Nakamura fights out of the hold. Nakamura starts kicking Harper’s legs. Harper eventually catches one of Nakamura’s legs. Nakamura hits an Enziguri with the free leg. Nakamura goes for the cover and gets a one count.
Nakamura whips Harper into the corner. Nakamura follows up with a running knee to the midsection. Harper falls down into a sitting position. Nakamura puts his foot on Harper’s throat and does Good Vibrations. Nakamura picks Harper up and Harper retaliates with a palm strike. Harper hits a bridging German Suplex for a near fall. Harper clotheslines Nakamura out of the ring. Harper lands a Suicide Dive.
Harper gets Nakamura back in the ring and hits a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Harper attempts a Discuss Lariat, but Nakamura ducks and gets Harper up for a Death Valley Driver for a near fall. Nakamura goes to the middle rope and attempts a jumping Kinshasa. Harper moves out of the way and hits a Black Hole Slam for a near fall. Harper goes for the Discuss Lariat again and nails it this time. Harper gets a near fall.
Harper attempts the Running Powerbomb. Nakamura counters into a Sunset Flip for a near fall. Harper runs at Nakamura and Nakamura catches him with a Shining Triangle Choke. Harper eventually muscles Nakamura up and powerbombs for a near fall. Harper attempts to Chokeslam Nakamura. Nakamura fights out and hits an inverted suplex. Nakamura attempts the Kinshasa, Harper counters with a Big Boot. Harper goes for a cover and Nakamura puts his foot on the bottom rope to break up the pin.
Harper picks Nakamura up and hits him with a big palm strike. Nakamura retaliates with a big forearm smash. Both men start exchanging several hard strikes. Harper knees Nakamura in the stomach and hits the Discuss Lariat for a near fall. Harper attempts the Running Powerbomb again. Nakamura fights out and hits a Snap Dragon Suplex. Nakamura quickly follows up with the Kinshasa for the victory.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Sami Zayn (2-1) vs. Randy Orton (1-2)
Sami Zayn had an impressive victory against Dolph Ziggler in the last round. Zayn has one of the most shocking upsets of the SmackDown block over Nakamura and is ready to pull another upset tonight. Randy Orton lost a hard fought battle against Nakamura in the last round. Orton is ready to turn things around tonight.
Match Highlights: Sami offers a handshake to Orton, but Orton declines. Both men lock up. Orton applies a front headlock and cranks it. Sami pushes Orton off into the ropes. Orton hits a shoulder block that takes Sami down. Sami kips up and drops Orton with a series of arm drags. Orton rolls out of the ring to regroup.
Orton comes back in the ring and both men lock up again. Orton pushes Sami back into a corner. The referee asks for a clean break, but Orton doesn’t comply and delivers a big European Uppercut. Orton then stomps a mudhole in Sami. The referee pushes Orton off and warns him that he will disqualify him if he doesn’t listen to him. Orton waves off the referee and picks up Zayn out of the corner. Orton hits a neckbreaker followed by jumping knee to the head for a near fall.
Orton picks Sami up and puts him on the apron to attempt the draping DDT. Zayn fights back before Orton can drop him. Zayn hits a springboard crossbody for a near fall. Orton is up quickly and hits Zayn with a European Uppercut that sends Zayn to the mat. Orton stomps all over Sami’s body. Orton attempts an RKO but Sami counters it into a backslide pin for a near fall. Orton is up quickly and attempts to clothesline Sami. Sami ducks and hits a swinging neckbreaker. Orton rolls out of the ring.
Sami hits an Arabian Press Moonsault that wipes Orton out. Sami rolls Orton back in the ring and gets a near fall. Sami attempts a Half and Half Suplex, but Orton reverses it into an Angle Slam for a near fall. Orton attempts the Punk Kick, but Sami moves out of the way and hits a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall.
Sami goes to the top rope and attempts a diving crossbody. Orton ducks and Sami wipes out the referee. Sami checks on the referee as Orton catches his breath. Orton attempts an RKO. Sami pushes Orton off and tosses him into the corner with an Exploder Suplex. Sami attempts the Helluva Kick. As Sami is running in, Orton kicks Sami below the belt and hits an RKO. Orton pulls the referee over and makes the cover. The referee slowly counts to three and Orton gets the win.
Winner: Randy Orton
AJ Styles (2-1) vs. John Cena (2-1)
AJ Styles barely survived against Rusev in the last round. The already injured back of Styles was the target of Rusev’s attack. Despite the serious back pain, AJ refused to forfeit tonight. AJ might regret that decision as he faces one of his toughest rivals in John Cena. Cena defeated Baron Corbin in the last round and is coming into this match pretty much at 100%.
Match Highlights: There are big dueling chants for AJ and Cena. Both men fist bump to start the match. The bell rings and Cena immediately goes for an Attitude Adjustment. AJ lands on his feet and hits an Enziguri. Styles attempts the Styles Clash, but Cena reverses it into a back body drop. Cena tries to lock in the STF, but AJ quickly gets to the ropes before Cena can lock it in. Cena pulls AJ off of the ropes. AJ kicks Cena off and hits a hurricanrana which sends Cena outside of the ring.
AJ wastes no time and lands a Phenomenal Flip Dive. AJ rolls Cena back into the ring and connects with a Springboard 450 Splash for a near fall. AJ attempts the Torture Rack Powerbomb but his back gives out and Cena slips out. Cena hits a Code Red for a near fall. Cena drops a series of elbow drops to AJ’s back. Cena locks in a Boston Crab. AJ fights to the ropes for a break.
Cena attempts the Attitude Adjustment again. AJ fights out and gets Cena in the Calf Crusher. Cena fights to the ropes for a break. AJ hits the KENTA striking combo, but Cena no sells and hits a big clothesline. Cena gets AJ up and hits the Attitude Adjustment for a near fall. Cena picks AJ up. AJ hits a Pele Kick that knocks Cena to the mat. AJ hits the Phenomenal Forearm for a near fall.
AJ locks in the Calf Crusher again. Cena reverses it into the STF. AJ gets to the ropes for a break. Cena attempts the Attitude Adjustment again. AJ lands on his feets and gives Cena the Attitude Adjustment for a near fall. AJ locks the STF on Cena. Cena powers out of the STF. AJ quickly takes Cena down with a flying armbar. Cena powers out of the armbar by powerbombing AJ.
Cena attempts a top rope Fame Asser, but AJ catches him with a powerbomb. AJ then hits the Styles Clash for a near fall. AJ attempts the Ushigoroshi but his back gives out again. Cena attempts the Attitude Adjustment but Cena’s leg gives out. AJ tries for the Ushigoroshi again and nails for it a near fall. AJ goes to the top rope and attempts a Spiral Tap. Cena moves out of the way and AJ crashes into the mat.
Cena hits a Springboard Stunner for a near fall. Cena attempts the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Before Cena can drop his fist, AJ kicks him in the face. AJ attempts the Styles Clash, but Cena fights out and hits a Fisherman Suplex. Cena sits AJ on the top rope and attempts the Attitude Adjustment from the middle rope. AJ fights out and kicks Cena in the back of the head. Cena crashes to the mat. AJ hits the Phoenomal Forearm from the top rope and gets the win.
Winner: AJ Styles
Here are the SmackDown Block Rankings after Round 4:
Kevin Owens (4-0) – 8
AJ Styles (3-1) – 6
Shinsuke Nakamura (3-1) – 6
Luke Harper (2-2) – 4
John Cena (2-2) – 4
Sami Zayn (2-2) – 4
Randy Orton (2-2) – 4
Rusev (1-3) – 2
Baron Corbin (1-3) – 2
Dolph Ziggler (0-4) – 0
At the end of the night, Kevin Owens is still the only undefeated competitor in the SmackDown Block. Owens’ streak will be in jeopardy on Night 10 when he faces John Cena! Here is the full card for Night 10: Dolph Ziggler (0-4) vs. Rusev (1-3), Baron Corbin (1-3) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (3-1), Luke Harper (2-2) vs. Randy Orton (2-2), AJ Styles (3-1) vs. Sami Zayn (2-2), and Kevin Owens (4-0) vs. John Cena (2-2).
The Raw Block returns to action on Night 9. Night 9 features the following matches: Seth Rollins (3-0-1) vs. The Miz (2-2), Neville (1-3) vs. Samoa Joe (3-1), Cesaro (2-2) vs. Bray Wyatt (0-4), Finn Balor (1-3) vs. Dean Ambrose (2-2), and Braun Strowman (3-1) vs. Roman Reigns (2-1-1).
