Updated NJPW G1 Climax 31 A Block Standings After Round 2

Following the opening round of matches on September 18 and September 19, G1 Climax 31 resumed today from Ota City General Gymnasium with the second round of A Block bouts. 

In the main event, Zack Sabre Jr. forced IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Shingo Takagi to tap out after 27 minutes. ZSJ repeatedly targeted Shingo's arm throughout the contest and Takagi was unable to escape a Triangle in the closing moments. After one final wrench from Zack, Shingo tapped out, sacrificing two points in the process. 

In another big match on the card, Kota Ibushi and Tomohiro Ishii fought back and forth for 17 minutes. After his opening-round loss to Yujiro Takahashi, Ibushi got back on track, pinning Ishii following an exposed Kamigoye. 

Elsewhere on the card, KENTA picked up a win over Bullet Club stablemate Yujiro Takahashi and Great-O-Khan pinned Toru Yano following an Eliminator. Tanga Loa, Tetsuya Naito's scheduled opponent, also defeated Yuji Nagata in a special singles match. 

The full results from September 23 were as follows:

• Tanga Loa def. Yuji Nagata
• Great-O-Khan def. Toru Yano
• KENTA def. Yujiro Takahashi
• Kota Ibushi def. Tomohiro Ishii
• Zack Sabre Jr. def. Shingo Takagi

With his win, Great-O-Khan sits atop the A Block standings. The updated standings are as follows:

• Great-O-Khan 6 points (3-0)
• Zack Sabre Jr. 4 points  (2-0)
• Shingo Takagi 4 points (2-1)
• Toru Yano 4 points (2-1)
• KENTA 4 points (2-1)
• Yujiro Takahashi 4 points (2-1) 
• Kota Ibushi 4 points (2-1)
• Tanga Loa 2 points (1-1)
• Tomohiro Ishii 2 points (1-2)
• Tetsuya Naito 0 points (0-9)

Tetsuya Naito pulled out of G1 Climax 31 with a knee injury following his first match. His remaining eight opponents all received two points due to Naito's forfeit losses. 

The second round of B Block matches will take place on Friday, September 24. The in-ring action is scheduled to begin at 5:30 am ET/10: 30am BST.