G1 Climax 29: 10 Biggest Storylines of the tournament

#5 Ace no More?

Tanahashi can still go, but can he 'Go Ace!'

The dagger of whether Hiroshi Tanahashi can live up to his moniker has hung over him for the better part of three years.

At last year's G1 Climax, he silenced the critics and the fans who just didn't believe. This year at the Dome, he put finality on this statement until Jay White stole the title from right under him. Since then it's been an up and down rollercoaster to this year's G1 Climax.

An opening day loss to Kazuchika Okada may not seem big on any other occasion anymore, but at the G1 where they've been near equals; it signified something huge and unusual. That Tanahashi lost to the Junior Heavyweight champion on the last night is a big deal.

That he was a non-factor going in, is also a big deal. Not to mention finally losing to Kota Ibushi and disappointing against KENTA of all people. The question now grows stronger and more pertinent; is Tanahashi truly no longer the Ace?

Just when the chips are down Hiroshi Tanahashi rises to the occasion, but maybe this time it's not just time. This time it sincerely feels like the sun is about to set on the Ace's glorious career or at least the portion of it where he may remain at the top.

The slow march back down promises a tragedy full of bumps, with a few lingering rays of hope. Yet now more than ever the chants of 'Go Ace' grow faint each passing match, this one's a tough one. An arc with a definite end but a long mystical journey.