'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
#6 Hiroshi Tanahashi goes from Ace to the gatekeeper
Trending
Just two years ago, Hiroshi Tanahashi won his third G1 tournament, defeating Kota Ibushi in the finals. The Ace used that momentum to dethrone Kenny Omega in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13. Heading into this year's tournament, Tanahashi was considered one of the lead candidates to come out of the B Block of the G1 Climax 30. However, over the course of the month, we saw that his role had changed.
Although Tanahashi was still in the main events of some B Block nights and delivered high-quality matches, he was no longer considered a top guy when it came to victories. We saw a G1 Climax 30 tournament in which The Ace fell to Hirooki Goto, EVIL, and SANADA in rapid succession, taking him out of contention to win the block.
Still, Tanahashi arguably was the MVP of the entire B Block, even though he only finished with eight points at the end of the G1 Climax 30. With stars such as EVIL, SANADA, and eventual winner, Kota Ibushi, given positions in the upper card, The Ace will have to move down in the shuffle on occasion including this year. However, this was the first G1 tournament that we could truly see Tanahashi transition from Ace to the gatekeeper in the eyes of the NJPW higher-ups.
