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After a heady title change at Dominion and some scorching "road to..." contests ever since NJPW gears up for its annual G1 Climax Tournament set to begin this July 14th. While many casual eyes will look forward to the G1 special in the USA headlined by a Cody/Kenny Omega rematch. The main focus for fans is the gruelling endurance test of a tournament.
The two major blocks have already been decided with a calendar marked out for the matches set to take place between the 20 competitors all the way to the G1 finals at the mythical Budokan Hall.
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Historically, the G1 Climax is one of NJPW's toughest competitions, established in its current form in 1991. For modern-day wrestling fans, it is a 19-day holiday with a lieu of great match after match, between some of the company's best workers. In effect making it a tournament full of exchange amongst the world's best talents.
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Some tantalizing clashes between former rivals such as Tanahashi vs. Okada along the blockbuster Wrestle Kingdom worthy bouts such as the first meeting between Golden Lovers Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi, make this a riveting event to watch.
Each group is rife with potential spoilers and winners. The G1 blocks such as this one allow some veterans a moment back in the sun, it positions young up and coming wrestlers to gain experience in the NJPW and a silver ray of hope in their glorious future.
Most importantly, it locks in the main event that will rule the roost for years to come. Its winner will go on to face the winner of the Block B finals, to determine who will challenge the IWGP Heavyweight champion at Wrestle Kingdom 13
So let's see who will step out of Block A the victor and gain a shot at immortality.
#10 Yoshi-Hashi
The lower tier Chaos member who takes the fall in tag team matches, Yoshi-Hashi isn't bound to make any waves come to the time of the tournament. His reason for existence is to give the top-tier players an easy win and competition in what is an intense endurance test.
Some exciting matchups for Hashi to play against are his Chaos associates especially general Okada. This is in conjunction with the idea that Hashi has for long been teaming with Jay White, in the lower cards.
That White is central to a possible schism in Chaos is interesting. Hashi being the only member of Chaos pervading through this group makes him, unfortunately, a decision maker in this simmering story. Regardless Hashi is pretty inconsequential to the block.
Best Possible Match: vs. Kazuchika Okada, Night 9
With the aforementioned schism likely in play, it'd be interesting how the headhunter responds to Kazuchika Okada and a match against the CHAOS leader is bound for his best effort yet. A utility player and a good wrestler, Hashi can't find a better performance out of an Okada more likely to go through the motions, to preserve his energy.
#9 Togi Makabe
For all his accomplishments in the past, Togi Makabe is pretty much on a downward turn in his career, or at least what could be termed as a simple cool down. He's an assured booking during the tournament. There's a doubt about whether Makabe can really reach the upper echelon of NJPW ever again, relegating to the ranks of the tag team division or the hard-hitting never Openweight title.
Even the,n with his popularity among the local contingent, the unchained gorilla provides a tough win with a great boost for the younger competitors in the block. This will be a simple run for Makabe with no real flash and maybe one token big victory.
Expect Makabe to hopefully return back to the tag ranks once Tomoaki Honma is fit after his debilitating injury last year. The two New Japan Bosses are likely to make a heartfelt showing at the World Tag League is possible, but here Makabe remains a grand stepping stone.
Best Possible Match: vs. Minoru Suzuki, Night 3
Makabe's brawler style is vividly set to match the vicious catch wrestling of Minoru Suzuki. The two brute veterans will have a frankly violent but fun clash in an early match that may have little value going forward. Still, if anything Suzuki's performance should prove he is far above other veterans while allowing Makabe to show he can still go.
#8 Hangman Page
Despite his bland character work, Adam Page has developed tenfold in the past year in the ring that he is ready for this plum spot. Out of the shadow of Cody, Page can prove his mettle come tournament time.
There's no doubt that like many debutants before him, he won't reach very high up the chain. However, Page will have a mildly stellar run and improve his ring game en route to some great matches and maybe even a few victories.
The smart move made by NJPW has been to keep Page away from current Bullet Club rivals. Here, while he will have to contend with Fale, much of Page's contests will involve bouts against a varied number of new combustible elements. This is a good testing ground for Page's ability to shine in NJPW.
Best Possible Match: vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Night 7
In his big-time matches this year against the likes of Omega and Ibushi, Adam Page proves that he is slowly acquiring the in-ring skills that can make him a mainstay in the New Japan roster. With Group A filled with god tier competitors including Hiroshi Tanahashi who Page is familiar with, there's no doubt Page has another chance to put a spotlight on his skills. Look to the Ace helping with that in a thriller far improved from their Honor United contest.
#7 Michael Elgin
After a controversial start to the year mired in the infamous 'Me Too' scandal, Elgin is back with NJPW and roaring in a leaner figure. He won the NEVER Openweight championship at Dominion, only to lose it back to Goto in seven days. It seems for now the hard-hitting Elgin will remain in the division before climbing the ranks.
Like many of his G1 appearances, Elgin will get in a few stints with some wins but nothing more. The exciting thing about his placement is that after many G1's in the past year, Elgin is in a block where he gets to face Hiroshi Tanahashi.
This will in fact possibly be his greatest accomplishment during the tournament, which isn't saying much. Elgin acting as a buffer for the lower tier competitors is a good place for the big bruiser to revive his career.
Best Possible Match: vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Night 15
The above makes it obvious that if anyone is going to give Elgin a run for his money in an exciting contest it's Hiroshi Tanahashi. While this is because the Ace and Elgin have never fought one another, it's also because Tanahashi is at his best fighting from beneath which Elgin will provide as he powers down on the Ace. This one has rivet written all over it.
#6 Bad Luck Fale
The G1 Climax is the moment more than most when NJPW remembers the kind of heavy hitter they have in Fale. The Bullet Club underboss is never a bigger threat than during this tournament, providing a tough challenge for the top class.
Acting as a gatekeeper, the few that go through Fale's well-protected finisher can consider themselves in the upper echelon. The ones that skate past him with a victory are lucky and shows at the least New Japan's faith in them and him.
Of course with each given year, not just in the G1; Fale has found himself with diminishing returns as a singles prospect. With his role in the Bullet Club supposedly diminishing, one doesn't know what value beyond the aforementioned he holds. Maybe he gains a win against White, allowing a US Heavyweight title shot later down the line, for White to conquer.
Best Possible Match: vs. Minoru Suzuki, Night 17
For all the times Bad Luck Fale has dominated Tanahashi and Okada, they've never really gotten more than a three-star contest out of the lethargic behemoth. Instead with his height and size as well as power difference, there's a chance Fale's first singles bout against Suzuki could be the underrated highlight of the tournament. Sure Fale's not the best big man, but he will force Suzuki to pull new tricks out of his bag to defeat him.
#5 EVIL
For all his upside, EVIL, unfortunately, hasn't proven it in the ring. His title match against Okada last year was a dud, and he's better served in the tag division for now. The only issue is that as much character potential he shows, so does SANADA overall and they both need to move up the card soon.
Age is luckily on EVIL's side, while he'd normally be positioned a bit lower in his block the current direction indicates a need of a push. EVIL seems primed as the next challenger for Chris Jericho's IWGP Intercontinental Championship, as such he needs some huge wins before the match.
Unfortunately for him or anyone else, Jericho isn't part of the tournament, thereby making a win against him an automatic title challenge. Regardless EVIL will have a well-cooked tournament, matching his partner in the other block leading to questions of Naito's inevitable successor.
Best Potential Match: vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Night 13
Once more, Hiroshi Tanahashi comes to the rescue. It's when analytically looking at a tournament like this, one realizes how vital Tanahashi is in giving young wrestlers a boost. While Okada never got a terrific match out of EVIL, Tanahashi is bound to do so due to their history in the past year with LiJ. EVIL won't win but he'll further is skill level.
#4 Minoru Suzuki
After a tepid 2017, Minoru Suzuki bounced back sans the god-awful Suzuki-Gun shenanigans to prove a wily wicked competitor that he is. He's lost his hair, thrashed Hiroshi Tanahashi poorly, won and lost the Intercontinental strap.
Now looking at a stacked group there are doubts Minoru will go to the top, but hopefully, this doesn't mean the need to justify his cohorts making undue interferences. Suzuki is bound to provide the most exciting range of matches from top to bottom. His viciousness trumps anything and it'll be intriguing to see who can step up to beat him.
The most likely case for Suzuki to shine is in destroying Tanahashi once more, which seems unlikely. His next bet being a more likely win against Jay White, giving him a US Title shot. Whichever way things go, Suzuki and his competitors are in for a rollicking ride.
Best Possible Match: vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Night 1
In a brutal match where no on expected Suzuki to win, he dismantled an injured Tanahashi at the start of the year to capture the Intercontinental championship. This is undoubtedly a much-anticipated contest between heated rivals. While it's far from likely as one-sided or even has Suzuki win, expectations are high for it to open Block A with a bang this G1 Climax.
#3 Hiroshi Tanahashi
Here's where Block A gets interesting, Hiroshi Tanahashi will face Kazhuchika Okada on the last day of the Block A tournament. While there's no doubt their bout will feature the high stakes of seeing who will go through to the finals, Tanahashi will most likely lose sending him down to the third position.
Why?
Because this block is a three-way face off through the run, with a surprise third member joining the Rainmaker and the Ace. Luckily for the Ace, this time around he will provide tough competition for Okada after the record-breaking end to their rivalry a few months back.
Despite this, Tanahashi isn't on a downward spiral as much as he is on a cool down and look to him probably pulling a repeat lower card role at Wrestle Kingdom 13 this year as well. Tanahashi has done enough for the company as a top star, now he'll do the same as a main event testing ground.
Best Possible Match: vs. Kazuchika Okada, Night 17
Is there any other contest that can top Block A or for that matter be the best match for both Tanahashi and Okada? The two eternal rivals bring out the best in one another and the gruelling G1 is no different. It isn't difficult to see NJPW backtrack on Okada's rivalry clinching win from just this year, but the more likely result will be a hard-fought loss for Tanahashi that finally sees these two men move on.
#2 Jay White
Despite not living up to the potential that New Japan sees in him yet and carrying the US Heavyweight title on the lower card; Jay White is still a key figure in NJPW's Gaijin led future. He's definitely got what it takes to make it big and the G1 Climax will prove this.
White's arc has seen him slowly, subtly undermine the leadership within CHAOS to hopefully one day supplant the ego blinded Kazuchika Okada. Jay White shall pull off this unbelievable upset on the first night, to defeat Okada and prove his worth.
The fact that Okada could not believe how easily White trounced Okada adds layers to how far he will go come time for the G1 Climax. Of course, it will be a repeat loss to Hiroshi Tanahashi that derails White's momentum. Either way, such a first time showing, shall prove how much worth White is to New Japan.
Best Possible Match: vs. Kazuchika Okada, Night 1
Whether once again White loses to Tanahashi or not, there's no doubt they just don't click. Instead with the potential of the story to tell and the energy of the first-night main event, Jay White and Kazuchika Okada will construct an unbelievable contest just about making White a favourite of sceptics despite this being a level above his coming matches in the tournament.
#1 Kazuchika Okada
Free of the burden of holding the world championship, the Rainmaker could finally win his third G1 Climax tournament. Regardless of a victory, Okada is most likely to reach the finals from his block being the only star with a genuine chance to main event Wrestle Kingdom 13.
It's difficult to see him losing the whole thing though, as Omega is part of the other block; one where a victory against him can just as easily create a championship challenger for Okada come January 4th.
Either that or Okada's win could propel him towards a fifth match against Omega in a rivalry that has come to define New Japan's current renaissance. Whichever way, as aforementioned Okada just seems like the winner of the tournament.
Best Possible Match: vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi, Night 17
Can there be any other? For all the five star classics he has had with Kenny Omega, Okada and Tanahashi is the rivalry that was the focal point of the current renaissance in NJPW. Both men are bound to go all out on the last night of the Block A of the tournament, providing fans with another classic in their evergrowing rivalry. Look to Okada putting a firm stamp on his position with a victory, to finalize this feud for a while.
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