Introduction

It’s a cliché to say ‘it’s that time of year again’ but few events in professional wrestling earn it as much as New Japan Pro Wrestling’s G1 Climax. Since 2013, fans have associated the G1 with the highest of high-end wrestling in the smallest of timeframes. The incredible roster of performers cultivated across the last decade are crammed into two blocks of ten (a number which needs to be expanded for the sake of freshness) and the results are typically carnage. As much as that applies to the unexpected wins and losses, winners and losers, it goes also for the physical toll of the tour. Since 2015, the tournament has alternated days for its A Block and B Block, doubling the length of the tour and increasing the size of the buildings. Marry this expansion to the continued growth of marquee stars Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito and Kenny Omega, and you have the recipe for a mind-boggling list of world-class matches.

This year, despite following up what many considered the greatest tournament in wrestling history, G1 Climax 28 looks better on paper – and not just by a little. The big three above, as well as major stars Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kota Ibushi, are all bigger than they were the year before. Okada is coming off the greatest championship reign of a generation; last year’s winner Naito has seen his arc take him to the height of the Tokyo Dome main event and the lows of failing to achieve his seeming destiny before being blindsided by Chris Jericho; Omega has defeated Jericho in the Tokyo Dome, and finally captured the most important belt in wrestling today, putting down the undefeatable Okada in two falls and nearly 70 minutes. Although this trio leads NJPW, Tanahashi and Ibushi had one of the year’s best matches last November, before Tanahashi battled against injury to put in one of his greatest matches ever vs Okada in May, while Ibushi became embroiled in Bullet Club’s messy collapse, reuniting with Omega to the jubilation of thousands.

As with this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament, it is the inclusion of that fifth man (Ibushi in the G1; Taiji Ishimori in BOSJ) that makes a key difference. The lopsided star power forces an even more creative, exciting block layout from bookers Gedo and Jado. The biggest question is of the finals – now three straight nights in Nippon Budokan, as a result of Sumo Hall undergoing renovation. Which two combinations of the five can headline, and who gets the midcard spot? The answer to this question and more was provided on three nights at Korakuen Hall for the Kizuna Road tour, unveiling participants, blocks and match dates. The information is now available, and it is my pseudo-tradition to provide an extensive preview for the tour. Below, you will find outlines for each participant, show and some speculation along the way. For the sheer gluttony of wrestling we receive in the late summer, it really is fair to say: it’s that time of year again.

Part 1: The Participants

A Block

‘Rainmaker’ Kazuchika Okada

2012, 2014 Winner

Representing CHAOS

7 th Year Competing (7 th Consecutive)

There’s no simpler way to put this: Kazuchika Okada is G1 28’s runaway favourite. Having just come off what may be the greatest title run of all time as IWGP Heavyweight Champion in what may be the greatest match of all time (breaking the records for longest title reign, most defenses and most cumulative days as champion along the way), Okada is that guy. This is Okada’s seventh G1 tour – in every one of those, he has either held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, or gone on to win the tournament (2012, 2014). This fact alone should guarantee him the shortest odds in the tournament, a feat made more obvious by his being separated this year from the man who finally conquered him for the title, Kenny Omega.

Being the biggest draw in NJPW for the last two years, it is very natural that Okada’s block matchups should tend towards the lesser stars. Outside of a blockbuster rematch with Hiroshi Tanahashi in Budokan, Okada is facing off with a relatively fresh field. He headlines on both dates against the tournament’s only debutants – vs Jay White in Ota Ward Gymnasium, and vs Hangman Page in Korakuen Hall. He also takes main event precedence opposite frequent tag partner YOSHI-HASHI, in a rematch of their Wrestle Kingdom 6(!) bout. Okada’s other headlining matches are all rematches, but none so exposed as to feel tiresome. There’s a rematch of two of last year’s best bouts vs Minoru Suzuki, with whom Okada has an incredible father-son kind of a rivalry. Michael Elgin gets a third shot at Okada, having failed to unseat him at G1 25 and 27, the latter of which was a blowaway classic. We’re getting another Okada match with Togi Makabe, one of the most consistently and perplexingly good in-ring programmes in NJPW. Finally, Okada returns to the sight of what was his first singles loss in almost a full year last year, vs the man who dealt it to him. Okada takes on EVIL in the main event at Edion Arena Osaka, in one of the most curious G1 rematches in recent history.

Of course, it all comes down to Budokan for Okada. He and Tanahashi meet in the G1 for the third time in their careers (2016 and 2013 being the previous encounters), with Okada having beaten Tanahashi in May to break the latter’s title defense record in one of the year’s best matches. With their next-to-most recent matches being the G1 26 draw and a Wrestle Kingdom 10 victory for Okada, you have to go all the way back to January 4, 2015 for Tanahashi’s last victory in the series. The torch has been passed – of that there is no doubt – but one does wonder if Okada’s dominance in the block may be the reddest of red herrings for one of the biggest upsets in recent history at Nippon Budokan.

‘Once In A Century Talent’ Hiroshi Tanahashi

2007, 2015 Winner

Representing Taguchi Japan

17 th Year Competing (17 th Consecutive)

Predicting where Hiroshi Tanahashi will land in the G1 is more difficult than it should appear. Plagued by perpetual injury since Kota Ibushi flung him into a turnbuckle in late 2015 (and variously banged up for years before that), Tanahashi’s perception in the tournament can be difficult to gauge. Coming back from a short hiatus in 2016, he went three losses deep before mounting a winning streak and coming to a draw with Okada in Sumo Hall. Last year, as IWGP Intercontinental Champion, he sustained only two losses – to Zack Sabre Jr and Kota Ibushi – before losing the final block decider to Tetsuya Naito. This year, he comes in without a championship, having been taken apart by Minoru Suzuki in February, and without having taken any recent time off for injury. As such, it’s hard to say how his block will look from a booking perspective.

Nonetheless, Tanahashi enters G1 28 with a lot of potential direction. As well as the fateful Okada rematch, he gets another shot at Suzuki at Ota Ward Gymnasium, before rematching with Tokyo Dome opponent Jay White in the main event spot in Sapporo. These are Tanahashi’s most prominent matches of the tour, having all taken place as major singles matches this year, but similarly major are a first-time bout in NJPW with tag partner Michael Elgin in Osaka, and a tie-breaker singles meeting with EVIL, with whom Tanahashi went back and forth in early 2017. Latest entries into Tanahashi’s longtime G1 programmes with Togi Makabe and Bad Luck Fale receive less importance, although Fale could very well resume his role as one of Tanahashi’s key losses. Rematches with Hangman Page and YOSHI-HASHI are also on the agenda, though not as high-profile as other bouts.

One of the biggest takeaways from Tanahashi’s tour this year is how little spotlight he receives. He only has two main event positions – vs White in Sapporo and Okada in Budokan. Considering Tanahashi is the best show-closer in the business, and he has every chance of losing to White, I am drawn to wonder if we could be heading into the biggest fan-pleaser upset possible. It may just be a way of giving Tanahashi a rest on what is an incredibly demanding tour, or redressing the fact that Okada main evented less shows than Tanahashi in 2016 despite having been crowned as the ace. However, it feels impossible to resist that dream – a Tanahashi upset victory for the first time in over three years, against his greatest opponent in a historic wrestling venue to set up one more magical tournament win and a final bow in the Tokyo Dome. The heart says yes, but the brain can at least guarantee that win, lose or draw, Hiroshi Tanahashi will give his everything to this tour.

‘Switchblade’ Jay White

Representing CHAOS

1 st Year Competing (1 st Consecutive)

It says something when the third most important name in the block is Jay White, and I’m not sure what that something is. Since returning to NJPW from his US excursion, White has been one of the more interesting booking failures in recent history. With his acknowledged talent – a big, burly performer in the style of Nagata or Hase – and his clear love from the NJPW management, White seemed like one of the biggest surefire stars they had. Such was the hype behind him that some saw him as the heir apparent to Kenny Omega (only less likely to ever leave). A combination of many things – his return being overshadowed by the appearance of Chris Jericho, another Tanahashi injury preventing Jay from getting over his key spots ahead of the Dome, and the match itself taking place in the middle of five blockbusters at the Dome. Since then, it’s been curious decisions that haven’t really hit that sweet spot yet – Jay defeated Omega to win the United States title in a move that probably does more to harm the belt than to elevate White, he went second from the top at Walter Pyramid with Hangman Page in a great match that lacked real heat until its end, and he joined CHAOS with an obvious eye on eventually toppling Okada. At Cow Palace, just a week before G1, Jay lost the championship to Juice Robinson in a fantastic bout that has completely changed the complexion of his tournament.

For matches, Jay gets the chance to rematch with Tanahashi and Page in what will hopefully (likely in the case of Tanahashi) be more heated affairs than before. Really, heat is what he’s been lacking in his matches – something I put down to that lack of an opportunity to get his big spots over in a Tokyo Dome preview match last year. Finally, the big opening day match with Okada – this one is guaranteed to be heated, and more than likely to be a terrific match to boot. Considering the level Okada is at, and the genuine intrigue in a CHAOS factional war, this has every chance to be everything Jay needs to stake his claim as one of the best workers in the company. If that match hits – which is surely a likelihood – it could legitimise Jay on all fronts, and for all audiences.

Despite his position as the third man of the block, Jay obviously poses no threat to the finals. His continued unfamiliarity makes it difficult to bet on him as any kind of a major figure just yet. Audiences are so unfamiliar with his style and moveset that his matches lack the kind of anticipation from audiences to build up that star-level heat. He has so quickly taken a top spot and a top title, despite the only major matches of his being his title challenges vs Omega and Tanahashi, that there’s still no real precedent for how he’ll work against the regulars in a big match situation. The title loss also turns all expectation for his performance in the tournament on its head, as he will probably play more of a defining role at the end of the block than he would as a champion. As well as that, the standard set in his great match with Juice Robinson should bode well for his matches against the bigger names and better workers in A Block.

‘World’s Worst Personality’ Minoru Suzuki

Current British Heavyweight Champion, Undisputed British Tag Team Champion

Representing Suzuki-gun

8 th Year Competing (2 nd Consecutive)

Where do we stand with Minoru Suzuki? In some ways, he’s one of the outstanding wrestlers of the year, having gotten off to a roaring start vs Hirooki Goto, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe and in tag team action with Zack Sabre Jr. On the other hand, his most recent singles match was a big disappointment with Tetsuya Naito, losing the IWGP Intercontinental Championship in rather unceremonious fashion. However,he comes into G1 having just defeated Tomohiro Ishii to capture the British Heavyweight Championship, an accolade that may speak to a strong, protected run in the tournament. Suzuki is one of the healthiest wrestlers on the roster, and he has a built-in credibility with the audience that makes him a valuable player. Moreover, he has set a standard for most of his singles matches this year that make a G1 run a lot more enticing than last year. Too many watched Suzuki leaning heavily on the Suzuki-gun shenanigans last year and thought as though he was past it when, in fact, that’s just part and parcel of Minoru Suzuki. With his seeming philosophy this year to put in some great, clean performances, he stands out as having the potential to have some really sensational matches.

Considering his standard this year, I think Suzuki should have a strong run in the tournament. Outside of Okada and Tanahashi, he’s the most familiar face in A Block. He should have phenomenal matches with those two, along with an interesting matchup opposite Jay White. Outside of that block-leading trio, chances are that Suzuki will be the bigger star facing Hangman Page, YOSHI-HASHI and Makabe. More even matches will likely be those opposite EVIL and Elgin (who both defeated Suzuki last year) and Bad Luck Fale, which may very well resemble Suzuki’s Dublin match with Keith Lee a few months ago. With the unpredictable booking that has characterised much of 2018, and the lack of gold in A Block, Minoru Suzuki stands out as a strong candidate to really threaten the block leaders as we head towards Budokan. It’s no guarantee – Suzuki can be one of the most inconsistent performers in the world from a number of perspectives – but his form in the ring this year and his undeniable stature among viewers provides ample opportunity for a threatening run to segue into the autumn programmes.

‘King of Darkness’ EVIL

Representing Los Ingobernables de Japon

3 rd Year Competing (3 rd Consecutive)

2017’s breakout performer is surely looking to repeat the striking run he accomplished in last year’s tournament. EVIL holds the high achievement of having been the man to end Kazuchika Okada’s near-year-long unbeaten run in singles competition (prior to his August 5, 2017 loss, Okada had last lost a singles bout to Bad Luck Fale on August 8, 2016). Beyond that considerable accomplishment, EVIL ended G1 27 placing third in B Block, picking up big victories against Minoru Suzuki and Satoshi Kojima, and dominating the lower dregs such as Juice Robinson, Tama Tonga and Toru Yano. The decision to use G1 27 as a springboard for EVIL plainly worked – he has main event credibility to any audience, best exemplified by a 9,234 sellout in Ryogoku Sumo Hall for a title challenge vs Okada. With such a phenomenal star-making run last year, EVIL becomes one of the most interesting performers in his third G1 – will he retain that main event perception in another chaotic block?

If his opponents are anything to go by, one would assume that EVIL will end another strong run near the top. He stands out ahead of names like Hangman Page and YOSHI-HASHI (who scored one of his sparing G1 wins over EVIL in 2016), posing a similar level of threat as Minoru Suzuki or Bad Luck Fale. As with anyone else, EVIL’s key matches will be those against the big three in the block – he holds a 1-1 record against both Okada and Tanahashi in singles matches (all 2017), but he has never faced Jay White one-on-one. Quite interestingly, EVIL gets all three singles matches in a row – Tanahashi in the Fukuoka semi-main, Okada in the Osaka main (exactly one year on from their last G1 encounter) and Jay in the Budokan co-main. This speaks volumes on the level at which NJPW perceives EVIL as a long-term roster member, and the loyalty afforded to those who graduate the dojo system. My gut says he caps off a threatening run towards finals contention with a win over Tanahashi, before being eliminated by Okada and subsequently visiting a similar fate on Switchblade. Whatever way it turns out, that final matchup is an interesting one. Since Jay is no longer a champion, it may be a prelude to a title match or simply more CHAOS/LIJ warring in the autumn. Either way, there should be a lot of indication as to the future plans for both dojo graduates in what is a seriously big chance for them to shine in a Budokan semi-main.

‘The Underb oss’ Bad Luck Fale

Representing Bullet Club

5th Year Competing (5 th Consective)

Bad Luck Fale still retains an aura of tiresomeness for many fans, I’m sure. For so many first getting started with NJPW, he looked like a heavily-pushed guy that didn’t live up to headliner status opposite Shinsuke Nakamura in 2014. However, those main events (as well as wins against Okada, Tanahashi, Katsuyori Shibata and others) in 2014 and 2015 served to create another aura – one of serious legitimacy. Bad Luck Fale is a textbook example of building up a monster that can conceivably take down any top star on any date, without needing to drag down anyone else to do so, or to force him needlessly into a top spot. As such, Fale tends to shine in G1 – he had his greatest singles showing ever last year against Yuji Nagata in the legend’s final tournament bout, capping off a year in which he put on his three best singles matches. With a large amount of weight dropped this year, and his continued improvement in his role (arguably the best monster heel in all of wrestling), Fale is a big-time asset at this point to the G1.

As for his tour, it’s naturally hard to call. He has a long history of beating both Togi Makabe and Hiroshi Tanahashi in singles action, but the latter has managed to slip by Fale in their last two bouts – a countout victory in G1 last year, and again in this year’s New Japan Cup quarter final. Makabe has lost every singles bout against Fale since Wrestle Kingdom 8. Coming in with those two records and what are typically decent quality bouts, it is interesting to speculate on where they will land in terms of results. Fale will typically take three or four losses in the tournament, either upsets or losses to the big names. As such, it seems easy to predict him over EVIL, Elgin, Jay or Hangman. Of course, having last beaten the latter two in the quarter final and semi-final of New Japan Cup 2018 and having never faced the latter two in singles, it’s entirely possible that any one of the four will be the one to hand Fale a loss. YOSHI-HASHI, meanwhile, picked up a big win over Fale when they met in last year’s tournament, which leads to a suspicion that he won’t replicate the feat again. It’s hard to tell: any of those five names could be the one to beat him. Fale is unlikely to beat both Okada and Tanahashi, and I suspect Suzuki will perform the impressive Gotch-style Piledriver as he did to Keith Lee when the two meet in Budokan. As such, we’re likely to have one or two more get a win over Fale. It’s anybody’s guess.

‘Big Mike’ Michael Elgin

Representing Taguchi Japan

4 th Year Competing (4 th Consecutive)

Michael Elgin has a wealth of opportunity facing him this year. He has been quiet in New Japan for the most part, despite now making it his home promotion. He defeated Tomohiro Ishii in a terrific bout in the opening round of New Japan Cup this year, before falling to Juice Robinson for the second time in their two matches. He won the NEVER Openweight Championship in a three-way bout at Dominion – what should be a big moment in his career – but failed to make one successful defence and has just lost it after eight days to former champion Hirooki Goto. Elgin’s win/loss record remains mystifying in NJPW, but this year’s tournament will hopefully be an opportunity to set him on a strong path for the autumn. With Elgin having beaten Kenny Omega in their last singles bout, sharing a block for a second consecutive year with the newly-defeated United States Champion, Elgin/White may point us in the direction of a challenger for Juice Robinson later in the year.

One of the best wrestlers in the world, Elgin underperformed from a points perspective last year. He picked up notable victories over Kenny Omega, Minoru Suzuki and EVIL, but with Satoshi Kojima his only other tournament win, losses to Juice Robinson, Toru Yano and Tama Tonga stung. Nevertheless, the Omega win and a loss against Okada were sensational – arguably the best matches of the tournament. He gets another shot at Okada this year but, with no championship between the pair, the outcome should be that bit harder to predict. It’s more a case of how Okada’s tour fares than what’s in store for Elgin. Since it’s roughly halfway through the block – Day 11 in Kanagawa – one would assume that Okada stands a pretty good chance of beating Elgin once again. Either way, with his terrific physical shape and the standard he set last year, Elgin will no doubt put on another classic performance when that match comes. The other key bout for Elgin is a Korakuen Hall meeting with White, which could very likely set up a title programme, a big Osaka showdown with partner Hiroshi Tanahashi (although they met in singles in ROH in 2015, they have never fought since Elgin made his NJPW debut) and a Budokan match with Togi Makabe. Based on his tournament last year, and his early exits from New Japan Cups, it’s genuinely quite difficult to say where Elgin will end up in this year’s tournament. There’s so much talent involved that it doesn’t seem so likely that he’ll challenge the top of the block in any way. I suspect an exit before the last day to Tanahashi, and a win over Makabe at the end of the tour. Elgin is an incredible professional wrestler that could be a valuable asset for NJPW booking between G1 and the Dome. Since he’s not likely to pick up a major singles in that time, and won’t ever be a top-flight star in the promotion, it could be valuable to set him up as a briefcase contender or a title challenger during this tour.

‘Bousou King Kong’ Togi Makabe

2009 Winner

Representing Taguchi Japan (Great Bash Heel)

15 th Year Competing (15 th Consecutive)

Togi Makabe’s time is probably coming to an end. With the G1 lineups as stacked as any tournament in wrestling history, and historically superior workers such as Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Yuji Nagata calling time on their tournament careers, Makabe can’t be too far behind. He’s not quite a star like those two (with Satoshi Kojima and Manabu Nakanishi) were, and he clearly has more stock as a current star despite his age, owed largely to his mild mainstream television fame. Nonetheless, Makabe is not a performer that will sell tickets on top, and doesn’t need to be relied upon for much longer. He is absolutely reliable for some great performances – his one headliner with Kazuchika Okada should be as good as ever – but there is certainly enough up-and-coming talent on the fringes of already-stacked fields that will soon push Makabe out.

But that is later. For now, Makabe remains one of the highest-profile of the old guard still contesting the tournament. This year, he gets no main event spot in his adopted hometown of Machida – where he has defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi and Hirooki Goto in the headliners for the last two years. That building is among the casualties in the tour’s increased size, taking in a double-header in Ota Ward, Tokyo and a second date in Edion Arena, Osaka. Nonetheless, we can expect Makabe to end on his traditional eight points. He opened G1 26 with a four-match win streak that quickly became a five-match losing streak. Last year, he opened with two straight losses before turning things around in Machida, closing his tour by collecting the last two of his eight points over YOSHI-HASHI. He opens this tour vs YOSHI, which could indicate another weak start as YOSHI has started both his previous G1s with big-time wins. It’s essentially a guarantee that he’ll end in the middle of the pack or thereabouts, so Makabe may pick up strong wins vs Suzuki, Elgin or EVIL, while dropping points to White or Hangman as debutants and Tanahashi and Okada as the big stars. The Fale match has a morbid curiosity, as I would put my money on Makabe finally getting a win back over the monster.

‘The Hangman’ Hangman Page

Representing Bullet Club

1 st Year Competing (1 st Consecutive)

Note: the redundant nickname above is due to translation. In NJPW, Adam Page goes by the name of Hangman Page. His nickname is 絞首刑執行人 (pronounced: koushukei shikkoujin), which translates directly to ‘hangman.’

Some may not have seen it coming, but Hangman Page was a lock for this year’s G1. As someone that doesn’t watch ROH TV very frequently, I first paid attention to Hangman when he linked up with Bullet Club in mid-2016. However, it was a fantastic performance with Kenny Omega against Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii at the World Tag League Finals that same year that made it clear he was in for big things. Despite eating the Rainmaker pinfall in that match, his incredible athleticism and surprising strength stood out big time. Despite not doing much in NJPW after that, he was one of 2017’s breakout stars as part of ‘Being The Elite,’ and has risen further up the Japanese ranks in 2018 with a United States semi-main event with Jay White and a Fukuoka headliner with Kenny Omega. There’s no way – with such faith shown in him – that Hangman was getting by without a G1 run this year.

It goes without saying that this is the biggest opportunity of Hangman’s career. The biggest of them all is his one main event – vs Kazuchika Okada in Korakuen Hall. It’s worth pointing out that Hangman has expressed recently that Korakuen is one of his three favourite venues in the world for atmosphere, so this will no doubt mean a lot to the 26 year-old. Of course, a win would mean a whole lot more. It’s hard to say how he will do as far as wins and losses go, though I’d lean towards a big tour akin to EVIL last year. And who knows? Page could even be a key Okada loss and a Sumo Hall semi-main for the Dome shot. Even if he fails to capture big wins over Okada or Tanahashi, there’s still a wealth of opportunities for a tournament debutant with his talent and appeal. An opening day matchup with Bad Luck Fale, for instance, will absolutely showcase his impressive strength, whether he wins or loses. As with Michael Elgin, Hangman’s tournament may centre around Jay White, whom he faces on Day 11 in Kagawa. Although both are the tournament’s debutants, Page’s future is unclear. Jay will be a major force in the company no matter what, but there’s no indication as to what role Page will take in the autumn or in the longer term (if any). If NJPW continues pushing the US belt as something to be fought over by the mid-tier non-Japanese talent (Elgin, Hangman, Juice Robinson, David Finlay, etc), the Elgin and White bouts will certainly be keys to his tour.

‘Head Hunter’ YOSHI-HASHI

Representing CHAOS

3 rd Year Competing (3 rd Consecutive)

YOSHI-HASHI is one of the G1’s most needlessly controversial entrants. Realistically, he’s another great worker that plays the role of the perennial loser, picking up one or two big wins to fix the block mathematics. Usually, he can deliver some good-to-great bouts along the way, such as his G1 26 matches with Kenny Omega, EVIL and Tetsuya Naito, or his G1 27 bouts with Naito, Yuji Nagata and Tomohiro Ishii. Despite this, some point to YOSHI as a waste of a tournament spot, arguing that it should go to Jeff Cobb, Daisuke Sekimoto or Taichi. While the first two are genuinely desirable G1 entrants, and their absence speaks to the need to expand the block format to bring in valuable outsiders, there is no substance in replacing YOSHI-HASHI with Taichi. The former Jr. Heavyweight is an unspectacular wrestler with nothing to add that YOSHI doesn’t already.

Anyway, this looks to be the same year as ever for YOSHI. He gets one headliner spot vs CHAOS stablemate Kazuchika Okada. While there’s no way to predict how such a match will turn out, quality-wise, it’s a safe bet that they will bring their A-game, considering their first bout is the worst of Okada’s singles career in NJPW. As well as that, he gets another crack at Hiroshi Tanahashi, having lost to the then-Intercontinental Champion in Aichi last year. It’s not likely YOSHI picks up wins in either of these bouts, though he is likely to end on four or six points. As such, he could pick up victories over Togi Makabe on the opening day, EVIL in Hokkaido, Minoru Suzuki in Korakuen Hall or even someone like Fale or White. YOSHI’s tendency towards upsets makes it hard to predict either his final standing in the block or how well he will do in terms of match quality. The likelihood is also that he won’t be doing much beyond tag team action in the autumn, so there’s no need to look deeply into the potential angle buried in the blocks.

B Block

‘The Best Bout Machine’ Kenny Omega

Current IWGP Heavyweight Champion

2016 Winner

Representing Bullet Club (The Golden Elite)

3 rd Year Competing (3 rd Consecutive)

Somehow, Kenny Omega enters G1 Climax 28 with even more eyes on him than in his first two tours. 2016 saw him make his tournament debut as a huge fan favourite, before pulling off one of the biggest upsets in modern wrestling to win the whole thing. 2017 saw him enter as a huge finals favourite, coming off the back of two all-time classics with Kazuchika Okada, before defeating Okada and losing the finals to Tetsuya Naito. This year, he enters as the champion. Having broken the 1-1-1 tie with Okada, Omega achieved both a career peak as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, and in having what may have been the greatest match ever at Dominon 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall. Although he has yet to make a first defense against Cody at Cow Palace – just a week before the tournament kicks off – Omega has sealed his legacy in Japan and enters his third G1 as one of the most important names in wrestling today.

Of course, IWGP giveth and IWGP taketh away. Omega was a hope-against-hope popular favourite in 2016, and a number two favourite in 2017. This year, the championship he carries likely precludes him from making the finals, let alone winning the tournament. It doesn’t help that he’s in a chaotic block – maybe the most stacked single tournament block in wrestling history – with strong favourites in Kota Ibushi and Tetsuya Naito. Omega will open his tournament on Day 2 in Ota Ward against Naito, a rematch of last year’s incredible finals bout. It’s a hard call – typical G1 booking would see an ‘upset’ for Naito to defeat the champion and likely receive a title shot later down the line. However, with the way booking of the championship has developed, it is just as likely that Omega goes near-undefeated, picking up a tie-breaker win over Naito and extending the date of their eventual title meeting. For Ibushi, it will likely matter more to longtime fans than any other bout. Omega has never defeated his teammate in singles action, and they last face off in August 2012 at Budokan Hall – the venue to which they return as the final match of the block stages. This naturally sets up either Ibushi picking up another win over Omega and setting the stage for a bigger match down the line, or a draw to send someone else through. It’s a difficult call, as the incredible personal story of Ibushi/Omega can cloud the perception of their booking within NJPW.

Nonetheless, Omega remains the centre of an incredible block. It will likely be on his wins and losses that the chances of all other participants live and die. Fittingly, he will get a chance to rematch with Juice Robinson, whose major upset win over Omega in last year’s block set the stage for the must-win situation against Okada in Sumo Hall. It has been made even more hype by virtue of Juice’s big win over Jay White. For Omega as Heavyweight Champion to meet only the third champion of a title he originated is a major story opportunity. There’s also a rematch with SANADA, who is coming in as much more of a threat now than when they met in the dying stages of last year’s tour. Omega also gets main event spots with CHAOS nemeses Hirooki Goto in Korakuen Hall (a rematch of Omega’s star-confirming G1 Finals win) and Tomohiro Ishii in Osaka – cite of Ishii’s legendary 2016 upset over Kazuchika Okada. That’s not to dismiss a first-time meeting (on tape) of Omega and Zack Sabre Jr. In my eyes, that match should be used for a big-time UK show next year, and Zack’s spring rampage earlier this year gives him all the credibility he needs to defeat Omega. Even Tama Tonga shines against Kenny when the two meet in Korakuen Hall once more, with the Bullet Club civil war tension likely to reach some kind of an early apex. Omega – by virtue of his worldwide status and his incredible victory in Osaka – gifts a legitimacy to everyone in the block that faces him. He is no doubt the key to whoever emerges on top.

‘Golden Star’ Kota Ibushi

Representing The Golden Elite

4 th Year Competing (2 nd Consecutive)

Kota Ibushi is probably getting ready for the biggest tour of his life. More than his 2013 debut, which brought about his classic rivalry with Shinsuke Nakamura, or last year’s tour, which heralded his return to New Japan and his confirmation as a main event name if he so chooses, this year’s tour will define Kota Ibushi in NJPW. I thought, upon his return last year, that he and Naito would contest the block finals in Sumo Hall, not realising that the Naito/Tanahashi-Okada/Omega mirror would continue for both trilogies. Instead, his Sumo Hall opponent was Hirooki Goto, to whom he suffered a loss despite already being out of finals contention. He went on to headline Edion Arena with Tanahashi in a sensational Intercontinental Title match that proves they cannot keep running Edion for shows of that calibre, before becoming embroiled with Bullet Club in the new year and reforming with Omega in February, all culminating in his corner role in Omega winning the belt last month. Despite not having much high profile matches in this period – nothing as big as his semi-main event at the Dome in 2015, for instance – Ibushi remains the fifth biggest star in the company, and this is the G1 that will likely confirm it.

Ibushi’s loss to Hirooki Goto on Day 17 despite already being eliminated and his quarter-final exit in New Japan Cup this year to eventual winner Zack Sabre Jr have led some to think that he will always be positioned outside the top tier in NJPW, but that perception has hopefully been wiped away. He headlines four of the nine B Block shows, including three in row vs SANADA in Niigata, Ishii in Aichi and Goto in Kagoshima (Ibushi’s home, where he defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi last year). It’s hard to gauge how Ibushi will do. Despite his history of coming up shorter than he should in the G1, I am confident that this is the year he will seriously threaten the finals (in fact, he is surely the favourite to headline Budokan opposite Okada). He will therefore take two or three losses ahead of his match with Omega. SANADA seems a lock to defeat Ibushi, as they headline in SANADA’s home prefecture. Ishii may also do the same, as they main event in Aichi. Other than those two, any other loss Ibushi sustains will likely be at the hands of Zack Sabre Jr on Day 2 in Ota Ward, or perhaps against Juice Robinson on Day 4 in Korakuen Hall. However, his main event slot at Budokan guarantees – unlike in years past – that Ibushi will be alive on the last day, with every likelihood of taking the block when he takes on Omega for the first time in over half a decade.

Ibushi, as with Okada in A Block, is surely the favourite to win here. Unlike Okada, he is not the biggest star in his field. He is arguably third behind Omega and Naito. Despite this, he is no doubt the favourite to headline Budokan opposite the A Block winner (likely Okada, though I’m not guaranteeing that). This says a lot about the block layouts – it doesn’t seem possible that Omega’s big win over Ibushi will come in the context of a tournament match, and it doesn’t seem right for Naito to face either Tanahashi or Okada in a tournament finals (likely sustaining another loss) so soon, when he is already embroiled in a programme with Chris Jericho. As such, Ibushi is the credible favourite over SANADA, Ishii or Goto. Naturally, he who shares a block with the champion isn’t likely to win the block (barring something like Omega dropping the belt in the autumn as AJ Styles did in 2014), but Ibushi is absolutely the most credible contender, considering all the factors, to make it through B Block. If he doesn’t win, the Omega programme can develop for the rest of the year (culminating at the Dome if Omega were to drop the belt), and a NEVER title shot against Hirooki Goto looks like a lock based on their block positioning.

‘Uncontrollable Charisma’ Tetsuya Naito

2013, 2017 Winner

Representing Los Ingobernables de Japon

9 th Year Competing (9 th Consecutive)

It’s rough for Tetsuya Naito. Earlier this year, he failed to achieve his ‘destino’ when he lost clean to Kazuchika Okada in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome – a match many figured was his coronation as NJPW’s biggest star. Although Naito lost nothing in failing to capture the IWGP Heavyweight Championship (in fact, they told a better story in Naito failing to let go of his former demons, and Okada going on to set the title defences record), he has been on the slide. He was eliminated in the first round of the New Japan Cup by Zack Sabre Jr and, although he defeated ZSJ’s mentor Minoru Suzuki to claim the IWGP Intercontinental Championship for a second time, he disregarded the belt as a mere side effect of his stardom – something bigger than any title in the company. What followed was a terrific, heated programme with interloper Chris Jericho, where Naito failed to take enough notice of the crazy old man and suffered his third consecutive loss in Osaka-jo Hall on the night that Omega achieved what he had failed to do. Naito’s failure – largely self-inflicted – must be all the worse in the reflection of Omega and Ibushi’s success, the men he defeated to open and close his G1-winning tour last year.

As it happens, Naito has a shot at gaining some measure of retribution against both Golden Lovers this year. He opens his tournament in a main event rematch with Omega – really, a match that’s too big for the 4,000-seat Ota Ward Gymnasium – and faces off with Ibushi again in a semi-main(!) in Osaka, which acts as the beginning of the tournament’s closing stages. My feeling in these two is that Naito can beat Omega, but will lose to Ibushi in Osaka, a frequent home of upsets, as Ibushi looks to win the block. Naito, in the last two years, has crossed the 12-point barrier before he even reaches the last day of the block, which speaks to the unbelievable protection he is afforded. As such, he will likely walk over the majority of his opponents, but not Ibushi. Outside of those, Naito’s biggest match (his only headliner along with Omega) is a first-time meeting with LIJ stablemate SANADA. This match has been teased for over two years, and both of the previous two G1s have seen the pair separated. Naito has gotten ahead of himself already, trying to sooth the tension after the block announcements. The stoic SANADA already has a lot of intrigue in taking on his LIJ captain, as he revealed his plan to challenge the winner of the Dome match in January, no matter the outcome (he ended up elevated big-time in his best ever match vs Okada). It says a lot about tournament depth that Naito only headlines vs Omega and SANADA, but he still has a ton of major matches – CHAOS enemies Ishii, Goto and Toru Yano, one-time Intercontinental title opponent Juice Robinson, and a big rematch with Zack Sabre Jr in Budokan Hall.

As far as Naito goes, my feeling is that he should be heading towards a Tokyo Dome rematch with Chris Jericho. If Naito headlines the Dome, it will be against Okada or Omega – one he fights during the G1 and the other is last year’s main event. I think it’s too early for either to happen at the Dome, itself the perfect venue for Jericho to put over Naito to springboard him back to the main event in 2019/2020. The Jericho match holds him over at the Dome, and he could hold the IC title for monthly defences as in 2017 against SANADA, EVIL, Michael Elgin, etc. Realistically, Naito has such a clear path back to the top that a win this year may feel a lot like jumping the gun.

‘Cold Skull’ SANADA

Representing Los Ingobernables de Japon

3 rd Year Competing (3 rd Consecutive)

SANADA has, for the last two G1 tours, been the predicted breakout. It hasn’t happened in either case – 2016 was about the big win over Tanahashi and the subsequent programme, while 2017 was the year for EVIL to be made. Despite this, SANADA retains that sense as someone that will have a star-making run. The evidence seems to back it up this year: he challenged Kazuchika Okada in February, putting down what was easily his greatest individual performance and match ever. His performance in the New Japan Cup was also suitably strong coming off the Okada match, despite both wins coming against Chuck Taylor and Toru Yano. Although he was another name cut down by Zack Sabre Jr during the spring rampage, SANADA was booked with just enough protection throughout February and March to make the most on the perpetual intrigue he retains with fans, akin to Katsuyori Shibata. As tag team champion since winning at the Dome, he and EVIL felt like real superstars in the heavyweight tag division before losing at Dominion and Cow Palace to the Young Bucks in a pair of terrific matches. This breakout period for SANADA will hopefully this year translate into a major main event run in G1.

It’s telling that he gets two main event slots. Although B Block is more evenly balanced (or stacked) with talent, SANADA still emerges looking like a major player to headline the same amount of shows as Naito. He gets what will surely be a major victory when he takes on Kota Ibushi in the headlining match in his home prefecture of Niigata on Day 8, and one of the most important singles matches of his career against Naito on Day 16 in Kanagawa. Besides those, SANADA takes on the IWGP Heavyweight Champion in Aichi, a match that could easily have headlined there. For the third consecutive year, SANADA shares a block with Tama Tonga, meeting on Day 4 in Korakuen Hall. As with Toru Yano, SANADA is Tama Tonga’s best opponent, so that should be another showcase for how impressive he can be opposite the less-standardised players. He meets Yano in Osaka, which will surely be a heated affair, considering they have some of the best timing and chemistry in NJPW. Regardless of the points total, SANADA has a major opportunity to demonstrate the range of his talent on this tour. He fits well with the middle swathe of the block – Ishii, Goto and Zack Sabre Jr. All are credible threats that likely won’t make the cut on the final day. It is in these matches – as well as with Juice Robinson, who is coming in with the credibility of a US title win – that SANADA will prove his main event potential.

‘Fierce Warrior of Chaos’ H irooki Goto

Current NEVER Openweight Champion

2008 Winner

Representing CHAOS

11 th Year Competing (11 th Consective)

As with Dome opponent Minoru Suzuki, Hirooki Goto is something of a mixed bag ahead of G1. Currently in his third reign as NEVER Openweight Champion, Goto should feel like more of a threat than he is. Although he is beneath the Ibushi/Omega/Naito triumvirate, he should have a little bit of pace ahead of SANADA, Ishii and ZSJ. Instead, he feels to be on their level. This comes despite a fantastic title win against Suzuki at the Tokyo Dome, a great defense against Juice Robinson in April and another fantastic win against Michael Elgin just eight days after losing it, having never been pinned. Unfortunately, it feels as though the poorly-placed Osaka defence against EVIL in February and the (justified) succession of the Jr. Heavyweight title ahead of NEVER have been more firmly embedded in the consciousness than the great matches. On top of that, Hirooki Goto is Hirooki Goto. His eight failed IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenges will envelop him no matter how great he is in the ring. His inconsistency is also a factor: Goto has had disappointing matches with Tetsuya Naito, Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada, and he’s had fantastic bouts with Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Juice Robinson and Togi Makabe. Although booking plays a big role in his unfortunate lack of real credibility, and the NEVER championship doesn’t do enough to make up for it, there’s a difficulty in gauging the likelihood of Goto having a great match/tour that you’d never have with Tomohiro Ishii or Kota Ibushi.

That said, I have perpetual faith in Aramusha. He is taking part in the most stacked block perhaps ever in wrestling, against names with which he doesn’t tend to disappoint – Ishii, Omega, Ibushi. He’ll also have the chance to rectify last year’s disappointing encounter with Naito, and to prove that his strong bouts with Robinson and SANADA weren’t flukes. All of these matches should hopefully deliver big, and Goto is the kind of talent that may also work well with the highly unreliable Tama Tonga. Toru Yano is the only name that you can write off for Goto, and that’s applicable to all Yano opponents except Ibushi, SANADA and possibly Ishii. The championship he carries and his status as one of the foundational players in NJPW’s last ten-fifteen years should guarantee Goto something like a ten point finish. He was eliminated last year in particularly unceremonious fashion by Bad Luck Fale, but could conceivably defeat a big name such as Omega or Naito in the tournament stage. Ibushi is pretty much a guaranteed loss, which may set up a Destruction main event in September for the title. Such a programme would be really good for the value of the championship, as well as for Goto’s status as a near-top star.

‘Stone Pitbull’ Tomohiro Ishii

Representing CHAOS

6 th Year Competing (6 th Consecutive)

Get this: I don’t care how Ishii finishes in the tournament. I gave up on Ishii winning the tournament a long time ago. For Ishii, my favourite wrestler, it’s all about the match quality. As an outsider figure that has staged the most miraculous rise to consistent high-midcard placement and stone-cold guarantees of great singles matches, Ishii’s entire career is a Cindarella-esque gift so long as it continues. The G1 is his stomping ground, where he gets to show off in roughly seven singles matches that there is no performer so versatile, or so good at selling, as he is. This year more than others, he has done so little on the singles front – despite a great New Japan Cup loss to Michael Elgin and fantastic British Heavyweight title matches against ZSJ and Minoru Suzuki – that G1 really is the time to re-establish his role as one of the most outstanding wrestlers of his generation and of all time.

There is a nice mix of the fresh and the familiar in Ishii’s tournament. He has long-running series with Naito and Goto, a pair of trilogies with Omega and ZSJ, two matches with each of SANADA and Ibushi, one singles encounter with Tama Tonga, and he has never before met with Juice Robinson or stablemate Toru Yano. With Ishii, you can expect him to get the best or near the best out of the lower dregs, as he sells in a way that makes opponents look like superstar threats. And when he goes up against the best, you are guaranteed something special. He will oscillate between the underdog babyface or the brutal domineer, often within a single match. That versatility will ensure blockbuster main events when he goes up against Goto in Korakuen Hall, Ibushi in Aichi and – most of all – Omega in Osaka. Osaka is the sight of two of Ishii’s greatest matches: a 2013 classic with Katsuyori Shibata, and a 2016 classic with Kazuchika Okada, both top-three matches of their respective years. This year, for the first time, he headlines the Osaka show. With a big potential tie-up with Omega (who won their series 2-1 last year), I strongly suspect we may see Ishii get a long-awaited second shot at IWGP at Sumo Hall this year. Even if it’s not to be, Ishii will pull out classic on almost any given night of the tour, hopefully establishing himself once again as a singles star ahead of the Tokyo Dome.

‘British Master’ Zack Sa bre Jr.

Current Undisputed British Tag Team Champion

Representing Suzuki-gun

2 nd Year Competing (2 nd Consecutive)

Zack Sabre Jr. enters his second G1 Climax as one of the most credible threats in the tournament. Having made an impressive tournament debut last year – defeating Hiroshi Tanahashi, Togi Makabe and Tomohiro Ishii among others (the latter two by submission) – he went on to shock the world with what is now sometimes referred to as the spring rampage. Entering the New Japan Cup, it was a surefire bet that ZSJ would knock out Tetsuya Naito in the first round, as is typical of the single-elimination tournament. What was less expected was the sheer dominance he displayed over the Tokyo Dome headliner, repeatedly countering and undermining Naito, who tapped clean. Zack went on to win the tournament with a TKO victory over Kota Ibushi, and clean submissions over SANADA and Hiroshi Tanahashi. In front of a jammers sellout at Sumo Hall, Zack took on Kazuchika Okada in one of the most unique classics of the year. This run was indicative of the ability of Gedo and Jado as bookers, and of the buzz NJPW has right now. Zack’s was the biggest non-G1 Sumo Hall sellout other than last year’s Shibata/Okada Sumo Hall main event of the modern period. It immediately established ZSJ – who has signed with NJPW since – as a major star in Japan, perhaps the biggest British wrestling star since Billy Robinson in the country. He comes into this G1 with arguably the biggest cred-booster yet: a clean singles victory over Kazuchika Okada at Strong Style Evolved UK.

As such, it will be interesting to see where ZSJ falls in the block. He is credible enough that he could conceivably end his tour ahead of Ishii, Goto, SANADA and even Naito. He rematches three of his four New Japan Cup matches – Ibushi on Day 2 in Ota Ward, SANADA on Day 6 in Korakuen Hall, and Naito on Day 18 in Budokan. Given his status as a near-main-event name, ZSJ’s tournament could end as a result of Naito acting as spoiler on the last day of tournament competition, rather than the other way around. Such a result would boost ZSJ further as a star, as he looks to potential programmes with Goto or Okada in the autumn, and Naito would likely still be alive in the tournament as a result of the outcome. Elsewhere, it’s harder to predict his wins. An opening day victory over Kota Ibushi seems like a typical G1 opening result, and a loss to SANADA would make sense. Zack could conceivably beat all three CHAOS members in the tournament – setting up programmes with Ishii and Goto, and outsmarting Yano as he has done in tag action lately. Of course, Zack is exactly the kind of serious wrestler that could see his tournament put in jeopardy by the Sublime Master Thief. That match – Day 4 in Korakuen – will be one to watch out for. Of course, he also gets a second match with Juice Robinson, having last met in the first round of the IWGP United States tournament in a surprisingly great match, now with the addition of Juice having won the belt. Given the history Zack has with everybody in the tournament, and his chances to set up strong title programmes for the rest of the year, his will be a tournament well worth keeping an eye on.

‘The Flamboyant’ Juice Robinson

Current IWGP United States Champion

Representing Taguchi Japan

2 nd Year Competing (2 nd Consecutive)

Juice Robinson is always going to have a hard time being taken seriously. For some, it will be the fact that he came into NJPW following a go-nowhere run in WWE’s NXT system, a move that stokes fears of a jump back when the money is good enough. For others, it’s simply the persona: a brash American with a highly flamboyant style and demeanour, as the nickname implies. However, Juice is frequently able to back it up in the ring. Since breaking out in 2017, he has made great title challenges against Tetsuya Naito and Hirooki Goto, and put in strong tournament performances against Yujiro Takahashi(!), Hiroshi Tanahashi, Satoshi Kojima and EVIL. The biggest feather in his bedazzled cap remains a Kobe US title main event with Kenny Omega, a terrific match that established Juice’s worker credentials without a doubt. With just a week before G1 kicks off, Juice won arguably the best match of a sensational Cow Palace card, taking Jay White’s United States Championship to enter B Block as a top champion. With all that accomplished in the last 18 months, he enters G1 27 on an elevated level – he’s more capable of picking up important wins than last year, but not to the point of being any sort of a threat to win the block.

It is interesting to see how Juice turns out this year. He was largely expected to get one or two wins last year, but the blocks tied up with everyone in the middle on 8. For Juice, this included an obvious win over Toru Yano, an emotional debut match vs Satoshi Kojima (who claimed only one victory in the tournament), the massive upset fluke against Kenny Omega, and a final day bout with Michael Elgin to determine who got a shot at Omega’s title. This year, things aren’t so straightforward. Juice has risen enough that he should be able to beat Yano once again (never a sure thing) and avenge a loss to Tama Tonga. It’s intriguing to see how he does in a rematch with Zack Sabre Jr, who could be a potential challenger for the September 30 Walter Pyramid show. It’s hard to see Juice beating any of the top three, though Naito would surely be the most likely, having something of a rivalry with the up-and-comer. As well as that, a first-time encounter with Tomohiro Ishii is a perfect place for a big win, in what would surely make Juice look like a superstar worker. It is the Budokan match, a third meeting with NEVER champion Hirooki Goto, that looks like a solid shot for a win. Juice has twice lost to Goto for the title, so a win now that he has won an important title would feel like a fitting return.

‘Bad Boy’ Tama Tonga

Representing Firing Squad

3 rd Year Competing (3 rd Consecutive)

Tama Tonga enters his third G1 with more hype than ever before. I have been hard on Tama Tonga in the past, as he really hasn’t ever stood out in singles competition. However, he has been a terrific tag worker with Tanga Loa as Guerrillas of Destiny, despite not doing a whole lot recently. This year especially, Guerrillas of Destiny have been very quiet. However, everything changed at Cow Palace, just one week ahead of G1. Tama, Tanga and father Haku finally broke away from the mainline Bullet Club group to reveal themselves as the Firing Squad. It looks a lot like Tama will go into a major angle with Omega, beyond their meeting in Korakuen Hall next week. Despite the heat of that turn and the Omega programme, this tournament that should really act as Last Chance Saloon for him as a worker. He’s not going to get kicked, as NJPW will probably remain loyal to him in return for the loyalty he has shown them, but if Tama is unable to turn it up this year, it may be time for fans to give up on the idea of his singles stardom.

The biggest match for Tama, quite obviously, comes against Kenny Omega. The two longtime Bullet Club members met last year in Korakuen Hall, playing off the tension between The Elite and Bullet Club itself. The match was nothing special, though Omega worked hard to get Tama over as a star. In rematching a year later, again in Korakuen Hall, one would think a win over the newly-crowned IWGP Heavyweight Champion would immediately elevate Tama to the status at which many perceive him. Days ago, I would have thought it a preposterous outcome. However, the nature of the Cow Palace angle and how well Tama played it may point to a win over Omega to pull the trigger on Tama as a real top guy figure. The only question is whether he can pull it off from an in-ring perspective. The heat will likely be tremendous, and Omega will work incredibly hard, but Tama needs to turn it up like never before if he wants to earn that top-tier spot. In one fell swoop, Saturday’s show has made Tama Tonga one of the most interesting figures in B Block. Now that Juice has won the United States Championship, a win for Tama in the G1 could be the stepping stone to a main event elevation.

‘Shrewd Producer’ Toru Yano

Representing CHAOS

13 th Year Competing (12 th Consecutive)

Look, Toru Yano is the funniest wrestler ever. His timing in the ring is second to none, and he makes consistently enjoyable use of his familiar spots. Does he deserve to be in the G1 over potential outsiders like Daisuke Sekimoto, or even the likes of Taichi? Sure. Yano has both the credibility of consistent surprise wins in tournament settings and the lack of main event status that makes him the perfect tool in a round-robin context to eat up some points while keeping the audience on its toes. He can get killed for the most part, winning one or two matches, or he can wreak havoc on an entire block. Yano is fairly versatile, too. In his best matches, he can work a completely chaotic brawl vs the likes of Minoru Suzuki and Tetsuya Naito, or a genuinely engaging back-and-forth with SANADA. His fast shock wins, such as vs Kota Ibushi and Katsuyori Shibata, also tend towards the positive end of my tastes.

This year, I would wager that Yano will end up eating a lot of losses. There are enough big name in his block that he could pick up some major upsets – maybe over Naito, whom he hasn’t defeated in five years, or maybe third time’s the charm with Omega and SANADA. I’m particularly looking forward to his match with Kota Ibushi, whom he defeated late into G1 25 at Korakuen Hall in a terrific 0:50 match. It will also be engaging to see how he does against stablemates Hirooki Goto, whom he has not fought since Goto joined CHAOS, and Tomohiro Ishii, whom he has never fought at all. Such matches will add that extra flavour to Yano’s shenanigans that can really heat up his schtick. Beyond that, there’s not much to predict for Yano. He will likely go back to tag work with Ishii for the rest of the year, or he may provoke some kind of a mini-programme with the likes of Naito to hold the bigger star over for a few months.

Part 2: The Schedule

Day 1: A Block

Saturday, July 14

Ota Ward Cultural Gymnasium, Ota Ward, Tokyo

Kazuchika Okada vs Jay White

1 st G1 Meeting

First-Time Match

Kazuchika Okada and Jay White has been one of the most talked-about future matchups in NJPW since White joined CHAOS in the days after Wrestle Kingdom 12. From the outset, it’s been a marriage of convenience, with White making perfectly clear that he would topple Okada at some point down the line. Jay positions himself as the agent of chaos (to make a deeply clichéd allusion), as much concerned with proving that he can break down major institutions – the legend of Hiroshi Tanahashi, the power of Bullet Club, the dominance of Kazuchika Okada – as with winning championships. However, with Okada now free of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, and Jay free of the IWGP United States Championship, any predicted dynamic to their meeting has been completely altered.

Many suspected it would be Okada to turn on Jay, tapping into that ruthlessness as the Rainmaker to pre-empt any mutinous action. While no angle has made this match, the idea of Okada stopping Jay in his tracks makes more sense now that championships are no longer in play. Jay can be proved wrong in his plan to overthrow the ostensible leader of CHAOS, and Okada can reiterate his standing as NJPW’s shining star on the opening day of the tournament. Alternatively, this match may follow the more expected G1 path – Jay the lesser star proves he does have Okada’s number, and the recently-dethroned champion has to work from underneath as the tournament begins. It is the title loss that adds a layer to this match unforeseen by most. It topples the last three years of Okada as champion in the tournament, and flips the perspective on how we might predict Okada/Switchblade to play out. As such, this is a fantastic main event to Day 1.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Minoru Suzuki

2 nd G1 Meeting

0-1 Record (Suzuki)

When Minoru Suzuki lost the IWGP Intercontinental Championship to Tetsuya Naito at Wrestling Hinokuni in a rather disappointing match, I think all thought of the Suzuki/Tanahashi rematch evaporated. As such, G1 is a good time to spring it. Tanahashi now looks like a powerhouse, having failed to win the Heavyweight title at the end of the same tour that saw Suzuki absorb a much more ignominious loss of his championship. That reversal of fortune clashes with their February meeting, wherein Suzuki more or less dismantled Tanahashi to win the belt. Although the Ace did not tap to Suzuki’s relentless submission dominance as he did to Zack Sabre Jr the next month, he nonetheless sustained a severe TKO defeat. The ups and downs both men have seen since they met only five months ago is quite remarkable, and it adds a fire to this bout – well placed on opening day – that only amplifies what is typically a terrific in-ring programme.

Michael Elgin vs EVIL

3 rd G1 Meeting

1-1 Record

Michael Elgin and EVIL have met twice before in singles competition, both in the G1 Climax. This is the second time they have been one another’s opening opponent, as EVIL upset Elgin (then the Intercontinental Champion) in 2016 to kick off his G1 career. Elgin repaid the favour last year in Yokohama, eliminating EVIL from the tournament right after EVIL’s enormous win over Okada. Coming in with one win apiece, it seems likely that EVIL will undo his loss last year with a win over Elgin, continuing the history of EVIL winning his first tournament match and Elgin losing his. Of course, with EVIL now established with near-main-event credibility, it could be that Elgin gets something of an underdog win this time. Either way, they should hopefully have a great match in Tokyo. Their previous matches have been good, really hard-hitting stuff, but something has prevented them from really reaching that next level. EVIL has improved ever year, and Elgin is a world-class professional wrestler in the best shape of his life. This one could finally be the sleeper hit that really hits the next level.

Bad Luck Fale vs Hangman Page

1 st G1 Meeting

First-Time Match

This is a match that really has no precedent whatsoever. The closest comparison is likely AJ Styles vs Bad Luck Fale in 2015, which pits the smaller stablemate against the huge monster. Hangman will likely impress in this tournament, win or lose, but Bad Luck Fale isn’t going to be the breakout match to establish his worker credentials, especially with the Bullet Club shenanigans. If Hangman is to get the big win over Fale, I could see that being one of a small collection of victories in this tournament. If not, it would be more likely that he can pick up a big win against a name like Jay White later on. As for Fale, a loss here would probably predicate a dominant run for the rest of the tour and a win over Minoru Suzuki at Budokan. I’m leaning towards Page here, but it’s never fully transparent at G1 time. Either way, this could be a big match for both, considering Fale’s recent weight loss. A highlight could be Hangman showing off his strength on the huge Fale.

Togi Makabe vs YOSHI-HASHI

2 nd G1 Meeting

1-0 Record (Makabe)

This is a rematch of last year’s Sumo Hall bout. Makabe predictably won that one to make it a typical eight-point finish. YOSHI-HASHI, meanwhile, has lost both of his last-day bouts and won both his openers. With Makabe last year absorbing two losses before getting his first win, a comeback victory for YOSHI here seems very possible. It should be a solid match, and might even be quite good. The match last year was perfectly solid, but the weakest on a terrific A Block finals. With both men only starting out their tour, the added unpredictability and the new G1 venue should enliven this.

Day 2: B Block

Sunday, July 15

Ota Ward General Gymnasium, Tokyo

Kenny Omega vs Tetsuya Naito

3 rd G1 Meeting

1-1 Record

G1 27 Finals

This is an absolutely massive match to kick off the B Block main events. Naito and Omega are tied up, having only met in G1 action. Omega’s star was made with a shock win over Naito in 2016, while Naito got a karmic retribution in denying Omega in the G1 Finals last year. It’s a surprise to see these two go to a tie-breaker bout, with Omega just having won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, this soon. One would think of this as a Tokyo Dome main event, not an Ota Ward headliner. Nonetheless, there is almost always a method to the madness, and Naito/Omega in a title bout will likely come about with even more drama in the long run. For now, we have the two meeting on something of a blank slate – albeit one on which Kenny Omega stands as Heavyweight Champion and Naito after a recent zero-defence Intercontinental title loss to Chris Jericho.

This is a match that stands out as being easy to predict – Naito regains some standing after two of his biggest career losses in the last six months, while the champion loses his opening bout, as in 2016, 2014 and 2013. Of course, the elite booking for the top company stars in the last year and a half could be pointing elsewhere. Omega, fresh off finally defeating Okada for the title, could be kept as strong as possible with a win over Naito, making his eventual singles loss more of an event. It would also serve to avoid having to go to Omega/Naito too soon after the tournament. And on Naito’s end, it would push the story that he’s slipping from what seemed like a surefire superstar position this time a year ago. With Chris Jericho sure to factor into the rest of Naito’s year, I could see him getting off to a poor start in this position. No matter what, this is going to be a sensational match. These two received an incredible amount of plaudits for both of their previous matches, and this could be the best yet.

Kota Ibushi vs Zack Sabre Jr

2 nd G1 Meeting

1-0 Record (Ibushi)

Here is another tie-breaker matchup. Kota Ibushi and Zack Sabre Jr is guaranteed to be something really great, especially after ZSJ’s Sakura Genesis main event. One would certainly lean towards Ibushi to win this, having been beaten rather tragically without submitting in March. Of course, this may be the prelude to more rampaging from Zack, and forcing Ibushi to wilfully give up would be one of the biggest possible means of achieving that. Either way, this will be terrific. Both guys work at a hellacious pace, mixing Zack’s British-influence technical style with Ibushi’s shootstyle striking. For a performer so strongly associated with flying, Ibushi’s experience in kickboxing and karate come out when he faces off with ZSJ, providing a monstrous power to ZSJ’s slippery technicality. Their match in March was on another level to even their fantastic G1 27 match. In front of a bigger, potentially hotter Tokyo audience than the previous Korakuen matches, with both guys even more credible now as top-end stars, this could be their best bout yet.

Hirooki Goto vs SANADA

2 nd G1 Meeting

0-1 Record (SANADA)

Here’s a match that shouldn’t slip under the radar. Goto and SANADA had a strong match in 2016 that kind of faded out on a card with nothing spectacular (G1 26 Day 7; standout match: Tomohiro Ishii vs Naomichi Marufuji). That match failed to light the world on fire due to SANADA having sustained two straight losses on the back of his big win over Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Goto not having much audience faith (which made his surprise route to the finals more shocking). This time, Goto comes in with championship cred and SANADA with two years’ worth of buildup. This should be a lot better, with a much hotter audience and the potential for a SANADA win and a potential title challenge down the line. Unlike EVIL, who has fought Goto four times in singles competition, the rarity of the SANADA match should add an extra level of crowd investment.

Juice Robinson vs Tama Tonga

2 nd G1 Meeting

0-1 Record (Tama)

This bout is nothing much on paper, but it was rather enjoyable last year. Juice is the right kind of level that you can see Tama Tonga getting a win without immediately thinking that it was booked as such. Juice is also a good enough seller and crowd worker that he can cover for Tama’s deficiencies, especially in that latter area. Now that Juice is a champion and Tama has broken away from Bullet Club (sort of), this match will matter a lot more than before. Tama as the heel should probably get the big win in the G1, whereas Juice as the underdog babyface can take a loss more easily. It might also set up a title match somewhere such as Walter Pyramid on September 30, which would probably do a great deal to elevate both men. However, such a match probably wouldn’t be the right match to go on top there.

Tomohiro Ishii vs Toru Yano

1 st G1 Meeting

First-Time Match

It’s quite surprising that this match has never yet happened in the five G1s Ishii has entered. It’s better that it’s been left so long, as Ishii’s steady rise is now at a point that the concept of going up against the long-established thief Yano has more potential than in years past. This could be a match where Ishii does like Minoru Suzuki in 2013 and just destroys Yano to get him over as a badass, or it could be the apex of Yano outdoing the serious wrestlers. What’s most interesting is how Ishii adapts to comedy. He’s a really funny guy outside of wrestling, but he fully sells the persona of a humourless badass in wrestling. This is one of the most unique matches you could possibly get out of Ishii, and it could be one of Yano’s best.

Day 3: A Block

Monday, July 16

Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Centre, Sapporo, Hokkaido

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Jay White

1 st G1 Meeting

There’s a grim anticipation with this one. Hiroshi Tanahashi and Jay White is Tokyo Dome rematch, which is part of the reason that it headlines in Sapporo. Unfortunately, many will associate this match with a disappointingly flat Dome match, Tanahashi’s weakest in some time. It is the Tanahashi programme that failed to establish Jay as the star he should be, a failure to launch that he has still not quite overcome. Nonetheless, G1 is the time both for Jay to show the world why he receives such a push and for both men to show that they can put on the kind of match that is expected of them.

Considering this is an early G1 main event, it seems a fair bet that both men will come in as losers or (more likely) as winners. This will establish the chance for either Tanahashi or Jay to take an early lead in the block, while the cred of winning a Dome rematch is reward enough itself. For Jay, I don’t see two consecutive wins over the two biggest names in the block (and arguably in modern NJPW). I think Tanahashi will get another big win here as he looks to start out a miracle run to the finals.

Togi Makabe vs Minoru Suzuki

2 nd G1 Meeting

0-1 Record (Suzuki)

Here’s a match that has a curious history of never really disappointing. Minoru Suzuki is a great wrestler, but not the kind you’d really expect to be a good opponent for Togi Makabe. Kazuchika Okada and Tomohiro Ishii are suitably versatile to regularly put on great bouts with Makabe, but Minoru Suzuki tends to work a more specific style of match, often requiring a great deal of selling and cooperation from his opponents. And yet, Suzuki really pares it down to a pure brawling style when he meets with Makabe. Makabe sells well for the limited amount of heel holds and figure-fours Suzuki applies, and the two light it up just smacking the life out of one another. Sapporo is a difficult crowd to gauge, especially with such an unproven main event on top, but this co-main spot should be right up their alley. This could be a battle of losers from Day 1, so it’s hard to guess a winner, but I could see Makabe avenging his loss from March’s stellar Intercontinental title bout.

Kazuchika Okada vs Bad Luck Fale

2 nd G1 Meeting

0-1 Record (Fale)

Despite this being their sixth lifetime singles match, Bad Luck Fale and Kazuchika Okada have only met once before in the G1. That 2016 bout saw Okada take a necessary loss right before the finish line, setting up the time-limit draw with Hiroshi Tanahashi in Sumo Hall. Since then, Okada has twice defeated Fale in singles action (one being a great title bout in Fukuoka). With this history in mind, it is interesting to speculate the outcome here. Most would suspect Okada will be walking into this one having lost to Jay White in Tokyo, and Fale may be coming off an upset loss to Hangman Page. In that situation – or any situation – Okada is surely the favourite. Of course, Bad Luck Fale is a wrestler for whom you can never predict a sure thing. He could be the guy that sends the unbeatable former champion two losses deep, or he could be a minor mountain to climb for the G1 favourite. Either way, this should be the kind of matchup that heats the Sapporo audience up nicely, and the combination of Fale’s constant improvement and Okada’s world-class standard should make for a decent, and maybe even very good, bout.

Michael Elgin vs Hangman Page

1 st G1 Meeting

It says a lot about the recency of Hangman Page’s rise in popularity that each of his three prior bouts with Michael Elgin have been losses. The last year – contrasting Elgin’s fall from favour with Page’s speedy rise through The Elite ranks – has made this, for all intents and purposes, a first-time encounter. It’s possible that Page comes off a big win over Bad Luck Fale and keeps an early hot streak going against Elgin. It wouldn’t be a new style of G1 booking, and it would do a good deal for Page’s credibility. Elgin has a tendency to start off his tours weak, and could easily absorb a simple loss to Page after a harder fought match with EVIL. Of course, the opposite may be true of either. Still, I would back a Hangman win here, considering his 0-3 lifetime series with Elgin and the fact of Elgin as a strong win without feeling like a decision made by someone else.

YOSHI-HASHI vs EVIL

2 nd G1 Meeting

1-0 Record (YOSHI-HASHI)

YOSHI-HASHI and EVIL met two years ago in YOSHI’s home prefecture of Aichi, putting on a match a good deal above their station. Being the hometown favourite, YOSHI won that encounter on a tour that saw him rack up more wins while feeling less meaningful than his G1 27 run. Of course, EVIL went on to ascend close to the main event in G1 27, making this rematch a lot more interesting. YOSHI is a worker that can really shine when up against the right kind of opponent, capable of selling for and working with his eclectic offense. EVIL has excelled in pressure-off brawls, and his main event credibility from last year will likely add a lot of heat to this one. It’s hard to buy that YOSHI will win it from this distance, but a second upset for YOSHI at this stage would be a really big deal if EVIL is coming out of Day 1 as a winner. Either way, this could be an underrated gem.

Day 4: B Block

Thursday, July 19

Korakuen Hall, Tokyo

Hirooki Goto vs Kenny Omega

2 nd G1 Meeting

0-1 Record (Omega)

G1 26 Finals

Here’s a match with a lot of intrigue. Goto was the sacrificial lamb in Kenny Omega’s career-defining G1 Climax victory in 2016, and they followed their sensational match up a few months later with a maybe-just-as-good briefcase bout, again in Sumo Hall. Here, they move to the more intimate confines of Korakuen Hall, the legendary venue that has seen both men put in classic performances – Omega vs Minoru Suzuki in 2017 and Goto vs Tomohiro Ishii in 2015, for instance. With Goto never having beaten Omega, now the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, booking logic would certainly dictate a win here. Of course, Omega can hardly be expected to go two losses deep as champion (if he loses to Naito), or even take one loss so early in the tournament and in his reign. At the same time, a loss for Goto here is more damaging for him as the NEVER Openweight Champion and holder of most unsuccessful IWGP challenges in history than it was for Michael Elgin to lose to Kazuchika Okada last year. These clashing concerns make for an even more heated affair coming in than their 2016 matches and the venue already guarantee.

What’s especially interesting about this main event – and needless forgotten – is that Goto is coming in as a champion in his own right. Goto has had some great matches already this year, and his array of opponents on this year’s tour could do more to get him really over than anything in years. That starts with the Omega main event. The championship, in this case, would point towards Goto not getting a title shot in Sumo Hall in October, thus drastically reducing his chances of scoring a win here. With Goto, however, the importance lies not in gaining that big win, but in proving to the watching world that he is every bit as good as the other top stars in NJPW.

Tomohiro Ishii vs Tetsuya Naito

2 nd G1 Meeting

1-0 Record (Ishii)

Here’s one of the most venerable matchups in New Japan. After a fantastic trilogy of matches in the first half of 2014, Tetsuya Naito and Tomohiro Ishii remained apart for two years before quickly adding five more bouts to their series across 2016/2017. Among those bouts were Ishii’s first (to date, only) IWGP Heavyweight title challenge, their first G1 meeting and Naito’s one and only briefcase defense after winning G1 27. After all the chaos that comes with their acrimonious bouts, they are currently level in their lifetime series at 4-4. Before, their series saw Naito winning the tournament bouts and Ishii beating him for the NEVER title. Now, they have most recently seen Ishii defeat Naito in both of 2017’s G1 tournaments, before losing the briefcase shot. This year, I suspect Naito is defeating Ishii. Even though Ishii is the perennial guy that can upset Naito, they have no need to waste a Naito loss and a big Ishii win on this bout this time. Ishii only gains power in that underdog position, and Naito would do well with a win in this scenario so early in the G1. The Korakuen context will probably add an enormous amount of heat. They have twice met in the venue, but both times before Naito got to be as white-hot as he is now. Even then, they’ll probably pull for Ishii.

Juice Robinson vs Kota Ibushi

1 st G1 Meeting

For whatever reason, I feel as though this one is a notable rematch. I’m half-right, in the sense that they have only met once before – in the King of Pro Wrestling dark match where Ibushi made his NJPW return after more than a year, decked out as Tiger Mask W. Juice was his fall guy on that occasion, doing such a good job as Red Death Mask that some assumed it was Michael Nakazawa, or a young lion. Since then, the two have been on the same side of tag matches as members of Taguchi Japan, though Ibushi has since drifted away to form the Golden Elite. I suppose Juice’s entanglement with the likes of Kenny Omega and Cody make Ibushi seem like a former opponent. For Juice, this is one of the biggest matches of his career, akin to the Tanahashi match this year, also in Korakuen Hall. Ibushi is a performer that can go all out, selling and working in a way that the very top guys won’t (and shouldn’t) against the midcard names. That was abundantly clear in his classic New Japan Cup match earlier this year with YOSHI-HASHI, the best match the latter has ever had. With Juice, another underdog figure capable of really excellent performances, this could be just as good.

Toru Yano vs Zack Sabre Jr.

1 st G1 Meeting

First-Time Match

Based, essentially, on interactions in their lower-card tag at Dominion, this should be a lot of fun. Zack is the kind of credible upper-level guy like SANADA that should gel well with Yano. Zack is also more typically wacky than SANADA, and will probably sell more and get down and dirty with Yano more than SANADA does. Taking this into account, it’s difficult to say if this will be a case of a top guy sailing past Yano (like SANADA) or a case of Yano having the jump on the guy (like Shibata). With Zack completely dismantling Yano at Dominion, one would suspect this could be a key loss for ZSJ, protecting him when he doesn’t advance by the end of the tour. This should be short and fun.

SANADA vs Tama Tonga

3 rd G1 Meeting

0-2 Record (Tama)

Tama Tonga has twice been SANADA’s kryptonite. While neither match played any significant part in their tournaments in 2016 and 2017, SANADA is a big enough name to have been used as something of a consolation win for Tama twice. It is surely ironic that while both men have ended at eight points in both of their G1 tours thus far (both getting a big win over Hiroshi Tanahashi in 2016), SANADA’s star has only risen, while Tama appeared to hit his ceiling prior to the Cow Palace main event angle. Reflecting that, it would seem this is the place for SANADA to thwart his Bullet Club (or Firing Squad) nemesis, perhaps giving Tama more of a chip on his shoulder before he faces Omega on Day 6. An easy win here would also do well for SANADA in assuring the status to which he has risen this year as a Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and Heavyweight Championship contender. Content-wise, this should be a fun match. SANADA has been Tama’s best consistent opponent in their two encounters, putting over Tama more in both losses.

Day 5: A Block

Friday, July 20

Korakuen Hall, Tokyo

Kazuchika Okada vs Hangman Page

1 st G1 Meeting

First-Time Match

I’ve been looking forward to this match since these two met on opposite sides of a special tag at World Tag League 2016 Finals. That match – the last time either faced off – was something of a breakout performance for Page in NJPW, a seed now growing in a G1 tour. This is surely the apex, a Korakuen Hall main event with the best wrestler in the world. Okada is a master at adapting to his opponent’s style, working the kind of match that will best get them over. That’s an easier task in Korakuen Hall than in most buildings, and the audience may well favour the underdog from Bullet Club (though that’s no guarantee). Hangman will surely rise to the occasion, being a talented worker in by far the biggest match of his career. He, like most in A Block, only gets a single main event, and he has to make it count. It’s fair to say that Okada will probably hold up his end.

Results-wise, this seems obvious. For however good Hangman looks to start off, and however strong Okada starts his tour, there’s no way Hangman wins here. Like the Michael Elgin match in Korakuen last year, this is all about taking it to the biggest name in Japan and getting over in defeat. On paper, this won’t be as big a win for Okada as even that Elgin match was, but a really outstanding performance from Hangman could elevate the prestige of a victory. It might be a shame for this to take place so early in the tour, as Hangman would certainly be easier to favour if it were coming later in the game. Despite this, the rub of getting to face Okada in Korakuen probably outweighs the placement of the bout on the tour.

Togi Makabe vs EVIL

1 st G1 Meeting

First-Time Match

For the fact of this match as a first-time encounter between two NJPW-trained guys, this one goes on ahead of the Tanahashi/Fale match. Makabe and EVIL are both credible upper-level performers with the classic dyed-hair heel look popularised by Umanosuke Ueda (check him out!). It’s hard to guarantee how this will go, but it’s well placed on the Korakuen shows for a crowd that will know these two as hardass brawlers and probably compel them on to a fight. The success of EVIL’s 2017 push is evident looking at this match, as it seems sort of unlikely that Makabe would unseat a young guy that as main evented Sumo Hall so recently. Still, it depends on how both men open their tournament, which is hard to predict in cases such as theirs. This is the kind of matchup that could be extended out into a programme for the autumn, which would probably necessitate Makabe winning here to heat up EVIL with a win at a later show. Since EVIL is likely to face Chris Jericho between now and Tokyo Dome, Makabe probably won’t be the guy to beat him here, but it would be an interesting programme.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Bad Luck Fale

5 th G1 Meeting

2-2 Record

This is the fifth consecutive G1 Climax shared by Bad Luck Fale and Hiroshi Tanahashi. In some ways, they’ve taken this programme as far as it can go in the ring. We’ve seen Fale upset Tanahashi as the monster in his debut tournament in 2014, and repeating the feat in 2015 to challenge Tanahashi as tournament winner that September. We’ve seen Tanahashi defeat Fale in 2016 to end his three-match losing streak to open that year’s tournament, and we’ve seen the battered and bruised Tanahashi outsmart Fale with a count-out victory last year. In between these, we’ve seen Fale act as Tanahashi’s near-traditional first-round knockout in the New Japan Cup, and Tanahashi repay the favour earlier this year with another count-out victory in the quarter-finals. Describing their series (lifetime record: 5-3 in favour of Tanahashi), I almost convince myself of its greatness. They’ve never had matches on the level of Fale’s bouts with Shibata, Okada or Nagata, but they are consistently clever in how to get to the result they need without being tiresome. Here, one would look for a Fale win, considering his unlikelihood of beating Okada and the chances of Tana opening with two tournament wins. It evens out their series a little, and avenges Fale’s last two losses to the smart, aging ace.

Michael Elgin vs Jay White

1 st G1 Meeting

Jay White and Michael Elgin have one of the funnier histories coming in. They have met once before in singles, with Elgin quickly dispatching Young Lion White during the World Tag League 2015 tour. Since then, Elgin has become a favourite in NJPW (notwithstanding the reaction his indiscretion among the Anglophone fans), winning the Intercontinental Championship and putting on some classics with Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada and Tetsuya Naito. Jay, meanwhile, has worked incredibly hard as a dojo trainee, on his excursion and in his return. But many will perceive him as leapfrogging the other non-Japanese names like Juice, Elgin and Finlay, despite not knowing his history. Nonetheless, Jay has achieved much of what Elgin has not – getting his hands on the United States title, establishing himself at that top level. For those reasons, this will probably have a good deal of heat. It’s smart to put it on in Korakuen, where the fans are most likely to get the story between the two, though it’s strange to have it so low on the card. This definitely jumps out as a co-main event, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it placed there when the time comes. Neither would I be surprised to see Elgin pick up the victory. He’s the right kind of a worker to have the kind of match that Jay needs to get over, and it could define who goes after a title or a briefcase later in the year.

YOSHI-HASHI vs Minoru Suzuki

1 st G1 Meeting

These two have met twice in singles action. The first was when YOSHI was a non-entity, put down by Suzuki on a Road to Tokyo Dome show in 2013 (the main event of which is a classic tag match between Nakamura/Okada and Tanahashi/Naito, one of the great tag matches of modern wrestling). Their next meeting is a sorely underrated title bout from Suzuki’s divisive NEVER Openweight Championship run last year. The follow-up to Suzuki’s interference-laden rematch with Hirooki Goto, it was a near-thirty-minute bout that put over YOSHI’s submissions better than any other match he’s had. If they channel that match (which also took place in Korakuen Hall) here, they may steal the show. They’ll go at least ten minutes shorter than that, but they may in fact top their other bout for heat and pacing if they do. The possibility of a YOSHI upset win here (if he fails to beat EVIL or Makabe) could really enliven an opening tournament bout.

Day 6: B Block

Saturday, July 21

Korakuen Hall, Tokyo

Hirooki Goto vs Tomohiro Ishii

4 th G1 Meeting

3-0 (Goto)

These two have quietly built up a consistent history in the G1 Climax, with this their fourth year sharing a block. These G1 meetings are the latest bouts in a series that has racked up a whopping 12 singles matches! Of course, about five of those are irrelevant bouts from the period in which Ishii was a lower-card guy fed to the mainline stars (ironically, their first was in 2006, early on in Ishii’s NJPW career, when he defeated the then-Junior Heavyweight Goto). One could argue that their 2012 meeting is also irrelevant to their series, despite being a match for the Intercontinental Championship, as Ishii had still not broken out as a great singles worker (and the IC belt had yet to be elevated by Shinsuke Nakamura). As such, this is their sixth match since Ishii broke out as a major NJPW guy. Goto has won all their bouts but one – their greatest: a blistering classic in Edion Arena for Ishii’s NEVER Openweight Championship in late 2014. The match was so good that Ishii/Makabe at the Tokyo Dome could not top it, birthing the popular ‘****3/4, no Tokyo Dome’ meme. With so many losses (their lifetime series being 10-2 to Goto), this is surely the time for a change.

I wouldn’t put money on an Ishii win here. If he loses to Naito the night before, and Goto beats Omega (perhaps as well as beating SANADA), I could see Ishii bringing a Goto hot streak to an end, like Makabe did last year. If Goto loses to either SANADA or especially Omega, I don’t see Ishii putting him at a 1-2 disadvantage so early in the tournament as a champion. Of course, such booking isn’t unusual in the G1, and an Ishii/Goto title match would be phenomenal, but Goto needs more protection than that in his current run. For this reason, I would only bet on an Ishii win if Goto comes in unbeaten, itself unlikely. Regardless, these two will likely reach the heights of their 2015 (and hopefully 2014) bout in the main event of a building after which Ishii gets one of his nicknames – New Mr. Korakuen.

Kenny Omega vs Tama Tonga

2 nd G1 Meeting

1-0 Record (Omega)

Up until Saturday’s Cow Palace show, this seemed like a weird match on paper. Tama Tonga and Kenny Omega meeting again in the same spot at the same venue as the year before, with the same story of teased dissent in Bullet Club. However, after Tama turned on Omega at the conclusion of the Cow Palace show to form a Bullet Club splinter faction ‘Firing Squad,’ this one has a whole lot more heat than before. Like Ishimori/Ospreay from this year’s BOSJ, it seems like it should be happening as a title match, but it is instead coming about as a tournament meeting. That opens up the opportunity for Tama to get the win and keep the title match fresh for somewhere down the line. With that angle now in full swing, Omega and Tama will likely work a lot harder than last year to make this match a defining statement for the latter. Tama has had a hard time living up to the expectations so many have of him, and this will be his best opportunity to reach that status.

Juice Robinson vs Tetsuya Naito

1 st G1 Meeting

This is a match that benefits from history. On paper by itself, I don’t think Juice Robinson vs Tetsuya Naito would have a lot of appeal. However, their programme last year – Juice’s breakout singles run during Naito’s ultimate heel championship reign – put their clashing gimmicks over huge. Juice as the respectful, humble babyface worked incredibly well with the disrespectful, vengeful antihero Naito. Their main event at last year’s Toyonokuni event wasn’t off-the-charts great, but it was the first match that really proved Juice as a guy capable of working in that main event position, itself a testament to Naito’s ability as the champion. Here, it’s very possible for Juice to get a major win over Naito. Of course, that would be more likely if it were the headlining bout, as you don’t particularly want such an important win for Juice and loss for Naito to take place in the third tournament bout of the show, but it would be the right kind of surprise if they pulled it off, especially to legitimise Juice as the newly-crowned champion. As with Ishii and Goto in the main event, I only see Naito dropping points to Juice if he has defeated Omega and Ishii in his last two bouts.

SANADA vs Zack Sabre Jr.

1 st G1 Meeting

It is demonstrative of the depth of the tournament, once again, that a New Japan Cup semi-final main event could go fourth from the top here. SANADA and Zack Sabre Jr. had one of the year’s more underrated matches in March, with both getting a big rub simply for making it so far in the tournament and really having a unique kind of submission-based match compared to ZSJ’s others in NJPW. As yet another NJ Cup rematch for Zack, one would think to go with a SANADA win here, with the potential for both to be coming in at 1-1 standings. Of course, the fact of both having two knockdown opponents on Day 4 could put them at 2-0 or even one on each. In both cases, it still feels that a SANADA win would do a lot for his credibility early in the tournament, which illustrates how credible Zack has become after his New Japan Cup win. However, the fact that Zack goes up against NJ Cup opponents in his first and third matches of the block may also speak to the potential of losing to Ibushi but beating SANADA. Perhaps not as likely as SANADA winning a tied meeting, but still an possibility.

Toru Yano vs Kota Ibushi

3 rd G1 Meeting

1-1 Record

This is the third G1 and fourth overall match between Kota Ibushi and Toru Yano. On paper, it obviously sounds like nothing much at all, but they’ve had some fun matches. Their two singles bouts in 2015 (total match time: 3:34) told a funny little story. Ibushi was wilier than Yano in the New Japan Cup, scouting the tricks that defeated Tanahashi and beating Yano with them. In their G1 match, Yano had a lot more up his sleeve and Ibushi’s enthusiasm deep in the game got the better of him. Yano did him in fifty seconds after the bell. Here, once again in Korakuen Hall, I’m excited to see if they match that level of creativity and unpredictability again. Ibushi will be coming in on at least a 1-1 record, and Yano has the potential to be 0-2. If so, a desperate flurry of chances would be a great opener to the day’s tournament bouts. I would expect an Ibushi win, however.

Day 7: A Block

Sunday, July 22

Ésforta Arena Hachioji, Hachioji, Tokyo

Togi Makabe vs Kazuchika Okada

5 th G1 Meeting

1-4 Record (Okada)

If Okada comes into this match unbeaten, or perhaps if both come in unbeaten, I could see Makabe picking up a surprise victory here. These two have met six times previously in singles (one when Okada was a Young Lion, one a great 2013 title match, four G1 bouts) and they always tend to deliver big. Okada rarely works with any style of brawling like Makabe brings to the table, and that style is almost never seen in the main event picture now. As such, they have a unique gel, with both men selling well for the other’s offense and having a different but entirely fitting main event match. At this point, it’s hard to have a bad match with Okada, so Makabe going up against him in single for the first time since 2016, and in the aftermath of his title loss, will likely be a very heated kind of a bout. Based on their strong track record, it’s hard to predict this as anything other than a really very good match.

As Okada’s fourth main event of the tour, it might be here that he finally takes a loss, if his booking mirrors the incredible protection he received last year. Makabe would be a strong contender to go after a G1 winner Okada at Sumo Hall, provided they have a believable match on top. Of course, Makabe is at a level where it seems hard to buy that he can get a win over Okada when so few others can. It may seem even more strange if they go with it, when Hangman Page would receive an incredible boost in beating Okada, or Jay White. So it’s not very likely that Makabe will win this one, and his chances drop to zero if Okada loses any match prior to this.

EVIL vs Bad Luck Fale

1 st G1 Meeting

This is a strange match to go on in the co-main slot, as it is advertised. It would seem to be going on over Hiroshi Tanahashi and Hangman Page, which should be another seriously important match for Page. Anyway, this is a rematch of New Japan Cup 2017 semi-final, wherein Fale put an end to EVIL’s tournament momentum as he booked a finals match with Katsuyori Shibata. After beating Hiroshi Tanahashi in an underhanded manner and Yuji Nagata clean, EVIL went out rather weak to Fale, who has to get such easy wins to keep up his cred as the monster spoiler. As such, this would appear to be a win for EVIL. Fale will have gone up against Okada and Tanahashi at this point, so he would be more likely to win here if he enters on only two points. However, it’s hard to be against Fale being on four by the time this match comes around, which would benefit EVIL in getting revenge over the monster on his own path towards Okada. As usual, this is a match where the result will likely be obvious when it arrives.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Hangman Page

1 st G1 Meeting

This is a rematch from only a month ago, as Tanahashi and Hangman clashed in the UK for ROH on May 27. Tanahashi won that match, naturally, so it will be interesting to see if Hangman can pull off a big revenge victory here. Again, it’s not very likely. There are bigger names against whom Tanahashi can drop points, and a big win for Hangman wouldn’t seem right going third from the top. As usual, this is speculative. We’ll have a better picture of how things will turn out when the blocks are actually in action. This is a match where the outcome doesn’t matter so much anyway. This is all about Hangman working really hard against a man that was the standard-bearer for much of the last decade. As two athletic pretty boys, there’s a kind of main-event feel to this match. Who knows? We might see Page hand Tanahashi a key loss, avenged later on as Tanahashi looks for a title bout with Omega. If Tana manages to win the G1, Page would be a good, if predictable, Sumo Hall opponent.

Jay White vs Minoru Suzuki

1 st G1 Meeting

First-Time Match

Like EVIL and Minoru Suzuki last year, this is first-time singles meeting between a graduated Young Lion and the nemesis of all Young Lions. Suzuki and Jay are likely to jostle (with EVIL and perhaps Fale) for the second-tier position in the block, just below Tanahashi and Okada. As with the EVIL match last year, this may go some way in demonstrating which one is more prominent right now. Suzuki is the only champion in A Block, having won the British Heavyweight Championship and Jay having lost the US title. With these factors in play, one would feel as though we’ll see a repeat of the EVIL/Suzuki match, wit