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NJPW G1 Climax 32 dates/schedule announced.


The Natural

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4 hours ago, Salads said:

I've seen parts of the internet where people are convinced of the opposite.

I've seen tweets to that effect too. That's what inspired my post. I just think Gedo's smarter than that.

As for the schedule, those shows with 4 G1 matches seem like they'll be very easy watches, which is great! I was expecting we'd get 6 G1 matches per show, with 3 matches from each of 2 blocks.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Yeah I keep forgetting how much of a treat these are. Jay and SANADA cancelling each other out. Juice with big guy-on-the-end energy. Always enough people playing everything straight for the silly to shine.

Couple more highlights.

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I'd rather not have anyone else win multiple G1s any time soon, let's freshen things up and elevate someone. Naito vs Jay would be a fresh match though, so I'd infinitely prefer that to an Okada win. I think ZSJ has the best idea though. G1 win, then he can dethrone Jay White to a rapturous reception in London in October and I can be there. Alternate ideas-

Give Yujiro back his old, filthy saxophone theme, give him back his push from 10 years ago. He wins the G1, Naito beats Jay, final No Limit megapowers explode at Wrestle Kingdom. It doesn't matter that he's not that good, the music transcends everything and it's narratively satisfying.

Goto wins, Goto wins the title at Wrestle Kingdom. Seldom has anyone looked like more of a loser than he did when he lost to Okada and promptly joined his stable like some kind of vassal. It's the most frustrating dangling story thread in wrestling, give him the heel turn and megapush that he's been due for about a decade.

Ishi wins, wins the title at Wrestle Kingdom. No explanation needed, writes itself.

Jay White wins, crows about how there are no more worlds to conquer and he's earned the right to take Wrestle Kingdom off. Then HOOK appears, chokes him out with the Kata Hajime, throws down the gauntlet, beats him at Wrestle Kingdom.

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That was a straight-up excellent Night One. 

All of the preliminary tags were enjoyable (except for the House of Torture one, obviously).

We got

Spoiler

A legitimately shocking result in one match

And I really enjoyed the hell out of Okada vs  Cobb. Cobb has become one of my absolute favourite current wrestlers to watch.  His power moves are insane, and he's good at telling a little story in there. Usually a speed-vs-power or toughness-vs-power or power-vs-ridiculous power type of story. 

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I thought it was a solid night as well.

I was happy to see New Japan kick the tournament off with Tom Lawlor's theme song and the denim trunks reveal.  If you know New Japan Strong, you know what I'm talking about.  That's promising that they focused on him right away.  

I don't know, I thoroughly enjoyed Ospreay-ELP.  Sue me.  

Cobb-Okada was great as well.  I was pulling for Cobb.  In fact, given the apparently robust relationship with AEW going forward, I think this G1 would be a really opportune time for someone other than Okada or Naito to take it.  Takagi, ZSJ, Ospreay, Cobb.  The thing is, do you really need Okada or Naito to challenge for the title at the next Wrestle Kingdom with dream matches now legitimately on the table?  Both their legacies have been cemented at this point anyway.  Move forward, and give it to someone else this time around.  

Edited by Evil Otto
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I am in agreement that despite being one of the most popular wrestlers of the last...six or so years...that it still feels like Naito has never really gotten his due. He truly is one of the best, but at least in the Western world, it has always felt to me like he has been in the shadow of people like Omega and Okada even though he has shown repeatedly that he can go step-for-step with the top tier. The injuries have held him back, certainly, but he has earned the right to have his legacy cemented beyond just being NJPW's first double champ. (I speak from a position of total bias as he may be my overall favorite wrestler, but at times following him feels like being a pre-2004 Boston Red Sox fan, or something along those lines.)

Y'know...I am among the camp that enjoyed the Ospreay/ELP match. I am neither Ospreay's biggest fan or detractor, but I've felt for a while that he and Phantasmo match up well with each other. I think their match today had an excellent, sudden, yet believable finish. Although, after seeing ELP get over on near-constant hotdogging and douchebaggery, it did feel a bit strange to essentially see him work as the face here. This is not to say that I don't appreciate him, and it'll be interesting to see how the rest of his tournament goes. 

I might be seeing things that aren't there, but I feel like Jay White is much more at ease working in front of Japanese crowds than he was during his AEW appearances. I don't know if that's because he didn't get the reception he was expecting in front of larger American crowds, or what. I think he's shown that he's talented enough and smart enough to make adjustments and grow, but again...we'll see, I guess. I remain a big fan of his and still hold that since his singles career started as the "Switchblade," that he improved at a rate that we maybe had never seen before.

And yes...Jeff Cobb's strength and athleticism is downright ridiculous. Good main event to cap off a fun G1 opening day.

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46 minutes ago, Raziel said:

How did it take this long for someone to do the finish of Ospreay/ELP.  That was brilliant.

When you are watching a match and see something and you go "That's the perfect finish" and it ends up being the finish you know they completely nailed it.

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Night 2 was also excellent! I am glad I had time to watch the first two nights "live." Definitely won't be able to watch every single match this year, but I'll catch what I can... and MAYBE get out to the Saturday Osaka show (Shingo vs Ospreay!) live and in person.

Ishii vs Taichi was EXACTLY what you'd expect out of an Ishii vs Taichi match. Yano vs Jonah was EXACTLY what you'd expect from Yano vs a beast. ZSJ vs KENTA was maybe even stiffer than the Stone Pitbull match. 

Spoiler

I was shocked by the ending of Juicy vs Shingo! Two "holy shit!" results in two nights. Fun!

 I already posted this clip in the NOAH and general discussion threads, but in my opinion Cobb has both the best match and the best joke of the tournament so far!

 

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