Ranking Each Wrestler’s Performance in NJPW G1 Climax 28

11. Hirooki Goto

Goto started off this G1 blazing hot with three fantastic matches against SANADA, Omega, and Ishii. From there, his run slowed quite a bit. It never got bad. He just wasn’t able to produce the same level of greatness he showed in nights 2, 4, and 6. It will be interesting to see how the rest of his year plays out with the wealth of NEVER Championship challengers gained throughout the tournament.

10. Yoshi-Hashi

The Loose Explosion (I’ll never stop calling him that) entered his third G1 with his back firmly against the wall. Talk from both within and outside the company seemed to suggest The Hash was in the hot-seat. He desperately needed a great G1 performance to prove he still belongs… and what do ya know, he came through! Hashi’s matches against Elgin, Okada, and Page were among the best of his career. Night in and night out he showed great fire, capturing the essence of sympathetic babyface in a way he never has before.

9. Juice Robinson

The Juice has reached the point in his career where it’s no longer surprising when he delivers a standout performance. It’s become the norm. He’s awesome and everyone knows it. With this comes a significant amount of added pressure. Thankfully, The Flamboyant One has shown time and time again that he thrives under pressure. Although Juice spent much of this G1 at the back of his block’s standings, he still managed to perform in a way that made each outing feel memorable and important. His matches against Ishii and Naito were among the tournament’s very best.