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NJPW G1 Climax 29: B-Block preview and predictions

By Josiah MacDonald

TOKYO, JAPAN - JUNE 05: New champion Jon Moxley looks on following the IWGP US Heavy Weight Championship bout during the Best Of The Super Jr. Final of NJPW at Ryogoku Kokugikan on June 05, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN - JUNE 05: New champion Jon Moxley looks on following the IWGP US Heavy Weight Championship bout during the Best Of The Super Jr. Final of NJPW at Ryogoku Kokugikan on June 05, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images) /
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Jon Moxley (J) – IWGP United States Champion:

Jon Moxley has made a major impact on the wrestling world since leaving WWE. After destroying Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega at AEW Double or Nothing, Moxley announced that he was making his NJPW debut at the Best of the Super Juniors Finals to challenge for the IWGP United States Championship.

Moxley defeated Juice Robinson, and saw himself crowned a champion in NJPW on his first night in the company. Let me make this clear: this isn’t Dean Ambrose. Moxley has returned to a more fast paced brawling style, seeing him unafraid of going to ringside and finding weapons.

Instead of taking it the easy way, Moxley has shown how hard he is willing to work to prove himself outside of WWE, and there is no tournament harder than the G1 Climax. Now, with the risk of DQ being higher in the G1 Climax, will Moxley be able to restrain himself and avoid the DQ?

I fully expect Moxley to have some major wins here in his first G1 Climax.

Tetsuya Naito (Los Ingobernables de Japon) (J) – IWGP Intercontinental Champion:

Tetsuya Naito is one of the best wrestlers in the world. If Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi are #1 and #2 respectively, then Naito is easily #3.

It’s hard to pick one top star in NJPW, and there are various times that I think it’s one of those 3, so it’s hard to pick just one as a top star. However, there is one thing that is undisputed: Naito is the leader of the most popular stable in NJPW, and it isn’t even close in that regard.

The leader of Los Ingobernables de Japon is charismatic, talented, and is more tranquilo than you. Naito has consistently been one of the top stars in NJPW for years now since debuting his LIJ character in 2015.

I (Josiah) first started watching NJPW in 2015 just when Naito first debuted this character, and it has been an absolute delight to see him become one of the top stars in NJPW. He can hit his Destino at any moment, and he is my personal pick to be one of the top in the block. Naito has won the G1 Climax twice before, so a third time isn’t out of the question.

Laura: That Naito has held NJPW’s top title for all of five minutes is doing him a terrible disservice in my view; as Josiah points out, the LIJ leader is one of NJPW’s most popular stars, and one who can be consistently relied upon to deliver. Of everyone in B-block, he is the most deserving of a push to the top.

Tomohiro Ishii (CHAOS) (L) – NEVER Openweight Champion:

Ishii is routinely the unsung hero of every tournament he’s involved in. The standout of this year’s New Japan cup, and one of the most consistently excellent performers in last year’s G1 Climax, “The Stone Pitbull” rarely gets the credit he deserves for his hard work. And while I don’t expect glory for Ishii – much as I feel he deserves it – it’s a safe bet that he will once again pull some of the best matches of the G1 Climax out of his metaphorical hat.

Without Suzuki to run roughshod against the competition, it’s down to the implacable Ishii to provide the kind of brutal, brick-wall opposition that could potentially break his fellow competitors.

Josiah: Ishii might be one of the best wrestlers alive today, and it’s so frustrating to see him outside of a top spot. Ishii has incredible matches every single time he’s out there, and I promise you, if you don’t love him now, you will be the end of the tournament.

Juice Robinson (J):

Juice Robinson has quietly become one of the best younger wrestlers in NJPW since becoming a Young Lion a few years back. Robinson earned the biggest win of his career when he defeated Kenny Omega for the IWGP United States Championship, and has seen various successes since then.

While he hasn’t been a top star in NJPW, he has been solidly positioned in the upper mid-card and stands out as someone that always seems to have good matches with everyone he’s in the ring with.

Toru Yano (CHAOS) (J) – NEVER Openweight 6-Man Champion:

Toru Yano is the living embodiment of an internet troll. Yano is one of the best comedy wrestlers out there, constantly cheating, constantly screaming in fear of his opponents (especially Tama Tonga, who always sneaks up on him), and constantly stealing his opponents titles (quite literally, as he just grabs them and runs away sometimes).

Yano always cheats, often to hilarious results and upsets. When he decides to wrestle a straight match, Yano is shockingly good in the ring. Yano has a legit wrestling background and was quite successful at that level before becoming a professional wrestler.

Yano will likely play spoiler and steal a bunch of wins here, so expect of fun and shenanigans when he enters the ring and advertises his merchandise. Yano’s G1 Climax matches are always fun.

Laura: It’s never a dull tournament with Toru Yano around. If you’re new to NJPW, trust me: you can’t go wrong with his matches.

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