NJPW: The Best & Worst of G1 Climax 29 So Far
The Worst: KENTA Finding His Footing
This is another frustrating add to the “Worst” list. I love KENTA. Outside of the odd match here and there, my main exposure to KENTA first came through Ring of Honor. I was nervously excited when he signed with NXT, and we all unfortunately know how that whole run wound up.
As Hideo Itami, it seemed like bad luck followed KENTA. Early on in his run, a shoulder injury with complications kept KENTA out of the ring for over a year. Less than 4 months after returning, a neck injury put him on the sideline again, keeping him out of action for almost another year.
With the injuries piling up and KENTA not being able to build momentum in NXT, he was shuffled to 205 Live where (like many before him) he was treated as an afterthought.
When KENTA finally won his freedom from WWE, the assumption was that he’d be returning to NOAH but he surprised everybody at Dominion by not only arriving in New Japan but declaring his intentions to enter G1 Climax 29.
From there, things have just been okay. What’s intensely confusing is that none of KENTA’s matches have been technically bad. I’ve even enjoyed them to a certain degree! Something about him, though, or his matches just don’t seem to be connecting in the same way as a Tanahashi, Ospreay, or Okada.
In the case of the three names mentioned above, there is a fine thread woven throughout each of their matches in the G1.
Tanahashi is trying to go back-to-back and, once again, prove that his age isn’t a factor in his performance.
Ospreay is looking to prove that he can hang with the Heavyweights and proudly represent the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship through the entire tournament.
For Okada, the necessity to win every match in the G1 is clear. As the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, any misstep could be critical as the road to Wrestle Kingdom is being paved.
In the case of KENTA… I’m not sure what his motivation is quite yet other than his desire to kick people really hard (which I love) and be a gigantic jerk to his opponents (which I also love). Is that enough motivation, though, to carry someone through a G1 with so many other dynamic wrestlers and characters?
If I want someone with an attitude, I’ve got Taichi. If I want someone who strikes like a beast, there are at least half a dozen guys in the tournament who strike just as hard as KENTA. So, what else is on the line for KENTA other than the same thing that’s on the line for everybody else – wanting to win every match and become the champion?
It may simply be an issue with longevity holding me up. Most of the other wrestlers in the G1 have been in New Japan and have had their characters and stories told over time. KENTA is a fresh face and only arrived in NJPW a month before the G1 kicked off in Dallas.
Perhaps with time and some more spirited matches, KENTA will begin to shine a bit more. After all, as unlikely as it may seem, I’d love to see a G1 final of KENTA/Goto in a battle to see who is Shibata’s actual best friend.