Lloyd Barrett@91LFB
Originally published by Puroresu Gate@purogate
Following on from my previous G1 related piece where I covered A Block and its competitors, I will now look at the 10 combatants that make up B Block. As in the previous preview we will take I look at their previous G1 entries and how they’ve fared, as well as any other previous tournament experience in New Japan and beyond.
Tetsuya Naito G1 entries:10 (Including 2019) Previous G1 best:2xWinner (2013 & 2017)
The current IWGP Intercontinental Champion enters this year’s tournament having had a very patchy first half of 2019, he captured the championship from Chris Jericho at Wrestle Kingdom, dropped the championship to Kota Ibushi at the Madison Square Garden show, before finally recapturing it from Ibushi at Dominion. Also during this less than consistent run of form Naito was dumped out of the first round by the aforementioned. Naito has made it his mission to become the first man to simultaneously hold the Intercontinental and Heavyweight championship, winning the G1 would be a huge step in the right direction to achieving that, and I fully expect the Los Ingobernables de Japon front man to be in the mix on the final night of block action when he takes on Jay White at the Nippon Budokan. As far as tournament previous goes Naito is a two time winner of the G1, as well as a runner up in 2011 so has plenty of experience to draw from.
Tomohiro Ishii G1 entries:7 (Including 2019) Previous G1 best: 10 Points (2014, 2015 & 2018)
Arguably the sentimental favourite to many western fans, the Stone Pitbull is often considered the mvp of the G1 Climax even if he has fallen short in his previous attempts. Ishii looks set to steal the show again once, his matches against G1 debutants Jon Moxley and Shingo Takagi amongst his most anticipated. Ishii is also well known for picking up wins over current champions or the eventual winner of the tournament, however this time round he heads in as the reigning NEVER Openweight Champion and will need to have his guard up for potential suitors to his gold. Ishii is yet to win a tournament in NJPW, however he was the runner up in the single elimination tournament that crowned the first ever IWGP United States Champion and also has been a beaten finalist in a round robin format in the Zero One Tenka-Ichi Junior tournament in 2004.
Juice Robinson G1 entries:3 (Including 2019) Previous G1 best:8 Points (2017)
Last year’s G1 was marred by a hand injury for Robinson which saw him only pick up 3 victories and 6 points, a drop of a win and 2 points from his debut outing. Juice’s 2019 heading in to the G1 has been very stop start with him capturing the IWGP United States Championship at Wrestle Kingdom from Cody Rhodes and going on to have some low profile defences before dropping it to Jon Moxley at Dominion, in an albeit fantastic encounter. The flamboyant one also had a brief run in Ring Of Honor forming the new faction Lifeblood however due to the injury of tag partner David Finlay and Robinson not reportedly not enjoying his time with the promotion this stint was over before it really took off. Juice hasn’t particularly fared well in NJPW tournaments, crashing out to Chase Owens in the opening round of this years New Japan Cup, however he did reach the semi finals of that very tournament back in 2018. As previously mentioned Robinson spent some time in ROH this year and during that short stint he was able to reach the final of Ring Of Honors Tag Wars tournament alongside David Finlay, unfortunately falling short to Brody King & PCO at the last hurdle.
Toru Yano G1 entries:14 (Including 2019) Previous G1 best:10 Points (2011 & 2016)
Will Toru Yano win the B Block Probably not. Will Toru Yano have a big say on who does? Very likely! Yano over the years has been a spoiler to many a promising G1 campaign and I expect this year to be no different. Yano has had a fairly uncharacteristically quiet start to the year, however once G1 season rocks around he is almost definitely one of the names on everyone’s lips. Despite Yano never winning a tournament in NJPW he has been a runner up on two occasions, a beaten finalist in the tournament to crown the first ever Intercontinental champion falling short to MVP while also teaming with Togi Makabe in a losing effort to TenKoji in the 2008 G1 Tag League Final. Yano has however tasted tournament triumph outside of New Japan, winning the 2016 NOAH Global Tag League in a pairing with the iconic Naomichi Marufuji.
Hirooki Goto G1 entries:12 (Including 2019) Previous G1 best:Winner (2008)
Goto seems almost to be a forgotten winner of the G1 among many and very often under delivers on this stage, however he is not one to overlook as he proved in his 2016 run to the finals falling short only to a fantastic Kenny Omega effort. Goto has had a fairly poor start to the year, eliminated by SANADA in the first round of the New Japan Cup and seemingly dropping losses to Jay White at all turns, before vanishing from NJPW altogether to take up residency at the L.A dojo. Upon his return during the Kizuna Road tour Goto set his sights on taking out White and winning the G1. A refreshed Goto could be a dangerous man and a dark horse in this tournament however i’m unsure if he has what it takes in such a stacked field. As far as his New Japan tournament exploits go there are few better, as previously mentioned is a former G1 winner, captured the New Japan Cup in 2009, 2010 and 2012, while also winning the J Crown 6 Man Openweight Tag Team tournament in back to back years in 2010 and 2011 alongside Prince Devitt & Ryusuke Taguchi.
Jay White G1 entries:2 (Including 2019) Previous G1 best:12 points (3rd in block 2018)
Jay White has continued to build on his fantastic 2018, by capturing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from Hiroshi Tanahashi, headlining Madison Square Garden, albeit in a championship defeat to Kazuchika Okada and continuing to lead Bullet Club’s resurgence. White has to be considered one of the favourites, and by the time his clash with Naito on the final day of block action rocks around he is expected to be in a very strong position to challenge for a spot in the final. Switchblade has very little tournament experience to draw from, but will look to continue from his fine efforts last year.
Jeff Cobb G1 entries:1 (2019 debut) Previous G1 bes:n/a
The former NEVER Openweight Champion enters his first G1 this year, Cobb has previously competed in a NJPW tournament teaming with Micheal Elgin in World Tag League 2018. Despite lacking in New Japan tournament experience Cobb does hold a win in one of professional wrestling’s premier tournaments, PWG’s Battle Of Los Angeles in 2018. In that victory Cobb saw off the likes of AEW star Darby Allin, Rey Horus, recent NXT signee Trevor Lee in just 14 seconds and defeated Bandido and fellow B Block competitor Shingo Takagi in the final.
Shingo Takagi G1 entries: (2019 debut) Previous G1 best:n/a
Fresh off the back of an undefeated streak that lasted October 8th through June 6th where he was finally vanquished by Will Ospreay, the former four time Open The Dream Gate Champion makes his G1 debut this year. Shingo also enters this year’s competition having only just competed in the rigorous Best Of The Super Junior tournament, in which he finished runner up in the aforementioned defeat to Ospreay. As well as runner up in the BOSJ Shingo is also runner up in the Super Junior Tag League, losing a 3 way final to Roppongi 3K alongside BUSHI which also involved the Suzuki-Gun duo of Yoshinobu Kanemaru El Desperado. Outside of NJPW Takagi has won many accolades in Dragon Gate, Summer Adventure Tag League III in 2009 with YAMATO, King Of Gate in 2010 and New Year Unit 6 Man Tournament with VeserK in a trio with El Lindaman and T-Hawk. Shingo also captured wXw 16 Carat in 2009 and was a BOLA finalist in 2018.
Taichi G1 entries:1 (2019 debut) Previous G1 best:n/a
When Taichi was announced as an entrant for G1 Climax 29 there was a surprisingly positive reaction to his inclusion amongst the Korakuen Hall fans. The former two time NEVER Openweight Champion has been on the cusp of competing with the heavyweight elite and finds himself with a big opportunity to prove himself in this year’s tournament, especially with the omission of Minoru Suzuki. Taichi is yet to really accomplish much in NJPW in a tournament format, his only success of any kind coming as a block winner of the Road To Super Junior 2 day tournament in 2011. Taichi does hold a victory in a Super J Cup 2016 Qualifying League, against fellow Suzuki-Gun members TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru.
Jon Moxley G1 entries:1 (2019 debut) Previous G1 best:n/a
Moxley captured the IWGP United States Championship on his debut in an instant classic against Juice Robinson at the BOSJ Finals. Since his championship triumph Moxley has only competed once inside a NJPW ring, a singles victory against young lion Shota Umino. In his absence from the promotion he made his All Elite Wrestling debut in a winning effort against Joey Janela. Despite never competing in a tournament of this magnitude previously, Moxley has some tournament previous, a former Tournament Of Death semi finalist, Chikara Young Lions Cup semi finalist and also capturing the Drake Younger Invitational in 2009 and the wXw World Tag Team tournament in the same year alongside Sami Callihan.
This concludes my series of preview pieces regarding the G1 Climax, tournament action gets underway in Dallas on July 6th with A Block action, with B Block kicking off on July 13th in Tokyo at the Ota City Gymnasium.
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