NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING

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JUL.29.2019

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G1 Climax Night 11 at a glance 【G129】

With four matches left to go, A block hits Takamatsu on July 30. Some will be fighting for mathematical survival, others for dominance as the tournament approaches the final stretch. 

 

Hiroshi Tanahashi (3-2) vs EVIL (3-2)

Overall singles record: 2-1 Tanahashi

Of which G1: 1-0 Tanahashi (2018– watch on NJPW World!)

Hiroshi Tanahashi finishes a Los Ingobernables De Japon double header against EVIL. Does victory or defeat over SANADA create an indication of how he will fare in this, his sixth tournament match? It’s doubtful. EVIL and SANADA have formed such an effective tag team over the years, and were so competitive in their own match against one another in Korakuen purely because they bring radically different approaches to the table. That’s something the Ace must adapt to, but if there’s anything that the Ace is adept in, it’s adaptation. 

Many think that the future of New Japan belongs to EVIL and SANADA, two younger stars with old school influences. Where SANADA wears his Keiji Muto training on his sleeve however, EVIL’s influences are from Animal Hamaguchi and Riki Choshu. Diametrically opposed to the Tatsumi Fujinami Dragon Screws and steadfast heroism of Tanahashi then, but that opposition has worked in the Ace’s favour in their last two matches. Tanahashi not only won those matches he’s had against EVIL, but done so in a shorter and shorter period of time; from a 23 minute loss in March 2017 to a 19 minute win the next month, and a 12 minute victory in the G1 a year later. 

There’s no denying Tanahashi is hurting going into this bout with EVIL, and more punishment is doubtless forthcoming. Yet Tanahashi has played the tactical game better than anyone in the G1 over his last three matches, having outwrestled Zack Sabre Junior, neutralized the size of Lance Archer, and finally hitting High Fly Flow on SANADA. That mental and experience edge may make the difference in a match that’s very hard to call. 

 

KENTA (4-1) vs SANADA (1-4)

First singles meeting.

4-1 meets 1-4. KENTA and SANADA are at near opposite ends of the B block spectrum. KENTA won his first four matches, and faced his first loss against Okada Saturday in Aichi. SANADA meanwhile only won his first match and has lost out since.

Looking at overall form, one may think KENTA has the clear edge, but it’ll be interesting to see the effect the loss to Okada has on KENTA. After spending the start of the tournament definitively proving doubters wrong, KENTA has finally had his momentum slowed. SANADA is always too cool to get desperate meanwhile, but frustration may well be building in Cold Skull as he seeks to pick up a victory he desperately needs. 

While both men have taken a unique route to New Japan and the G1, their paths have never met in-ring. They do share interesting teachers though. KENTA and SANADA’s mentors in Kenta Kobashi and Keiji Muto respectively were very mirror images in themselves through the 1990s; two masters of the moonsault that were icons of New Japan and All Japan; of Strong Style and King’s Road. While these two are their own men, they’re products of their upbringings, and we’ll see that come out in violent force on Tuesday night. 

 

Kazuchika Okada (5-0) vs Lance Archer (2-3)

Overall singles record: 4-0 Okada.

Of which G1: 3-0 Okada (2012, 2013, 2014)

The record books are as one sided as they come on this one. Four singles victories for Okada over Lance Archer, three of which coming from the G1. Okada is 5-0 in this year’s tournament, and across the last two years is undefeated over his last 12 G1 matches, while Archer has lost his last three in a row. 

Yet to paint Archer as a loser this year would be doing him a great disservice. Archer has been formidable, frightening, psychotic and spectacular. He will absolutely give Okada a run for his money, and, should he win, do more than level his win:loss record but halt the momentum of the IWGP Champion. Archer loves defying expectations, and this scenario is perfect for him.

 

Will Ospreay (2-3) vs  Zack Sabre Junior (1-4)

Overall singles record: 6-4 ZSJ

First G1 meeting.

The first meeting of Will Ospreay and Zack Sabre Junior in New Japan is also the first ever British derby in a G1 Climax. It’s only fitting that these two men should be the representatives in such a match for all they represent to the modern British wrestling landscape. 

Ospreay is the first Briton in over three decades to wrestle two of his countrymen- ZSJ and Marty Scurll- in singles matches in a New Japan ring. He is, to many, the definitive modern face of British wrestling on the global stage, but one could argue that British wrestling wouldn’t have reached that stage in the first place without the efforts of Zack Sabre Junior and his peers just a few short years before Ospreay burst onto the scene. 

Sabre, a European Catch master, was classically trained, and represented a throwback to the past stars of Joint Promotions as he emerged. Yet Zack honoured the traditions of his wrestling heritage while also modernising, honing his strikes, and building elements of his offense that saw him blend effortlessly into Suzuki-Gun years later. He helped bring the British scene from almost complete obscurity in the mid 2000s, and help draw eyes to explosive new talents that were being raised. 

Ospreay was one such talent, somebody who had an almost completely opposite approach to training with his lucha styled background, but who would develop into a formidable all-rounder. As Britain was catching the world’s eye, Ospreay was there to build on what Sabre laid down. Yet top spots are hard to share, and Ospreay and Zack became natural rivals. 

It’s apt indeed that ZSJ and Ospreay are the first British derby in G1 history, and are meeting for the first time in Japan here. 24 days after Okada and Tanahashi continued their rivalry in America for the first time, the parallels in this bout are many and evident. 

Kota Ibushi (3-2) vs Bad Luck Fale (1-4)

Overall singles record: 2-0 Fale (2015, 2017 G1s- watch on NJPW World!)

Bad Luck Fale sits at two points at the moment, a huge eight behind Okada with four matches to go. This effectively puts him out of the running; Fale has already lost to Okada, so even if he wins out and Okada has nothing but losses, a tie would put the Rainmaker through. His best chance would be a multi-man tie at 10 points, but this seems unlikely. 

He might, in many sporting environments, be ‘playing for pride’ against Ibushi, but personal pride really isn’t Fale’s MO. His loyalty is to BULLET CLUB, and a dangerous plan may be set in motion here; now Fale is all but out of the equation, he can attempt to tip the scales in Jay White’s favour over in B block. If Fale can’t make the final, he can do enough damage to all the remaining opponents that the last match of Jay White’s winning campaign is an easy one. 

Fale employing Chase Owens and Jado to his aid against Will Ospreay this weekend in Aichi might be evidence of this new strategy. Ibushi will need to call on every instinct he has to repel any BC presence, and we may see some of the dark, ‘psychotic side’ that Lance Archer apparently awakened within him during their match Saturday in Aichi. 

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