The second straight day of action in Osaka sees the seventh match for B block, with the G1 Climax entering the final stretch toward the Nippon Budokan final.
Tetsuya Naito (3-3) vs Shingo Takagi (2-4)
First singles meeting.
The first singles meeting between Tetsuya Naito and Shingo Takagi comes after two decades of personal history between the two. In 2018, Naito brought Takagi into the Los Ingobernables De Japon fold as the newest pareja for LIJ, but at the turn of the millennium, relationships between the two were somewhat frosty, if anything.
Both would spar and perform amateur wrestling drills, day in and day out at the famed Animal Hamaguchi gym. Takagi, a high school wrestler was proficient from the jump; Naito, whose background was in judo, was somewhat behind. As Takagi won sparring session after sparring session, Naito would view Shingo as his biggest competition to reaching the pro ranks. Takagi would talk about Naito ‘deliberately giving the silent treatment’ to the future Dragon, while bragging about every time he was able to close the gap and pull out a win (including openly boasting about winning their last ever sparring session under Hamaguchi, a claim, it would emerge, that was untrue).
As both took their separate paths into the wrestling business, Takagi would dominate in Dragon Gate, while Naito would emerge from several challenges to become El Ingobernable. Naito and Takagi stayed in touch, and distance created some fondness for Shingo from Naito; both would be part of the ’57 Club’, a social gathering of wrestlers of similar age that also included Kota Ibushi and Taiji Ishimori.
When Takagi sought new challenges, and LIJ sought a new member, the stars would align. Naito would say he always knew Takagi would come into NJPW hungry, but that even he is surprised at this singles confrontation coming so soon, less than a year after Takagi’s debut. In this must win scenario for both men, Naito will welcome a Takagi looking for a fight, but might be biting off more than he can chew.
Jon Moxley (5-1) vs Jay White (3-3)
First singles meeting.
It might have been through some… non-traditional means, but Toru Yano managed to prove an important point in Fukuoka this week: Jon Moxley can be beaten. Even if Yano had picked up the W on August 1, White would still doubtless be extremely confident, but the news had to be of some comfort to the BULLET CLUB camp.
In a strange scenario, the universally despised White will have the support of much of his fellow B block wrestlers in Osaka tonight; with most of the block on six points, Mox moving to 12 would be lethal to their chances of making the Budokan final. Support means little to White, but the chance to ‘expose’ a wrestler he feels is ‘distinctly overrated’ may provide the Switchblade with the necessary motivation to shut down the Purveyor of Violence.
Hirooki Goto (3-3) vs Jeff Cobb (3-3)
Overall singles record: 1-1
First G1 meeting.
Something must give between Hirooki Goto and Jeff Cobb in Osaka. Both men sit at six points, with eight being the likely magic number for those looking to stay in contention going into the final week. It’s all but must win, and there’s personal pride on the line as well, as Goto and Cobb head into a rubber match with one win apiece over the other.
It was in San Francisco last year that Cobb and Goto first met in a match over the NEVER Openweight Championship. Goto came out on top of a thriller, and his challenger would vow revenge. A rematch became more appealing for Goto when Cobb won the ROH Television Championship, but fate intervened on several occasions to prevent the bout taking place. It was in Korakuen Hall at Honor Rising that Cobb and Goto finally did battle, a match Cobb would win.
Bragging rights are one thing, but two points and a potential place in the G1 Climax finals are a much bigger matter. Both will be willing to give all that it takes to come out on top.
Juice Robinson (3-3) vs Taichi (2-4)
First singles meeting.
Juice Robinson might blame a break in focus for his loss to Tetsuya Naito this week in Fukuoka. Not accepting of any nonsense for the bulk of his tournament thus far, it was in response to Naito’s taunting that the Flamboyant One mockingly disrobed before his match as slowly as possible, pushing Naito’s buttons only to fall to his ungovernable opponent. The loss kept Robinson on 6 points, still competitive, but with a one match cushion to sworn enemy Jon Moxley. Taichi also lost in Fukuoka, but reacted with uncharacteristic fury at Jay White’s tactics. How will that anger manifest itself in Osaka? If he can make good use of Thursday’s disappointment, he could stay, barely, in the chase.
Tomohiro Ishii (3-3) vs Toru yano (3-3)
Overall singles record: 1-0 Ishii (2018 G1– watch on NJPW World!)
For as long as Yano and Ishii have been part of the fabric of NJPW, it is, perhaps, surprising that the two have only wrestled against oen another once. Partners in first GBH and then CHAOS, Yano and Ishii were never even paired in tournaments until 2018.
More surprising was just how purely competitive the match between two former IWGP Tag Team Champions was. Yano had vowed to be a model of good sportsmanship and fair play for at least the early going of G1 28, and went back to his amateur roots at the famed Nippon University. He came close on several occasions to beating Ishii, too, but would ultimately come short.
Their match last year came at the start of the tournament, but comes here as we enter the final act. With both at six points, could Yano have eyes on the most unlikely G1 final in history?
