The G1 is rapidly approaching its Nippon Budokan climax, and it’s no small wonder that the tournament is the main topic of conversation on social media.
友人との約束
親との約束
今後との約束諦めない!!!
— 飯伏 幸太 (@ibushi_kota) August 3, 2019
August 3 in Osaka, Kota Ibushi met Hiroshi Tanahashi in a vital A block match with a deeply personal story seeing a new chapter written. Ibushi spoke to just how important the match was beforehand, writing:
‘Promises I made to my friends.
Promises I made to my parents.
Promises I made with my own future. I won’t give up!’
Ibushi emerged on top in the match, defeating Tanahashi with Kamigoye. The loss effectively eliminated Tanahashi from the G1, but he’s not the type to let the loss, or the blazing summer heat, slow the infamously ‘never tired’ Tanahashi down.
息子から電話きた。「朝7時に家を出て帰って来たのが夜8時やった。3試合フルで出たよ」と(部活はバスケ)。「疲れた?」「疲れてないよ」と。フフフ。ならばよし。
— 棚橋弘至 (@tanahashi1_100) August 3, 2019
‘I got a phone call from my son.
“I left the house at 7AM and came back at 8PM. A full day of three (basketball) matches”.
“Are you tired?”
“No, I’m not tired”.
In that case, all’s well.’
It runs in the family…
Zack Sabre Junior was also successful in Osaka, defeating Suzuki-Gun teammate Lance Archer, much to the leviathan’s chagrin. His feelings post match were completely understandable:
OVERJOYED THAT I WASN’T COMPOSTED THROUGH @LanceHoyt‘S DIGESTIVE TRACT
— S O Y B O I Ⓥ (@zacksabrejr) August 5, 2019
Over in B block, all eyes were on the main event on August 4, as Shingo Takagi and Tetsuya Naito engaged in Los Ingobernables De Japon civil war. Their thriller was likely the first of many to come, all fights Takagi will welcome with open arms:
内藤には必ずやり返すよ
そして
俺の熱い夏はまだ終わらない…🔥#g129 #njpw https://t.co/lYYPvjokQR
— 鷹木 信悟(SHINGO TAKAGI) (@Takagi__Shingo) August 4, 2019
‘I will absolutely pay you back for this. And my hot summer is nowhere near finished yet…’
Yet as G1 Climax 29 draws to a close, there are some with eyes already on G1 Climax 30 and beyond. Toa Henare may have narrowly missed the 2019 cut, but is looking to be a part of the G1 going forward, hitting hard in preliminary tag matches on this tour, and being a hit at the signing table, too.
今日サイン会よろしくお願いします!#g129 pic.twitter.com/SvzMvZpxlt
— Henare | ヘナーレ (@HenareNZ) August 1, 2019