G1 Climax makes its first Tokyo stop

After B Block bounced from Osaka all the way north to Hokkaido, they get back to action in Korakuen Hall as the G1 hits Tokyo for the first time Tuesday.

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Hirooki Goto (1-1) vs Tetsuya Naito (2-0)

Overall singles record: 6-2 Naito G1 record 5-0 Naito

‘Wasted potential’ is how Tetsuya Naito summed up Hirooki Goto in his pre- G1 interview. Harsh words indeed, but they are backed up by a harsh record for Goto against El Ingobernable. Naito is undefeated against Goto in the G1, the most recent win coming in last year’s tournament in the same venue of Korakuen Hall as this year’s meeting. Naito is also undefeated against Goto for almost half a decade, Goto’s second of two victories over Naito coming at Wrestle Kingdom 10.

Then, Naito openly admitted prior to the bout he was more interested in establishing the presence of the newly formed Los Ingobernables De Japon than he was defeating the warrior, openly mocking Goto and suggesting he don a mask to support his hometown in Mie and change his name to Captain Kuwana.  Fast forward to 2020 and Naito is still keen to mock his opponent Tuesday, suggesting his win over SANADA in Hokkaido was a ‘miracle, but miracles don’t tend to happen twice in a row’, suggesting Goto go and meditate under a waterfall to prepare in mocking reference to his failed IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge in 2016 and subsequent transition to CHAOS. 

Goto is a prideful man, and will no doubt bare those harsh words in mind as he heads into this Korakuen hall main event. The question is whether, especially with a badly hurt shoulder from his opening night war with KENTA, Goto can withstand the double IWGP Champion.

Toru Yano (2-0) vs EVIL (1-1)

Overall singles record: 2-0 EVIL (G1 2016, 2018)

Some unexpected truths to bring into Toru Yano’s third G1 Climax 30 match: this is the best start he has ever had to a G1 in his career, and his 2-0 comes with wins over the crowd favourite to win B Block in SANADA, and the Ace of the Universe Hiroshi Tanahashi, that win being obtained while blindfolded. 

Those facts alone make Toru Yano a force to be reckoned with going into this bout with EVIL. Yano can beat any given wrestler on any given night. The question is whether Yano’s luck has run out. EVIL lost his opening bout after a flash cradle from Zack Sabre Junior, and YOSHI-HASHI gave the former double IWGP Champion far too much to worry about than he had bargained for, meaning he will be in no mood for fun and games in Korakuen Hall. Meanwhile the presence of Dick Togo at ringside will certainly prevent Yano from using his trademark hijinks unimpeded. Will Yano’s Cinderella run come to an end at the hands of the King of Darkness?

Hiroshi Tanahashi (0-2) vs Juice Robinson (2-0)

Overall singles record:1-0 Tanahashi

Top meets bottom of the G1 table when Juice Robinson meets Hiroshi Tanahashi in Korakuen. With a 0-2 start, pressure is building on Tanahashi, a loss to Robinson here potentially putting him at his slowest starting mark since 2016. Despite Juice’s vocal respect for the Ace meanwhile, his 2-0 record has put the Flamboyant One on a high. Though his one singles encounter with Tanahashi, during New Japan Cup 2018, ended in a loss Juice pushed the Ace to his very limit in a 29:52 encounter that would be dallying with the time limit were it G1 competition. With Juice having only grown in the intervening years as a competitor and former IWGP US Heavyweight Champion, Robinson will be intimidating opposition for Tanahashi this Tuesday.

Zack Sabre Jr. (1-1) vs KENTA (1-1)

Singles record 1-1 G1 record 1-0 Sabre

ZSJ and KENTA head into their third matches both at two points and looking to advance. For Sabre, a win against EVIL and a stacked deck in Osaka was followed by pushing double IWGP Champion Tetsuya Naito to the very limit en route to a narrow defeat in Hokkaido. While that might distance the British submission master from the double IWGP Championship challenge he wanted, at least unless he can capture overall G1 glory in Ryogoku, he might seek a different championship opportunity tonight in Korakuen.

KENTA may already have one prospective challenger fopr his IWGP US Heavyweight right to challenge contract, after Juice Robinson landed Pulp Friction on him in Hokkaido. A ZSJ win might again put him in that conversation after he attacked Jon Moxley back in February before 2020 put a spanner in the works of the title picture. For KENTA meanwhile, a need to recover from last week’s loss, and a need to reassess after a final night defeat to Sabre in last year’s G1. KENTA’s sole other match with the Briton put ZSJ on the map in a very real sense, drawing the attention to Pro Wrestling NOAH and granting him success in Japan for years to come. He’ll want to make sure to keep the submission master from globe trotting to the US tonight, and keep him grounded at two points in the process.

YOSHI-HASHI (0-2) vs SANADA (0-2)

Singles record 2-0 SANADA

YOSHI-HASHI and SANADA come into Korakuen hall with zero points apiece. While YOSHI-HASHI entered the tournament as an underdog, and comes with strong momentum after pushing EVIL extremely hard in Hokkaido,  SANADA began as B block favourite, and his own loss to Hirooki Goto in Sapporo will be hurting Cold Skull more.

If the cool, composed SANADA is truly fazed, he likely won’t be showing it against the Headhunter, who wears his heart on his sleeve somewhat more. Yet while YOSHI-HASHI may be content with scoring some big wins over high ranking competition this tournament, public expectations are for SANADA to reach the finals, and if the man himself shares those thoughts, he needs to get going. Jay White was proof last year that 0-3 is not a death sentence, winning his final six in a row to make the finals, but none of the bottom three want to be in that must-win position, making this an important match indeed. 

Gabriel Kidd (2-1 this tour) vs Yuya Uemura (1-2 this tour)

Overall singles record 2-1 Uemura (1-0 Kidd this tour)

The night kicks off with ongoing Young Lion warfare as Yuya Uemura meets Gabriel Kidd. As this ongoing competition continues to heat up, Kidd heads into his second match with Uemura confident after scoring his first NJPW win with a double arm suplex in Sapporo, and following up against tsuji in Kobe to go 2-1 this tour. Can he score that same move again? Or will the underhook of Kidd be beaten by the overhook of Uemura?