NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING

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OCT.20.2020

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Social Round-Up: Be the One Edition

After a month long journey, G1 Climax 30 has concluded, and Kota Ibushi has emerged as the winner for a historic second year running. 

Gracious as ever, Ibushi’s comments were simple and representative of everyone here: ‘Thank you to every pro-wrestling fan. Thank you to every wrestler in the tournament’. 

Ibushi’s win came in spite of a hard fought 35 minute 12 second battle with SANADA, and an unbelievable encounter with Taichi on the last night of A Block action. In a match purely consisting of strikes, some 158 kicks were exchanged between Taichi and Ibushi, leading to some very sore hamstrings on both men. Commenting the day before the final, Ibushi said ‘I want another left leg. I want to get up, but I can’t. But because I can’t get up, it makes me want to get up even more. That’s more personal growth. Thank you. I won’t give up!!’

Taichi, ever the one to hop in the comments responded with ‘if you need another left leg, you can have mine. Aren’t I kind?’

 

Taichi spent the lion’s share of this summer bullying Hiroshi Tanahashi, but the Ace rallied to a characteristically spectacular series of performances in the G1. With a win over KENTA ending his campaign, Tanahashi had deserved a cheat day with Gabriel Kidd, but curry and burgers did a number on Tanahashi. 4.1 to be specific. 

‘The day after cheat day, I weighed in having gained 4.1 kg. But then Gabe messaged me to say he’d put on 4.5kg. He gets my endorsement, lol.’

Tanahashi will be in fighting shape for Power Struggle to face KENTA. He’d better be, as KENTA will take advantage in any way possible, and he won’t tolerate sudden weight gain- in his cameramen at least. KENTA’s month long tirades at NJPW World camera people came to an end with the G1, and afterward a grudging thank you to all involved, including one staff member we will all dearly miss. 

 

So we now switch gears to the Road to Power Struggle, which kicks off Friday in Korakuen. DOUKI seeks his first NJPW championship against a man who took 12 years to attain his first belt, YOSHI-HASHI, along with Tomohiro Ishii and Hirooki Goto. To hear DOUKI say it, he has the resume:

When you think 6 man tags, you think Mexico. I’m pretty comfortable in that environment. I’ve been trios champion before, over there. Hey, YOSHI-HASHI, did you ever win any belts in Mexico?’

YOSHI-HASHI and CHAOS will be eager to show DOUKI the difference between lucha libre trios matches and the NEVER 6-man battleground, but could their Suzuki-Gun opposition have the edge? Find out live or on demand with NJPW World Friday!

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