I loved this year’s tournament, arguably NJPW’s best since the halcyon days of 2017-2019. The G1 had gotten a bit inflated in recent years with four blocks, so contracting the field (and cutting the fat in the process) was a welcome move. With NJPW’s struggles over the past few months, a strong G1 was needed to right the ship… and they knocked it out of the park.
We’ve really entered a new G1 era, with stalwarts like Tanahashi (thankfully) and Ishii sitting out, along with the powerful absence of former NJPW mega-stars like Okada, Ospreay, and Jay White. However, the hungry roster rose to the occasion, fighting tooth and nail to distinguish themselves. Making the most of the wide-open field, some have proven themselves undeniable! It feels like the NJPW deck has been re-shuffled, with potential avenues available for mid-carders, veterans, rookies, and outsiders to establish new positions on the card, going forward into the future.
*The Pinnacle, pre-playoff G1 MVP: Konosuke Takeshita.
-No one had more great matches in this G1 (IMO) than Takeshita (v. Cobb, Uemura, Finlay, Goto, Oleg). At just 29 years old, he looks like a future IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and pillar of Japanese wrestling. The NJPW/AEW relationship has done wonders for AEW as of late in terms of securing world-class talent, but perhaps it’s time for a wrestler to transition in the opposite direction (AEW-NJPW). Takeshita’s wasted by inconsistent/poor booking in AEW and with a fairly thin upper echelon right now in NJPW, a complete package Takeshita would be an immediate boon to the top of the card, now and for years to come. Plus, he could be an excellent outsider foil for the Reiwa Musketeers/Uemura to overcome on their own journeys to the top of the card.
*Top Tier G1 Players: Yuya Uemura & Hirooki Goto.
-Uemura had an amazing G1 run: great matches v. Finlay, Goto, Takeshita, and HENARE. Over the course of a month, he surpassed each of the Reiwa Musketeers, putting it all together and distinguishing himself as the standout of his class. It’s a shame that he was sidelined by injury, but he already levelled up in the tournament and made his mark: the fiery babyface will surely receive a hero’s welcome from the fans that he dazzled, upon his return.
-The oldest member of the G1 roster, Goto had a great tournament (standout matches v. Cobb, Uemura, Oleg, Takeshita). Questionable choice by Gedo to have his run end today: seems like a powerful story was left on the table.
*Next Tier G1 Standouts: ZSJ, Gabe Kidd, Bolten Oleg, HENARE, El Phantasmo, David Finlay.
-Gabe Kidd has cemented his spot: terrific matches v. Shingo, ZSJ and Jake Lee. Gabe Kidd is a future NEVER stalwart in the short term, and hopefully Bullet Club leader and IWGP Heavyweight Champion in the future.
-Bolten Oleg levelled up big-time, this tournament. While still green, he had great matches v. Narita, HENARE, Goto, and Takeshita. The future is bright for the young powerhouse.
-HENARE followed up on his G1 run last year, with a rock-solid performance (great matches v. El Phantasmo, Oleg, Uemura). He’s shown tremendous fighting spirt, and he’s still getting better. The NEVER title is in good hands.
-El Phantasmo was a major highlight of the G1. A slow-burn storyline that paid dividends, El Phantasmo looks poised for a big babyface singles run (Global Champ?). Great matches v. HENARE, Tsuji, Finlay.
-David Finlay finally won me over. With great matches against Uemura, Takeshita, and El Phantasmo, Finlay showed why he has a firm spot towards the top of the card.
-This could finally be ZSJ’s year (stand-out matches v. O-Khan, Jake Lee, and Gabe Kidd). It would be absolutely devastating to lose ZSJ to AEW: it’s time to cement him as a top-tier player.
A final thought regarding Naito: the tippy-top of the card seems sort of wide open at the moment, with only Tetsuya Naito firmly established there. It’s been difficult to watch him struggle this G1 (as Champion, no less) but kudos to the man who’s out there struggling so as to fulfill his role as the top draw of the company. He’s sacrificing his body (as he always has) for the fans, and though painful to watch, we’re thankful.
The Playoffs look really enticing and it’s hard to guess what the Finals are going to be. The future coming out of the G1 is uncertain but frankly, quite exciting. Naito has lost four times in the tournament, so it might make sense to take the belt off of him pre-WK (ZSJ, Takagi?), leading to fresh and exciting new matches at Wrestle Kingdom. With the upper card in flux, you have ZSJ and Takagi leading the charge, an upwardly mobile O-Khan, intriguing outsiders who could become big-time main event players in Takeshita and Jake Lee, and the next generation of homegrown superstars knocking on the door.
The G1 has been great so far and the future of NJPW looks fresh and bright!
by IWGPoetry-in-Motion
