The A Block Half-Time Report

These were really fun to write up during the BOSJ, so I've decided to do them during the G1 too. We'll get a half-time report of both A Block and B Block instead of the, uh, third-way reports that I did last time, though. From top to bottom, I'll also be ordering them in how likely I think they are to make the playoffs… which, wink wink, means we may not necessarily be going in straight point order…

—– MY PICKS —–

Zack Sabre Jr. (Vegan Terminator, Lanky Fucker, Kosei Fujita's Dad) 4-0 – ZSJ is one of two men with a clean sheet, and aside from EVIL also being 4-0, nobody else is 3-1, the nearest wrestleers all on 2-2 at best. That means ZSJ has a big margin to cushion any future losses that might otherwise have been huge roadblocks. Chances of him making the playoffs are extremely high right now. Is it coming home?

Shingo Takagi (My Second Favourite Dragon Character Just Behind Kazuma Kiryu) 2-2 – With an amazing upset loss to Callum Newman, Shingo now rests on level pegging. However, in my opinion, he is the most likely wrestler in the field to make it to the Top 3 alongside EVIL and ZSJ right now. His next match against Gabe will be crucial for both wrestlers.

Shota Umino (I Could Learn To Wrestle Myself And Take A Plane To Japan And You'd Still Be Making Your Pissing Entrance) 2-2 – Next up on four points, it's everybody's favourite walking identity crisis. To me, the story of him struggling through injury to make the playoffs is not out of the question, and writes itself mostly. However, he has arguably only faced the lower half of the competitors so far, and the final stretch of his bracket is practically Death Row.

—– I MAY HAVE MADE AN ERROR THINKING THIS WOULDN'T HAPPEN —–

EVIL (Fuck Sake, This Shit Is Just Happening Every Bastard Tournament Now, Isn't It?) 4-0 – UGHHHHHHh fine, EVIL is also on a perfect record and has a damn fine shot at the playoffs too. With House of Torture shenanifuckery aplenty, even his match against psychopathic heel Gabe Kidd had the Osaka crowd fully behind the Mad Man. Can anyone stop President EVIL?

—– POTENTIALLY? —–

SANADA (The Japanese Version Of The Stock Create A Wrestler You Get In Some WWE Games) 2-2 – Despite wins over Gabe and Callum, SANADA is looking shaky in the 4 point region. Already having lost to one of the front runners in EVIL as well as giving Jake Lee his only current win, can he salvage a rush to the playoffs? His next match being against Naito, this can go either way.

Tetsuya Naito (Needs To Rey Mysterio The Fuck Out His Knees Before They Explode In The Ring) 1-3 – Mathmatically, it looks horrible for Naito. With only a single win in four matches, he is on the brink. However, all three losses are to the arguable top 3 rankers in ZSJ, EVIL and Shingo, so he will have some simpler opponents in the second half. Still, he can't underestimate anyone else, or it'll be another year where the World Champion crashes out in the blocks. And, hell, given the absolute state of him in this first half, maybe this should be his last G1 in general…

— EH… SORRY MATE —

Callum Newman (Not Will Ospreay) 2-2 – With impressive showings in the first half including what might just be the biggest upset of the whole tournament against Shingo, Callum Newman is off to a strong start going even-stevens. But NJPW loves to book debuting entrants as wrestlers who can't keep up the form to the end. Will Newman be able to do something special and make the playoffs in his very first G1?

Gabe Kidd (MY DAWG FOR REAL, A MAD MAN YOU KNOW, SHUT THE FUCK UP BRUV I'LL MULLER CORNER YOU) 2-2 – A man who seems like he'd rather just throw shit at people than pick up wins, Gabe is a super long shot to make the finals. But so far with four points, he's far from out.

— JAKE LEE —

Jake Lee (Jake Lee) 1-3 – Jake Lee

— PRETTY MUCH ALREADY ELIMINATED —

Great O-Khan (Great Oh No) 0-4 – I'm not fully certain, but I'm willing to bet wrestlers will need a MINIMUM of a 5-4 record to squeak through into the playoffs in a third place spot if any spot at all, and that means O-Khan will need to win all his matches from now on to have the slightest inkling of a chance. I don't see it. Sorry, man, in my eyes you're already eliminated.