So there's 5 big shows left in 2024 – Capital Collison, Destruction in Kobe, King Of Pro Wrestling, Power Struggle, and Historic X-Over 2.
We already know the main event of Capital Collison, that being Mercedes Moné vs Momo Watanabe, but what are your predictions for the others?
There's normally only one IWGP title defense between the G1 and Wrestle Kingdom, however, there is a precedent for the title being defended more than once on the road to the Tokyo Dome (Kenny Omega did so in 2018 – defending the IWGP title against both Tomohiro Ishii and then Cody Rhodes/Kota Ibushi in a triple threat match. Kazuchika Okada also defended the IWGP title THREE times post G1 in 2013 – beating Satoshi Kojima first, then Karl Anderson, and finally Hiroshi Tanahashi).
Most of the time KOPW has the one and only title defense, and it's almost always the person who beat the champion first in the G1 (if they don't go on to win the G1 that is). That would likely mean that we will probably get Shingo Takagi vs Tetsuya Naito as Takagi beat Naito on Day 1, unless he wins the G1 in which case it would probably be Zack Sabre Jr. But as the Champion in this G1, Tetsuya Naito lost FOUR times in G1 block competition. Does that potentially hint at us seeing multiple IWGP title defenses before Wrestle Kingdom 19? Takagi and Zack if neither win the G1, maybe even EVIL?
Then there's also the customary G1 winner vs first person who beat them in the G1 as well. Although they've largely done away with the briefcase idea and the Tokyo Dome main event spot being something that is genuinely at threat, we still did see the same matches happen in 2022 (Kazuchika Okada vs JONAH) and 2023 (Testuya Naito vs Jeff Cobb) in spite of that. So we can expect that tradition to continue. Interestingly, Shota Umino will have the claim to that match should Shingo Takagi OR Zack Sabre Jr win the G1 Climax. If Yota suji wins, it would technically be Konosuke Takeshita, and they are tied at 1-1 after this G1, but if Takeshita isn't sticking around for even one more match in New Japan this year, then we'd get Tsuji vs El Phantasmo instead. (As a current mid card title holder were not even going to discuss the impossibility of David Finlay winning the G1.) Personally, Umino vs Takagi/ZSJ would definitely be big enough to main event it's own show (Destruction would be my bet) and is probably the first one of these matches since 2021 to actually be even the slightest bit up in the air. Though it could also be on the undercard of KOPW like usual.
Then there's also the mid card title defenses to consider, of which Tsuji again factors into as he was the first to beat David Finlay in B Block and will almost certainly beat him again today in the semi finals so that's another possible show main event. Ordinarily we'd see that at Power Struggle, but then there's also Historic X-Over to consider.
Lots of exciting and interweaving directions New Japan can go beyond this incredibly well booked G1 Climax. I hope they capitalise on all the potential and really go for it in the fall (which is often the least exciting part of the New Japan calendar.)
What are your thoughts?
by SubstantialStill1431
