Judging by how quarter final and semi final structure goes plus C block matchup: C2 will likely be Evil/Shingo (semi main event coming Tue) while C1 will be Finlay / Eddie (main event coming Tue).
[Block D will likely be 2 of the 3: JeffCobb/Naito/ZSJ]
With that as my basis of prediction my playoff – final goes:
Sanada vs Shingo
Okada vs ZSJ
Eddie vs Ospreay
Naito vs Hikuleo
Shingo vs ZSJ
Eddie vs Naito
Shingo vs Naito
Naito wins
– Shingo can then challenge Sanada in Oct, Ospreay can go US to defend the title against Eddie, and we get Naito vs Sanada as TokyoDome main event.
– My heart wants ZSJ / Ospreay but if we want progression then ZSJ beating Okada finally and Shingo beating ZSJ (he lost to Zacky in their last 2 encounter if I not mistaken) would be a good progression plot.
What’s your prediction guys?
6 comments
Eddie isn’t making it out of C block and certainly isn’t beating the Bullet Club leader, that would be crazy. Also EVIL vs Shingo is the main event on tuesday. My guess is:
SANADA vs Shingo; Hikuleo vs Naito; Okada vs ZSJ; Ospreay vs Finlay
Okada vs Shingo; Naito vs Ospreay
Naito vs Okada (Naito wins)
I could easily see EVIL beat Shingo though, but it would be the same result at the end: beating SANADA to get a title shot and losing to Okada in the semis.
Same for the result of Finlay vs Ospreay, I could see Finlay beating Ospreay again but since my guess is that Naito is winning the whole thing, maybe they want him to get his win back from Ospreay.
If we get Okada vs Zack I wish ZSJ would win this time, after seeing Danielson beat Okada by submission it would be fair to expect Zack to be able to do the same but I guess that’s not happening anyway because for some reason Gedo doesn’t want Zack to get that rub even though he’s the perfect guy for it.
It’s pretty much their last chance to do a Naito vs Okada G1 final before all the younger guys take a bigger place next year and it would probably be Naito’s last G1 final so I guess they’ll do it. But a Shingo vs Naito final would also make sense and would be cool. I kinda want to see EVIL beat Shingo though lmao.
Lol if Kaito didn’t make it out of Block A then no way in hell Kingston is making it out of Block C. Outsiders ain’t getting that big of a rub in NJPW.
I’m predicting Finlay Naito finals
It’s total BS if Kingston makes it to the final 8 but not Kaito
I’m just fucking PISSED that in a group with 3 musketeers and the NOAH Ace fucking Hikuleo advances. FUCK.
* SANADA vs Shingo Takagi with Shingo winning
* Kazuchika Okada vs Zack Sabre Jr with Okada winning (Jeff could also be in this spot but I don’t see Goto beating ZSJ)
* David Finlay vs Will Ospreay and I assume Ospreay wins but could see it going either way
* Tetsuya Naito vs Hikuleo with Naito winning
Okada vs Naito in the finals with Naito winning. This way Shingo can challenge SANADA at Destruction in Ryogoku and go on to face Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 18. Naito either gets a win over Ospreay (who he hasn’t beaten yet) or Finlay gets to say he’s a semifinalist. Naito can also get another win over Okada. I believe Okada leads 7-5 since their last match back at Wrestling Dontaku 2023.
If we get Ospreay vs Finlay then I really wish they had just had ELP win and eliminate Finlay to set up another match between the two.