Not Just Another Tournament- Previewing The NJPW 2013 G1 Climax

Invading stable season is almost behind us in the world of wrestling. (Or, as much as it ever will be. It got pretty crazy there for a while though.) Heel authority figure season has given us Brad Maddox as General Manager, meaning all is forgiven there. But now summer is here. And now, wrestling has found a new obsession. It’s now tournament season in professional wrestling. In the US the TPI has been resurrected to try and reclaim it’s crown as #1 indy wrestling tournament. BOLA is coming up fast, Ring Of Honor have their title tournament starting soon and even the Wrestling Is ensemble are getting in on the action. Oh yeah and there’s that TNA thing.

Of course, tournament season never really ends in Japan. The Champion Carnival leads to the Best Of Super Juniors, the Global Tag League will tide you over until King Of Gate, there’s Hyper Leagues and Summer Adventure Leagues and a Fire Festival if that’s more your thing. Basically, wait long enough and there’ll be a tournament or two on the horizon. In recent years though, one has risen above the others as the marquee tournament in the Japanese wrestling calendar.

The 2013 G1 Climax runs from August 1st to August 11th, with nine shows, all of which will be now available on iPPV through UStream. Yes, ALL of them. At the moment they can be bought as a 9 show package for $150, but will hopefully be offered individually as well. A round robin tournament is split into two blocks of 10 wrestlers, with the top competitors in each block facing each other in the final where the winner gets a future shot at the IWGP Title.

(Basically, imagine the TNA one, except you don’t have to worry about it being ruined by battle royals and random gimmicks for “bonus points” that defeat the point of the tournament)

20 wrestlers, 91 matches. As tournaments go, this is the big one. And this year could be the most stacked G1 there’s ever been.

BLOCK A

-CONTENDERS-

Prince Devitt

Prince Devitt is many things. He’s real. He’s a shooter. He’s the leader of the Bullet Club. He’s the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, the 2013 Best Of The Super Juniors winner and he’s making his second G1 appearance, this time as a psuedo heavyweight. He’s also a potential perfect foil for somebody to get a memorable, against the odds G1 Final victory against, which is why the chances of him adding G1 Block A winner to his list of achievements for the year seem pretty good. Devitt also comes into the G1 off the back of an unsuccessful IWGP Title match with Kazuchika Okada. Facing Okada again in the G1 will be a quick chance for Devitt to get his win back. Nobody would be hurt losing to Devitt in a G1 setting, particularly if the Bullet Club are at ringside to lend their moral support. So chances are he’ll be in the mix on the final day and maybe even making it to the finals.

Katsuyori Shibata

As possible fresh contenders for the IWGP Title go, Shibata might carry the most excitement. There’s a different kind of atmosphere whenever Shibata wrestles in New Japan. Putting that into a major main event setting must be pretty tempting. And now any controversy there may have been over him being in the company is seemingly resolved, this might be the time to capitalise on that excitement.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

NJPW have been sharing the love around in recent years. The last time a non repeat winner took the G1 was 2006. Since then, it’s been first time champions all the way. If anybody’s going to buck that trend, it’s probably going to be Hiroshi Tanahashi. Why? Well for a start, because he’s Hiroshi Tanahashi. But beyond that the G1 is the gateway to a shot at the IWGP Title and although Tanahashi versus Okada has been done numerous times already and Tanahashi really doesn’t need a reason to get another title shot, this would be a reason to do it again. And Tanahashi hasn’t had his rematch with Okada yet. It’s probably not going to be Tanahashi, it’s probably even best that it’s not. But he hasn’t won the G1 since 2007 and ruling him out of winning anything in New Japan would be foolish.

(Also of note, Shibata and Tanahashi’s match is currently listed as the last block match on the final night, which probably means one or both will still have a mathematical chance of making it to the final.)

-OUTSIDERS-

Hirooki Goto

If there was a ceiling in New Japan, Goto seems to be the one person who’s head keeps bouncing off of it. In reality, he’s not doing too badly for himself. Three New Japan Cup wins, an Intercontinental Title run, even a G1 win in 2008. But he never wins the World Title. Everything but? Sure! But actually becoming the top guy? He’s had chances but lost every time. And yet somehow he seems to be hanging in there as a top guy, mostly due to great performances in those losing title match efforts, despite some pretty reasonable fears from most that not pulling the trigger on him would leave him damaged goods. He’s always right there, in and around the top of the card and after such a strong performance against Shibata at Dominion maybe he’s made people sit up and take notice. If so, he could feasibly win the G1 again. After all, he’s good at winning things which aren’t the IWGP Title.

Kazuchika Okada

After fending off the Bullet Club at Kizuna Road, Okada enters the G1 as IWGP Heavyweight Champion. The last person to win the G1 as champion was Kensuke Sasaki. In 2000. Thirteen years ago. Suffice is to say, odds of Okada winning and thus New Japan passing the yearly chance to build a credible next challenger seem slim. Especially now New Japan have set the precedent of the G1 winner getting to carry around a shiny briefcase. Who doesn’t like that? Add in the fact Okada won last year and nobody’s won two G1s in a row since 2004 and it’s not looking good. But, who knows. Records are there to be broken.

-ALSO-RANS-

Tomohiro Ishii

Ishii has been with New Japan for 7 years now. This is his first G1. For most of those 7 years, Ishii has been that guy in the background, either as a part of GBH or CHAOS, largely filling a role best described as “tag team partner”. A utility guy. A safe pair of hands. Then, in the past couple of years, it’s become abundantly clearly to anyone watching NJPW who hadn’t already realised. Tomohiro Ishii is kinda bad ass. Any time he’s been given a chance to step up and mix it with the big boys, he’s delivered. Over delivered even. Facing Yuji Nagata on PPV in November 2011 was a chance to show what he could do. His match with Goto for the Intercontinental Title in May last year was great. His match with Masato Tanaka for the NEVER Title in February was even better. And now, finally, probably a year or two overdue, he’s getting the chance to really mix it with the big boys in the G1. Just being in the G1 is a milestone for the guy, so don’t expect him to win it. I’d love for Ishii to make the final. And I’m sure a large vocal part of the crowd would as well. But, it’s not happening. It’s not the winning, it’s the finally getting to take part that counts.

Togi Makabe, Satoshi Kojima

New Japan law seems to dictate that as a former champion, Makabe gets an IWGP Title match once a year. Well, he’s had his quota for 2013. As for Kojima, he’s one half of the Tag Team Champions. The chances of either of them winning seem slim. Simply put they don’t need to. Makabe won the G1 in 2009. Kojima won in 2010. There’s always a small chance with Makabe and his title match with Okada did go down well, but I can’t see either of these two being given a second G1 win this year.

-ZERO CHANCE-

Lance Archer, Davey Boy Smith Jr.

Archer and Davey Boy are the current NWA World Tag Team Champions and former IWGP Tag Team Champions. Key words, tag team. They’re arguably the most important team in the tag division and they’ve both got as far as Intercontinental Title shots this year as singles. Winning the G1 though? Doubtful. Very doubtful.

MATCHES TO GET HYPED FOR:

Katsuyori Shibata vs. Everyone- Confession. I’m not a shoot style fanatic. I’m perfectly content for pro wrestling to be pro wrestling and for MMA to carry on being MMA. And on the list of reasons I watch wrestling, realism is probably far, far down the list. All I’m after is something that’s entertaining and done well (or endearingly badly, but that’s another story), no matter what the style. And Katsuyori Shibata does kicking people really hard very well. His match with Goto in June at Dominion was a stand out performance and one of his few singles matches so far since returning to New Japan. All of which means two things. One, lots of fresh match ups and two, lots of intriguing style clashes.

Of his nine G1 opponents, Shibata has faced Goto and Makabe in singles matches since coming back. And they were all pretty wild. Shibata vs. Tanahashi is maybe most exciting of his block matches because of their history. They were both NJPW young lions 13 years ago and after their careers took such different paths, haven’t wrestled since a one off match in 2006. Then there’s the intrigue in how Shibata will mesh with bigger opponents in Archer and Davey Boy, plus how Shibata the shoot fighter against Devitt ‘the real shooter’ and the Bullet Club will play out. Shibata vs. Ishii should be another crazy brawl and Shibata vs. Kojima likely the same. Oh, and then there’s the small matter of Shibata vs. Okada, first time ever.

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tomohiro Ishii- Tanahashi is the pretty boy face of New Japan. Ishii is the loveable, tough bastard underdog. Not only is this happening, it’s happening in Korakuen Hall. You can almost guarantee the crowd are going to be vocally supporting Ishii here and it’s going to be great. Not just the match, but the atmosphere. In a tournament this stacked there’s maybe 10-15 potential sleeper matches. This is high on the list.

Any combination of Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada and Hirooki Goto- Can’t argue with (as close to as is possible) guaranteed great matches.

Hirooki Goto vs. Tomohiro Ishii- See above, especially as it’ll be on the final night in Sumo Hall.

Lance Archer vs. Davey Boy Smith Jr.- Because who doesn’t like seeing tag team partners fighting each other?

BLOCK B

-CONTENDERS-

Shinsuke Nakamura

Consensus on Shinsuke, not that I’ve asked anyone in order to form one, seems to be twofold. He’s awesome and seeing him paired against Okada for the IWGP Title would be great, possibly even on January 4th at the Tokyo Dome. It seems like Okada and Nakamura for the title has to happen at some point and Nakamura winning the G1 again would be as good of an excuse as any to do it. He did win the G1 as recently as 2011 though and after Kizuna Road is back as Intercontinental Champion.

Tetsuya Naito

During last year’s G1 was where Tetsuya Naito suffered the knee injury that’s kept him out of action for most of the last year. It might have been a full year had he not decided to keep wrestling on it for two months anyway, to the point people started to assume he must not actually be injured because he’s still on every show, but I digress. He returned at Dominion and is back in the running for the G1 this year. He’s got a few things going for him. One, he’s never been IWGP Champion, but seems destined to be at some point barring injury or other mishap. Two, he’s never won the G1 so he’d be another in the run of first time winners. And three, the injury story. A triumphant comeback and G1 win, leading to a match for the IWGP Title and an eventual victory? Seems plausible to me. More than plausible.

-OUTSIDERS-

Yuji Nagata

Considering Nagata has been around for so long and was one of the main stars during New Japan’s down period, it’s somewhat surprising he’s only won the G1 once, in 2001. Since New Japan has rebounded Nagata has been able to take a bit more of a back seat to the newer stars. But it seems plausible that at some point, whether it’s in the G1 or with the World Title, there’d be money and interest in “one more run” for Nagata. And Nagata versus Okada would be a fresh match up.

Minoru Suzuki

Unlike with Nagata, Suzuki and Okada is a feud we just got through seeing. While another IWGP Title opportunity is probably going to have to wait a while Suzuki will probably still be in the reckoning on the final night. So far, he’s never been in a G1 final. A spot that he’s more than qualified for. An outside bet, but a realistic potential finalist at some point in his career.

Karl Anderson

Making it to last year’s final made Anderson the first gaijin to do so since Rick Rude in 1992. Since then Anderson has turned his back on the fans and hooked up with Prince Devitt to form the Bullet Club, which has so far made him if not a number two in the group then a 1B, while Devitt has risen to challenging the IWGP Champion. Making it to the final two years in a row would be a surprise, unless Okada’s match with Devitt leads into a follow up against Anderson.

-ALSO-RANS-

Shelton “X” Benjamin

Last year seemed like a case of testing the waters for Shelton Benjamin in NJPW. He was sort of there, but he sort of wasn’t. He teamed with MVP a few times and he was in the G1. But it wasn’t until he joined Suzuki-gun that it was clear he was there to stay. And after pinning Nakamura in a tag team match at Dominion it seems clear he’s a much bigger part of New Japan’s plans now than last year. Expect Shelton to rack up a decent points total and score some big wins along the way. Making it to the final is likely a step too far.

Kota Ibushi

According to the good people @DramaticDDT who would know better than I, Kota Ibushi had stated in an interview that competing in the G1 was a dream of his. Ibushi is predominantly a DDT guy, but has had runs as the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and has been a semi regular guest in New Japan in recent years. This time he’s in with the heavyweights and though he won’t be expected to win the block, he’ll be motivated to have some great matches.

Toru Yano, Hiroyoshi Tenzan

In the G1, different people have different roles. Yano and Tenzan are two guys with very clearly defined once a year roles every August. Yano’s story is usually the same. Cause some havoc, score a few upsets, spoil other people’s chances of winning and have a great match with Tanahashi where the crowd cheer him over the face of the company. Unlike the past 4 years he won’t get the Tanahashi match, but the rest checks out.

For Tenzan, he’s in a similiar position. He has three G1 wins, second only to Masahiro Chono and is the official go to G1 veteran. He’ll get 3 or 4 wins, drop a few falls and at some point in the tournament he’s liable to have an out of nowhere great match with tons of heat, as he has the past two years with Nakamura. And probably will do again with Nakamura since they’re in the same block.

-ZERO CHANCE-

Yujiro Takahashi

As Chris Jericho once said, “Does he have a chance? 0/10. No way.”

MATCHES TO GET HYPED FOR:

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kota Ibushi- This is, at the moment, listed as the main event of August 4th in Osaka. Since the other two top matches are rematches from the last Osaka PPV less than two months ago, it seems like this’ll be the show where Ibushi gets highest billing. And what better match to do so? As best I can tell the only interaction these two have had before was in a six man tag two years ago. Getting to see them one on one should be fantastic.

Kota Ibushi vs. Everyone Else- Putting a junior heavyweight in the G1 usually leads to lots of intriguing matches, with the way Japan treats it’s weight divisions. With Ibushi being an outsider junior that means even more new matches. Matches with Nagata, Suzuki and Tenzan are huge styles clashes I’m fascinated to see play out. Benjamin and Naito are a little more suited to Ibushi’s style and if everything clicks those matches could be great. Anderson should be a solid base for Ibushi, the Yano match will be wacky and Yujiro is basically still a junior himself, so there should be no problems meshing there. As long as Ibushi can hold up through the schedule, he’ll be the one to watch in Block B.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Yuji Nagata- I hadn’t realised, it’s been two full years and more since Nakamura and Nagata faced each other one on one. Nakamura’s only got better and better since then.

Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki- If you’ve seen the matches between Suzuki and Nagata at the Tokyo Dome this year or in 2011, you know what to expect here.

Toru Yano vs. Minoru Suzuki- The Yano Suzuki match that aired on PPV was about as close to an extended squash as you’ll see on a NJPW iPPV, to build Suzuki for his title match with Okada. The match they had at last year’s G1 was different. It was more competitive, it was more evil scheming and it featured the best 19 count and barely make it back in the ring spot I think I’ve ever seen. If Yano’s going to have fun with someone in his block, it’s probably Suzuki.

So that’s your rundown of who and what to look out for. If you’re wealthier than me, you can order all nine shows for $150 here:

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/njpw1972

and if you want to read more G1 talk, you can read another in depth guide being compiled here:

http://t.co/HxLfomZ8uK