After an eventful first few days, we can finally take a quick look at the standings of the G1 Climax tournament. Let me just say the past few weeks have been grueling—we got upsets happening left and right, but the tournament is finally showing signs of normalcy as the contenders who were expected to perform well finally got out of their slumps.
Kota Ibushi against Jay White in a rematch of the G1 Climax 29 Final.
Here are the updated points standings for this year's G1 Climax tournament:
A Block:
Kota Ibushi: 3 Wins & 1 Loss = 6 Points
There are no words to describe Kota Ibushi during this tournament. His first post-match interview of the tournament still stands out because of his intentions of becoming God. I can see Ibushi repeating as the G1 Climax winner. Besides a slow, disappointing match with Okada, the rest of Kota Ibushi's matches have given us hit after hit after hit.
Will Ospreay: 3 Wins & 1 Loss = 6 Points
I'm not going to say much. I understand that the Japanese fans love him and they won't care about his recent actions. I don't care. The man needs to take responsibility for his actions. Send a message to New Japan Pro-Wrestling here to raise your concerns.
Minoru Suzuki: 3 Wins & 1 Loss = 6 Points
The G1 30 is the return of the king. Minoru Suzuki showed us why he should have never been removed from the tournament. I would love to see Suzuki reach the A Block Final at the very least.
TAICHI: 3 Wins & 1 Loss = 6 Points
What else is there to say? TAICHI has proved the critics wrong. TAICHI's match with Okada proves that he can hang with the big guns and control the pace of a contest. Yes. You can hate TAICHI for being annoying but you can't deny his wrestling skill anymore. I can see TAICHI finishing in the top four of the A block.
Jay White: 3 Wins & 1 Loss=6 Points
Oh, Switchblade. How we missed you. Please just get rid of the beard. That's all I want and that's what the fans want. We know you're excellent in the ring and we all believe in the #Jay1. Jay White has been delivering quality matches you expect from an NJPW main eventer. I can see him winning the whole tournament.
Jay White gets ready for the G...I mean Jay 1 Climax.
Kazuchika Okada: 2 Wins & 2 Losses = 4 Points
Okada's run in this year's G1 has been odd, to say the least. The Rainmaker's insistence on using the Money Clip submission to finish his matches have made his contests so boring. I started questioning if Okada was injured or just being lazy. A match with Taichi brought out snippets of the Okada we know and love. There are signs of hope that Okada will be back to his top-level self soon enough.
Tomohiro Ishii: 1 Win & 3 Losses = 2 Points
Don't mind Ishii's lack of wins. The Stone Pitbull is here to kick ass and showcase how he can have a great match with almost anyone. Every contest involving Ishii during the tournament has been an all-out brawl and I can't wait to see more from him.
Shingo Takagi: 1 Win & 3 Losses = 2 Points
Shingo's G1 has been a similar path to Ishii. However, I think he'll gain his footing after defeating Ospreay in a rematch of the 2019 Best of The Super Juniors. I don't see Takagi making it to the block final though. His role in NJPW will be similar to Ishii. Always the top in one division but never on the top of the mountain.
Jeff Cobb: 1 Win & 3 Losses = 1 Point
I'll be the first to admit that I haven't seen much of Jeff Cobb's G1 matches. Some fans were not impressed by his showing during the 2019 G1 Climax, but that was probably because he was working hurt. Cobb's work has been much better this year despite the three losses. Don't let the record fool you. Jeff Cobb is pulling off insane moves like he used to, including the F-5000. He'll probably gain a few more wins but it's clear that Cobb will be in the middle of the pack.
F-5000!!! @RealJeffCobb #G1CLIMAX30 #NJPW https://t.co/d63mH2znnl pic.twitter.com/P6uiTfAH6U
— Italo Santana (@BulletClubIta) September 30, 2020
Yujiro Takahashi: 4 Losses = 0 Points
Poor Yujiro! I don't know what else to say. Nobody expects Yujiro to do well in the tournament. The Tokyo Pimps is in the Bad Luck Fale position this year but he has delivered once in a while when he makes an effort against his opponent to show he could still hang... sort of.
B Block
Juice Robinson: 3 Wins & 1 Loss = 6 Points
Juice Robinson has been performing at the same rate as he had before. I see him as another guy who will be in the middle of the pack but not reaching the block final. In retrospect, his match with YOSHI-HASHI ran a little too long and it made the contest boring. Juice is a breath of fresh air in the G1 because of his personality and less of his wrestling style. I like his in-ring work but I await his post-match comments more.
Tetsuya Naito: 3 Wins & 1 Loss=6 Points
Naito is the double champion. I had no doubt he would be delivering night after night. I think it's refreshing to see Tetsuya Naito as the champion during a G1 because we have never seen it before. As Naito is a lifelong fan he knows the expectations that come with being champion during New Japan's biggest tournament. He gave us a wonderful match against Tanahashi and a fun contest with SANADA. I can see Naito doing well for the rest of the tournament and maybe even proceed to the G1 Final.
Toru Yano: 3 Wins & 1 Loss = 6 Points
Yano might just be the biggest surprise of the tournament. Everybody knows that Yano's comedy matches are meant to give his opponents time to rest and basically have a night off. What I wasn't expecting was Yano having a winning record! I can't believe I'm saying this, but I can see Yano making it to the B Block final and giving everyone a heart attack by almost reaching the G1 Final.
Hiroshi Tanahashi: 2 Wins & 2 Losses = 4 Points
Wow. Hiroshi Tanahashi may no longer be the star he once was, but he can still go. His match against Tetsuya Naito got me on the edge of my seat. There's just something about seeing Tanahashi attempt two High Fly Flows despite the whole world knowing his knees are basically dust. I don't see Tanahashi reaching the G1 Final but I can see him being one of the people the eventual B Block winner has to go through.
Zack Sabre Jr.: 2 Wins & 2 Losses = 4 Points
ZSJ has had a lot of variety in his G1 matches. He performed as a face against EVIL but still a heel against the likes of Goto. I loved his quick five-minute match with Goto just for the sake of a twist besides the expected Yano underdog win. B block is filled with so many great wrestlers for SANADA to face. I can even see ZSJ being the man that SANADA has to beat so he can get to the block final.
KENTA: 2 Wins & 2 Losses = 4 Points
Welcome back Classic KENTA. The former NOAH ace is finally getting settled in NJPW and returning as the KENTA that could legitimately break your face with the GTS. He's currently in the middle of the pack but I can see KENTA breaking out and reminding everyone how good he truly is.
EVIL: 2 Wins & 2 Losses = 4 Points
I'm disappointed in EVIL. His run as double champion was boring, to say the least. He's been even more boring in the G1 because he has become another Bullet Club guy who just keeps cheating to win. Not to mention that his matches feel like they're dragging. EVIL usually has his opponent carrying him in the match to make it better. I would have loved to see the former Watanabe become part of the new core of NJPW but his performance in the G1 has been disappointing.
YOSHI-HASHI: 1 Win & 3 Losses = 2 Points
YOSHI-HASHI may be losing matches, but he's winning our hearts. 2020 has been the year of redemption for ChAoS' Charlie Brown. The man has been putting on amazing matches with his opponents. I said that he would be the dark horse of the tournament and I'm glad that YOSHI-HASHI is proving all of the haters wrong. He definitely won't win the tournament, but it would be great to see him reach the block final so he can showcase how good he truly is.
SANADA: 1 Win & 3 Losses = 2 Points
Don't let the record fool you. I still believe SANADA will win the B Block. That shiny new ring gear would be put to waste if he doesn't make it to the G1 Final. He may have lost his first three matches but I think SANADA's match against Naito will be the turning point of his tournament. Time for SANADA to go on a winning streak and become the next G1 Climax winner.
SANADA walks down the entrance walk with shiny new gear.
Hirooki Goto: 1 Win & 3 Losses = 2 Points
I'm surprised that Goto doesn't have more wins at the moment. He's nearly an NJPW Uncle now with the way he's being treated. It's the sad reality that Goto will likely never win the IWGP Heavyweight title or even another G1. Let's just watch him give us a few hard-hitting matches.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I'm more excited about the B Block contests than I am about the A Block. I still see Jay White facing SANADA in the G1 Final. What are your thoughts on the current standings of the G1 Climax? Share them below!
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Steven Maxwell Tan is a data encoder by day for an e-commerce company and podcast/blogger by night for The Geeky Juans. He's a fan of the Anaheim Ducks hockey team and reads comics on the side. Fun fact: He wants to become fluent in Mandarin but he's too lazy to do it at the moment. You can find his geeky thoughts @steviesaidyup on Twitter and The Geeky Juans Podcast.
