Post your feedback, comments and questions for John Pollock, Wai Ting and WH Park for their review of the NJPW G1 Climax 28 Final out later today for free on the POST Wrestling Café feed.
What was your favourite match of the tournament?
Andre from Edmonton
My favorite match was a Zack Sabre Jr vs Naito from the B Block Finals
Will john be releasing his full list of matches he has ranked from the G1? I’d like to see the full list and how everything ranked for you.
Matthew from Newcastle UK
The G1 still cements it’s place as the best 3 weeks of consistent wrestling throughout the year. Ishi was by far, the MVP of the tournament, I hope he has a competitive and fun title defence with Omega. Also, do you think we get Omega/Tanahashi in the dome or will the cleaner drop the title before then
Scott from Toronto
This was my first time watching a G1 in full, and the whole experience blew me away. I understand this year’s tournament was quite different with regard to the interference and cheating from the Tongans and Jay White, but overall I felt it was a great introduction.
Tournament MVP: Ishii
Favourite match: Tie between Naito vs. Sanada and Ishii vs. Goto.
Two questions:
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I’m concerned the Harold Meij on-screen stuff with GOD / Fale is a misguided attempt to appeal to a more global audience. Do you see this happening more often or did this feel like a test to gauge fan reaction?
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Do you see Gedo eventually putting the belt back on Naito for a long-term run?
This was a great G1 So many Great Matches. After all that cheating by the tongans they finally do something significant to affect kennys G1 and then they cleanly win the Never Six man titles
Favorite Match: tie Kota ibushi vs Hiroshi tanahashi or Kenny Omega vs ishii
questions
When do you think Kota ibushi will face Kenny Omega for the title?
Dustin, from Maui
I just wanted to thank you for all of the hard work, Brad, W.H. Park, and especially Chris Charlton. Omega/Ishii will always be my go to match.
Question: Is Harold Meij the actual president of NJPW, or is he synonymous to Jack Tunney?
Btw, holy shit!! They put out a BTE episode, super quick!!
Mj,
First and foremost a HUGE thanks to all of you, Chris Engler, and a special shout out to friend of the Cafe Chris Charlton for being a superb addition to the G1 experience.
Maybe it is recency bias but I felt all 3 main events at Budakahn were of five-star quality. The Final proves why Tanahashi is the ACE. Maybe a controversial opinion but I’ve viewed his in-rink akin to John Cena with his 5 moves of doom. After last night I’ve completely come around on that opinion - he’s tremendous. The shots he took from Ibushi and that hulked-up walkdown he did backing Kota into the corner had me shaking my head in disbelief. What a slap box fight!! Tremendous match that had just about everything in it. A truly memorable final, after two extremely well done and emotional block finals.
Kevin Kelly is the best commentator in pro wrestling today. The work he has put in, the passion for the company that comes through,-‘d his ability to make you invest in the history behind the matchups - I could not imagine watching this much wrestling without him. I’ll continue to preach his work as he just doesn’t get the credit he deserves because the AXS shows do not feature him. He’s top of the class.
I have come to adopt the motto In Gedo We Trust. The booking of New Japan never seizes to play out in ways that make you excited for what’s next. Kenny and Tanahashi is fresh and a direction I didn’t expect…but will Kenny still be champ? If Ibushi and Kenny aren’t at the Dome, then where? If Okada and Naito are penciled out of the Dome, what will happen and how will Jericho play into it. And how does the booking at the Dome play into booking the Garden. Those are just a few of the questions I was thinking that come out of the final few nights but in reality, so much has been set up and so many directions can be taken.
Other notes from the Final night: Was curious to see Cody get positioned as a challenger to Juice despite Juice already having a long list of challengers, and still kind of disappointed Rey isn’t being used for marquee singles matchups.
What a time to be into this promotion. And wrestling. Sad to see the G1 end, but excited for Summer…to continue here in New York. You thought I was going to say something else didn’t you?!
2 Likes
Tommy from Scotland
We are very lucky. What an unbelievable tournament, especially the last three main events. I still think the last three nights of 2017 were better.
I think like most people Ishii was my MVP. I think Omega/Ishii was the best match but my favourite was Omega/Naito as they are my two favourites. Their match from last years final is the most fun I’ve had watching wrestling. Another highlight of the tournament was Omega/Yano which is a testament to how great Kenny is. It also shows how much of a fanboy of his I am. Him vs Tanahashi will be out of this world.
The only downside was the all the DQ finishes but I have trust or maybe it’s blind faith that Gedo has a master plan with a great payoff.
I didn’t know until today but I need a Mysterio/Okada match ASAP. What do you think are the chances we see Okada/White and Naito/Jericho at the dome.
I said it in the Being The Elite review and I’ll say it again, I’m forever thankful to Matt, Nick and Kenny for turning me onto New Japan.
Lastly, a massive thanks to you guys for all the great reviews even if I didn’t quite understand the coffee and sandwich ratings.
1 Like
Bill from Omaha, Nebraska
While I thought last year’s G1 was much better, I am still in awe of the tournament’s quality of matches and how can you not be moved by the finals this year? I guess some people are really upset Ibushi didn’t win, but I have no problem with Tanahashi heading to the Tokyo Dome again…hopefully to face Omega. I would say Ibushi vs. Tanahashi was my favorite of the tournament, followed by Ishii/Omega and Ibushi/Ishii. Not a huge fan of the President Meij’s involvement, but I’m willing to let it play out before I make a decision.
Quick question: I know we’re forecasting, but what do you expect Tanahashi’s role to be for the G1Supercard MSG show? I have a feeling this win is building towards that for some reason.
Thank you John, Wai and WH for your hard work and your coverage all month of this great event! Appreciate it!
Brandon from Oshawa
Thanks to everyone involved with all of your coverage and with the G1 contest.
I thought this final was the best match of the G1, followed by both of Ishii’s matches with Ibushi & Omega. With Tanahashi only losing once during the G1 and only having 1 person to defend the briefcase against, I was almost hoping for The Tongans to run out and interrupt the ceremony, to set up a small feud. I think it would have capped what they set out to do during the G1. How would you guys have felt if that had happened?
Ryan from Kitchener.
Never watched a New Japan show until a little over a month ago. Specifically subscribed to NJPW World for the Cow Palace show and G1 tournament, and have not been disappointed!
Prior to seeing for myself; I was one of the sinical WWE fans, that thought the NJPW craze must be a case of complete over hype. One month later, the NJPW characters, story telling, and insane match quality has got me fully hooked. NJPW does so many simple things well; for example, I completely popped out of my couch the other night for the Zac Driver. Build up anything for a month straight, and the payoff will not disappoint! It’s the simple things like this that have brought back the magic of being a wrestling fan!
Now, I’m actually regretting the fact that there appears to be no more NJPW in my life for the next month! Haven’t felt this way for any sport, sine the 2015 Jays run came to an end!
Anyways, I’ve enjoyed listening to you guys over the past month; keep up the great work!
2 Likes
Chris from Melbourne, Australia.
Yet another G1 is in the books and whilst it may not have lived up to last years in ring expectations (thanks to Tama, Fale, & White) I still really enjoyed the whole tournament.
Match of the tournament in my opinion would be “Goto v Ishii” from B block. Also both Jay White & Hangman Page look like new stars to the fans.
An huge thanks to Chris Engler & POST Wrestling for the G1 contest it was a lot of fun, even if I tied with “Rando-Bot 2000” on 45/90.
Question:
With MSG now sold out for the NJPW/ROH show, where do you see Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, & Cody that weekend?