New Japan Pro Wednesday (7/11) Hiromu Takahashi Update, G1 Predictions, More

G1 Climax 28 Prediction

The G1 Climax is coming up. The 28th annual tournament will see 19 of NJPW’s best wrestlers and 1 Toru Yano vie for the chance at the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13. Like most years, the IWGP Heavyweight Champion is competing but not a likely victor.

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada & Tetsuya Naito all head into the tournament looking to win their 3rd G1 Climax, a feat only accomplished by Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Masahiro Chono. Chono went on to win a total of 5 G1s. Tanahashi, Okada and Naito all deserve a place next to Chono and Tenzan, but only one gets that honor this year.

Hiroshi Tanahashi has felt like a king without a crown for most of the year. After being tortured into relinquishing the IWGP Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship to Minoru Suzuki, he’ll be looking for revenge when the two clash on July 14th the first night of the tournament. Tanahashi’s August 10th match against Kazuchika Okada will likely decide the winner of A Block.

Kazuchika Okada has a tough road through A Block. He’ll be starting the tournament against Jay White. White has been threatening Okada’s leadership since joining CHAOS and both men will be looking to prove their worth after losing their respective titles. Okada is coming off a historic title reign, and adding a third G1 Climax win would be a golden cherry on top of his year. However, Okada is going to have to make it through the likely winner of B Block.

Tetsuya Naito will win B Block. There is very little doubt. Omega and Ibushi will likely wrestle to a time limit draw, and the rest of B Block aren’t quite at that Tokyo Dome level yet. Naito avenging his Wrestle Kingdom 12 loss to Okada in the finals of the G1 just feels right. Naito is the Stone Cold Steve Austin of Japan at the moment, and his time is now.

Whethere Naito, Okada or Tanahashi, this year’s G1 winner is likely to make history. Naito is the only winner that makes sense. He is a merchandise machine and his feud with Chris Jericho has brought a plethora of eyes to the product, in the way that Okada and Tanahashi have not. Naito lost the IWGP Intercontinental Title as well as the Tokyo Dome main event, but Trainquilo, Naito will be The Man in 2019.

Likely Outcome: Tetsuya Naito def. Kazuchika Okada to win the G1 Climax.

WrestleZone will have a full G1 Climax Preview on Thursday 7/12.

Kojima Update

Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima took to twitter to remember former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto. Hashimoto died on this date in 2005. Kojima has been injured since January.

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