NJPW heads south for a 1 night stint in Kobe before heading to Tokyo. A Block is front and centre again with more huge matches with major consequences. Night 3 was an absolute belter for A Block. Can A Block carry on the momentum?
Yota Tsuji v Gabriel Kidd
We open the night in Kobe with Young Lion action. Tsuji sits top of the unofficial C Block. Another win over Gabriel Kidd will see Yota Tsuji go 2 wins clear of both Kidd and Yuya Uemura. The competition between Young Lions is always fascinating and the brief staredown between Tsuji and Kidd after Tsuji beat Uemura will set the tine for what will be a physical encounter. Tsuji might have the power advantage but can the Englishman’s technique pick up his second win in a row?
Taichi (4pts) v Yujiro Takahashi (0pts)
These 2 have had very differing tournaments so far. Taichi solidified his status as a player with his huge win over his leader Minoru Suzuki. Yujiro lost, yet again, to old rival Kazuchika Okada. On paper this can only go one way. Taichi is a justifiably heavy favourite. The Tokyo Pimp’s win-loss record is horrible. So, why do I get the feeling Yujiro is going to win this? I thought he might steal a win against Okada as well to be fair. Yujiro has to justify his position within the G1 eventually. However, The Holy Emperor feels legit right now. I have nagging doubts but Taichi is just one Black Mephisto away from 6 points.
Jeff Cobb (2pts) v Minoru Suzuki (2pts)
Sleeper match here. These 2 have never faced each other 1 in 1 before in NJPW which makes this all the more fascinating. Cobb has adapted more and more to New Japan’s heavy striking style so this match against the maniacal King of Wrestling looks even more intriguing. Cobb has momentum after his win over Shingo Takagi but Suzuki is hurting. His clean loss to long time protégé Taichi is a stinger. Also, Cobb is going to want to be in with a shout at the NEVER Openweight Championship he won about 18 months ago. A win here and he gives himself a claim at a match for the title. Potential show stealer here.
Kota Ibushi (2pts) v Tomohiro Ishii (0pts)
You like your wrestling physical? Well, the Golden Star and Stone Pitbull is the match for you. Traditionally a high flyer, Ibushi has altered his style the past few years and is now one of the heaviest hitters in the business. Ishii has no reverse gear and his wars over the NEVER Openweight Championship are the things of legend. You want violence? Check out his matches with Shibata. They’re not for the faint of heart though.
Expect forearms, chops and lots of brutal throws and suplexes. The question is who is going to win? A defeat for either could be brutal at this point, especially Ishii. Whatever happens, this has 5 stars wrote all over it.
Will Ospreay (4pts) v Shingo Takagi (0pts)
My match of the year in 2019 was an easy choice. It was the absolute war these two had in the final of Best of the Super Juniors at Ryokoku last summer. Ospreay won that night and won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship from Dragon Lee at Dominion while Takagi jumped straight to the heavyweight division. Both made their G1 debut last year and performed well. Ospreay also made the jump to full time heavyweight after losing the junior title to Hiromu Takahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 14.
The path for both these incredible athletes has been very similar this past year and a half. Until this tournament anyway. Ospreay has gone 2-0 while the Dragon has gone 0-2. I expect Takagi will get a measure of revenge here for the BOSJ Final. Another match of the year? I wouldn’t be suprised.
Kazuchika Okada (2pts) v Jay White (4pts)
Yet again, we’re looking at a match of the year contender potentially. This match between the Rainmaker and King Switch is full of bad feeling. Jay White’s betrayal of Chaos and takeover of Bullet Club also saw Okada’s long time manager, Gedo, defect to the side of the Switchblade. At Wrestle Kingdom 13 we saw Jay White beat Okada in less than 15 minutes. Let that sink in. Okada matches at Wrestle Kingdom regularly go 30-45 minutes. White beat him in 15. A month and a half later Jay White defeated Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
Okada’s career was in the doldrums but he picked himself up and won the New Japan Cup setting up a rematch with Jay White at Madison Square Garden where Okada finally defeat King Switch and won the title in the process on an historic night.
2020 is a very different place though. Jay White has looked unstoppable so far. 2 straight wins leave White joint top of A Block while Okada is only just behind, his post Wrestle Kingdom year has been meandering and directionless. A win for Okada will focus him but can White be stopped? 2020 could be the year of King Switch.
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