It is the most wonderful time of the year. It is G1 Climax time! The G1 Climax is arguably the most prestigious pro-wrestling tournament in the world. The 30th edition of G1 is filled with some very interesting storylines. During this unique year, we will have Will Ospreay, Kenta, Jay White, Jeff Cobb, and Juice Robinson finally returning to Japan for the first time since the Pandemic began. It will be great to see some of the best in New Japan once again. NJPW presents the G1 Climax 30 B Block bracket.
G1 Climax tournament will have two ten wrestler blocks competing in a very grueling round-robin tournament. The winners of A Block and B Block will compete in the G1 Final on October 18th. Let us take a closer look at an exciting B Block field:
Hiroshi Tanahashi
It will be an amazing 19th consecutive appearance in the G1 Climax tournament for the Ace. He is also a three-time winner of the tournament itself. Knowing he has dealt with injuries in the last few years makes those feats all the more remarkable.
The year 2020 has not been the best year for Tanahashi. He lost to Chris Jericho at Wrestle Kingdom. He lost in the first round of the New Japan Cup. Tanahashi even lost the IWGP Tag Team Championship at Dominion and the rematch at Summer Struggle. Can he possibly use the G1 to turn his disappointing year around?
Juice Robinson
Juice Robinson is returning to Japan for the first time since the Pandemic. At Wrestle Kingdom this year, he and David Finlay won the IWGP Tag Team Championships. They lost the title just 28 days later and then a very long break began for Juice.
Juice Robinson has missed seven months with the Pandemic and a leg injury. He even missed the NJPW Strong shows in the United States. After such a long layoff, can Juice Robinson possibly be ready for the grueling G1 tournament schedule?
Hirooki Goto
In 2008 during his G1 debut, Hirooki Goto won the G1 Climax tournament. It seemed Goto was on the verge of greatness. However, he wasn’t able to claim the IWGP Heavyweight Champion in all those years since that G1 Climax win. Goto, it seems, will always fall short.
This will be the 13th consecutive G1 appearance for Goto. He always puts on good matches in the tournament. Can he overcome past disappointments and finally win his second G1 tournament after all these years?
NJPW Presents G1 Climax 30 B Block
Toru Yano
This will be the 14th G1 tournament for the trickster of New Japan Pro Wrestling. He doesn’t like to have long matches in the tournament and will look for any shortcut to pull off a quick victory. He also seems to always find a way to play spoiler at the G1 tournament.
Yano has the added wrinkle of being the current KOPW titleholder. With all the unique stipulations for that title, will a new challenge emerge at the G1 Climax? Can Yano really focus when he is looking over his shoulders for new challengers?
YOSHI-HASHI
YOSHI-HASHI had a rough 2019. He was unable to overcome his injuries and missed the G1 Climax for the first time in years. It seems that once again, YOSHI-HASHI wouldn’t live up to his potential.
This year has actually been quite successful for the Head Hunter. He made it all the way to the quarterfinals of the New Japan Cup. In August, he won the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship. It was his first championship in New Japan in his twelve-year career. Can he ride his newfound momentum in his return to the G1?
Tetsuya Naito
Tetsuya Naito is riding high as he enters his 11th consecutive G1 Climax tournament. He overcame his former Los Ingobernables De Japon stablemate EVIL to win back the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships at Summer Struggle. Can he pull off the rare fit of winning the G1 Climax while being the Double Champion?
Naito wants to win the G1 so he can pick his own opponent at Wrestle Kingdom. He will have some potential distractions with his long-time rivalries like KENTA, EVIL, SANADA, and Hiroshi Tanahashi. Can the leader of LIJ continue his great summer run in this grueling tournament?
NJPW Presents G1 Climax 30 B Block
SANADA
SANADA is feeling like the odd man out. His LIJ stablemate Naito is the current Double Champion. His former tag team partner EVIL turned on his team and joined the Bullet Club. He is the only member of Los Ingobernables to not win a title in 2020. Can he get back on track in the G1?
SANADA’s tournament will be filled with big opportunities. He will get another shot at Zack Sabre Jr. who he lost to at Wrestle Kingdom. SANADA will get a shot at revenge against EVIL. He even will get a chance to prove himself against Naito. Will the redemption tour start in the B Block for the “Cold Skull”?
Zack Sabre Jr.
The submission specialist is having a good run in New Japan Pro Wrestling this year. Sabre Jr. and Taichi won the IWGP Tag Team Championship at Dominion. They even defended it at NJPW Summer Struggle. Will he be ready to focus on singles competition again?
He will get a chance at some biggest rivals in B Block. Sabre Jr had a series of matches against EVIL last year. He has feuded this year against SANADA. The B Block seems like a really good place for Sabre Jr. to build on his singles success of the past years.
NJPW Presents G1 Climax 30 B Block
KENTA
KENTA has had a very interesting 2020. He unsuccessfully challenged Naito to the Double Championships at New Beginning. During the Pandemic, he won the New Japan Cup USA to earn a future IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship opportunity. It is time for KENTA to go back to Japan and compete yet again.
KENTA will get another shot at Naito. Even more interesting is a B Block match against EVIL. Can the two members of Bullet Club possibly get along on the big G1 stage?
EVIL
It has been quite a year for EVIL. He betrayed LIJ to join the Bullet Club and win the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships. He was on the top of the New Japan world until he lost both titles to Naito at NJPW Summer Struggle. What will EVIL do now?
He will get another shot at Naito. He will get a shot at his former tag team partner SANADA. The biggest question will be what will be the mindset of EVIL coming off his big title losses? It could make him the most dangerous man in the entire tournament.
