It is the most wonderful time of the year. It is NJPW G1 Climax 31 A Block time! The G1 Climax is arguably the most prestigious pro-wrestling tournament in the world. The 31st G1 Climax is filled with some exciting storylines as it starts in September for the second straight year. During this unique year, New Japan has had many stops and starts because of the Pandemic. Can they regain their momentum with the G1?
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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 21st. Let us take a closer look at a talented A Block field:
A Block:
Kota Ibushi
We start with the back-to-back G1 Climax winner Kota Ibushi, who must be aching to go after his wins in 2019 and 2020. Can Ibushi become the first man since the legendary Antonio Inoki to win at least three straight G1 tournaments? If he is to pull off this historic feat, he will have to overcome some major challenges.
Kota Ibushi missed two months of action this summer with a serious case of pneumonia. However, he returned at the Wrestle Grand Slam show on September 4th in a grueling match against Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. Is that a sign of good things to come for Ibushi, or will he not be ready for the grinding G1 schedule?
Zack Sabre Jr.
The most dangerous technical wrestler in New Japan Pro Wrestling is back for his fifth G1 tournament. In recent months, Sabre has focused on tag team action with Taichi as part of the Dangerous Tekkers. They are currently in their third reign as the IWGP Tag Team Champions. The G1 Climax, however, is another story.
Sabre has come so close to winning his block on multiple occasions in the last four years. Will this finally be the year he breaks through and wins the whole tournament? We know he will be looking forward to a match in this block with Kota Ibushi. A duo with a rivalry as storied as theirs is bound to put on a show-stealer in the A-block.
Tomohiro Ishii
Ishii is always one of the most underrated wrestlers in the entire world. He has consistently been putting on some of the greatest matches in the world for years. But despite his talent, he has always fallen short in the G1 Climax tournament.
In his 9th consecutive tournament, can Ishii break through a stacked A-Block? He has had some success as the NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champion in 2021. However, the Stone Pitbull will have to get off to a big start in this tournament. He will be facing Shingo Takagi on the opening night. It will be a huge main event on the very first night of G1. Will Ishii be ready?
NJPW G1 Climax 31 A Block
Great-O-Khan
Since rejoining New Japan as the Great-O-Khan in October of 2020, O-Khan has been a blunt instrument for the United Empire. He has even had huge matches against Hiroshi Tanahashi and Tetsuya Naito in recent months. However, despite his 6 years with NJPW, he has yet to compete in the G1 Climax.
Great-O-Khan has been a danger to any opponent in 2021. So, what underhanded tactics will he use to pull out victories in the tournament? With some of his rivals like Toru Yano and Tetsuya Naito in the A Block, he will be determined to impress in his inaugural G1.
Toru Yano
Toru Yano, the famous trickster of New Japan, is entering his 16th G1 Tournament. He has never been a favorite to win the tournament but has played a major spoiler to many wrestlers over the history of the G1. Whose chances with Yano ruin in 2021?
Yano has focused on the KOPW champion in recent months. He has won the title on four separate occasions over the past two years. He even won back the KOPW Provisional Championship in an “I Quit” Match at Wrestle Grand Slam. Can Yano use this mean streak to surprise the A Block in this year’s G1 Climax?
NJPW G1 Climax 31 A Block
KENTA
KENTA is not in a very good mood. He spent most of the year baiting Jon Moxley and looking to win the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. On a huge episode of NJPW Strong earlier this winter, he was unsuccessful against Moxley. Unfortunately for KENTA, things have gotten worse in 2021.
KENTA came down with a case of Covid-19. While he has thankfully recovered, he hasn’t wrestled since July 25, 2021. Can KENTA be ready for the grueling G1 Climax tournament? We know he will want revenge against one of his biggest rivals, Kota Ibushi.
Shingo Takagi
The defending IWGP World Heavyweight Champion has a huge target on his back. Shingo has defended his title on two occasions heading into the G1 Climax. We know if loses any matches in the tournament, he sets that victor up for a future title shot. The stakes for Takagi couldn’t be much higher.
One interesting match in this block will be against fellow Los Ingobernables De Japon member Tetsuya Naito. In 2019, Naito defeated his fellow stablemate. So will Takagi be able to get his revenge in 2021?
NJPW G1 Climax 31 A Block
Tanga Loa
Since joining New Japan in 2016, Tanga Loa has mainly been a tag team specialist. However, as part of Guerrillas of Destiny, he has become a 7-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. In 2021, he enters the G1 Climax for the first time ever.
Can Tanga Loa impress in the biggest singles matches in his career? He will certainly try to use his size and power in the dangerous A Block. But, can he impress and overcome the shadow of his brother, Tama Tonga?
Yujiro Takahashi
Yujiro Takahashi returns to the G1 Climax after a disappointing showing in 2020. Last year, he was on track to finish the tournament with 0 points. However, that all changed on the tournament’s final night with an upset victory over Jeff Cobb. So what will the “Tokyo Pimp” do with another chance in 2021?
While Jeff Cobb has gone on to more success this year, Takahashi has been more focused on helping his Bullet Club colleagues instead. Will he improve on his two-point performance in 2020? It seems like he has nowhere to go but up in his 8th G1 Climax.
NJPW G1 Climax 31 A Block
Tetsuya Naito
Naito’s 2021 has been filled with heartbreak. He lost to Kota Ibushi at Wrestle Kingdom on January 4th. He tried to get his revenge against Ibushi at Castle Attack in February but fell short yet again. Since that night, he has focused on tag team gold with SANADA. Will Naito be ready for singles glory yet again?
Naito won the G1 Climax in 2013 and 2017. Will he win his third G1 four years later? If he is going to do so, he will have to overcome Kota Ibushi in A Block to do so. It will certainly be an emotional night on October 13th when he gets his hands on his old rival yet again.
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