G1 Climax night 7 (July 29) Preview
Second night of Fukuoka double header
The second night of a Fukuoka double header sees the A Block back in competition. As the group passes mid way, who can set the pace going into the second half of the league?
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Main event: Tetsuya Naito (1–3) vs SANADA (2–2)
Singles record: 3–2 Naito
It’s a rematch of the Wrestle Kingdom main event in Fukuoka as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito faces SANADA. It’s fair to say that Naito was expecting to be in much better form heading into his fifth; like Jake Lee, over whom El Ingobernable has scored his only points and even then against the run of play, Naito is on two points and in a difficult position. SANADA’s campaign thus far could have been better as well, but there’s a big difference between two points and four, especially with Cold Skull coming off the back of a win.
A second in a row here would not avenge his two losses to Naito this year already in the Tokyo Dome and Hokkai Kita Yell, but it would be a massive boost to SANADA. It would also have Naito severaly concerned as the damage and the losses continue to mount for the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. The Naito Comeback is a trademark of the champion, but can he pull it off this year?
9th Match: Shingo Takagi (2–2) vs Gabe Kidd (2–2)
Singles record: 2–0 Takagi
After a surprise loss to one Briton in Callum Newman in Nagasaki, Shingo Takagi looks to get up to six points against another Brit in Gabe Kidd. Last time these two met in the ring was over the NEVER Openweight Championship at Dontaku right here in Fukuoka; it was a match that Kidd could have won on several occasions, but the pride of the Mad Man got in the way. His desire to deliver a message in punishment rather than score a pinfall victory saw the bout end in defeat; now he seeks to right that perceived wrong. Kidd was frustrated by a loss to SANADA Saturday- who will get to six points first?
8th Match: Shota Umino (2–2) vs Zack Sabre Jr. (4–0)
Singles record: 2–1 Sabre
Zack Sabre Jr came into the G1 promising that this was the year he would lift the trophy, and the ‘coming home’ crowd can be buoyed by his perfect 4–0 record. With many prior G1s seeing the third place pointscorer at ten points when all is said and done, one more win would move Sabre a definitive step closer to the playoffs in record time.
To do that, he has to put away a Shota Umino whose form has been mixed thus far in the tournament. Wins and losses have alternated for the young Roughneck, who seeks his third win on the board this evening. Yet with his hip and back increasingly damaged by the day, there could be no harsher opposition than ZSJ- can he survive?
7th Match: Great-O-Khan (0–4) vs Jake Lee (1–3)
With the top three point scorers in the block advancing to the playoff phase in G1 Climax 34, things are not as bleak for Great-O-Khan at 0–4 as they would be in prior years, but it should be very clear that O-Khan is definitely forced into a corner. Not quite on the bubble, historical precedent has been set for third place in a ten man block being at eight points, but realistically O-Khan needs a win tonight.
One could say similar of Jake Lee. After impressing with a sub five minute win over former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA in his first, Lee hasn’t picked up a second win yet, and the bubble will soon loom. Canj he use his formidable striking skills to get two points from O-Khan, or is it the Dominator’s time at last.
6th Match: Callum Newman (2–2) vs EVIL (4–0)
Every win that Callum Newman has had on his G1 journey from qualifying tournament onward has been the biggest of the young man’s career, yet after a shock upset over Shingo Takagi in Nagasaki, Newman is definitely feeling at his best yet. There’s no doubt that Callum will come to Fukuoka with a ton of momentum, but nobody can kill a mood like EVIL.
Frustrating the crowd in Nagasaki with an ill gotten win over Tetsuya Naito, EVIL onec again repeated the ludicrous claim that NJPW was his company. That’s a claim he’ll look to make all the more vociferously with the real boss Hiroshi Tanahashi at ringside as he remains the oddsmakers favourite to move to ten points.
5th Match: Konosuke Takeshita & Francesco Akira vs BULLET CLUB War Dogs (David Finlay & Gedo)
An uneasy alliance for Konosuke takeshita and United Empire carries into the fifth tag team match of the evening. Takeshita and David Finlay are set to meet Monday- what will the Alpha have in store for the IWGP Global Champion?
4th Match: Hirooki Goto & Tomoaki Honma vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
Before Hirooki Goto aims to mete out some justice to HOUSE OF TORTURE’s Ren Narita Wednesday, a tag team preview will see H.O.T and the CHAOS/Hontai blend of Goto and Tomoaki Honma collide.
3rd Match: Guerrillas of Destiny (Jado & El Phantasmo) vs United Empire (Jeff Cobb & HENARE)
El Phantasmo started his G1 with a painful loss to NEVER Openweight Champion HENARE, who demanded ELP bring more fighting spirit to his tournament in the wake of a mental slump. One week on, and Phantasmo has found his winning ways after putting away Yota Tsuji, but has another tough test ahead of him Wednesday in the form of Jeff Cobb. How will this tag preview play out?
2nd Match: Boltin Oleg & Katsuya Murashima vs Los ingobernables De Japon (Yota Tsuji & BUSHI)
A preview for Wednesday’s B Block action to come, Boltin Oleg and Yota Tsuji will meet in tag action. When both exchanged NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag title wins, Boltin and Tsuji’s interactions were what gained the most attention, and all their focus will be on each other tonight.
1st Match: Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs JustFive Guys (Yuya Uemura & TAKA Michinoku)
Yuya Uemura’s next G1 action will be Wednesday, but an interesting change of pace puts him opposite Toru Yano and Hisohi Tanahashi. In the wake of his main event win over Konosuke Takeshita in Kagawa especially, comparisons are growing between Uemura and the Ace, making this an intriguing opening bout indeed.
