NJPW G1 Special IWGP US Championship Tournament: Preview and predictions

At the NJPW G1 Special in USA, the first ever IWGP US Heavyweight Champion will be crowned, so we preview and predict the entire tournament

Pro wrestling fans have access to the best that the business has to offer basically with a few clicks and likely a monthly payment. That’s the beauty of the internet and streaming. However, there’s still nothing that quite touches being at a pro wrestling show. So for fans in the United States that have caught on to the wonders of New Japan Pro Wrestling, that’s always been unfortunate. But that all changes on Saturday night with the NJPW G1 Special in USA.

In a historic two-night event from Los Angeles, CA, New Japan will host a pair of shows that promise to be huge. On the first day/night of the festivities, Cody will look to dethrone Kazuchika Okada as he challenges for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Meanwhile, the IWGP Tag Team and Intercontinental belts will also be defended throughout both nights.

But at the heart of their venture stateside is the debut of a new championship, the promotions first in over two decades. The first-ever IWGP US Heavyweight Champion will be crowned in Los Angeles over the weekend. To decide who will be bestowed with the fresh belt, there will be an eight-man tournament.

Kenny Omega, Jay Lethal, Tetsuya Naito, Juice Robinson, Hangman Page, Tomohiro Ishii, Michael Elgin and Zack Sabre Jr. will compete in a straight-up tournament for the title. The quarterfinal matches will take place on Day 1 of the G1 Special in USA and then the semifinals and final will take place on Day 2.

With so much talent, any of the eight would be fantastic choices to hold the IWGP US Heavyweight Championship. There can only be one, however. Taking what we know about each guy and projecting a bit, let’s preview and predict the entire tournament and see if we can’t call our shot as to who will be the first to hold the new title.

Quarterfinal 1: Jay Lethal vs. Hangman Page

This match between Jay Lethal and Hangman Page should be both brutal and exciting. Lethal is one of the most versatile wrestlers in the business, possessing an ability to be a high-flyer type while also displaying tremendous power at times as well. Page, since joining Bullet Club, has been much more of a brutal brawler type than before. However, he too is a versatile in-ring talent that should mesh well with Lethal.

For some, Lethal seems like a winner pick for the entire tournament. Given his status in Ring of Honor and notoriety in the US, that would make sense to a degree. With that being said, his star hasn’t truly started to shine just yet in New Japan Pro Wrestling. He’s performed across the Pacific on a number of occasions, but he hasn’t quite connected as hoped. Meanwhile, Page has connected, but in the sense of being a heel as he’s one of the most vicious wrestlers in the promotion right now.

When these two face off, however, Lethal feels like the best choice to get the win in the quarterfinal matchup. With this being their first time in the states, NJPW will try and stack the semifinal slate on Day 2 to help garner more interest. As such, Lethal is the more recognizable and probably marketable name for them in America. Because of that, he should skate by Page in this contest.

Predicted Winner: Jay Lethal