NJPW G1 Special IWGP US Championship Tournament: Preview and predictions

Final: Juice Robinson vs. Kenny Omega

This probably isn’t the matchup that you were expecting to see in the final at the G1 Special in USA for the US Heavyweight Championship Tournament. However, that’s one of the things that makes it beautiful. It’s two supremely talented individuals that will have the chance to go out and provide the special two-night event with a grand finale. And these two should indeed be able to do that.

Because of how highly I’ve touted Omega and his popularity throughout this preview, you might be thinking that I’m predicting that he’s going to win it all. And in fairness to that train of thought, he would make a great deal of sense. If New Japan is trying to draw in American fans, then having the most popular wrestler in the tournament would be a pretty easy course of action.

However, Gedo is too forward thinking to let that happen. Frankly, there are too big of plans for Omega after his two instant-classics with Okada already this year. He’s not going to be stuck defending the US title for the rest of the year and into Wrestle Kingdom 12. That just doesn’t make  sense to lower him on the card like that.

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What does make sense, however, is to give Juice Robinson a dark horse run all the way to the gold. Again, he’s put in the work and has been gaining momentum in a palpable way in 2017 with NJPW. Subsequently, New Japan will reward him and try to further that by dressing him with the new title and a huge victory over Kenny Omega in the final.

Predicted Winner and first-ever IWGP US Heavyweight Champion: Juice Robinson