New Japan G1 Climax 29 Night 1: KENTA vs. Kota Ibushi preview

On the first night of the G1 Climax in Dallas, two wrestlers with very different trajectories meet in a first round match with long-term, career implications. See it live on July 6 from Dallas at 6 p.m. Eastern/3 p.m. Pacific on AXS TV.

As New Japan Pro Wrestling brings the famed G1 Climax tournament to Dallas on July 6, one particular first-round A-Block matchup pits two wrestlers who careers intersect at a fascinating moment. Kota Ibushi and KENTA have both been main eventers in Japan, but their careers have moved at different speeds over the year. Now the two will finally collide for the first time in over a decade.

Rising from Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Junior Heavyweight ranks, KENTA became one of NOAH’s most consistent performers, putting on classics with stars like Jushin Thunder Liger and Kenta Kobashi. KENTA finally made a permanent move into the Heavyweight division, defeating Takeshi Morishima for the GHC Championship (NOAH’s World title).

KENTA’s exploits earned the attention of the WWE, who signed him to much acclaim in 2014. He debuted with NXT later that year as Hideo Itami, but his WWE run was marred by injury. He debuted on 205 Live last year before asking for his release from the company in February. As KENTA, he debuted with New Japan at Dominion with former partner, Katsuyori Shibata, declaring his intentions to enter the G1.

Kota Ibushi made his name in DDT, a Japanese comedy promotion, but his unreal athleticism and history of brutal neck bumps helped him build a reputation as one of the country’s best. Ibushi, a semi-finalist in the 2016 WWE Cruiserweight Classic, spent most of 2018 re-teaming with Kenny Omega as the Golden Lovers. Widely regarded as one of the best independent performers in Japan, Ibushi became a New Japan mainstay this year, already having a run with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.

Heading into this G1 Climax, Ibushi seems to be a star on the rise, and many have pegged him as the top contender to win not only A Block but the entire tournament. A potential Wrestle Kingdom rematch with Okada could be a special event.

KENTA, on the other hand, comes in as a man trying to rebuild his legacy. After a disastrous WWE tenure, the former NOAH star needs to prove, to the world and himself, that he’s still one of the best in the world. A star on the rise versus a warrior with nothing left to lose could be one of the most intriguing matchups on Night 1 in Dallas.