NJPW G1 Climax 29 profiles: Jon Moxley, Taichi
We’re taking a closer look at each competitor before heading into New Japan’s annual double round-robin tournament, the G1 Climax. Watch all summer on NJPW World or AXS TV.
Jon Moxley (IWGP US Heavyweight Champion)
What’s more than apparent from his first few bouts in NJPW is that Jon Moxley really is wrestling like an uncaged animal. He looks better than ever physically and is all fire both in the ring and on the mic. After winning the IWGP US title from Juice Robinson in his first match with the company last month, Moxley’s been on a tear and hasn’t lost once.
He’s already racked up four points in the G1 over Taichi and Jeff Cobb, but the best is yet to come from Moxley, and I think that’s well understood by pretty much anyone watching the G1 already. I anticipate his best bouts to be with Tomohiro Ishii and Jay White, who both showed they mean business on Night 4, but Moxley has been pretty good about slightly altering his in-ring style in the few matches he’s had so far with New Japan.
Many have high expectations for Mox, and some have even predicted that he could win the entire tournament, including Japanese wrestling writer and historian Fumi Saito. The expectations are high, so now we wait for the delivery. And, again, considering his past few performances, I have a feeling the Death Rider will deliver something pretty special this summer — but what, exactly?
Taichi
Taichi’s role within the company is to polarize, really. He’s New Japan’s resident rudo and gaudy goth. He gets under your skin, but you’re often not sure if he’s really good or really bad at his job. Taichi is a conundrum. Miss Universe 2012 finalist Miho Abe literally prays to him as he lip-synchs his own theme when he walks to the ring. He’s known not for winning titles but for losing his pants of his own volition. He’s a real-life anime villain.
Where will he stand at the end of the G1 tournament this summer? Not towards the top, to put it bluntly. It isn’t clear what Taichi will be doing for the rest of the year with NJPW, but if one had to guess I’d urge them to not look at the points he scores but who he beats over the next month.
He’s already picked up a win over Tetsuya Naito, which points to a future program between the two, but the only way to find more out about Taichi’s future is to keep tabs on him in July. But if you don’t want to, I’d totally understand.