Fansided

New Japan G1 Climax 29: Fallout, takeaways, what’s next

By Robert McCauley

TOKYO, JAPAN - AUGUST 12: Kota Ibushi celebrates the victory with the trophy following the final bout during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling G1 Climax 29 at Nippon Budokan on August 12, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
TOKYO, JAPAN - AUGUST 12: Kota Ibushi celebrates the victory with the trophy following the final bout during the New Japan Pro-Wrestling G1 Climax 29 at Nippon Budokan on August 12, 2019 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Etsuo Hara/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 11
Next

Kota Ibushi (8-2) – A-Block Winner & G1 Climax 29 Champion

Wins: Lance Archer, Bad Luck Fale, Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, Zack Sabre Jr., SANADA, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Jay White
Losses: EVIL & KENTA

Kota Ibushi won the G1 Climax 29 by defeating the leader of the Bullet Club, Jay White. He now possesses the Wrestle Kingdom briefcase which contains a contract guaranteeing a match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 14.

The contract itself doesn’t guarantee Ibushi the title shot. He must defend the briefcase against those who beat him throughout the course of the tournament. Ibushi’s first loss came on the opening day of the G1 Climax where he was defeated by KENTA. Now serving as the newest member of the Bullet Club, KENTA is the third member of BC that Ibushi will have to score a victory over in order to keep his Wrestle Kingdom 14 hopes alive.

The other man to pick up a win over Ibushi during the G1 was Los Ingobernables de Japon member, EVIL. Ibushi has spent the majority of his 2019 in a heated rivalry with the leader of LIJ, Tetsuya Naito. If Ibushi wants to cement himself in the upper echelon of the roster he’ll have to prove himself against LIJ’s second in command.

Jay White (6-4) – B-Block Winner

Wins: Jeff Cobb, Jon Moxley, Tetsuya Naito, Juice Robinson, Taichi & Shingo Takagi
Losses: Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano & Kota Ibushi

Despite winning his block, Jay White came up short against Kota Ibushi in the G1 Climax 29 Final. Although he cannot use a G1 Climax win to justify a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, White has a claim over the current champion, Kazuchika Okada. White lost the title to Okada back in April and has yet to receive a rematch.

Championship rematches are not always guaranteed in NJPW so if Okada denies the challenge, there are two other champions White can target. White defeated both the IWGP Intercontinental Champion as well as the IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion during the G1 which puts him in play for a title of his choice.

Even though he came out of the G1 final a loser, the sky remains the limit for White as he can easily slot into any title scene without the slightest hiccup.

Home/WWE