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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) /
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Tetsuya Naito (5-4) – B-Block

Wins: Jeff Cobb, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii, Juice Robinson & Shingo Takagi
Losses: Jon Moxley, Taichi, Jay White & Toru Yano

For a second year in a row Naito choked on the final day of block action, coming up one win away from advancing to the final. Naito was a victim of early losses putting him behind the eight ball from the start. He took key losses to Taichi, Jon Moxley and Jay White meaning he now has everything to lose and nothing to gain.

The losses that stand out most on Naito’s record are the ones to Taichi and Jay White. As the current IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion, Jon Moxley likely has no interest in Naito’s IWGP Intercontinental Championship at this moment.

Taichi and Jay White both defeated Naito with the help of outside interference. Expect Naito to come out of the G1 looking for revenge on those who robbed him of winning his third G1 Climax tournament.

Kazuchika Okada (7-2) – A-Block

Wins: Lance Archer, EVIL, Bad Luck Fale, KENTA, Will Ospreay, Zack Sabre Jr. & Hiroshi Tanahashi
Losses: Kota Ibushi & SANADA

The current IWGP Heavyweight Champion had a near-perfect tournament until the closing stretch where he was defeated by his rival, SANADA. Okada had maintained a perfect 6-0 record over SANADA until that loss which threw his tournament off the rails.

Okada would still have a chance to advance to the final on the last day of the A-Block. All he needed to manage was a win or draw against Ibushi and he’d have gone on to face Jay White. Instead, Ibushi was one of two men to defeat Okada and it was he who advanced and subsequently won the tournament.

Both Ibushi and SANADA have claim at Okada’s IWGP Heavyweight Championship but on the night of the G1 final, Minoru Suzuki pinned Okada in a tag team match and declared himself as Okada’s next challenger.

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