Straight Shooting

From Puroresupower.com:

 

5. G-1 B Block: Yuji Nagata (2 pts) defeated Naofumi Yamamoto (0 pts) in 10 minutes, 28 seconds with a wakigatame.

 

6. G-1 A Block: Satoshi Kojima (2 pts) defeated Jushin Liger (0 pts) in 14 minutes, 9 seconds with a lariat.

 

7. G-1 B Block: Hiroyoshi Tenzan (2 pts) defeated Koji Kanemoto (0 pts) in 13 minutes, 7 seconds with the Anaconda Vice.

 

8. G-1 A Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi (2 pts) defeated Manabu Nakanishi (0 pts) in 14 minutes, 51 seconds with the Flying Slide Blade into a Jack-knife cradle.

 

No surprises at all on the first day.

 

Block A:

 

Hiroshi Tanahashi: 2

Satoshi Kojima: 2

Giant Bernard: 0

Manabu Nakanishi: 0

Jushin Liger: 0

 

Block B:

 

Yuji Nagata: 2

Hiroyoshi Tenzan: 2

Makabe: 0

Naofumi Yamamoto: 0

Koji Kanemoto: 0

 

The next matches are:

 

8/08 Yokohama Bunka Gym

 

- A Block: Giant Bernard vs. Kojima

- A Block: Tanahashi vs. Liger

- B Block: Tenzan vs. Nagata

- B Block: Makabe vs. Yamamoto

 

I think we'll see wins for Kojima (or maybe a draw), Tanahashi and Tenzan, with Makabe vs. Yamamoto I think having the potential to go either way.

 

 

6. G-1 B Block: Makabe defeated Naofumi Yamamoto in 11 minutes, 18 seconds with a lariat.

 

7. G-1 A Block: Giant Bernard & Satoshi Kojima went to a double knockout finish in 25 minutes, 54 seconds.

 

8. G-1 A Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Jushin Liger in 14 minutes, 18 seconds with a Dragon Suplex Hold.

 

9. G-1 B Block: Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Yuji Nagata in 15 minutes, 41 seconds with a moonsault press.

 

Bernard looks to be Kojima's lone blemish before what seems like the inevitable loss to Tanahashi.

 

POINT STANDINGS

 

A BLOCK

 

- Tanahashi (4 pts)

- Kojima (3 pts)

- Bernard (1 pt)

- Nakanishi (0 pts)

- Liger (0 pts)

 

B BLOCK

 

- Tenzan (4 pts)

- Nagata (2 pts)

- Makabe (2 pts)

- Kanemoto (0 pts)

- Yamamoto (0 pts)

 

The next matches are:

 

8/09 Osaka Green Cube

 

- A Block: Tanahashi vs. Bernard

- A Block: Nakanishi vs. Liger

- B Block: Nagata vs. Makabe

- B Block: Kanemoto vs. Yamamoto

 

I think we'll see Tanahashi beat Bernard, Nakanishi beat Liger most likely, Nagata beat Makabe and Kanemoto vs. Yamamoto could go either way.

5. G-1 B Block: Koji Kanemoto defeated Naofumi Yamamoto in 13 minutes, 14 seconds with an ankle hold.

 

6. G-1 A Block: Jushin Liger defeated Manabu Nakanishi in 8 minutes, 32 seconds with a school-boy roll-up.

 

7. G-1 B Block: Yuji Nagata and Makabe went to a double ring-out in 15 minutes, 44 seconds.

 

8. G-1 A Block: Giant Bernard defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi in 17 minutes, 54 seconds with the Bernard Driver.

 

Nakanishi losing to Liger isn't a surprise when you consider he was the one to put over Kanemoto two years ago in the G1. Bernard winning isn't a major surprise as it did seem likely that Tanahashi would have at least one loss in order to set up a future title match. The double count-out finish for Nagata vs. Makabe is disappointing, as it would have been better, and gone over better, if it had gone the full 30:00.

 

POINT STANDINGS

 

A BLOCK

 

- Tanahashi (4 pts)

- Bernard (3 pts)

- Kojima (3 pts)

- Liger (2 pts)

- Nakanishi (0 pts)

 

B BLOCK

 

- Tenzan (4 pts)

- Makabe (3 pts)

- Nagata (3 pts)

- Kanemoto (2 pts)

- Yamamoto (0 pts)

 

The next matches are:

 

8/10 Nagoya Aichi Prefectural Gym

 

- A Block: Tanahashi vs. Kojima

- A Block: Nakanishi vs. Bernard

- B Block: Tenzan vs. Yamamoto

- B Block: Makabe vs. Kanemoto

 

I think Tanahashi vs. Kojima might go to a draw or we'll see Tanahashi win. Bernard seems likely to beat Nakanishi, Tenzan is sure to beat Yamamoto while Makabe vs. Kanemoto could go either way.

5. G-1 B Block: Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Naofumi Yamamoto in 12 minutes, 28 seconds with the TTD (Tenzan Tombstone Driver).

 

6. G-1 B Block: Koji Kanemoto defeated Makabe in 11 minutes, 25 seconds with the Falcon Arrow.

 

7. G-1 A Block: Manabu Nakanishi defeated Giant Bernard in 11 minutes, 41 seconds with the Fujiyama German Suplex Hold.

 

8. G-1 A Block: Satoshi Kojima defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi in 21 minutes, 55 seconds with a lariat.

 

POINT STANDINGS

 

Tenzan won as expected, Kanemoto and Nakanishi's wins were only mild surprises, but Kojima beating Tanahashi is a big surprise in that you would have expected New Japan to keep Tanahashi strong seeing as he is meant to be helping New Japan springboard out of a dark period.

 

A BLOCK

 

- Kojima (5 pts)

- Tanahashi (4 pts)

- Bernard (3 pts)

- Nakanishi (2 pts)

- Liger (2 pts)

 

B BLOCK

 

- Tenzan (6 pts)

- Kanemoto (4 pts)

- Nagata (3 pts)

- Makabe (3 pts)

- Yamamoto (0 pts)

 

Key notes (if I did all the calculations correctly): Tenzan (#1 seed) & Kojima are in the round of four. Tanahashi finishes with two losses, but still gets in as the #2 seed in Block A if Giant Bernard loses to Liger on 8/13. If Bernard wins, he's in w/ 5 pts. Yamamoto finishes with no wins. The winner of Kanemoto vs. Nagata on 8/12 likely becomes the B Block #2 seed (unless Makabe beats Tenzan in the Choshu push from hell and Nagata beats Kanemoto, forcing a tie-breaker match).

 

The next matches are:

 

6. A Block: Giant Bernard vs. Jushin Liger

 

7. B Block: Yuji Nagata vs. Koji Kanemoto

 

8. B Block: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Makabe

 

9. A Block: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Satoshi Kojima

 

I think Bernard will beat Liger, Tenzan will beat Kanemoto, Tenzan will beat Makabe and most likely Kojima will beat Nakanishi.

6. G-1 B Block: Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Makabe in 12 minutes, 23 seconds with the Anaconda Vice.

 

7. G-1 B Block: Yuji Nagata and Koji Kanemoto went to a 30-minute draw.

 

8. G-1 A Block: Giant Bernard defeated Jushin Liger in 6 minutes, 53 seconds with a neckhanging buster.

 

9. G-1 A Block: Satoshi Kojima defeated Manabu Nakanishi in 18 minutes, 17 seconds with a lariat.

 

Tanahashi not making it to the final is a big surprise and I cannot get the logic behind this. Tanahashi was meant to help get New Japan out of the darkness from Lesnar leaving, and they treat him like this? Stuff like that makes it very hard to care about New Japan when they do something so stupid.

 

Kanemoto going the full 30:00 with Nagata is a surprise and an unexpected push for Kanemoto.

 

FINAL POINT STANDINGS

 

A BLOCK

 

- Kojima (7 pts) -- #1 seed

- Giant Bernard (5 pts) -- #2 seed

- Tanahashi (4 pts)

- Liger (2 pts)

- Nakanishi (2 pts)

 

B BLOCK

 

- Tenzan (8 pts) -- #1 seed

- Kanemoto (5 pts) -- #2 seed

- Nagata (4 pts)

- Makabe (3 pts)

- Yamamoto (0 pts)

 

G-1 SEMI-FINALS

 

- Hiroyoshi Tenzan (B Block #1) vs. Giant Bernard (A Block #2)

- Satoshi Kojima (A Block #1) vs. Koji Kanemoto (B Block #2)

 

G-1 Final

 

Tenzan/Bernard vs. Kojima/Kanemoto

 

Unless New Japan loss their mind in this tournament, again, then it'll be Tenzan vs. Kojima in the finals. I think they should put Kojima over so they can build up to Tanahashi avenging his tournament loss, which would begin to make up for Tanahashi not making it to the knockout stage.

 

There must be a record level of disinterest in this years G1.

 

 

 

 

This is probably the worst booked tournament in quite some time. If the match quality isn't any good, it'll probably be the worst G1 period. It's just so mind-boggling to have Kanemoto advance over Nagata, and Tanahashi (a guy who they need to present as a solid champ) not get in. If they wanted a junior in, Liger was right there, and he happens to be more credible against the heavyweights, and seems to be a better choice all around. They also ruined the chances of maybe the only big match in the G1, that being Kojima vs. Nagata. And the likeliest outcome seems to be Kojima vs. Tenzan part XII, which I'm not looking forward to, mostly because Tenzan has been lazy, unmotivated and out of shape lately.

G1 Semi-Finals

 

Satoshi Kojima defeated Koji Kanemoto 15 minutes, 41 seconds with a lariat.

 

Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Giant Bernard in 11 minutes, 13 seconds with the Anaconda Vice.

 

G1 Climax Final

 

Hiroyoshi Tenzan defeated Satoshi Kojima in 27 minutes, 36 seconds with the 'Original TTD' to win the tournament.

 

Tenzan winning makes no sense. With Kojima beating Tanahashi, would it not have made sense to put Kojima over so that Tanahashi could avenge his loss against Kojima and look even stronger when he did so? Why is Tenzan even in the finals? Tanahashi was meant to be this bright light to lead New Japan out of the darkness, and he doesn't even get to the semi's let alone the finals? The booking was terrible and it's hard to continue to care about New Japan when they make such a mess of something that should have been so simple.