G1 29 - Performance Analysis - A-Block

G1 29

A-Block - Performance Analysis

G1 29 - How it unfolded.

   The 2019 G1 was an incredible tournament full of expert in ring performances. Throughout the G1 I ranked wrestler's performance each night awarding points from 10 down to 1 depending on where I ranked each wrestler. Below is the average for each wrestler as a graph displaying their overall performance throughout the G1 in comparison with their fellow wrestlers.

After each round the wrestlers were ranked from 1-10. First place getting 10 points and tenth getting 1. The table above shows the average of these allocated points over the 9 rounds.

Bad Luck Fale - 1

   Fale is out of place in these tournaments. He is not up to the standard of the other wrestlers. There were some moments within this competition where babyfaces had some good moments fighting against the bigger man and his interfering Bullet Club members.

   Fale, historically, has played the role of spoiler to enable strong candidates to lose without being too damaged due to his size. However in the G1 29 his lumbering performances were not convincing especially as he mind-bogglingly picked up four victories.

   The emergence of Archer as an imposing, popular and able big man surely renders Bad Luck Fale obsolete?

EVIL - 3.56

   EVIL put in a few great performances. His match with SANADA was tremendous.

   He is a compelling striker and has the ability to hit high impact grapples. However, EVIL lacks the intrigue of most other G1 competitors. He is a solid worker but he is somewhat uninspiring. He doesn't really excel with any aspect of his craft.

   EVIL needs to be repackaged his gimmick is not good and this hampers his overall performance. Such weak presentation affects the perception of him, overall, as a performer. A potentially top level performer but is missing something significant currently.

KENTA - 4.33

   I was so intrigued to see KENTA in the G! but I was dubious as to whether he would be able to keep up with the incredible performance levels expected in the G1.

   It was a mixed bag as far as KENTA's G1 journey went. Generally, he was a good worker with a compelling story. He was booed by the crowd and took pleasure in disrespecting his opponents. He battered his opponents with kicks and palm strikes but ultimately looked a little off the pace at times.

   Ultimately, KENTA was an interesting part of the G1. His mates were generally intriguing and his journey in NJPW will continue to capture the intrigue of wrestling fans. His next steps as a Bullet Club member will be fascinating.

Archer - 5.22

   Lance Archer was included in the G1 and Minoru Suzuki was left out. Confusing. However Archer was a revelation in this tournament and by the end nobody was questioning his inclusion.

   He was an absolute monster throughout! His character work was fully committed and his in ring work was quite simply surprisingly compelling. He didn't wrestle the longest matches or the most technically proficient matches however they were always a spectacle. 

   He thrived as an overly intense, psychotic badass throughout the tournament and even managed to get the crowd chanting his name in a match in opposition to the eternally beloved Tanahashi.

SANADA - 5.44

   I would catagorise SANADA's position in NJPW at the moment as odd. Recently he has had a IWGP championship match against Okada and has even beaten the reigning IWGP champion in a G1 match. However he was distinctly middle of the pack throughout the G1 and doesn't really look as if he's about to progress much past this anytime soon!

   He is in, arguably, the coolest stable in world wrestling but he doesn't really benefit from this nearly as much as he should. He was a solid part of this G1 putting on some terrific matches but he remains thoroughly uninteresting a lot of the time.

   He continuously performed well and always sold athletically to benefit his opponents. He really did look the part in his victorious effort against Okada,

Tanahashi - 5.56

   I have always found Tanahashi confusing. However G1 29 was where he completely changed my perspective of him. He has a real turnaround about halfway through, going from looking like Goldberg in Saudi Arabia to a master craftsman.

   Tanahashi was a masterful aging veteran in this tournament. He didn't fly through his opponents as he has done in the past. He looked shaky as he approached the halfway mark struggling to physically full fill his role. However int he closing stretch he was masterful. 

   His final few matches showed Tanahashi's magic to full effect. He wrestled and dramatised his matches into masterful stories. He sold and fought back. He timed Dragon Screws to perfection. He opened a window into the future; one where Tanahashi is still a compelling performer, one where he is part of excellent matches and one where he is working with up and coming guys out with the main event scene.

Zack Sabre Junior - 6.89

   ZSJ is an intriguing performer. His style is a welcome variation within the G1. Competitors have to either do as SANADA did and beat ZSJ at his own game or do as Tanahashi did and stay as far away from ZSJ's game as possible.

   The story of early exit was managed well by ZSJ. He spoke of beating the system by just beating Okada then took pleasure out of trying to be the spoiler. His performances were solid throughout. He made each match a story be it as a coiled cobra looking for any weakness or attempting to take on strikers at their own game with a barrage of uppercuts.

   Zack's matches with Ospreay, Tanahashi and Okada were particular highlights in his tournament. He could go far in NJPW if he sticks around long enough. He should consider following Ospreay's example.

Kazuchika Okada - 7.22

   Okada is NJPW's crown jewel for a reason. With him as champion, everything seems right in the wrestling world. He was a force of nature in this G1, giving a variety of wrestlers their best match of the tournament.

   Okada's matches with Ospreay, Naito and Ibushi were highlights of the entire tournament. He was at his absolute best in this tournament in the closing stretch of his matches. A string of nail-bitig finales made Okada one of the G1's MVPs.

   The manner in which he countered Ospreay's Stormbreaker into the Rainmaker in the closing stretch of their match of the tournament contender will stick in the memory of many viewers for a long time. Okada was so compelling and so good in the ring that the champion winning seemed a feasible possibility this year.

Kota Ibushi - 7.78

   Kota Ibushi is a fantastic talent. He was consistently excellent throughout the tournament. His early slips meant that all his matches were meaningful must-win encounters.

   His matches with Ospreay and Okada were incredible spectacles. Saying that he was possibly the most consistently excellent participant in the entire G1. 

   Ibushi finally took his rightful place as NJPW's next big star. His 'hulk ups' were a big part of his performances, the way he 'turned the switch' and battered his opponents was a big part of Ibushi's tournament. Along with his injury storyline and his incredible selling ability Ibushi's G1 was stellar.

Will Ospreay - 8.22

   Ospreay's early tournament form was incredible. His matches against Archer, Ibushi and Okada were exquisite. He waned as the tournament went on and by this I mean he was still fantastic but he didn't quite hit the excellent heights of the first half of the tournament,

   Ospreay is now considered by most as the world's best wrestler and I agree. His range of kicks, the Tiger Wall and his incredible finishing sequences throughout the G1. He managed to put over many an opponent with his selling ability back-flipping as he took lariats and even folding up like an accordion on occasion.

   Ospreay has a bright future in NJPW. His move to Japan and his elavation to the heavyweights are the beginning of big things. His float over reversal of the Rainmaker was probably my favourite moment of the whole G1.