G1 Prediction Contest

KS and randomone go 2-3.
Speeps goes 3-2.

My gosh. Just watched Tanahashi/Ibushi from day one. I don't know how you top that for the rest of the tournament but nonetheless many matches probably will. (somehow)

New Japan is so good. It's so superior to everything right now. (Well except for Dalton Castle of course) But I came to realize as I had the sound turned up a bit - why I don't know since I couldn't understand a thing - that you really don't even need announcers when the wrestling is that damn good. I was totally enthralled in the match and didn't need an announcer to tell me a damn thing.

NJPW is also crazy good in their in-ring storytelling and just the way the matches are put together are phenomenal. There's logical progressions throughout the match that play key roles later on in match outcomes.

I don't know who this is but here ya go:






Shelly Deathlock cares too much about Japanese wrestling and, as Captain of the S.S. Strong Style, she’s here to welcome you on board and fill you in on what’s going on in the world of puro. In this series, she’s talking about the G1 25.
Okay so I skipped Day 4. I didn’t think Day 4 was any good. BUT HOLY CRAP, DAY FIVE. DAY FIVE, PEOPLE. It’ll be up on NJPWWorld shortly.

I’m not going to recap every match on every show, but I will pull out bits of shows to say some words about as necessary so you can be caught up on my opinions!

G1 Climax 25 Day 5: Non-tournament matches
Satoshi Kojima & Michael Elgin vs. Gedo & Kazuchika Okada
It hurts to even type this, but news broke this morning that Shinsuke Nakamura’s elbow is injured and he missed the show today. Hopefully he’ll be back in time for Tuesday. He’s not out of the tournament yet. Rest well, Shinsuke, and please recover soon!

Even without Shinsuke in this match, the match was pretty good. A competitive tag match, worth seeing if you enjoy the continued evolution of Michael Elgin in NJPW. He’s seeming more comfortable than ever.

G1 Climax 25 Day 5 – Block A: Results & Review
I’ll give some quick tips here about whether or not you should take time to watch these if you haven’t, based on my own knowledge and taste in professional wrestling.

Doc Gallows vs. Bad Luck Fale
No.

Should you watch this? No.

Winner: FALE

Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Toru Yano
Unremarkable but not bad, until the end, when a top-rope headbutt from Tenzan busted both men open. They poured blood everywhere and the match finished soon after.

Should you watch this? Only if you want to see that hardway-double-busted mess at the end. Which you probably do, I mean, you’re a wrestling fan.

Winner: YANO


Togi Makabe vs. Katsuyori Shibata
This begins a series of three matches to end this show that were absolutely perfect in unique ways. I loved Makabe vs. Shibata. Most wrestlers get in the ring with Shibata without all that much decorum to maintain, but Makabe is the NEVER Champion. Being NEVER Champion right now basically means he has to prove that he’s going to hit you as hard as he can and take more punishment than you can. He can’t have Shibata’s violent offense showing him up. The result is two fired up beasts pounding on each other like it’s the only thing that matters in the world.

The typical “I’m gonna hit you and then you hit me okay and we’ll see who’s tougher yeah!” spot in this match is refreshing — not chops or elbows, but boots to the face and lariats. Very graceful, very impactful. Great wrestling. Heart eyes.

Should you watch this? YES.

Winner: SHIBATA

Kota Ibushi vs. AJ Styles
After their not-stellar meeting for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship earlier this year, some of us were wondering whether these two, who look great on paper, just didn’t have chemistry together. We needn’t have worried. This is one of the best matches of the year, and far outshined their previous encounter.

The match was great start to finish, but what’s really interesting to me is the way AJ Styles is working in this tournament as a legitimate badass. Nevermind his athleticism, which he has in abundance, he’s just going to try to hurt you, and he doesn’t even need the rest of the Bullet Club to help him do it.

Should you watch this? Yeah, you have to, people are going to be talking about it for the rest of the year!

Winner: IBUSHI

Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito
Fantastic. A perfect match to follow the athleticism and fire of Ibushi/Styles: well paced, methodical, vicious — Naito really getting to show what he’s capable of now that he doesn’t adhere to the rules, and getting the better of NJPW’s 1/100 Century Ace of the Universe Talent Hiroshi Tanahashi in the process.

It exceeded my expectations, which were already high. It’s amazing to watch great wrestlers get into a ring and execute a match perfectly. That’s what we’re all here to see.

Should you watch this? YES.

Winner: NAITO

I picked Nakamura as well.

This has to mess up the whole booking of this tournament.

I ironically had Elgin beating Nakamura in e first place. I made so many damn picks I forgot.

5-0 for last night (or this morning, whatever)!!

Shibata and Ibushi.

Holee Shit what a match.

Speeps
Day 1: 4
Day 2: 4
Day 3: 3
Day 4: 3
Day 5: 5
Day 6: 4
Day 7: 3
Total: 26

KS
Day 1: 2
Day 2: 3
Day 3: 4
Day 4: 2
Day 5: 1
Day 6: 3
Day 7: 2
Total: 17

randomone
Day 1: 3
Day 2: 4
Day 3: 4
Day 4: 2
Day 5: 2
Day 6: 5
Day 7: 3
Total: 23

At least my guy didn't get hurt and possibly be out of the tourney.


Other than that, I suck at this.

Naito-Makabe was the best match on the show today. Makabe won.
Tanahashi beat Yano in the main event.
AJ beat Gallows.
Ibushi beat Tenzan.
Shibata beat Fale.

Everyone with 4 points.

Totals after Day 10:

Speeps: 35
KS: 29
randomone: 36

Toro Mutherfuckin' Yano!

Fale beat Tenzan
Yano beat Shibata
Tanahashi beat Gallows
Styles beat Makabe
Naito beat Ibushi.

Everyone with 3 points

Hell Yes Elgin! Damn you Kojima!

Elgin over Nagata
Anderson over Honma
Goto over Kojima
Nakamura over Takahashi
Okada over Ishii

Speeps: 3
KS: 4
randomone: 4

Updated standings after Day 12
Speeps: 41
KS: 36
randomone: 43