NJPW G1
Jul 29, 2006 16:48:28 GMT -5
Post by tigersamurai on Jul 29, 2006 16:48:28 GMT -5
Well, with Tanahashi the new IWGP champion and the G1 right around the corner thought maybe some people would like to speculate as to who might win.
Go here for a list of participants and matches: www.puroresufan.com/njpw/results/g106.php
My pick at this point is Nakanishi or Nagata.
If they go with Nakanishi it'll make sense, he's a guy that's been around a while and really paid his dues. He's made even more progress over the past year or two, and a match between he and Tanahashi for the title would be great. Plus, Nakanish already beat Tanahashi last year in the G1, so their first day rematch will be good to see too. Though he is the current co-holder of the provisonal tag straps and he just recently won the title, so that may be a reason for him to NOT win.
Nagata would also be a good winner as he's been very popular lately and has gotten some good wins in tag action. Plus a title match with Tanahashi would make since as it would be a good way for Tanahashi to secure his spot even more and strengthen his title reign. Because even if he wins the G1 I don't see Nagata beating Tanahashi for the strap.
None of the others look too convincing for the win to me, thought New Japan could certainly surprse. I don't see Tanahashi winning because it always creates more drama when a champion doesn't win the tourney, plus its something that New Japan doesn't do very often.
Liger and Kanemoto are Jrs. so they won't make it to the finals.
Bernard could easily make it to the finals, but they don't really let gaijin win the G1, though I do see him staying in the main event picture for a while.
Kojima probably won't win because he's an outsider... ALTHOUGH, he'd be my third pick behind Nagata and Nakanishi. If he does win expect a marathon match with Tanahashi to get Tanahashi over even more and again strengthen a title that has taken two big hits (1: Lesnar being the biggest c**k on the planet and 2: Kojima's win and taking it back to All Japan for a while in 05)
Makabe was one half of the tag champs (he was actually pinned by Nakanishi to lose the gold.), so its likely that NJ will want to keep him in the tag picture, plus he just doesn't seem like the guy to go all the way.
Finally, Yamamoto may be just a bit too young at this point compared to the rest of the competition. If he does win it'd be a banner year for the young lions and when Nakamura returns which should be very soon you could see a very young New Japan, which may be exactly what the company needs. Still I don't see him making it to the finals, although the semis aren't out of the question.
I see the finals being Nagata vs. Kojima or Nagata vs. Nakanishi. Can't wait til G1 starts to see how those predictions look... Ayone else?
~Sam
Go here for a list of participants and matches: www.puroresufan.com/njpw/results/g106.php
My pick at this point is Nakanishi or Nagata.
If they go with Nakanishi it'll make sense, he's a guy that's been around a while and really paid his dues. He's made even more progress over the past year or two, and a match between he and Tanahashi for the title would be great. Plus, Nakanish already beat Tanahashi last year in the G1, so their first day rematch will be good to see too. Though he is the current co-holder of the provisonal tag straps and he just recently won the title, so that may be a reason for him to NOT win.
Nagata would also be a good winner as he's been very popular lately and has gotten some good wins in tag action. Plus a title match with Tanahashi would make since as it would be a good way for Tanahashi to secure his spot even more and strengthen his title reign. Because even if he wins the G1 I don't see Nagata beating Tanahashi for the strap.
None of the others look too convincing for the win to me, thought New Japan could certainly surprse. I don't see Tanahashi winning because it always creates more drama when a champion doesn't win the tourney, plus its something that New Japan doesn't do very often.
Liger and Kanemoto are Jrs. so they won't make it to the finals.
Bernard could easily make it to the finals, but they don't really let gaijin win the G1, though I do see him staying in the main event picture for a while.
Kojima probably won't win because he's an outsider... ALTHOUGH, he'd be my third pick behind Nagata and Nakanishi. If he does win expect a marathon match with Tanahashi to get Tanahashi over even more and again strengthen a title that has taken two big hits (1: Lesnar being the biggest c**k on the planet and 2: Kojima's win and taking it back to All Japan for a while in 05)
Makabe was one half of the tag champs (he was actually pinned by Nakanishi to lose the gold.), so its likely that NJ will want to keep him in the tag picture, plus he just doesn't seem like the guy to go all the way.
Finally, Yamamoto may be just a bit too young at this point compared to the rest of the competition. If he does win it'd be a banner year for the young lions and when Nakamura returns which should be very soon you could see a very young New Japan, which may be exactly what the company needs. Still I don't see him making it to the finals, although the semis aren't out of the question.
I see the finals being Nagata vs. Kojima or Nagata vs. Nakanishi. Can't wait til G1 starts to see how those predictions look... Ayone else?
~Sam
