Hello, it’s The Wrestling Brain (TWB) and I’m back along with SLTD Wrestling resident NJPW guy Shoot With Smith (SWS) and we’re giving our predictions for this Saturday’s NJPW G1 Special from San Francisco, California.
I’m hoping to have a streak longer than The Undertaker in these predictions articles, as after a clean sweep at last month’s NJPW Dominion will I be able to maintain my 1-0 lead or will SWS equalise. Let’s find as we begin our predictions with the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship match.
IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: The Young Bucks vs Los Ingonaboles De Japon (Evil and Sanada
TWB: Last month at Dominion Matt and Nick Jackson defeated Evil and Sanada in their 1st attempt at the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. It’s no secret that The Young Bucks are one of my favourite tag teams in the world. Ever since meeting them last year, I have followed their YouTube show, bought one of their shirts and supported them in every match they’ve competed in so my prediction is an easy one. In front of a loud crowd, the fan favourites The Young Bucks will retain over Evil and Sanada and move onto whoever their next challengers will be.
Winners – The Young Bucks
SWS: If anyone ever had doubted that Matt and Nick Jackson were top-level talents, the last match between these two teams really put that to bed. With injuries playing such a huge part in their last bout – I’m expecting to see more high flying manoeuvres from the California natives. One thing we are guaranteed is more epic storytelling revolving around the Bucks trying to overcome their smaller stature to get the 3 count against two gargantuan monoliths of men in Evil and Sanada. I can see this being a platform to legitimise the reign in the heavyweight tag division for The Young Bucks but it won’t come easy. It’ll be a close one but Matt&Nick take it.
Winners – The Young Bucks
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi vs Dragon Lee
TWB: Takahashi won the title at last month’s Dominion and in my opinion, he should have a long reign with the belt, Takahashi is one of the most charismatic and popular wrestlers on the NJPW roster and his in-ring work he backs up his flare and flamboyancy. Dragon Lee and Takahashi have somewhat of an everlasting rivalry, as it was Takahashi who was Lee’s first target upon his return in 2017, so it’s common knowledge that these two have chemistry and should gel together in the ring and for NJPW fans there’s a story between the two competitors that dates back almost 2 years. My guess is the more popular and more well known Takahashi will win in what could easily be a match of the night contender.
Winner – Hiromu Takahashi
SWS: It isn’t the first time to great wrestlers have squared off; from Mexico to Japan these two have really lit up the grappling world several times. Both stars are extremely youthful and at the right end of their careers, I expect both will want to catapult themselves into the headlines while they have a platform in the States. I can see Takahashi taking this one as he is on the rise right now after defeating Osprey for the strap, a victory here would only give him more momentum going forward. Interesting side-note: the pair had a Mask vs Mask match back at 2015 Homenaje a Dos Leyendas in Mexico City. I predict a narrow Takahashi win.
Winner – Hiromu Takahashi
IWGP US Heavyweight Championship: Jay White vs Juice Robinson
TWB: Juice Robinson (previously known as CJ Parker to WWE fans) is at the moment one of the most beloved wrestlers in NJPW, and is somewhat a success story, he was going to retire from wrestling after his NXT release but joined NJPW and he’s not looked back since. Jay White beat Kenny Omega at the New Beginnings show in January and held the title for almost half a year, and his work is improving, his win over Omega was a surprise but it’s good to see an up and comer hold a new belt and as he improves, so does the credibility and prestige of the belt. However I’m backing Juice to take the win, he’s long overdue a title in NJPW and whether it be the fans in Japan or the fans abroad he will be a popular champion.
Winner – Juice Robinson
SWS: I recently had the chance to see a Jay White match in person and they are even more impressive face to face. He moves with such a cynically beautiful flow, coupled with his naturally “weird” face – this guy is going places in the Heel world. On the other side of this – we have an extremely rejuvenated Juice Robinson, all fashion choices aside, who is performing above expectation in NJPW. In a recent interview, Juice has conveyed his love for performing for New Japan and it’s amazing to see how one can flourish under a different booker. I can see Juice Robinson actually taking the belt here, I’d much rather see Jay White continue his upwards trajectory with the belt, he will continue to do so with or without the strap. I can see this match being a defining moment for young Juice Robinson as he continues to rebuild his name outside of WWE.
Winner – Juice Robinson
IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kenny Omega vs Cody Rhodes
TWB: Kenny Omega and Cody Rhodes are probably the two biggest independent names in the USA, and for them to be main eventing a big NJPW PPV in the states is a big deal, what will happen? Will The Young Bucks cost Omega like they did at ROH Supercard of Honor or will Omega defeat his Bullet Club nemesis and make himself the undisputed leader of The Bullet Club and the newly formed Golden Elite. In my opinion it’ll be stupid for Omega to lose the IWGP Heavyweight Championship just a month after he defeated Okada, and Cody doesn’t need it as much as Kenny, as far as I know, Cody is more of a full-time guy to ROH than he is a NJPW guy so it wouldn’t make sense for “The American Nightmare” to reclaim the biggest prize in NJPW. So my prediction is Omega retains in a close match, where Bullet Club members Young Bucks, Hangman Page and Marty Scurll are all involved in a mid-match melee, but ultimately at the end of the match, it’ll be “The Cleaner” standing tall in California.
Winner – Kenny Omega
SWS: What can be said about either of these two that hasn’t already? They will put on a classic. It will be a 5star match, it will beat any main event we’ve WWE put on in years and it’ll win a whole new wave of fans for NJPW outside of Japan. I sincerely hope the company can hold onto both of these two and they continue to build up steam and slowly catch up ground on the WWE monopoly.
I can see this being a long, LONG match – a Kenny special. It may even reach the hour point, which would be something special for Cody especially. This being said I cannot see anyone taking the belt away from the worlds greatest professional wrestler any time soon. Kenny Omega will rise after this absolute war, it’s going to be brutal and I’m going to love it.
Winner – Kenny Omega
Anyway, these are our predictions for Saturday’s NJPW G1 Special show, comment with your predictions, follow us on Twitter and enjoy the show!
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