5 must see G1 Climax 30 matches

By Sid Pullar III (SP3)
Modified Sep 19, 2020 02:06 IST
G1 Climax 30 Night 1 brings us one of the most anticipated matches of the entire tournament.
G1 Climax 30 Night 1 brings us one of the most anticipated matches of the entire tournament.

The G1 Climax 30 kicks off this Saturday on NJPW World. With all of the biggest stars of New Japan Pro Wrestling in the tournament, some of the best matches of the year usually happen during NJPW's premier round robin series.

The prize for the winner of the G1 Climax 30 is a title shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the main event of the Tokyo Dome at WrestleKingdom. The January 4 super show is the biggest event of New Japan's calendar year so each competitor in the G1 fight with all they have. This year's tournament will feature the return of multiple competitors coming back for the first time since the start of the pandemic as well.

Here, we break down the five must-see G1 Climax 30 matches for the month-long round robin tournament. Some of these encounters are rematches, reigniting of long standing rivalries and first time ever matchups.

#5 Kazuchika Okada vs. Kota Ibushi (G1 Climax 30 Night 1 on September 19th)

Ever since losing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on Night 2 of WrestleKingdom 14, Kazuchika Okada has not been able to find his footing again in the upper echelon of NJPW. The G1 Climax 30 is his chance to get back to the top. However, the first match of his A Block competition is the man who beat him in the block finals last year and the winner of the G1 Climax 29.

Kota Ibushi won his first G1 Climax tournament last year, defeating Switchblade Jay White in the finals. At WrestleKingdom 14 Night 1, Ibushi came up short losing to Okada in a Match of the Year candidate. In a near 40-minute battle, the two men battered each other in an absolute war. Now to kick off the G1 Climax 30, these two warriors battle it out once again.

With the two men splitting their last two encounters, this A Block opener of the G1 Climax 30 is the rubber match to find out who the true better man is. Okada will be trying to prove that he is once again the top star in all of NJPW, while Ibushi will be trying to rebound from his loss at the beginning of the year. For the Golden Star, Kota Ibushi will try to become the first competitor since Tenzan in 2004 to win back-to back G1 tournaments.

#4 Tetsuya Naito vs. SANADA (G1 Climax 30 Night 8 on October 1st)

In last year's tournament, SANADA defeating Kazuchika Okada for the first time was not only one of the best matches of the G1 Climax 29, but also provided one of the most emotional moments of the year. The Cold Skull has never quite gotten the same amount of success as his other members of the Los Ingobernables de Japon stable. This narrative comes to ahead on Night 8 of the G1 Climax 30 with SANADA against the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito.

Naito has defeated his stablemate before in the G1 Climax 28, but this year's encounter will take place in SANADA's hometown of Nagaoka. This is the same place that SANADA pulled off that career-defining win over Okada last year. This added element brings an extra layer to what may be one of the most emotionally-driven matches of the G1 Climax 30.

With EVIL just recently turning his back on LIJ, some may look at this battle as another rift in the stable being created. The state of the faction is fragile after Bullet Club tore down Los Ingobernables in the summer. However, this match should be exciting and say a lot about where SANADA stands in NJPW as a whole.

#3 Shingo Takagi vs. Kota Ibushi (G1 Climax 30 Night 11 on October 7th)

Ever since leaving Dragon Gate and coming over to NJPW, Shingo Takagi has proven himself to be one of the best wrestlers in the promotion and the world. Starting off in the Junior Heavyweight division, Shingo became a dominant force apart from Los Ingobernables de Japon. However after falling short in the finals of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament last year, "The Dragon" has moved on to the Heavyweight division. This year's G1 Climax 30 marks his second appearance in the tournament and brings with it many first time ever matches.

On Night 11 of the G1 Climax 30, Shingo will face another man who moved from the Juniors to the Heavyweight division in Kota Ibushi. Ibushi's hard-hitting style, similar to Shingo, made his transition seamless. Due to their similar styles and stature, this is for sure going to be one of the most physically intense matches of the entire tournament.

With Shingo coming off losing the NEVER Openweight Title back at Summer Struggle in Jingu, matches like this one will have him looking to make a statement. This encounter should deliver on the high expectations. However, this is not the match for Shingo that people will have the highest expectations for.

#2 Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay (G1 Climax 30 Night 5 on September 27th)

A rematch of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's Pro Wrestling Match of the Year for 2019 has to be one of the most anticipated matches of the G1 Climax 30. Shingo Takagi and Will Ospreay met for the first time in the finals of the Best of the Super Juniors 26 Finals on June 5, 2019. In this absolutely stellar contest, Ospreay was able to become the first man in NJPW to defeat "The Dragon" and win his second BOSJ tournament.

Both men made the jump to the Heavyweight division of NJPW in last year's G1 Climax 29, but due to being in different blocks, they did not meet each other then. With one year since their maiden voyage against one another, this G1 Climax 30 match has to live up to astronomical expectations among fans.

The chemistry between the two men was firmly established last year, but with both men having something to prove after their first appearances in the tournament last year, this match should be even more amazing. With Ospreay being a heavy favorite to win the G1 Climax 30, a win for Shingo here not only avenges last year's loss, but also puts himself in prime position to win the A Block.

#1 Will Ospreay vs. Kazuchika Okada (G1 Climax 30 Night 17 on October 16th)

Nights 17 and 18 of the G1 Climax 30 will determine which competitors win the A and B Blocks to meet in the finals of the tournament. Out of all the matches on these nights, the encounter between CHAOS stablemates, Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay, stands out the most. In a lot of fans' eyes, these two men had the best match of the G1 Climax 29, and now this rematch may decide the entire A Block.

Okada and Ospreay have met on five occasions including what came to be the NJPW tryout match for "The Aerial Assassin" back in Revolution Pro in 2015. Since that first match, they have formed a friendship that has developed to a brotherhood with Ospreay being the little brother to Okada. However ahead of this G1 Climax 30 battle, Ospreay is 0-5 against "The Rainmaker".

This battle should have an impact on the A Block of the G1 Climax 30 and may very well be the final match of that side of the tournament. Kazuchika Okada has a lot riding on this tournament. He has to get his spot back at the top of the mountain after what has unquestionably been a down year for the former five-time and longest reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion of all time. However, Will Ospreay can not afford another loss against his CHAOS big brother. Going 0-6 against Okada may forever keep him in the shadow of a man he has so much respect for.

Regardless of their standings in the G1 Climax 30, this encounter is very important for both men. This will dictate where both men will be at WrestleKingdom and in the future plans for NJPW. The winner of this contest could also be looked at as "the man" in the entire CHAOS stable. That is why this is the most must-see match of the entire G1 Climax 30 tournament and will likely be one of the best matches of 2020.

What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.