G1 Climax 34: Week 1 Review
The first week of the 2024 edition of the G1 is through - so what happened?
We are officially in the season of the G1 Climax, with upsets, developing stories, and old rivalries revisited. So far, there have been some fun sprints, great matches, and House of Torture shenanigans. Let’s discuss the first week of the G1!
First, let’s look at where things stand after a week of matches on the leaderboards:
We have had a few character storylines begin to develop during the G1 thus far: El Phantasmo’s depression after losing tag partner Hikuleo, Great-O-Khan fighting in his opponents’ styles but coming up short, the young upstarts trying to prove themselves, and Naito picking up some losses. What story so far have you been most drawn to?
Mike: After the first week of action, I am by far most interested in Yuya Uemura's hot start. Yuya can do something big, but he needs to find something inside to push him. I did not think this year’s G1 Climax would be that. Ending his week with a massive win in a great main event match against Konosuke Takeshita was not something I expected to see, but I am still pleasantly surprised.
Ryan: Yuya’s ability to rise to the occasion has been excellent. I would consider Naito the tournament story so far, but I’m not sure how much of what’s happening with him is the plan versus him not having great performances. To that end, I’ll pick ELP as my favorite story so far. I have also really enjoyed his progression throughout the matches (and him even peppering in the character development when he’s been on English commentary), and now, with a win over the young upstart Yota Tsuji, I’m intrigued to see where his story goes from here.
Pontiff: Although it’s not a story listed here, I’ve found the story of Takeshita coming in and wrecking house as a monster to be super compelling. Coming in as an outsider and beating Yota Tsuji, one of the favorites to win the tournament, Jeff Cobb, an absolute hoss in his own right, made a big statement to start things off. It has also tied nicely with Yuya’s story and hot start, with his great match and win over Takeshita feeling like a monumental achievement, arguably the biggest of his career. The intersection of Yota, Yuya, and Takeshita, combined with strong (and in some cases, surprising) performances from Hirooki Goto, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb, and David Finlay, has made the B block the more exciting of the two blocks so far despite A block arguably being stronger on paper.
Sicko Cowboi: Takeshita is him.
Zack Sabre Jr, EVIL, and Yuya Uemura are undefeated after three matches each. Whose streak do you see staying intact the longest?
Mike: I can very easily see someone putting a stop to House of Torture shenanigans, and I’m quite frankly surprised that EVIL’s streak even exists, so not him. Looking at the opponents that ZSJ has coming up next week, he will be facing Jake Lee, Shota Umino, and Shingo Takagi. While I think Zack can win any of those matches, I would not be surprised to see him lose one (or even all of them!). As I mentioned earlier, Yuya Uemura is a fascinating case. While he has some tough opponents coming soon, they are all winnable matches for Yuya, who just faced (and beat) David Finlay, Hirooki Goto, and Konosuke Takeshita.
Marlowe: I will zag on Mike’s answer and say that based on schedule, I will predict the unlikely continuation of EVIL’s streak. He faces Naito, Newman, and Great-O-Khan next week, none of which feel like clear losses. Of the three, I could see Naito ending the streak, but the other two don’t make as much booking sense to me as potential winners. I have rarely enjoyed an EVIL match or wanted to see more of him, but this winning streak has given me a different level of investment. I will closely watch all three of these matches to see if anyone can stop the HoT hijinks.
I would love to say ZSJ, but I can’t see him coming up with six points based on the schedule he has ahead.
Ryan: While I still have ZSJ winning the tournament, I think EVIL will most likely keep his streak going through week two. The shenanigans have been strong for HoT so far, and I don’t see them letting up—especially with the sorts of matches he has on the horizon. Callum Newman's surprise win there is possible, but I think EVIL’s next big test will be ZSJ (I think he will likely lose out, given that he would then face Shingo and Shota).
Pontiff: ZSJ or Yuya are my choices, without a doubt. I think EVIL’s likely to lose his upcoming match against Naito, as I don’t foresee the world champion starting 1-3. When comparing upcoming matches between ZSJ and Yuya, I would say that ZSJ does have a slightly more difficult lineup of opponents, with ZSJ facing Jake Lee, Shota Umino, and Shingo Takagi, and Yuya facing Jeff Cobb, Henare, and Ren Narita. If I had to guess, I think ZSJ’s first loss will come against Shota, while Yuya’s first will come against Cobb, so ZSJ is my final answer.
What match are you most looking forward to in Week 2?
Marlowe: I circled Yuya and Jeff Cobb on my calendar for night six. As Mike wrote above, Yuya is off to a hot start and has been a must-watch throughout week 1. I am a major fan of Cobb; he always puts together exciting matches and improves the quality of his opponents. His match on night three against Takeshita was my favorite of the G1 so far, and I suspect this week’s showdown with Yuya could be even better.
Ryan: I’m going to pick possibly a strange one: Zack Sabre Jr vs Jake Lee on 7/27/24. The matches Lee has been in so far haven’t been received very well, but I think that has partly been due to circumstances beyond himself (the first being a squash win, then an interference fest with EVIL, then a lackluster performance from Naito). I want to see what Lee does when put to the test with someone in their prime, and ZSJ is an excellent test of just that.
Pontiff: Three matches come to mind: a pair of rematches with Hirooki Goto vs. Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi vs. Gabe Kidd, and a first-time match with Konosuke Takeshita vs. Henare. If I had to choose one, I’d likely select Goto vs. Tsuji. I was a big fan of the New Japan Cup final; it was a physical, hard-hitting affair with a fantastic story centered around an old veteran trying to hold off a young upstart. I’m excited to see how they alter and build upon their first match this time. Both Tsuji & Goto have been in great form throughout this G1, and there are even some solid stakes to the match, with both competitors stuck at two points in significant need of a win to keep pace with the leaders of the block.
How do you feel about your tournament winner predictions after one week?
Ryan: “Zack Sabre Jr.”
I'm still feeling good about this one. He’s undefeated but has a tougher week ahead of him with Jake Lee, Shota Umino, and Shingo Takagi. If he gets past these three, I think he’s home free to the #1 seed in Block A.
Mike: “As much as I want it to be ZSJ, I think this is Shota Umino’s year.”
Yeah, it’s not looking great for Umino, who’s started off with only one win in his first three matches. Given how he's been booked to start the tournament, I think I’m leaning more towards Yota Tsuji, but I think there’s still plenty of time left for either ZSJ or Shooter to get a huge string of wins.
Marlowe: “I am with Mike here. I would love for it to be the summer of ZSJ, but I am taking Shota.”
I can’t say I feel good about this pick right now. Shota is sitting at 2 points and has felt largely irrelevant through week 1. A statement win against ZSJ on night nine could turn that all around and get us back on track.
Pontiff: “To me, the match that feels most likely to be the main event of the Tokyo Dome is Naito vs Tsuji, so Tsuji is my pick here.”
I AM NOT FLINCHING TSUJIMANIA IS COMING!