/r/squaredcircle thread

1. Yuji Nagata, when all's said and done very few guys will have a perfect record of 'good' or entertaining matches. Block B all have to contend with Yano. Yuji Nagata though hasn't had a single match I would call a dud or even one I'd call 'mediocre'. The guy is going out on his back again and again, but always puts on an entertaining fight doing it.

2. Michael Elgin, he is making the case for himself to be the next gaijin to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. While the obvious gaijin to do it is Kenny Omega, Elgin isn't about to let people forget how great of a performer he is. Probably the best matches for Okada and Omega.

3. Juice Robinson, the guy has really shown his fighting spirit. While he isn't racking up points, he is winning favor with me and others who have watched. His matches with Okada and Suzuki being 2 of the best on that block for me. I loved his fight with Suzuki more than most though.

4. Kota Ibushi, coming back NJPW Kota Ibushi has had great matches pretty much anytime he has been in the ring. I can't imagine him vs Tanahashi, Goto or Nagata will let down. So he will likely stay on this list unless his chemistry with those great workers is just completely not there.

5. ZSJ, this is his first G1 Climax and he is really winning over the crowd with his unique submission/catch style. His matches also are standing out in the field full of strong style. It's nice to have variety and ZSJ brings that to the tournament.

Others :

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tetsuya Naito, Kenny Omega, Minoru Suzuki and Kazuchika Okada have all done fine, but not really surprising.

Omega/Okada have not really reached the heights they have vs one another earlier in the year... though could have match of the tournament in Block B's final night.

Naito has been great, but not surprisingly so. His match with Ibushi though is my favorite of the tournament so far.

Minoru Suzuki's matches are fun, but I think lean too heavily on outside interference and brawling on the outside. It can be fun, but it's making lots of his matches feel a bit samey.

Tomohiro Ishii, Tama Tonga, EVIL, SANADA, Hirooki Goto, have all put on good matches though seem like an afterthought. I don't think any of them are going to win and I'm not into them enough to really be pulling for them.

I love Ishii, but I have to give the nod to Elgin over Ishii in the G1 Hoss race. Elgin has just been having a better G1, it might have to do with blocks or Elgin might just have more to prove.

Toru Yano, Yoshi-Hashi, Kojima, Togi Makabe and Bad Luck Fale, this is basically the I don't really care for them group. I'm sure all these guys have their fans and can put on great work, but I get a little bored when their matches come up.

Yano is fun and his match with Kenny Omega was golden, but his matches lack an urgency because... it's Yano.  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Kojima/Makabe have had decent matches, but I just don't have any investment in them. Kojima in particular always seems outpaced so early in his matches and then always has a comeback sequence before being caught off guard and pinned.