10 Absolute Worst Matches From The NJPW G1 Climax 2018
Wrong'uns and Tongans
There's a wrestling war brewing in 2018.
It's not between New Japan Pro Wrestling and World Wrestling Entertainment, despite justified optimism ricocheting from the aftermath of the super-quick Madison Square Garden sellout the night before WrestleMania 35. Nor between Cody Rhodes and his former employers following on from All In's similar sales success.
It's between duelling audiences.
Much like the needless tribalism that funds and fuels the Premier League, the internet has divided itself unnecessarily in violently ernest support of the largest wrestling companies in the world. This, despite the fact that the organisations don't really seem too fussed with how the others are doing. This is not a case of Gedo keeping an a monitor switched to Money In The Bank so he can book a Kenny Omega/Kota Ibushi swerve turn in his Dominion main event, nor Vince McMahon trying to turn his acolytes on Bushiroad for buying stars Juice Robinson and Davey Boy Smith Jr instead of making them in-house.
In the absence of either company giving a toss, the fans do on their behalf. That both have such room to thrive (and fans have such freedom to roam) reflects the contemporary boom period for the business. Alas no, we can't all just get along, apparently.
This one's thus for the WWE hardcores that fume and wail over supposed bias. NJPW is sh*t sometimes, too. Here's ten cases where they were even worse.
Note: This list features some rankings and reviews from WhatCulture.com's weekly G1 write-ups which can be found here, here, here, here and here.
10. Hangman Page Vs Bad Luck Fale (14 July)
Rating: **
The first contest in the tournament that foreshadowed the grim realities ahead, Hangman Page's disqualification victory over fellow Bullet Club member Bad Luck Fale was as much about establishing the new divide in the group following the Fale-ordered beatdown of Kenny Omega's sect by The Guerrillas Of Destiny in the aftermath of the G1 Special.
Page was battered by Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa as the contest collapsed, with Tama's assault on the referee confirming Fale's eventual loss. The gang seemed non-plussed - their grand plan to reimagine and redefine Bullet Club clearly extended long beyond the tournament itself, as everybody would unfortunately rather quickly realise.