10 Incredible Dream Matches NJPW Will Give Away In The 2018 G1 Climax

2. Minoru Suzuki Vs. Kazuchika Okada

Kota Ibushi Kenny Omega
NJPW

Kazuchika Okada and Minoru Suzuki have battered the f*ck out of each other several times over the past five years, but Suzuki has been unable to to register a singles win over 'The Rainmaker' since the two first clashed in 2013.

Since then, Okada's rise to glory as the new 'Ace' of New Japan has seen him take on and take out virtually every major player in the organisation. The fearsome Suzuki has been just another roadblock, falling to the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion two G1s and two title matches. There's perhaps never been a better time for the 50-year-old to reverse the trend, though.

It's impossible to assess the Kazuchika Okada that turns up to this year's Climax so soon after his desperate Dominion defeat, whilst Suzuki enters having repeatedly defied the odds in 2018 thanks to blinding big stage battles with Hirooki Goto, Togi Makabe and (as a last-minute replacement on a 'Bloodsport' card booked and organised by his opponent) Matt Riddle.

Suzuki's also tasted success against Okada in tag action in 2018 - a far cry from the routine squashes dished out by CHAOS in previous years. Might Minoru finally reverse the curse in solo action too?

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett