10 Things I Learned From The 2016 NJPW G1 Climax

9. Tomoaki Honma Shouldn't Win Matches

Kenny Omega NJPW G1 Climax
NJPW.co.jp

Two years ago, Tomoaki Honma gained entry to the G1 Climax as a last minute replacement for an injured Kota Ibushi. Honmania proceeded to run wild as the headbutt-obsessed mad man put in one incredible performance after another, losing every single match but being the breakout star in the process.

Honma returned in 2015 to a similar story, although he got closer and closer to that elusive victory. Finally it came as Tomohiro Ishii was vanquished, and the New Japan faithful went absolutely wild. Despite an overall record of won one, lost twenty, Tomoaki Honma was arguably the most successful man in recent G1 Climaxes.

Fast forward to this year and the situation has changed somewhat. Honma won his first two matches this year, the underdog was experiencing success, but something had changed internally. The fire had gone, the crowd no longer roared every prospective Kokeshi like before. Honma has become just another guy.

Tomoaki Honma is the most unique of professional wrestlers; a man who needs to lose to stay relevant.

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Born in the middle of Wales in the middle of the 1980's, John can't quite remember when he started watching wrestling but he has a terrible feeling that Dino Bravo was involved. Now living in Prague, John spends most of his time trying to work out how Tomohiro Ishii still stands upright. His favourite wrestler of all time is Dean Malenko, but really it is Repo Man. He is the author of 'An Illustrated History of Slavic Misery', the best book about the Slavic people that you haven't yet read. You can get that and others from www.poshlostbooks.com.