10 Things I Learned From The 2016 NJPW G1 Climax

7. There Is A Fire In The Belly Of Marufuji Once More

Kenny Omega NJPW G1 Climax
NJPW.co.jp

Whilst I’m on the subject of resurgent stars, how about Naomichi Marufuji? The NOAH ace entered the tournament with something approaching a disappointed shrug, a man who we all know is capable of incredible performances but has grown more and more sluggish as time has gone by. Marufuji in the G1 just wasn’t that enticing.

By the end of the first night, everything had changed. Marufuji didn’t just beat Kazuchika Okada on that night. No, Marufuji completely outclassed the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, running circles around the Rainmaker and making him look like the Okada many knew from TNA, a confused young lion at best.

Marufuji was still into contention going into the final night, but it his rebuilt reputation that he really won from this tournament. His matches against SANADA and Ishii were wonderful things, and Marufuji in New Japan is no longer something that will roll eyes. Roll on his IWGP Heavyweight Championship shot.

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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.