10 Wrestlers NJPW Should Consider For Next Year's G1 Tournament
Will New Japan Pro Wrestling reach out to names old and new for next year's tournament?
We're now coming into the homestretch of New Japan's 28th instalment of the G1 Climax tournament. The contenders are being separated from the pretenders, and along the way, some of the best wrestling in all of New Japan and wrestling in general has been on display. Stars such as Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kenny Omega, Tomorhiro Ishii, and Kota Ibushi have been putting on instant classics that add to their already legendary resumes.
However, not even the best things can last forever. For as good as this G1 has been, there have been a lot of repeat matches and performances. This year's crop of wrestlers only has two new additions from last year's tournament. With stars such as Minoru Suzuki and Togi Makabe getting up there in years, more changes will inevitably come for next year's lineup.
With that in mind, it's a good time to speculate as to who would be a good fit for the 2019 G1 crop. Some on this list have competed in it before, some haven't, and some aren't even in New Japan currently. In any case, we think they would all be worth the company's consideration as they freshen up the tournament.
10. Cody
Cody has gone through what the kids would call a "glow up," hasn't he? From just barely jerking the curtain at WrestleMania to selling out 10,000 seat arenas of his own promotion, the former Stardust has been the #1 success story of leaving WWE in recent years.
Rhodes has been with New Japan for well over a year, debuting at Wrestle Kingdom 11. Since then, he's been a prominent part of the Bullet Club stable, instigating a civil war that's run through NJPW and ROH, and has headlined two shows against the IWGP Heavyweight Champion. In short: Cody has made an impressive resume for himself in the company.
Currently, Rhodes is taking time off wrestling to film the new season of Arrow, but it stands to reason he'll be available next summer to participate in the G1. While there are questions as to whether or not Cody has actually advanced enough as a wrestler to hang with the top guys in New Japan, he has the exposure and notoriety to justify his presence in a high-profile tournament such as the G1.
And after all: how can you say no to that face?