19 Ups & 4 Downs From NJPW G1 Climax 2019

7. Suzuki Steps Up (Finals)

Minoru Suzuki Kazuchika Okada
NJPW

Minoru Suzuki didn't need the G1 Climax to earn his IWGP Heavyweight Championship shot. Instead, 'The King' scored his Okada match the old-school way: by beating the piss out of 'Rainmaker' and taking his lunch money in a finals night tag, scoring the decisive pinfall with his Gotch-style Piledriver.

MiSu got on the microphone after the beating, confirming he was coming for the gold. His omission from the G1 provided the undercard's most compelling narrative, with Suzuki taking his rage out on anyone unfortunate to come across him in tags, and this is where it got him. Him and Okada will likely throw down at Royal Quest on 31 August.

A smart piece of booking. Suzuki is over as hell, particularly in the United Kingdom, and should be a credible fill-in opponent for Okada on the road to Wrestle Kingdom. It helps that their last big title match was hot fire too, of course.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.