19 Ups & 4 Downs From NJPW G1 Climax 2019

6. King Kota (Finals)

Jay White brought every Bullet Club member he could find to the ring for the G1 Climax finals. Their number included newcomer KENTA, fresh off one of the most impactful turns in recent memory, though good old Red Shoes Unno wasn't having any of it. Sure, he was conned into letting Gedo stick around, but the rest of the stable were immediately sent to the back, thank God, and the threat of f*ckery was eroded.

Or was it?

A bout that began like so many 'Switchblade' matches (White leaving the ring as soon as the bell rang) unfolded quickly. Gedo was ejected for immediately grabbing Ibushi's injured ankle. He returned to immense heat later on, when Unno was immobilised, giving White a period of domination, and the shenanigans helped take the drama to a new level. Rocky Romero was even enlisted to finally get rid of Gedo towards the end.

Ibushi ended this beautiful soap opera of a bout with one final Kamigoye, mounting an incredible comeback. Great match, great storytelling, great tournament, and assuming he gets to the Tokyo Dome unscathed, we're probably getting Kota Ibushi vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

Hard to complain about that.

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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.