19 Ups & 4 Downs From NJPW G1 Climax 2019

2. This Ain't It, Jeff (Night 8)

Jeff Cobb performs like a wrestler hell-bent on being nothing more than the least interesting version of himself.

At this best, the Hawaiian's superhuman strength and athleticism combine to create a dynamic, bombastic performer closer to something from the Marvel Cinematic Universe than a conventional wrestling big man. Cobb, in full flight, is a sight to behold. His myriad impressive throws, slams, and suplexes belie his affable exterior, and he can be a force of nature when he chooses to be.

The trouble is that he doesn't do it enough. Cobb is too willing to coast through a rudimentary execution of the NJPW style, showing only flashes of the superhero within. There's little to Jeff Cobb, Half-Hearted Grappler: he's plodding rather than methodical, exhibitionary instead of urgent, and night eight's stodge-fest versus Jay White best encapsulates that. The half-speed 37-year-old's meanderings combined with Jay White's heel shtick to create one of the G1's least engrossing matches.

Tetsuya Naito vs. Tomohiro Ishii and Jon Moxley vs. Shingo Takagi raised the bar before and after, but Taichi vs. Hirooki Goto was equally dull.