G1 Climax: Ranking The 9 Possible Finals
4. Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs. Kota Ibushi
Nothing lasts forever. Hiroshi Tanahashi can tell you that. At 41 years old, he's on an amazing run, putting in great matches and maintaining a special connection with the New Japan audience. However, it's clear he's not the wrestler he once was, as he's abdicated the position of Top Guy to Kazuchika Okada. Now, Tanahashi is the old guard sorting out the contenders from the pretenders among the youth.
Enter Kota Ibushi. The Golden Star and Tanahashi have clashed before, and Tanahashi sees Ibushi as having all the potential in the world. The problem: Ibushi is 36, and he's still insisted on remaining a freelancer instead of committing 100 percent to New Japan. Because of that, he's had a ceiling that he's been unable to break for years. Despite being considered by most to be one of the best wrestlers in the world, he's ultimately an underachiever compared to contemporaries like Okada, Naito, and Omega.
A final between Tanahashi and Ibushi would tell a great story. Here's Ibushi's make-or-break moment: does he surpass the Ace and become one of New Japan's top guys, or does Tanahashi reinforce Ibushi's ceiling?