NJPW's Dominion: 14 Biggest Stories Ahead Of The G1 Climax And More
11. Hiroshi Tanahashi Shows Worrying Signs Of Wear
At the Best of the Super Juniors final, Hiroshi Tanahashi failed to defeat Jay White, who has repeatedly targeted the so-called “Ace” both before and after his recent elbow surgery. However, Tanahashi got another opportunity to battle White at Dominion as part of six-man tag action. With Ryusuke Taguchi and Juice Robinson by his side, the three men faced the Bullet Club's leader along with Chase Owens, and Taiji Ishimori.
Chase Owens surprisingly held his own while fighting Tanahashi, while Juice Robinson rocked “The Switchblade” with a Left Hand of God on the outside. Eventually, Tanahashi put Owens away and scored the victory for his team.
However, many have questioned Tanahashi's swift return from injury, and those feelings were lent credence as he immediately clutched his arm following the win. Furthermore, the “Ace” appeared uncharacteristically slow, rough, and unsteady at Dominion - perhaps his long list of injuries through the years are finally catching up with him. Tanahashi's performance in the G1 tournament will certainly be telling.
In contrast, Juice Robinson stepped up by handily dealing with White last Sunday. Despite losing his coveted United States belt to Jon Moxley, Robinson may be destined for his best G1 outing yet.