Updated NJPW G1 Climax 29 Standings: Kazuchika Okada vs Kota Ibushi decides A Block
Okada Defeats EVIL; Ibushi vs Zack Sabre, Jr. – Winner Takes A Block
With a win over Sanada, the reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion would have been a win away from clinching the A Block. But with 12 seconds left before a time-limit draw, SANADA landed a moonsault and got the pin giving Okada’s first loss in the tournament.
Okada currently sits at 14 points after defeating EVIL. With the loss, EVIL is now mathematically eliminated. Kota Ibushi defeated Zack Sabre, Jr keeping him within 2 points from Okada in the A Block standings. They face each other Saturday. Okada wins the block with a win or draw. Ibushi MUST win to win the block as he would have the tiebreaker at 14 points.
G1 Climax 29 A Block Standings
Competitor | Points | Remaining Opponents | Needs to Win A Block |
Kazuchika Okada | 14 | Kota Ibushi | Win or Draw vs Kota Ibushi |
Kota Ibushi | 12 | Kazuchika Okada | Win vs Kazuchika Okada |
EVIL | 8 | Lance Archer | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
KENTA | 8 | Zack Sabre Jr | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
Hiroshi Tanahashi | 8 | Will Ospreay | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
SANADA | 8 | Bad Luck Fale | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
Zack Sabre Jr | 6 | KENTA | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
Bad Luck Fale | 6 | SANADA | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
Will Ospreay | 6 | Hiroshi Tanahashi | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
Lance Archer | 4 | EVIL | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
Jon Moxley Loses Three Straight. Now Needs A Win with Help to win B Block.
Jon Moxley started his first G1 Climax appearance with 5 straight wins with impressive wins over Tetsuya Naito and Tomohiro Ishii. However, his last two matches stricken with shenanigans have cost Moxley a count-out loss to Toru Yano and pinfall to Switchblade Jay White. Thursday, he lost his third straight, but first “clean” win when Hirooki Goto put himself in the driver seat.
A Goto win over Shingo Takagi means he will win the B Block. If he does lose, Goto still has all the tie-breakers having 4 of his 5 wins against all those with 10 points. So, if Moxley loses and Naito vs White ends in a double count-out, Goto wins the B Block.
The most likely scenario is that the main event of the B Block will decide who wins the block. Tetsuya Naito and Jay White, who both started off slow will face off in a winner takes all match. In order for that to happen, Moxley would have to lose Sunday to Juice Robinson and Goto would have to lose to Takagi.
G1 Climax 29 B Block Standings
Competitor | Points | Remaining Opponents | Needs to Win B Block |
Hirooki Goto | 10 | Shingo Takagi | Win vs Shingo Takagi or Moxley loss and Naito vs White Double Count Out |
Jay White | 10 | Tetsuya Naito | Win with Goto loss or draw |
Jon Moxley | 10 | Juice Robinson | Win with Goto and White loss or draw |
Tetsuya Naito | 10 | Jay White | Win with Moxley and Goto loss or draw |
Tomohiro Ishii | 8 | Taichi | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
Toru Yano | 8 | Jeff Cobb | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
Juice Robinson | 6 | Jon Moxley | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
Jeff Cobb | 6 | Toru Yano | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
Taichi | 6 | Tomohiro Ishii | Mathematically eliminated from contention |
Shingo Takagi | 6 | Hirooki Goto | Mathematically eliminated from contention |