Omega vs. Ibushi set with NJPW G1 Climax 28 block assignments

Yesterday (June 17) we got the plain field for New Japan Pro Wrestling’s annual round robin extravaganza, the G1 Climax, and today... block announcements! Let’s list ‘em out and see what we’ve got, folks.

A Block

• Bad Luck Fale
• EVIL
• Hangman Page
• Hiroshi Tanahashi
• “Switchblade” Jay White
• Kazuchika Okada
• Michael Elgin
• Minoru Suzuki
• Togi Makabe
• YOSHI-HASHI

B Block

• Hirooki Goto
• Juice Robinson
• Kenny Omega
• Kota Ibushi
• SANADA
• Tama Tonga
• Tetsuya Naito
• Tomohiro Ishii
• Toru Yano
• Zack Sabre, Jr.

No point in being suspenseful about it given I called it out in the headline, but the biggest matchup here is Kenny Omega vs. Kota Ibushi in B Block. I know a lot of folks were hoping for Ibushi and Omega to clash at Wrestle Kingdom 13, but honestly, I think this is for the best. A proper big show main event between them feels like it would require a breakup or at least some major stress between them and now that they and the Young Bucks have come together as the Golden Elite, nothing should come between them for quite some time.

Overall, B Block feels the more stacked of the two beyond that, with Sabre, Naito, SANADA, and Ishii shoring Kenny and Kota up as one of the most formidable sets of six men you could put together from this field as far as match quality goes. And just on a personal level, Sabre/Yano is one of my most anticipated matches of the block— their interactions in tags have been enjoyable, and I think the Sublime Master Thief’s shenanigans might intersect with ZSJ’s technical mastery in a way reminiscent of Yano’s excellent match a few G1s ago with AJ Styles.

A Block is less exciting, but isn’t without matchups worth anticipating itself, of course, with Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi meeting for the twelfth time is the big obvious exciting one. EVIL, Suzuki, and YOSHI-HASHI shore up the quality as well and while Bad Luck Fale’s matches tend to get repetitive by the end of the tournament, he’s almost always good for at least one that really over-delivers on the David and Goliath format. And with both our newcomers, Page and White, in the block, it’ll be a chance for them to really elevate the block above first impressions if they can step it up here.

There you have it, folks

Excited to wake up at butt o’clock for Omega vs. Ibushi, Cagesiders?