2005 G-1 Climax

[Mad Dog]

My personal favorite string of shows every year. Guys always seem to bring their A games for it. Here's the competitors:

 

Osamu Nishimura

Minoru Suzuki

Tatsumi Fujinami

Kendo Kashin

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Josh Barnett

Masahiro Chono

Yuji Nagata

Yutaka Yoshie

Togi Makabe

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Toru Yano

Blue Wolf

Shinsuke Nakamura

Manabu Nakanishi

 

 

This looks really bad on paper with so much deadweight involved. Though I thought the last 2 years were going to be awful and they managed to pull off good shows. How old is Fujinami these days? He's got to be pushing 60. I'm guessing the final will be Tanahashi vs. Nakamura but it's hard to tell with New Japan anymore.

 

I think Tanahashi winning this and then beating Tenzan for the IWGP Title at the 1/4 Dome show would be a great way for New Japan to go.

 

EDIT: Opps, forgot to mention that there's still a to be announced left for the tournament.

[Guest Sass]

Courtesy of SSS, the G-1 schedule for '05:

 

NJPW, 8/4/05 (SXW)

Fukuoka International Center

 

1. G1 Climax - Block A: Osamu Nishimura vs. Minoru Suzuki

2. G1 Climax - Block A: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Kendo Kashin

3. G1 Climax - Block A: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Josh Barnett

4. G1 Climax - Block A: Masahiro Chono vs. Yuji Nagata

5. G1 Climax - Block B: Yutaka Yoshie vs. Togi Makabe

6. G1 Climax - Block B: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Toru Yano

7. G1 Climax - Block B: Blue Wolf vs. X

8. G1 Climax - Block B: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Manabu Nakanishi

 

NJPW, 8/6/05 (Samurai! TV)

Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium

 

1. G1 Climax - Block A: Osamu Nishimura vs. Kendo Kashin

2. G1 Climax - Block A: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Josh Barnett

3. G1 Climax - Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Minoru Suzuki

4. G1 Climax - Block A: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Masahiro Chono

5. G1 Climax - Block B: Yutaka Yoshie vs. Toru Yano

6. G1 Climax - Block B: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Togi Makabe

7. G1 Climax - Block B: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. X

8. G1 Climax - Block B: Blue Wolf vs. Manabu Nakanishi

 

NJPW, 8/7/05 (WPW/NJ+IWTV Internet)

Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium

 

1. G1 Climax - Block A: Josh Barnett vs. Kendo Kashin

2. G1 Climax - Block A: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Osamu Nishimura

3. G1 Climax - Block A: Masahiro Chono vs. Minoru Suzuki

4. G1 Climax - Block A: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Yuji Nagata

5. G1 Climax - Block B: Toru Yano vs. X

6. G1 Climax - Block B: Blue Wolf vs. Togi Makabe

7. G1 Climax - Block B: Yutaka Yoshie vs. Manabu Nakanishi

8. G1 Climax - Block B: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi

 

NJPW, 8/8/05 (SXW)

Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium

 

1. G1 Climax - Block A: Osamu Nishimura vs. Masahiro Chono

2. G1 Climax - Block A: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Minoru Suzuki

3. G1 Climax - Block A: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Kendo Kashin

4. G1 Climax - Block A: Josh Barnett vs. Yuji Nagata

5. G1 Climax - Block B: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Toru Yano

6. G1 Climax - Block B: Togi Makabe vs. X

7. G1 Climax - Block B: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Blue Wolf

8. G1 Climax - Block B: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Yutaka Yoshie

 

NJPW, 8/10/05 (SXW)

Twin Messe Shizuoka North Pavillion

 

1. G1 Climax - Block A: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Osamu Nishimura

2. G1 Climax - Block A: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Minoru Suzuki

3. G1 Climax - Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Kendo Kashin

4. G1 Climax - Block A: Josh Barnett vs. Masahiro Chono

5. G1 Climax - Block B: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Toru Yano

6. G1 Climax - Block B: Yutaka Yoshie vs. X

7. G1 Climax - Block B: Manabu Nakanishi vs. Togi Makabe

8. G1 Climax - Block B: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Blue Wolf

 

NJPW, 8/11/05 (Samurai! TV)

Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium

 

1. G1 Climax - Block A: Masahiro Chono vs. Kendo Kashin

2. G1 Climax - Block A: Yuji Nagata vs. Osamu Nishimura

3. G1 Climax - Block A: Josh Barnett vs. Minoru Suzuki

4. G1 Climax - Block A: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Hiroyoshi Tenzan

5. G1 Climax - Block B: Blue Wolf vs. Toru Yano

6. G1 Climax - Block B: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Yutaka Yoshie

7. G1 Climax - Block B: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Togi Makabe

8. G1 Climax - Block B: Manabu Nakanishi vs. X

 

NJPW, 8/13/05 (Samurai! TV)

Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

 

1. G1 Climax - Block A: Minoru Suzuki vs. Kendo Kashin

2. G1 Climax - Block A: Osamu Nishimura vs. Josh Barnett

3. G1 Climax - Block A: Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Osamu Nishimura

4. G1 Climax - Block A: Hiroyoshi Tenzan vs. Yuji Nagata

5. G1 Climax - Block B: Togi Makabe vs. Toru Yano

6. G1 Climax - Block B: Yutaka Yoshie vs. Blue Wolf

7. G1 Climax - Block B: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Manabu Nakanishi

8. G1 Climax - Block B: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. X

 

NJPW, 8/14/05 (WPW/NJ+IWTV Internet)

Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

 

1. G1 Climax - Block A 1st place vs. Block B 2nd place:

2. G1 Climax - Block A 2nd place vs. Block B 1st place:

3. G1 Climax - Final:

Sass's Thoughts: The bold matches are the ones that I find interesting. Tanahashi and Nakamura vs. Yoshie will be a true test of each guy's ability to carry big slug's like Yoshie. I want to see how they do. I hope Tenzan and Blue Wolf have a good outing in the G-1 this year. BW needs to raise his game a couple steps up and prove he's worth hanging with Tanahashi and Nak, his peers. I want to see Yano get the crap kicked out of him by Tanahashi too. That could be entertaining to watch.