G1 Special Breaks Records!
Although it was reported that ticket sales for New Japan’s G1 Special in San Francisco were going to be around the 5,000 mark – seen as a disappointment as The Cow Palace can seat 15,000 – an AXS TV representative told WrestleZone that the night was a record-breaking success, claiming that it was the biggest New Japan show held on US soil in the biggest venue with the most tickets sold and their biggest gate.
The show was also a deemed a success by both fans and critics, with Cody challenging Kenny Omega for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Jay White defending his United States Championship against Juice Robinson and Jeff Cobb vs. Hirooki Goto all getting rave reviews. But something that wasn’t overly praised was the commentary.
(Video credit – Pro Wrestling Unlimited)
Josh Barnett vs. Jay White
Rather than have the usual English commentary team of Kevin Kelly and Don Callis, Mark Cuban – who helps promote New Japan shows in the US – opted to have his preferred team of Jim Ross and former UFC Champion Josh Barnett. However people were quick to critisise Ross nor Barnett for not doing their into the company’s top guys and for not knowing what the storylines were. In some cases, Ross and Barnett didn’t identify finishing moves, and just called them as regular moves. One report criticised Ross for complaining about wanting to go home when the post-show Bullet Club angle ran long.
But one of the biggest stories to come from the pair came from the Juice Robinson/Jay White match. During a spot where White snap suplexed Robinson into the guardrail by the commentary desk – both men swore loudly and got up from their seats. Barnett then got into the ring to seemingly challenge White. While some claimed this was all an angle, Barnett tweeted out, “Not a work.”
JR Injured At G1 Special
Which Jim Ross is agreeing with. Ross tweeted, “For the record, the ‘bump’ I took at ringside at #G1SanFrancisco was not storyline driven matter nor was it discussed. I think I broke a rib. Couldn’t put my roller bag in the overhead today after a sleepless Sat night… @JoshLBarnett is a valued member of the @AXSTV team. He nor I am going anywhere.” And when a fan asked whether Jay White apologised to them after the show he replied, “@JayWhiteNZ is a good kid. He and #JuiceRobinson did the right thing after the show.”
Juice Robinson Wins IWGP United States Championship
But if there is a Jay White vs. Josh Barnett match at some point, it won’t be for the United States Championship. In a match that some are calling one of the best of the night, Robinson countered the Blade Runner into a roll-up to win his first IWGP United States Championship. Robinson is also the first American-born wrestler to win the Championship. Robinson, who wrestled in NXT as C.J. Parker – no not that C.J. Parker – was asked about leaving WWE’s developmental system to which he replied, “It’s taken three years, but I landed on my feet. That’s right! I landed on my f***ing feet.” Adding that NXT is in his, “rear-view mirror now and guess what I ain’t going back. I ain’t ever going back. It’s ok, because guess what, guys like Cody Rhodes, guys like Kenny Omega, more guys like that, Will Ospreay. The big stars. The big independent stars. Independent? You can take that and shove it up your ass. They’re stars, baby.”
Hiromu Takahashi Injured
Sadly it wasn’t all fun and games at the G1 Special, however. During IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi’s title defense against Dragon Lee, Takahashi took a really awkward and nasty-looking bump from Lee’s Phoenix-Plex and landed directly on his head. Although he finished the match, there were reports that he collapsed backstage after walking through the curtain. Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that Takahashi might have broken his neck, which was later confirmed by New Japan’s official website.
Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet has since reported some better news however saying Takahashi can now “sit and talk with consciousness.”[QUOTE] Sean Waltman, a man who is no stranger to broken necks, tweeted out: “I’ve had my neck broken twice in the ring. 2nd time had it surgically repaired. I was able to make a full recovery & return to Wrestling for the most successful run of my career. Takahashi walked out of the ring on his own. He’s not done yet. Mark my words.”
Bullet Club Implodes!
But the big talking point of the night came during the closing moments of the show. After successfully defending his IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Cody, Kenny Omega clasped the hand of the man who was trying to oust him as leader of Bullet Club, and said in his post-match promo that he wants to give Cody another chance. The Young Bucks and Omega where then joined by their Bullet Club brothers Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa and their father Haku to show that Bullet Club was indeed fine. Or was it?!
The Tongans then beat down Omega and the Bucks and even beat up Hangman Page and Marty Scurll when they tried to make the saves. Cody then came back down to the ring, and was offered a chair by Tama Tonga to finish Kenny off, but Cody took the chair and attacked Tonga instead! Cody was also left laying, with the Tongans claiming they were the real Bullet Club. And after all the animosity in 2018, Cody and Omega shared an embrace in the middle of the ring. Just in time for All In!
Cody “Taking Time Off”
And that’s probably when we’ll see Cody wrestle next, with The American Nightmare revealing on Twitter that, “I’m taking a lil’ time off from wrestling to heal my body & explore another very fun project. Thank you all. Let’s meet at All In.”
Cody doesn’t specify what the next project is, but Brandi Rhodes revealed that Cody had changed the colour of his hair for a “recent business endeavour”, which many are speculating is for an appearance on the TV show Arrow – which stars his friend Stephen Amell, who will be All In in September.
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