Okada vs. Omega III set as NJPW reveals 2017 G1 Climax blocks
Though the exact date for the match isn’t known yet, Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega are set to turn their rivalry into a trilogy.
New Japan Pro Wrestling revealed the blocks for this summer’s G1 Climax during their Kizuna Road show at Korakuen Hall this morning, with Okada and Omega both in the B Block. We’ll find out when and where that match will take place when the tournament schedule starts to be announced tomorrow.
Okada and Omega faced off in two classics at Wrestle Kingdom and Dominion earlier this year. The second match ended in a 60-minute draw, but their G1 meeting won’t go that long as tournament matches have a 30-minute time limit.
If we’re going to get the much anticipated Omega vs. Kota Ibushi match in NJPW, it will have to be in the finals if it happens in this year’s G1. Ibushi is part of the loaded A Block field, along with Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tetsuya Naito, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, and Zack Sabre Jr. as standouts.
Ibushi will take on Sabre in a match that many wanted to happen at the Cruiserweight Classic last year, but both were eliminated in the semifinals of that tournament after not signing with WWE.
The full blocks for the 2017 G1 Climax are:
A Block —
- Hiroshi Tanahashi
- Togi Makabe
- Tomohiro Ishii
- Hirooki Goto
- YOSHI-HASHI
- Bad Luck Fale
- Yuji Nagata
- Zack Sabre Jr.
- Kota Ibushi
- Tetsuya Naito
B Block —
- Kazuchika Okada
- Toru Yano
- Satoshi Kojima
- Michael Elgin
- Juice Robinson
- Tama Tonga
- SANADA
- EVIL
- Minoru Suzuki
- Kenny Omega
The G1 will begin on July 17th and conclude on August 13th. Each wrestler will have a match against everyone else in their block along the way, with the A Block winner meeting the B Block winner in the finals.
If the IWGP Heavyweight Champion doesn’t win the tournament, whoever does will receive a briefcase (that is usually defended a couple of times) to challenge for the title at the Tokyo Dome next January.