New Japan Pro Wrestling presents G1 CLIMAX 2001

New Japan Pro Wrestling presents
G1 CLIMAX 2001

Starts: August 4, 2000 - Furitsu Gym, Osaka
Finals: August 12th, 2000 - Sumo Hall, Tokyo

As part of SLAM! Wrestling's continuing commitment to provide in-depth coverage of international wrestling, we are proud to present a full preview of New Japan Pro Wrestling's G1 Climax 2001 tournament. Two six-man divisions will compete in a round robin format, (two points for a win, one for a draw) with the winner of each division advancing to the semi-finals where they'll face the second place-finisher in the other division. Fans unfamiliar with this special event should check out our story on its history and last year's winner. In handicapping this year's event, SLAM!'s own John Molinaro focuses on all twelve wrestlers in the tournament and examines what their chances are.

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A LOOK AT THE FIELD -- BLOCK A

Yuji Nagata Best Moves: Northern Lights Suplex, lethal stiff kicks Tournament Experience: 2 appearances Best Tournament Finish: Semi-finalist ('99, '00).

Tatsumi Fujinami Best Moves: Dragon Suplex, Octopus Tournament Experience: 6 appearances Best Tournament Finish: Winner ('93).

Manabu Nakanishi Best Moves: Torture rack, spear Tournament Experience: 4 appearances Best Tournament Finish: Winner ('99).

Minoru Tanaka Best Moves: Northern Lights Suplex, springboard dropkick Tournament Experience: None. Best Tournament Finish: This will be his first G1.

Tadao Yasuda Best Moves: Front Guillotine Tournament Experience: 4 appearances. Best Tournament Finish: Quarter-finalist ('98)

Kazunari Murakami Best Moves: stiff kicks Tournament Experience: None. Best Tournament Finish: This will be his first G1.

A LOOK AT THE FIELD -- BLOCK B

Keiji Mutoh Best Moves: Moonsault, Figure Four Leg Lock Tournament Experience: 8 appearances Best Tournament Finish: Winner ('95), Finalist ('91, '99), Semi-finalist ('92, '93)

Masa Chono Best Moves: STF, Yakuza kicks Tournament Experience: 10 appearances Best Tournament Finish: Winner ('91, '92, '94), Finalist ('96), Semi-finalist ('93, '95, '98, '00).

Hiroyoshi Tenzan Best Moves: Diving head-butt Tournament Experience: 6 appearances Best Tournament Finish: Finalist ('97).

Satoshi Kojima Best Moves: Running lariat, Diamond-cutter Tournament Experience: 5 appearances Best Tournament Finish: Semi-finalist ('98, '00).

Osamu Nishimura Best Moves: figure four Tournament Experience: 2 appearances. Best Tournament Finish: 4th Place, Block C ('00)

Jushin "Thunder" Liger Best Moves: Running Liger Bomb, Palm Blows Tournament Experience: 1 appearance Best Tournament Finish: 4th Place, Block A ('00)

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G1 CLIMAX PREDICTIONS - BLOCK WINNERS

	John Molinaro
BLOCK A WINNER	Yuji Nagata
BLOCK B WINNER	Satoshi Kojima
BLOCK A RUNNER-UP	Manabu Nakanishi
BLOCK B RUNNER-UP	Keiji Mutoh

What the expert says

John Molinaro: Block A appears to be the weaker of the two divisions. Tanaka and Yasuda will be jobbed out, while Fujinami and Murakami might score some upset wins. Nagata is primed and ready for a major push so I would expect him to cruise through the round robin portion and finish in first place. Nakanishi will finish in second because he's the biggest name from the rest of the pack. Block B is a little more difficult to get a handle on. Liger and Nishimura will be used as fodder while the other four battle for the two spots. Kojima, like Nagata, is ready to get pushed to the next level and I look for him to score some big wins over veterans like Mutoh and Chono to win the group. Mutoh will just edge out Tenzan to finish second.

G1 CLIMAX PREDICTIONS - FINALS

	John Molinaro
SEMIFINAL A	Nagata over Mutoh
SEMIFINAL B	Kojima over Nakanishi
G1 FINAL	Nagata over Kojima

What the expert says

John Molinaro: The way I see it, booker Masa Chono will take a page from the first G1 in 1991 that saw New Japan elevate him and Mutoh by having them defeat veterans to advance to the finals where they had a hell of match, thus making them into the new stars of the promotion. Chono will have Nagata go over Mutoh while Kojima will beat 1999 G1 winner Nakanishi in the semi-finals to set up a Nagata vs Kojima final. By beating Mutoh and Nakanishi, both Nagata and Kojima will be eleavated to the next level and will seize the occasion by putting on a clinic in the final that will see Nagata go over. Shades of 1991 all over again.

More on the G1 Climax:

History of the G1 Climax
Sasaki wins 2000 G1 Climax
SLAM! International Wrestling