Full lineup revealed for ROH-NJPW G1 Supercard at MSG

[cero2k]

Source: f4wonline.com

The lineup has been revealed for Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro Wrestling's G1 Supercard at Madison Square Garden.

NJPW announced the card for the show at their post-New Japan Cup press conference overnight. The most significant additions are Tetsuya Naito vs. Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for Revolution Pro Wrestling's Undisputed British Heavyweight title.

Ibushi eliminated Naito from the New Japan Cup, while Tanahashi eliminated Sabre. Kazuchika Okada defeated SANADA in the New Japan Cup finals and will challenge for Jay White's IWGP Heavyweight Championship at G1 Supercard.

Two teams have been added to G1 Supercard's Tag Team title vs. Tag Team title match. It will now be IWGP Tag Team Champions Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) vs. Villain Enterprises (PCO & Brody King) vs. The Briscoes vs. EVIL & SANADA, with the winning team getting the IWGP and ROH Tag Team titles.

Will Ospreay and Jeff Cobb's title vs. title match has also been confirmed. The winner will get the NEVER Openweight Championship and ROH Television title.

Women of Honor World Champion Mayu Iwatani will again defend her title against Kelly Klein. Iwatani won the championship from Klein in February and then retained in a rematch at ROH's 17th Anniversary pay-per-view.

The Kagetsu & Hazuki vs. Hana Kimura & Sumie Sakai tag match that Stardom and ROH teased for G1 Supercard has yet to be announced.

Jushin Thunder Liger, who revealed earlier this month that he's retiring at the Tokyo Dome in January 2020, has been confirmed for the Honor Rumble match that's taking place on the G1 Supercard pre-show. There will be 30 entrants in the Royal Rumble-style battle royal.

G1 Supercard is taking place on Saturday, April 6 and will air live on New Japan World and HonorClub. Here's the lineup for the show:

• IWGP Heavyweight Champion Jay White defending against Kazuchika Okada

• ROH World Champion Jay Lethal defending against Marty Scurll and Matt Taven in a triple threat ladder match

• IWGP Intercontinental Champion Tetsuya Naito defending against Kota Ibushi

• RevPro British Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defending against Hiroshi Tanahashi

• Title vs. title match: IWGP Tag Team Champions Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa vs. ROH Tag Team Champions PCO & Brody King vs. The Briscoes vs. EVIL & SANADA

• IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori defending against Dragon Lee and Bandido in a triple threat match

• Bully Ray New York City street fight open challenge

• Women of Honor World Champion Mayu Iwatani defending against Kelly Klein

• Rush vs. Dalton Castle

• Title vs. title match: NEVER Openweight Champion Will Ospreay vs. ROH TV Champion Jeff Cobb

• 30-entrant Honor Rumble match (pre-show; Jushin Thunder Liger is the first announced participant)

[Big Red Machine]

I REALLY hope we don't get a f*ck finish in Cobb vs. Ospreay.

[cero2k]

I REALLY hope we don't get a f*ck finish in Cobb vs. Ospreay.

it's the only one I have the same thought, but it's also a match that I can believe both companies are ok with either man taking both titles. I was having trouble thinking that NJPW would want the Briscoes taking the tag titles, even more so Villain Enterprises, but this one I'm more hopeful for an actual finish.

truth is, with this hell of a card, i wouldn't even be bothered by a fuck finish or another bully ray vs flip gordon match

[Big Red Machine]

I REALLY hope we don't get a f*ck finish in Cobb vs. Ospreay.

it's the only one I have the same thought, but it's also a match that I can believe both companies are ok with either man taking both titles. I was having trouble thinking that NJPW would want the Briscoes taking the tag titles, even more so Villain Enterprises, but this one I'm more hopeful for an actual finish.

I can see either company being happy to have either guy carry a belt, too, but I don't really think either of them are in a good spot to lose his belt, and I don't see NJPW taking the belt off of Ospreay until after the Taichi match they've been building up, and I don't think it will do ROH any good for the TV champ to be over in Japan, or to do any sort of short title reign switch and switch back just for the sake of doing it. It also creates the vicious cycle of someone automatically earning a shot at the other belt when he wins his own title back, which if you don't find a way to close the loop results in an outstanding title shot that never leads anywhere and serves no positive purpose while also calling the kayfabe legitimacy of your champion into question. This is a spot where I think they just need to go to a time-limit draw and be done with it.

truth is, with this hell of a card, i wouldn't even be bothered by a fuck finish or another bully ray vs flip gordon match

I'm fine with a f*ck finish in a spot where it leads to something in an effective and non-deflating manner. My fear is that we're going to get one just for the sake of not changing a title, in which case you shouldn't have booked the damn match in the first place.

[cero2k]

This is a spot where I think they just need to go to a time-limit draw and be done with it.

this is the best thing to do, especially since we have two title vs title match and again, i find it really hard to see NJPW losing the tag titles, but it's not good for ROH to lose two of their titles. Given that the card has 12 matches + maybe Oedo Tai vs Hana/Sakai, and Ospreay vs Cobb is early in the card, i doubt they'll go to a limit draw unless it's a 15 minute one.

[Big Red Machine]

This is a spot where I think they just need to go to a time-limit draw and be done with it.

this is the best thing to do, especially since we have two title vs title match and again, i find it really hard to see NJPW losing the tag titles, but it's not good for ROH to lose two of their titles. Given that the card has 12 matches + maybe Oedo Tai vs Hana/Sakai, and Ospreay vs Cobb is early in the card, i doubt they'll go to a limit draw unless it's a 15 minute one.

Exactly why I'm worried.