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[Complete Results]
The most important heavyweight tournament in wrestling, the G1 Climax, returned for it's tenth year anniversary in August, 2000. This year's installment experimented with a new idea, an almost "World Cup" of New Japan, featuring twenty wrestlers spread over four blocks. Included were IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Kensuke Sasaki, and for the first time ever, the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Tatsuhito Takaiwa. Jushin Thunder Liger would add to the junior vigor, while veterans like Osamu Kido and Tatsutoshi Goto would also get a chance at success. Longer than the common G1 Climax, this one spanned six conventions, starting with a double header in Osaka, then moving to Hiroshima, before wrapping up with a trio of events at the famous Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan.
G1 Climax 2000 scoring system: Win (1 point), draw (0 points), loss (0 points)
Block A:
1. Tatsumi Fujinami (6th participation, 1993 winner)
2. Takashi Iizuka (3rd participation)
3. Yuji Nagata (2nd participation)
4. Jushin Thunder Liger (1st participation)
5. Tatsutoshi Goto (2nd participation)
Block B:
1. Kensuke Sasaki (8th participation, 1997 winner)
2. Osamu Kido (3rd participation)
3. Satoshi Kojima (5th participation)
4. Hiro Saito (1st participation)
5. Brian Johnston (1st participation)
Block C:
1. Manabu Nakanishi (5th participation, 1999 winner)
2. Osamu Nishimura (2nd participation)
3. Tadao Yasuda (4th participation)
4. Kenzo Suzuki (1st participation)
5. Hiroyoshi Tenzan (6th participation)
Block D:
1. Shiro Koshinaka (7th participation)
2. Junji Hirata (5th participation)
3. Yutaka Yoshie (1st participation)
4. Tatsuhito Takaiwa (1st participation)
5. Masahiro Chono (10th participation, 1991, 1992 & 1994 winner)
Points of note:
(8/7) In his first G1 Climax match, rookie Kenzo Suzuki faced Nishimura. Kenzo did well, lasting over 7 1/2 minutes before submitting to a Cobra Twist.
(8/7) Hiro Saito, also in his first G1 Climax at age 39, faced 50-year-old Osamu Kido in a battle of veterans. Hiro persuaded Kido to do battle at ringside with him, and fought him to a double countout, which meant no points for either man.
(8/7) In their first match for many years, 1970's junior pioneer, Tatsumi Fujinami, faced 1990's junior pioneer, Jushin Thunder Liger. Liger's first G1 got off to a negative start, when he submitted to the president's figure-four leglock. Liger debuted a new "Battle Liger" costume, with a shorter mask and no shirt, revealing a large upper body.
(8/7) IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion, Takaiwa, gave Mr. G1, Masahiro Chono, an unexpectedly tough fight in the semi final, the match lasting close to 15 minutes! Although the fans were solidly behind Takaiwa, he eventually fell to the heavyweight titan, submitting to an STF.
(8/7) Eternal rivals, Nakanishi and Tenzan, squared off in the opening day main event. It was their typical intense and physical struggle, with Tenzan earning an important first day victory when he used his new work, the TTD (Tenzan Tombstone Driver), on Mr. Unbelievable.
(8/8) After taking Chono so far on day one, Takaiwa was unable to follow up with a victory back in Osaka, falling to Hirata's Devil Windmill suplex hold in the first G1 match of the night.
(8/8) Tenzan went 2-0 in his campaign, continuing to control Block C when he defeated "Super Rookie" Kenzo Suzuki with a diving headbutt.
(8/8) Like Takaiwa, Liger again gave a spirited performance, but once more, the difference between heavyweights and juniors was clear when he was choked out by Iizuka.
(8/8) For the second G1 Climax in a row, Nagata pinned Fujinami, the G-EGGS leader hitting Dragon with a backdrop hold for the win.
(8/8) In his most high profile match since returning from overseas, Yoshie headlined in Osaka against Chono. And again, Chono had a tough time against an underdog opponent, barely winning a close fight after 20+ minutes.
(8/8) Yoshie at last scored his first G1 win, forcing Hirata to tap out to a reverse figure-four leglock.
(8/8) Tenzan made it three in a row and became the first man to be guaranteed some sort of tournament participation on the final day, pinning Yasuda with a moonsault press.
(8/8) Hiro continued to gain a reputation as Mr. Countout, when he deprived Kensuke of a point by keeping him out of the ring in their match.
(8/8) Liger finally defeated a heavyweight, spiking Goto with a brainbuster for his first G1 win! The fans were delighted, and Liger jumped for joy, acting like it was his first ever win.
(8/8) In a thrilling match between two of New Japan's best technicians, Nagata overcame Iizuka to obtain his second G1 victory in a row. Nagata put Iizuka away with a sleeper hold, and went level on points with him. This match would be named best bout of the tournament on 8/13.
(8/8) An old rivalry continued in the main event, when Koshinaka upset Chono to go even on two points with him, finishing off the Team 2000 leader with a powerbomb.
(8/11) Yoshie completed his second half momentum rush in the G1, defeating Takaiwa in his final tournament match to finish 2-2. Yoshie's bulk and strength were too much for the junior champion, and he won the match with a reverse figure-four leglock.
(8/11) Before intermission, history was made when All Japan's Masanobu Fuchi stepped into a New Japan ring and declared that he would break down the "wall" that had separated New Japan and All Japan for so long. Fuchi asked Riki Choshu for an interpromotional situation, and Choshu accepted with a historic handshake, signalling the start of New Japan vs. All Japan! Chono, without a match on the day, appeared, and wasn't happy. A scuffle broke out, and a complete confrontation series at the Tokyo Dome on 10/9 became a major reality!
(8/11) Nakanishi kept his hopes of advancing alive by defeating Nishimura in a difficult match. Nakanishi would have to rely on Nishimura to defeat Tenzan tomorrow to have any chance of reaching the semi final round.
(8/11) Nagata went on top of Block A when he defeated Liger in the semi final. Liger finished on a single point, unable to make an effective push into the heavyweight division again, even after spirited performances.
(8/11) In an important match for Block B, Kensuke repeated his February win over Kojima, again beating the T2000 star with a lariat to keep his hopes alive.
(8/12) In a surprise, Hiro refused to assist Kojima in possibly qualifying for the semi final round, holding his Team 2000 ally to a double countout, and paving the way for a Kensuke qualification later on.
(8/12) After an unsuccessful campaign, Takaiwa left the G1 with something, upsetting Koshinaka on the final day. Takaiwa pinned the former junior after a huracanrana to the surprise of nearly everyone in attendance.
(8/12) Nakanishi went level with Tenzan on three points after racking Yasuda with an Argentine backbreaker, but Tenzan had to lose the next match to force a decision confrontation between the two.
(8/12) Nishimura pulled off a major upset when he defeated Tenzan with a ground Cobra Twist. Nishimura was troubled by Tenzan's rough power style, but used an assortment of cradles to confuse him, one eventually picking up the win. This set up a rematch of the opening day main event, Nakanishi vs. Tenzan, to determine who would advance to the semis.
(8/12) Another major upset saw Goto prevent Nagata from instant qualification, pinning the G-EGGS leader following a backdrop suplex!
(8/12) Kensuke sealed Block B with an easy win over the struggling Kido, strangling him in the shortest match of the tournament at just 4 minutes, 21 seconds.
(8/12) Chono captured Block D with a win over Hirata, using his patented Butterfly Lock for the submission.
(8/12) Iizuka went level with Nagata and forced a rematch between the two when he scored a massive main event victory over Fujinami, putting the president to sleep!
(8/13) Nagata went 2-0 over Iizuka in the G1 in their Block A Decision Match, defeating him in another hot match with the Nagata Lock II.
(8/13) Tenzan wasn't able to match Nagata's feat of successive victories over the same man in the G1, losing his Block B Decision Match to eternal rival, Nakanishi. Nakanishi won another tough match with an Argentine backbreaker, and marched on to the semi final round.
(8/13) Nagata again missed out on his first G1 Climax, losing to Kensuke on the final day like he did Muto last year. An already tired Nagata did take the ace over 15 minutes, but Kensuke was fresher and sunk Nagata with a Northern Light bomb.
(8/13) After defeating Chono's disciple, Tenzan, earlier in the night, Nakanishi took down the Team 2000 leader himself, again using an Argentine backbreaker for the win! Following two brilliant wins, Nakanishi found himself one step away from a V2 domination of the G1 Climax!
(8/13) Liger, Samurai & Kashin defeated Kanemoto, Otani & Takaiwa in a regular junior tag, but the big story came after the match, when Otani argued with his long-time friends, and stormed off to the back, raising questions about his future. The following day, Otani would announce an overseas excursion to practice for future success.
(8/13) Kensuke Sasaki became the first man in history to ever win the G1 Climax while holding the IWGP Heavyweight Title, completing an unmatched heavyweight singles throne monopoly when he defeated Nakanishi in a gripping main event. Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan watched Nakanishi fight with everything he had left for close to 20 minutes, after two grueling matches earlier on the show. In the end, he was unable to avenge his failed IWGP Heavyweight Title challenge against Kensuke from June, the ace submitting him with a crab hold. In his post-match interview, Sasaki declared that he was ready for an IWGP and Triple Crown unification battle against All Japan ace, Toshiaki Kawada! Kensuke broke down into tears on his way to the back, and hugged his beloved mentor, Riki Choshu.
Miscellaneous:
The final standings of the 2000 G1 Climax looked as follows,
Block A:
1. Yuji Nagata [3]
2. Takashi Iizuka [3]
3. Tatsumi Fujinami [2]
4. Jushin Thunder Liger [1]
5. Tatsutoshi Goto [1]
Block B:
1. Kensuke Sasaki [3]
2. Satoshi Kojima [2]
3. Brian Johnston [2]
4. Hiro Saito [0]
5. Osamu Kido [0]
Block C:
1. Manabu Nakanishi [3]
2. Hiroyoshi Tenzan [3]
3. Tadao Yasuda [2]
4. Osamu Nishimura [2]
5. Kenzo Suzuki [0]
Block D:
1. Masahiro Chono [3]
2. Shiro Koshinaka [2]
3. Junji Hirata [2]
4. Yutaka Yoshie [2]
5. Tatsuhito Takaiwa [1]
Block A Decision Match: Yuji Nagata beat Takashi Iizuka (10:48) with the Nagata Lock II.
Block B Decision Match: Manabu Nakanishi beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (11:26) with an Argentine backbreaker.
Semi Final: Kensuke Sasaki beat Yuji Nagata (15:12) with a Northern Light bomb.
Semi Final: Manabu Nakanishi beat Masahiro Chono (9:33) with an Argentine backbreaker.
Final: Kensuke Sasaki beat Manabu Nakanishi (19:42) with a crab hold.
Stuart's 2000 G1 Climax Awards:
MVP: Kensuke Sasaki
Best Bout: Takashi Iizuka vs. Yuji Nagata (8/9)
Outstanding Performance Award: Yuji Nagata
Fighting Spirit Award: Jushin Thunder Liger
Most Inspirational Award: Jushin Thunder Liger
Back to: "RIKI CHOSHU REVIVAL!" (7/30/00)
Forward to: "AMAZING" (9/9/00 to 9/17/00)
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