With the July 28th show over and done with, we're now halfway through B Block! Let's have a report and see how things stand. Note: From top to bottom, these will go from who I picked as the first three, to who also has a shot, to who doesn't have much of one. Let's go!
— MY PICKS —
Yota Tsuji (Well, I'm Off To A Great Fuckin' Start) 1-3 – So, I picked Tsuji as the winner of the block, getting 14 points. The mathematicians in the room may notice that requires a 7-2 record. So four matches in, and that's already impossible. Jolly good. Still, bigger comebacks have been made from larger deficits…
Konosuke Takeshita (World's Sexiest Jaw Destroyer) 3-1 – Oh, hey, that's better. Takeshita has rocketed out of the gate with a solid 3-1 record, so far tied for the top of the block with Yuya Uemura. However, he has already lost to him, which could cause issues in event of tiebreaks. Still, after defeating Tsuji who – let's face it – everyone predicted to make it to the finals, he's looking strong.
El Phantasmo/ELP (World's Saddest Meow Meow) 1-3 – Oh, bollocks to it. After another crushing loss, this time even to Oleg Boltin, Phantasmo has lots of work to do if he wants to make it out of the blocks for the first time in his career. Being so depressed over losing his 57 Tongan friends can't be helping him. Maybe he should eat a Snickers. I dunno.
— POTENTIAL —
Yuya Uemura (SAY HIS NAME AND HE APPEARS) 3-1 – After starting hot with wins over the likes of Global Champion David Finlay and strong contender Konosuke Takeshita, things are looking good for this debut entrant. Can he carry on the momentum and make it to the finals?
Jeff Cobb (Current Holder Of The BIG FUCKING RECTANGLE Championship) 2-2 – Jeff Cobb despite not starting as hot in previous years (frankly, it's a bit difficult to top going bloody 8-0) feels like a decent contender here. He's always had strong performances but never quite put together a run to the finals. Will this be the year?
Hirooki Goto (Gedo's Least Favourite Wrestler) 2-2 – Originally when I posted this, I was debating whether he was going in POTENTIAL or UNLIKELY so hard that I just forgot to put him in either. Am I Gedo? Anyway, Goto's status as Man on Verge Of New Japan Dad Status can't be ignored, but I've always been a bit of a Goto Copium man. Potentially this will finally be the year? (Please ignore it was already his year once in 2008.)
— UNLIKELY —
David Finlay (The Answer To the Question "What Happens When The Most Boring Guy In A Group Is the Leader?") 2-2 – Not as strong a start as someone holding the replacement to the second-highest belt would have wanted, and frankly, I doubt many people expected him to make the finals. We've already got EVIL to be the annoying prick that ruins everyone's day, anyway. Sorry, Dave.
Ren Narita (His Theme Song Sounds Like It's Just The Intro To The Actual Song That Doesn't Exist. For That, Fuck Him) 2-2 – Because God hates us, HoT is involved in both blocks, meaning we get not one night of peace. Woo. Thankfully, Narita seems much less likely to progress than EVIL in A Block. Not happy about him stealing a much needed two points from ELP, though, the bastard.
— EH… SORRY MATE —
HENARE (His Finisher Is Named After The Sega Mega Drive Classic "Streets Of Rage", And For That, He Should Win Fucking Everything Really) 2-2 – Despite winning the NEVER Openweight Championship (but who hasn't got a championship in this tournament, frankly) I've never quite felt like HENARE has a chance to make it into the top 3. He's only defeated Boltin and so-depressed-it's-like-he's-injured ELP, and lost the two bigger matches of his tournament. Could he turn things around and prove me wrong?
Oleg Boltin (The Big Man From – I Have To Google It To Spell It Right – Kazakhstan) 2-2 – I feel like I'll get crucified for having Callum Newman in the mid-tier of A Block while Oleg is stone dead last, but, yeah, sorry, had to. He's had decent matches and I like his new gimmick and theme, but I think there's absolutely no chance he makes the playoffs. Granted, I only predicted him to get 4 points, so if he wins again, congratulations for proving me wrong.
by DJ_Aftershock