G1 Supercard 2019 Predictions

Written By Ben Hercik

There’s a lot of eyes on the wrestling world because it’s Wrestlemania but a card which is stealing a lot of attention from Mania is ROH/NJPW’s mega show at Madison Square Garden. This card is stacked so without going any further, here are Ben Hercik’s predictions for the event.

Honor Rumble

I honestly have no clue. I am going to do what we are doing with the Wrestlemania predictions, and take two names. PJ Black just signed a deal with ROH, so I can see him winning the match. But it is also Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger’s final year, and I can see him going out with a win on his last Wrestlemania weekend.


Prediction: PJ Black or Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger

Juice Robinson Vs. Bully Ray (New York Street Fight)

I can see this being a big launching point for Juice in ROH. He is someone I see them wanting to build around and someone that they should. You have a very talented wrestler in him and someone that should be a key part of the company moving forward. Bully Ray has an eye for talent and is someone who has helped elevate many wrestlers, with the most recent one being Flip Gordon. I see Juice winning here and beginning his trek to the top of the mountain in ROH.


Prediction: Juice Robinson

RUSH Vs. Dalton Castle

What a difference a year makes for Dalton Castle. He was closing the show last year in a match with Marty Scurll, but only one of them made it back to that point this year. Castle has to turn this around, and he hopes to do it against one of the new signees to the company, Los Ingobernables leader Rush. I highly doubt that Rush will lose here as he is another guy that the company seems to want to build around. I am curious how far this descent of Castle will go.


Prediction: Rush

Mayu Iwatani (C) Vs. Kelly Klein (Women Of Honor Championship)

This is a tough one. So Iwatani took the title off of Klein and now Klein wants to take the title back that she feels she was robbed of. I think that both women are very good in the ring and are only going to grow and become better. I think that these two do have some great chemistry together, they just need to have the time for them. I think that Iwatani is an up and coming women’s wrestler and someone that we are going to hear about for a long time, but I think that on a card that is going to have a lot of baby face wins, I think that there needs to be some heel wins, and one of them comes here with Kelly Klein taking her title back.


Prediction: Kelly Klein

Will Ospreay (C) Vs. Jeff Cobb (C) (Winner Takes All)

Normally, I hate winner takes all, but this one is going to be a lot of fun. There two match up so well together, and their styles clash perfectly. You have the very fast and agile Ospreay and the big and strong Jeff Cobb. The question I have is just how high might New Japan be on Jeff Cobb? I think that they do like him and that he is going to be a star there sooner rather than later. However, I remember that there was a rumor going around that ROH was trying to get Ospreay for as many shows as possible. Could he be taking the TV Title and taking those dates? I think that he is, and Ospreay is walking out with both titles.


Prediction: Will Ospreay

EVIL & Sanada Vs. Guerillas Of Destiny (C) Vs. Villain Enterprises (C) Vs. The Briscoes (Winner Takes All)

This winner takes all, I genuinely have no clue on who is going to win. You have 2 teams that are in ROH regularly, and 2 that are in NJPW regularly. I don’t think that EVIL & SANADA will be taking the titles, as there is still that nagging feeling I have that SANADA may be leaving New Japan shortly. The Briscoes are a hard sell to me, as they just lost the ROH titles to PCO and King. So we are left with the champs, and it's tough for me to think that NJPW is that high on both King and PCO. I know they wanted to sign King when he was a free agent, like WWE and ROH were, but PCO is a hard sell for me to think that NJPW wants him regularly. I’ll take G.O.D. in this as they are in NJPW regularly and have the availability for ROH.


Prediction: Guerillas of Destiny

Taiji Ishimori (C) Vs. Bandido Vs. Dragon Lee (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship)

What a lovely little Junior Heavyweight title match here. You have three fantastic matches and guys that could be big players in the upcoming Best of the Super Juniors tournament. I think that we will see all three of these guys in the tournament. Predicting this seems a bit easier. It’s for a New Japan title, and only Ishimori New Japan wrestler in the match. Bandido just signed with ROH, while Dragon Lee is with CMLL. I think that any of these men could walk out with the title, but it’s not time for Ishimori’s reign to end.


Prediction: Taiji Ishimori

Hiroshi Tanahashi Vs. Zack Sabre Jr. (British Heavyweight Championship)

This is one of the matches that I am very excited to see. You have a submission master versus one of the legends of the business. It’s a little weird that you see this title being defended here, but it is such a nice thing to see RevPro getting publicity here as well as it did at Wrestle Kingdom 13. I honestly can’t see Tanahashi taking the title, as I don’t see him working much outside of Japan. This one will be good and expect to see some great submissions.


Prediction: Zack Sabre Jr.

Kota Ibushi Vs. Tetsuya Naito (IWGP Intercontinental Championship)

I’ve flipped flopped on this match so many times. I think both men could use the title, but their is the ever looming cloud that is hovering overhead, the G1 Climax. I think both men are favorites to at least get to the finals. I think that we see the match of the night here, with the Golden Star winning the title. Ibushi has a lot going for him right now, as he made the finals of the G1 last year and came so close to winning the finals against Tanahashi. Ibushi won and lost the Never Openweight Championship late last year and early this year respectively, and now it’s time for him to go on to the next step. Also this frees up Naito to go after the big belt, and with the popularity of Los Ingobernables de Japon and for the Stardust Genius, a loss here doesn’t hurt him at all.


Prediction: Kota Ibushi

Jay White (C) Vs. Kazuchika Okada (IWGP Heavyweight Championship)

Jay just won the title, so I highly doubt he is losing it here. That being said, if this match gets more time than the match between the two at Wrestle Kingdom 13, then these two will have a brawl. I expect dirty Bullet Club tactics, CHAOS creating…. well chaos, as these two factions know each other so well. I think that there will be a war on our hands, as the two leaders trading blows. Okada was the champion for so long, and I feel that it is time for a fresh face among the big dogs for New Japan. Expect White to continue to impress as his reign of terror continues.

Prediction: Jay White

Jay Lethal (C) Vs. Marty Scurll Vs. Matt Taven (Ladder Match; ROH Championship)

I wanted so badly to pick Scurll. He has had a fantastic story to finish here by winning the title here. He was so close to winning the title last year from Dalton Castle, and now we could see it here. But that said, it probably won’t happen due to Scurll having an expiring contract. Whether he goes to AEW, NJPW, or even WWE, who knows. So we are down to two, Jay Lethal and Matt Taven. Lethal has done so much for ROH and put his heart and soul into the company, and he has earned everything that he has gotten in the company. That said, I think he deserves a break. Taven has proven that he can hang with the big dogs of ROH, especially after his 60 minute time limit draw against Lethal at ROH’s 17th Anniversary show for the title. Plus with The Kingdom, Taven’s stable, you can have them run interference, and that would keep all three men looking strong. It’s time to establish some new names at the top of the ROH card, and let’s start it with Taven. Whether he is a transitional champion for Jeff Cobb to take the belt, or a lengthy champion, Taven has paid his dues and is worthy of a run with the title.


Prediction: Matt Taven