Photo Credit: NJPW
By: Lewis Carlan
The prestigious New Japan Pro-Wrestling G1 Climax tournament is set to kick off it’s 35th year on July 19th at the Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center.
As is the tradition, the tournament is broken into two blocks, Block A and Block B. Here are the entrants divided into each of their respective block:
Block A:
Block B:
A press conference was held on July 17th at the Hikosen Theater in Tokyo as all the G1 Climax 35 competitors had the opportunity to share their finals thoughts ahead of the tournament which is a mere two days away.
Here are some of the comments made by a few of the Block A superstars participating in the G1 Climax 35.
From Hiroshi Tanahashi:
“I was so disappointed last year, but I’m ready for this. I know how hard this is, but with every main event I have I will get better. I don’t know what expectations are but I know I can surpass the,. Let me say this one last time- I’ll take it in a snap.”
From Yuya Uemura:
“I’ll win this G1 and not just for the fans, but for all of the people that helped me. All the kids, all the people I’ve met and have backed me, this is for them. I’ll heat up your hearts with my strong style.”
From Yota Tsuji directed at Tanahashi:
“I don’t have pudding for you this year. As you can see from this year’s lineup, the generations and eras have changed. We still have veterans here as well, so you can see the depth that NJPW has right now. I made the finals last year, so I will win it this year and move on to my next goal. Tanahashi, boss, leave this place to me.”
From Ryohei Oiwa:
“My teammate Fujita won BOSJ, so as a partner I was proud, but as his contemporary I was hurting. I have to use that hurt as a spring for me to get to new heights. I do want to say, my grandpa was a huge wrestling fan and was always watching on TV. He left this world three days ago but gramps, please watch all of my matches.”
From Callum Newman:
“I started this year with my worst ever injury, physically and mentally, but getting hurt was the best thing that ever happened to me. It made me realise that I am what NJPW needs. I am the youngest ever tag champion twice, and I was the youngest ever world title challenger. Nobody has done what I’ve done. I won’t say that I’m going to win the G1, you’ll hear that 20 times today, but I’ll say that this is the summer of Newman.”
Here are some of the comments made by the Block B entrants.
From Shota Umino:
“I will have no regrets nothing on the table, put all I have with spirit and fire and energy and win the whole thing is all the comment I’ll give! You’ll see the hottest ever G1, you’ll see a G1 that has you ready for coming back next year and you’ll see me take that trophy and head to what I have planned next.”
From Shingo Takagi:
“I don’t have anything much to say but- last year I got as far as the semifinals, New Japan Cup as well. I get close but yet so far. This time I’m looking right at the top. I’m up for every match but in Ota, Takeshita, don’t think I’ve forgotten about what happened in Tokyo Dome. Then there’s the world champ Sabre, and then there’s the only other 40 plus guy here YOSHI-HASHI in the first match of the tournament. You will all be there right? Let’s make this summer extra hot.”
From Zack Sabre Jr.:
“I came here to remind you all who the winner of last year’s tournament and who is the world heavyweight champion. Whoever meets me in the final will lose, because I’m making history by winning this tournament back to back.”
From YOSHI-HASHI:
“Last year I was incredibly heartbroken at not making it into the G1. Heartbroken and angry. But making it in this year has a lot of meaning. Goto san- Go-chan being hurt is sad as I wanted to face him. But I want to carry his hopes with me and go even better this year. This year CHAOS is gone and I’m in Hontai, but the CHAOS bonds are still strong, and I’ll carry the hopes of the former CHAOS members that didn’t get in this year as well as I fight to the end.”
From Gabe Kidd:
“This is the first press conference I’ve done sober. But let me be real. I’ve had everything I ever asked for, but I still felt depressed, but that was another challenge from God and now I am the Global Champion and I surround myself with champions in Japan and America. I will say that in this G1 I will unleash another level of violence.”
From Konosuke Takeshita:
“From the bottom of my heart, I’m so excited. Excited to see just what it’s like, what the view is like after you win the G1. To get to that spot, I’ll crush all of you. Starting with you, Gabe. You’ll see Strong incredible pro-wrestling from me. Get obssessed with me! A message… from the Alpha.”
From Drilla Moloney:
“This is my first G1. I’m still a young man, but I’m far from new to this. My debut in NJPW in BOSJ and now I’m two years smarter and wiser, and 20kg heavier. It’s easy to know this is going to be a long summer. Three matches have me more excited than any other. Gabe, we have been doing this since we were children. This job has made us family. If you love me, bring that monster you made to me. Zack, I don’t know where you’ve gone, but for you to be a world champion from the Isle of Sheppey, that’s pretty cool. But when you step in the ring with meremember it was me that brought Great British pro-wrestling back from the brink in 2020. And my final match in B Block, Shingo Takagi. February 11 I beat you, March 15, you beat me. August 13 one more. Now we’re the same level? No, because it’s not your time, it’s mine.”
The NJPW G1 Climax is arguably the best tournament in professional wrestling. Competitors from all over the world dream of participating in this tournament and only the finest talent get to do so. Fans in every country look forward to G1 Climax each and every year with complete excitement.
On July 19th, the 35th annual tournament gets underway as the greatest wrestlers on Earth are set to put everything on the line to earn the right to hoist the G1 Climax 35 trophy.
Date:
July 18, 2025
Category:
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