NJPW G1 Winner KONOSUKE TAKESHITA Hopes To Be The IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Before Wrestle Kingdom 20

By: Lewis Carlan

On Aug. 17th, KONOSUKE TAKESHITA added an impressive accomplishment to his growing resume as he defeated EVIL to win the New Japan Pro-Wrestling G1 Climax 35. The G1 is the most prestigious tournament in all of professional wrestling and TAKESHITA has the coveted G1 Trophy now in his possession.

The tournament win gives TAKESHITA the right to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship currently held by Zack Sabre Jr.

TAKESHITA took part in a press conference, his first as the G1 winner, on Aug. 18th. The multi-promotion superstar discussed his plans as the G1 winner.

TAKESHITA stated he is looking to next year’s G1 as he wants to win that tournament as well. He called G1 trophy the most important in all of pro wrestling.

From KONOSUKE TAKESHITA:

“First, I’m thinking about next year’s G1, and how can I win. In winning the G1, I’ve gotten the single most important trophy in pro wrestling. Tomorrow I’ll go to England to wrestle in AEW, and then to America, Mexico, Canada, of course Japan, and I’ll keep fighting across all those countries for the next year. I’ll do all these not just as Konosuke Takeshita, but as ‘G1 Climax winner Konosuke Takeshita’. As a G1 winner, I have to get even stronger and continue to get stronger every day in order to be in the next G1 and to show my strength there. It’s a simple situation; it’s on me to continue to better my best, and now I’ve won this year, I have to fight to win next year and show how great I am in the process.”

Photo Credit: NJPW

TAKESHITA also discussed the current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. and his desire to beat him for the title. Sabre Jr will be defending the title at Forbidden Door and TAKESHITA is rooting for him to remain champion.

TAKESHITA stated he wants to win NJPW’s top championship sooner rather than later and go to Wrestle Kingdom 20 as the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.

From KONOSUKE TAKESHITA:

“The other thing I have in mind is that I have to be the IWGP (World Heavyweight) Champion. Zack SabreJr. will defend the title at Forbidden Door and that’s decided, but it doesn’t matter who is champion, or where the match would happen, I will always be able to come to Japan as soon as NJPW call. At the same time though, if Zack can defend that title against me, then that’s what I want. I want to win the IWGP from Zack and I want to do it sooner rather than later. I think that Zack is the best there is, and to be the best there is I have to beat him. From there I want to go to the Tokyo Dome on January 4 as the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.”

TAKESHITA defeated Sabre Jr. in the semi-finals of the G1 Climax 35 en route to winning the tournament. Their match was an incredible battle and we can expect more of the same if these two meet again for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

That’s the match TAKESHITA is hoping for so it’s a very good bet that he will be watching the Sabre Jr/Nigel McGuinness championship match at Forbidden Door very closely on Aug. 24th.