How G1 Climax Became the Most Prestigious Tournament in Wrestling
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How G1 Climax Became the Most Prestigious Tournament in Wrestling
By: Walter Yeates
New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s G1 Climax has gained a reputation as the most prestigious tournament in the world of puroresu, featuring a number of the best matches in the world over the past decade. The tournament has seen 19 unique winners and has elevated numerous wrestlers to marquee status within NJPW. Since the company entered its international growth period in 2011, the grueling tournament has seen its winners’ notoriety grow on an international level.
This year, due to COVID-19 restrictions, G1 participants only had to focus on single matches. The new format challenged them to prepare for opponents against whom they didn’t have a feeling-out period during multi-person tag matches.
In the end, “Golden Star” Kota Ibushi captured his second consecutive G1 Climax trophy. He was the first wrestler to accomplish the feat since four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Hiroyoshi Tenzan won back-to-back trophies 16 years ago.
While Ibushi’s win solidifies him as a marquee draw for NJPW, and had granted him the opportunity to challenge for double gold at Wrestle Kingdom 15, time will tell if he actually gets that opportunity. Ibushi lost his rights to main event on January 5th to “Switchblade” Jay White during the Power Struggle finale when the Bullet Club leader took his rights for the title shot – only for current champ Tetsuya Naito to grant Ibushi a shot anyway, on the first night of the double-header January 4th.
The implications of G1 Finals are clear: It’s the kickoff to the venerated Road to Wrestle Kingdom. But how did the tournament become so celebrated? Fans new to the King of Sports might be interested to know the streaks of a few notable stars who carried NJPW in the past, who left a lasting legacy.
Some of the stars, heroes and winners of past G1 Climax events are listed below. Of note, former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega became the first non-Japanese wrestler to win it all back in 2016, taking home the trophy from G1 Climax 26.
While Chono only had one turn as the IWGP Heavyweight Champion and National Wrestling Alliance Worlds Heavyweight Champion, his G1 Climax victories solidified his legacy as a phenomenal singles tournament wrestler and a dangerous competitor in solo competition. His record is unlikely to be topped, and he remains a figure who often appears during the G1 Climax Finals to take part in the festivities.
The tournament has generated record revenues for NJPW as it has become one of the most highly anticipated events in the sport. Before the onset of COVID-19, the tournament had brought in staggering attendance for NJPW in recent years.
WATCH: HISTORY OF THE NJPW G1-CLIMAX 1991 – 2019
Winning the G1 Climax means that a wrestler has become one of the best in NJPW, or has returned to the top. Hiroshi Tanahashi climbed back to the top of the mountain in G1 Climax 28, before winning his eighth IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 13. G1 Climax 17 saw Tanahashi solidify himself as a marquee attraction within NJPW at a time when the company needed someone to lead it out of the dark ages.
In the future, wrestlers like “Alpha Wolf” Karl Fredericks, Shota Umino, “Young Gun” Hikuleo, Great O-Khan, Aaron Henare, David Finlay and others will attempt to cement their legacy in G1 Climax history.
No matter who claims a G1 Climax trophy in the future, it will remain a competition that brings forward the most emotional and sports-based professional
This article first appeared in Monthly Puroresu Issue #2
