The G1 climax combines two of my favourite things: Pro wrestling and a well-structured tournament. For that reason, it’s wild that this year’s G1 event will be my first watching along live, but here we are, following a few years of being on the fringe and a persistent close friend finally helping me see the light.
Being an absolute beginner in the world of New Japan Pro Wrestling, I started to do a bit of background research to see what I might be in for and so, I’ve been watching plenty of matches and reading up on the history of the tournament (and some general history), having a blast in doing so. Which is what led me here, my aim is to compile some information on the tournament, creating a sort of beginner’s guide, hopefully giving other people the opportunity to learn along with me, as a decades old tournament involving competitors of which you may not know anything about 90% of, can be quite a daunting task, it certainly put me off just diving into past year’s tournaments.
Also, it was recently announced that the first two days of the tournament (July 15th and 16th) will be available to stream for free on NJPW World! That’s 16 matches in total, a great opportunity for a taste of what G1 action is like if you’re hesitant.
A Brief History of the G1 Climax
The G1 is a round-robin wrestling tournament presented by NJPW, with a fairly complex history. The winner of which traditionally being awarded an opportunity to compete for NJPW’s top title, the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (formerly the IWGP Heavyweight Championship pre 2021).
The “first” G1 took place in 1991, only consisted of 8-men, eventually being won by Masahiro Chono (who would go on to win 4 more, making him the man with the most G1 wins in history with 5). Since then, the tournament has changed a lot, there have been multiple changes made to things like number of competitors, time limits and the number of knockout rounds. What we will see this year, I believe is quite the far cry from this “first” iteration, but we’ll get into the details later.
You’ll notice I was reluctant to call the 1991 G1 the “first” and that’s because it was, but in name only really. NJPW have actually been running an annual tournament in this vein since 1974, the “World League” saw 16 wrestlers competing, 8 Japanese and 8 “Gaijin” (term used for wrestlers from outside Japan). This first tournament was won by the late Antonio Inoki, a true icon in professional wrestling, Inoki would in fact go onto win the tournament (in its various forms) an insane 10 times in total!
The tournament has had several names over the years: “MSG League,” “IWGP League” and the one-off “World Cup Tournament” in 1989 before finally landing on the “G1 Climax” in 1991. Through its many iterations, the tournament has showcased talent from all around the world as well as Japan. National icons such as Inoki, Riki Choshu and Seiji Sakaguchi are joined on the winners list of the pre-G1 era tournament, by international stars Hulk Hogan and André the Giant. Although the G1 era has still seen a lot of international talent showcased during the tournament, the only “gaijin” to have won the whole thing in this period is Kenny Omega, former World Champion in multiple promotions, generally regarded as one of the best wrestlers in the world today, who managed his sole G1 win during his first entry in the tournament!
How does the G1 work?
G1 Climax 33 will consist of 4 “blocks,”, each consisting of 8 competitors, 32 in total. All wrestlers will face off against every other competitor in their block once, receiving 2 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss. Once all matches in the block have taken place, the two highest scoring wrestlers will progress into the knockout stage of the tournament. Due to their being so many competitors in this year’s tournament, a Quarter Final round has been added, which is why it is the top two who will be progressing from each block, previously there would only be a Semi Final as a precursor to the Final.
The other big change for this year’s competition is the reduction of each match’s time limit from 30 minutes down to 20. I believe this will be really beneficial to viewers, with each 8-match card being able to run for a maximum of 2 hours and 40 minutes, although, I expect each card to run for around 2 hours.
The reason I believe the shorter time will be beneficial is due to the fact there is about to be A LOT of wrestling to watch to keep up with the whole tournament. The tournament will take place over a 30-day period (July 15th – August 13th) and on 19 out of those 30 days, there is going to be a couple of hours’ worth of G1 content to keep up with.
I want to give some real detail on the list of competitors, so I will list each of the blocks below, however, I intend to write further pieces, giving my thoughts on each competitor, how the blocks are set up and what consequences that may have.
The Blocks
A Block
SANADA (8th entry, 8th consecutive, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion)
Chase Owens (3rd entry, 3rd consecutive)
Hikuleo (debut entry)
Ren Narita (debut entry)
Shota Umino (debut entry)
Yota Tsuji (debut entry)
Gabe Kidd (debut entry)
Kaito Kiyomiya (debut entry)
B Block
Kazuchika Okada (12th entry, 12th consecutive. 2012, 2014, 2021, 2022 G1 winner. NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champion)
YOSHI-HASHI (7th entry, 4th consecutive, IWGP/NJPW STRONG Tag Team Champion)
Taichi (5th entry, 5th consecutive, KOPW 2023 title holder)
KENTA (5th entry, 5th consecutive)
Great-O-Khan (3rd entry, 3rd consecutive)
Will Ospreay (4th entry, 2nd consecutive)
Tanga Loa (2nd entry, 1st in two years)
El Phantasmo (2nd entry, 2nd consecutive)
C Block
David Finlay (2nd entry, 2nd consecutive, NEVER Openweight Champion)
Tomohiro Ishii (11th entry, 11th consecutive, NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champion)
EVIL (8th entry, 8th consecutive)
Tama Tonga (6th entry, 3rd consecutive)
Shingo Takagi (5th entry, 5th consecutive)
Aaron Henare (2nd entry, 2nd consecutive)
Eddie Kingston (debut entry, NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion)
Mikey Nicholls (debut entry)
D Block
Hiroshi Tanahashi (22nd entry, 22nd consecutive. 2007, 2015, 2018 G1 winner, NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champion)
Tetsuya Naito (14th entry, 14th consecutive, 2013, 2017 G1 winner)
Hirooki Goto (16th entry, 16th consecutive, 2008 G1 winner. IWGP Tag Team Champion)
Zack Sabre Jr. (7th entry, 7th consecutive, NJPW World TV Champion)
Toru Yano (18th entry, 17th consecutive)
Jeff Cobb (5th entry, 5th consecutive)
Shane Haste (debut entry)
Alex Coughlin (debut entry)
Full Tournament Schedule
Each card presented as advertised on 12/07/2023.
NIGHT 1: Saturday 15th July, 1700 Start Time (0900 BST) (Free on NJPW World)
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. El Phantasmo
A Block: Chase Owens vs. Gabe Kidd
B Block: Tanga Loa vs. KENTA
A Block: Shota Umino vs. Ren Narita
B Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. Great O-Khan
A Block: Yota Tsuji vs. Kaito Kiyomiya
B Block: Taichi vs. Will Ospreay
A Block: SANADA vs. Hikuleo
NIGHT 2: Sunday 16th July, 1400 Start Time (0600 BST) (Free on NJPW World)
C Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. David Finlay
D Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Toru Yano
C Block: Mikey Nicholls vs. Aaron Henare
D Block: Shane Haste vs. Alex Coughlin
C Block: Shingo Takagi vs. Eddie Kingston
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
C Block: Tama Tonga vs. EVIL
D Block: Tetsuya Naito vs. Jeff Cobb
NIGHT 3: Tuesday 18th July, 1830 Start Time (1030 BST)
A Block: Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Chase Owens
B Block: Great O-Khan vs. KENTA
A Block: Hikuleo vs. Gabe Kidd
B Block: Taichi vs. Tanga Loa
A Block: Ren Narita vs. Yota Tsuji
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Will Ospreay
A Block: SANADA vs. Shota Umino
B Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. El Phantasmo
NIGHT 4: Wednesday 19th July, 1830 Start Time (1030 BST)
D Block: Toru Yano vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
C Block: Mikey Nicholls vs. David Finlay
D Block: Jeff Cobb vs. Alex Coughlin
C Block: Eddie Kingston vs. EVIL
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shane Haste
C Block: Shingo Takagi vs. Aaron Henare
D Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Tetsuya Naito
C Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tama Tonga
NIGHT 5: Friday 21st July, 1830 Start Time (1030 BST)
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tanga Loa
A Block: Ren Narita vs. Gabe Kidd
B Block: El Phantasmo vs. Great O-Khan
A Block: Hikuleo vs. Chase Owens
B Block: Will Ospreay vs. KENTA
A Block: Shota Umino vs. Kaito Kiyomiya
B Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. Taichi
A Block: SANADA vs. Yota Tsuji
NIGHT 6: Sunday 23rd July, 1800 Start Time (1000 BST)
D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Alex Coughlin
C Block: Tama Tonga vs. Mikey Nicholls
D Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Shane Haste
C Block: Aaron Henare vs. Eddie Kingston
D Block: Toru Yano vs. Tetsuya Naito
C Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Shingo Takagi
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jeff Cobb
C Block: David Finlay vs. EVIL
NIGHT 7: Tuesday 25th July, 1830 Start Time (1030 BST)
B Block: Will Ospreay vs. Great O-Khan
A Block: Shota Umino vs. Gabe Kidd
B Block: Taichi vs. KENTA
A Block: Yota Tsuji vs. Chase Owens
B Block: Tanga Loa vs. El Phantasmo
A Block: Ren Narita vs. Hikuleo
B Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. YOSHI-HASHI
A Block: SANADA vs. Kaito Kiyomiya
NIGHT 8: Wednesday 26th July, 1830 Start Time (1030 BST)
C Block: Aaron Henare vs. EVIL
D Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Alex Coughlin
C Block: Shingo Takagi vs. Mikey Nicholls
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Toru Yano
C Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Eddie Kingston
D Block: Tetsuya Naito vs. Shane Haste
C Block: Tama Tonga vs. David Finlay
D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Jeff Cobb
NIGHT 9: Thursday 27th July, 1830 Start Time (1030 BST)
A Block: Shota Umino vs. Chase Owens
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Taichi
A Block: Kaito Kiyomiya vs. Gabe Kidd
B Block: Tanga Loa vs. Great O-Khan
A Block: Hikuleo vs. Yota Tsuji
B Block: El Phantasmo vs. KENTA
A Block: SANADA vs. Ren Narita
B Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. Will Ospreay
NIGHT 10: Sunday 30th July, 1600 Start Time (0800 BST)
C Block: Aaron Henare vs. David Finlay
D Block: Toru Yano vs. Jeff Cobb
C Block: Mikey Nicholls vs. Eddie Kingston
D Block: Tetsuya Naito vs. Alex Coughlin
C Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. EVIL
D Block: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shane Haste
C Block: Tama Tonga vs. Shingo Takagi
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto
NIGHT 11: Tuesday 1st August, 1900 Start Time (1100 BST)
A Block: Hikuleo vs. Kaito Kiyomiya
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Great O-Khan
A Block: Ren Narita vs. Chase Owens
B Block: Taichi vs. El Phantasmo
A Block: SANADA vs. Gabe Kidd
B Block: Tanga Loa vs. Will Ospreay
A Block: Shota Umino vs. Yota Tsuji
B Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. KENTA
NIGHT 12: Wednesday 2nd August, 1830 Start Time (1030 BST)
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Alex Coughlin
C Block: Mikey Nicholls vs. EVIL
D Block: Toru Yano vs. Shane Haste
C Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Aaron Henare
D Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Jeff Cobb
C Block: Tama Tonga vs. Eddie Kingston
D Block: Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
C Block: Shingo Takagi vs. David Finlay
NIGHT 13: Saturday 5th August, 1700 Start Time (0900 BST) (A Block Finals)
A Block: SANADA vs. Chase Owens
A Block: Ren Narita vs. Kaito Kiyomiya
A Block: Shota Umino vs. Hikuleo
A Block: Yota Tsuji vs. Gabe Kidd
NIGHT 14: Sunday 6th August, 1400 Start Time (0600 BST) (B Block Finals)
B Block: Taichi vs. Great O-Khan
B Block: El Phantasmo vs. Will Ospreay
B Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. Tanga Loa
B Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. KENTA
NIGHT 15: Tuesday 8th August, 1830 Start Time (1030 BST) (C Block Finals)
C Block: Eddie Kingston vs. David Finlay
C Block: Shingo Takagi vs. EVIL
C Block: Tama Tonga vs. Aaron Henare
C Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Mikey Nicholls
NIGHT 16: Wednesday 9th August, 1830 Start Time (1030 BST) (D Block Finals)
D Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
D Block: Jeff Cobb vs. Shane Haste
D Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito
D Block: Toru Yano vs. Alex Coughlin
NIGHT 17: Thursday 10th August, 1830 Start Time (1030 BST) (Quarter Finals)
QF 1: A Block Winner v C Block Runner-Up
QF 2: B Block Winner v D Block Runner-Up
QF 3: C Block Winner v B Block Runner-Up
QF 4: D Block Winner v A Block Runner-Up
NIGHT 18: Saturday 12th August, 1700 Start Time (0900 BST) (Semi Finals)
SF 1: QF 1 Winner v QF 2 Winner
SF 2: QF 3 Winner v QF 4 Winner
NIGHT 19: Sunday 13th August, 1500 Start Time (0700 BST) (Finals)
The Final: SF 1 Winner v SF 2 Winner
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