Get Our Extension

G1 Climax

From Wikipedia, in a visual modern way
G1 Climax trophy
G1 Climax trophy

The G1 (Grade One) Climax (G1(グレードワン)クライマックス, Gurēdo Wan Kuraimakkusu) is a professional wrestling tournament held each August by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. Though it has sometimes been held as a single-elimination tournament, it is usually (and currently) held as a round-robin, with winners from two pools wrestling in the final to decide that year's winner. In its current format, the tournament lasts four weeks. The winner of each pool is determined by a points system; two points for a victory, one point for a draw (time limit only), and zero points for a loss, no contest or double decision.

Discover more about G1 Climax related topics

Professional wrestling tournament

Professional wrestling tournament

On various occasions in professional wrestling, a single-elimination tournament of varying match types are held, often to determine a championship or number-one contendership therein. It has been known for promotions to use title tournament that are fictitious in nature - notable ones include the tournaments that established the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, the WWE Intercontinental Championship, and the WWE United States Championship.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling

New Japan Pro-Wrestling

New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co., Ltd. (NJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded on January 13, 1972, by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares of the company. Naoki Sugabayashi has served as the promotion's Chairman since September 2013, while Takami Ohbari has served as the president of the promotion since October 2020.

Single-elimination tournament

Single-elimination tournament

A single-elimination, knockout, or sudden death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final match-up, whose winner becomes the tournament champion. Each match-up may be a single match or several, for example two-legged ties in European sports or best-of series in American pro sports. Defeated competitors may play no further part after losing, or may participate in "consolation" or "classification" matches against other losers to determine the lower final rankings; for example, a third place playoff between losing semi-finalists. In a shootout poker tournament, there are more than two players competing at each table, and sometimes more than one progressing to the next round. Some competitions are held with a pure single-elimination tournament system. Others have many phases, with the last being a single-elimination final stage, often called playoffs.

Round-robin tournament

Round-robin tournament

A round-robin tournament is a competition in which each contestant meets every other participant, usually in turn. A round-robin contrasts with an elimination tournament, in which participants/teams are eliminated after a certain number of losses.

Tournament history

Hiroshi Tanahashi holding his prize for winning the 2015 G1 Climax, a contract for an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome
Hiroshi Tanahashi holding his prize for winning the 2015 G1 Climax, a contract for an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome

NJPW had an annual tournament since 1974 under various names: the World League (ワールドリーグ戦, Wārudorīgu-sen) (1974–1977, based on the World (Big) League tournament from the old Japanese Wrestling Association held between 1959 and 1972);[1][2][3][4][5] the MSG League (MSGシリーズ, MSG shirīzu) (1978–1982);[6][7][8][9][10] the IWGP League (IWGPリーグ戦, IWGP rīgu-sen) (1983–1988), "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix (インターナショナル・レスリング・グラン・プリ, intānashonaru resuringu guran puri). Most of these tournaments were dominated by NJPW's founding top star Antonio Inoki.

Although the 1983 winner, Hulk Hogan, was awarded a championship belt, this is not the beginning of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, but its early version that was defended annually against the winner of the IWGP League of the year. The current IWGP Heavyweight Championship arrived only in 1987, replacing the old version.[11]

In 1989, there was a World Cup Tournament (ワールドカップ争奪リーグ戦, Wārudokappu sōdatsu rīgu-sen), which included wrestlers from the then-Soviet Union.[5][12] No tournament was held in 1990.

With Inoki's dominance over NJPW gone, the promotion established the G1 Climax tournament in 1991 as a platform to showcase the company's top heavyweights and have them compete in round-robin matches where the winners of the two divisions would then square off in the tournament final. NJPW's then president Seiji Sakaguchi named the tournament after the G1 horse race.[13] Though considered a continuation of the previous tournaments,[5] officially NJPW does not recognize the earlier tournaments as part of the G1 Climax lineage.[14] The first G1 was held from August 7 to August 11, 1991, at Tokyo's Ryōgoku Kokugikan. The winner of the tournament, assuming they are not already the champion, has traditionally earned a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Since 2012, the winner has earned the "Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate", a contract for a title shot at NJPW's largest event, Wrestle Kingdom in Tokyo Dome, held annually on January 4. Much like WWE's Money in the Bank contract, the certificate is kept in a briefcase that the wrestler then has to defend until the end of the year.[15][16] Since its inception, the contract has only changed hands one time, on November 7, 2020 at Power Struggle when Jay White defeated Kota Ibushi. In 2021, the now retired IWGP Heavyweight Championship belt was given to G1 winner Kazuchika Okada instead of a briefcase. In 2015, the tournament format was changed with NJPW reducing the number of G1 Climax matches per show, giving the participating wrestlers more time to rest between matches. This increased the tournament's length to four weeks.[17] In 2016, Kenny Omega became the first non-Japanese wrestler to win the tournament.

The G1 Climax tournament has often been used as a platform for NJPW to push their rising stars. Wins by young up-and-comers over Japanese legends would usually take their respective careers to new heights. The first tournament was specifically created to make stars out of Keiji Mutoh, Masahiro Chono and Shinya Hashimoto, three NJPW wrestlers who had just returned to the promotion from their overseas learning excursions.[13] Past winners include Mutoh, Chono, Hashimoto, Yuji Nagata, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and others who have gone on to become wrestling superstars.

Unlike the New Japan Cup, the G1 Climax features the then-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion as one of the participants, except in 1992, 2001, 2004 and 2008, when then-champions Riki Choshu (in 1992), Kazuyuki Fujita (in 2001 and 2004), and Keiji Mutoh (in 2008), respectively, did not compete in the tournament. Often being labeled as a favorite to win the tournament, the IWGP Heavyweight Champion has reached the final five times, the first one being in 1995 when Keiji Mutoh won the tournament. Mutoh would repeat this feat again in 1999, but would lose the final to Manabu Nakanishi. Other then-reigning champions to reach the final include Kensuke Sasaki in 2000, Kazuyuki Fujita in 2005 and Yuji Nagata in 2007. Mutoh and Sasaki are the only two wrestlers to have won the G1 Climax while holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.[18] Overall, Antonio Inoki holds the record for most tournament wins with ten, while Masahiro Chono with his five wins holds the record for most tournament wins under its G1 Climax name. Hiroyoshi Tenzan has taken part in the G1 Climax tournament a record 21 times.

The opening night of the 2019 G1 Climax took place in Dallas, Texas, marking the first time the opening night took place outside Japan.[19]

The finals for the 2020 G1 Climax took place in October due to the Summer Olympics originally intended to be held in Tokyo when the tournament is usually held, making this the first time the tournament took place in the Autumn.[20]

The longest match in tournament history is Kota Ibushi vs. Sanada in the 2020 finals at 35 minutes and 12 seconds. The longest match with a decisive winner in the block stages of the tournament is Sanada vs. Kazuchika Okada in the 2019 tournament at 29 minutes and 47 seconds, 13 seconds shy of the 30-minute time limit. Conversely, the shortest match is Hirooki Goto vs. Toru Yano in the 2020 tournament at just 18 seconds.

Discover more about Tournament history related topics

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

The IWGP Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix . The title was introduced on June 12, 1987, in the final of an IWGP tournament. It was unified with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship on March 4, 2021 to form the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance

Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance

The Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance was the first professional wrestling promotion to be based in Japan. It operated from 1953 to 1973.

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan

Terry Gene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s, as well as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.

IWGP Heavyweight Championship (original version)

IWGP Heavyweight Championship (original version)

The original version of IWGP Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the initialism of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix.

Group One

Group One

Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern race system introduced in 1971 and monitored by the European Pattern Committee. To attain or maintain a Group One status, the average rating for the first four finishers in the race must be 115 or higher over a three-year period. The International Federation of Horseracing Authorities works to ensure consistent international standards. Group One races may only be restricted to age groups or a stipulated sex: they should not be restricted to horses bred in a certain country. Group One (G1) races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia, but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply.

Money in the Bank ladder match

Money in the Bank ladder match

The Money in the Bank ladder match is a multi-person ladder match held by the professional wrestling promotion WWE. First contested at WWE's annual WrestleMania event beginning in 2005, a separate Money in the Bank pay-per-view was established in 2010. The prize in the match is a briefcase containing a contract for a championship match of the winner's choice, which can be "cashed in" by the holder of the briefcase at any point in the year following their victory—until 2022, the contract was only for a world championship match. If the contract is not used within a year of winning it, it will be invalid, but this has yet to happen. From its inception until 2017, ladder matches only involved male wrestlers. Beginning with the 2017 Money in the Bank event, women also have the opportunity to compete in such a match, with their prize being a contract for a women's championship match.

Power Struggle (2020)

Power Struggle (2020)

Power Struggle was an professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). It took place on November 7, 2020, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium. It was the tenth event under the Power Struggle name.

Jay White

Jay White

Jamie White, better known by the ring name Jay White, is a New Zealand professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). After starting his career in 2013, White joined NJPW the following year as a Young Lion. In June 2016, White left for an overseas excursion, during which he worked for the American Ring of Honor (ROH) and the British Revolution Pro Wrestling (RPW) promotions through NJPW's international partnerships.

Kota Ibushi

Kota Ibushi

Kota Ibushi is a Japanese professional wrestler and martial artist. He is best known for his tenure with New Japan-Pro Wrestling (NJPW).

Kazuchika Okada

Kazuchika Okada

Kazuchika Okada is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he is current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in his record-setting second reign. Okada is a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion where his fourth reign with the championship is the longest in history at 720 days. He also holds the record for most successful title defenses with 12.

List of winners

Tournament Year Winner Total won Reference
World League 1974 Antonio Inoki 1 [1]
1975 Antonio Inoki 2 [2]
1976 Seiji Sakaguchi 1 [3]
1977 Seiji Sakaguchi 2 [4]
MSG League 1978 Antonio Inoki 3 [6]
1979 Antonio Inoki 4 [7]
1980 Antonio Inoki 5 [8]
1981 Antonio Inoki 6 [9]
1982 André the Giant 1 [10]
IWGP League 1983 Hulk Hogan 1 [21]
1984 Antonio Inoki 7 [22]
1985 André the Giant 2 [23]
1986 Antonio Inoki 8 [24]
1987 Antonio Inoki 9 [25]
1988 Antonio Inoki 10 [26]
World Cup Tournament 1989 Riki Choshu 1 [12]
G1 Climax 1991 Masahiro Chono 1 [27][28][29]
1992 Masahiro Chono 2 [27][30]
1993 Tatsumi Fujinami 1 [27][31]
1994 Masahiro Chono 3 [27][32]
1995 Keiji Mutoh 1 [27][33]
1996 Riki Choshu 2 [27][34]
1997 Kensuke Sasaki 1 [27][35]
1998 Shinya Hashimoto 1 [27][36]
1999 Manabu Nakanishi 1 [27][37]
2000 Kensuke Sasaki 2 [38]
2001 Yuji Nagata 1 [39]
2002 Masahiro Chono 4 [40]
2003 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 1 [41]
2004 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 2 [42]
2005 Masahiro Chono 5 [43]
2006 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 3 [44]
2007 Hiroshi Tanahashi 1 [45]
2008 Hirooki Goto 1 [46]
2009 Togi Makabe 1 [47]
2010 Satoshi Kojima 1 [48]
2011 Shinsuke Nakamura 1 [49]
2012 Kazuchika Okada 1 [50]
2013 Tetsuya Naito 1 [51]
2014 Kazuchika Okada 2 [52]
2015 Hiroshi Tanahashi 2 [53]
2016 Kenny Omega 1 [54]
2017 Tetsuya Naito 2 [55]
2018 Hiroshi Tanahashi 3 [56]
2019 Kota Ibushi 1 [57]
2020 Kota Ibushi 2 [58]
2021 Kazuchika Okada 3 [59]
2022 Kazuchika Okada 4 [60]

Discover more about List of winners related topics

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

André the Giant

André the Giant

André René Roussimoff, better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone. It also led to him being called "The Eighth Wonder of the World".

Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan

Terry Gene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s, as well as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate

Year Certificate history
2012 Holder: Kazuchika Okada
Matches:
2013 Holder: Tetsuya Naito
Matches:
2014 Holder: Kazuchika Okada
Matches:
2015 Holder: Hiroshi Tanahashi
Matches:
2016 Holder: Kenny Omega
Matches:
2017 Holder: Tetsuya Naito
Matches:
2018 Holder: Hiroshi Tanahashi
Matches:
2019 Holder: Kota Ibushi
Matches:
2020 Holder: Kota Ibushi
Matches:
Holder: Jay White
Matches:
2021 Holder: Kazuchika Okada
Matches:

Discover more about Tokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate related topics

Kazuchika Okada

Kazuchika Okada

Kazuchika Okada is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he is current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion in his record-setting second reign. Okada is a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion where his fourth reign with the championship is the longest in history at 720 days. He also holds the record for most successful title defenses with 12.

Karl Anderson

Karl Anderson

Chad Allegra is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Karl Anderson. He is currently signed to WWE where he performs on the Raw brand and is a member of the stable The O.C. as well as a member of the Bullet Club.

King of Pro-Wrestling (2012)

King of Pro-Wrestling (2012)

King of Pro-Wrestling (2012) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on October 8, 2012, in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan. The event featured nine matches, five of which were contested for championships. This event marked the first time a NJPW PPV could be bought outside Japan, through Ustream. It was the first event under the King of Pro-Wrestling name.

Hirooki Goto

Hirooki Goto

Hirooki Goto is a Japanese professional wrestler. Since his debut, he has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he is currently one-half of IWGP Tag Team Champion alongside Yoshi-Hashi in their second reign. He is also known for being the longest reigning NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion with his Chaos stablemates, Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi, a two-time IWGP Intercontinental Champion, one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, five-time NEVER Openweight Champion, one-time winner of the G1 Climax (2008), four-time winner of the World Tag League, and a record three-time winner of the New Japan Cup.

Power Struggle (2012)

Power Struggle (2012)

Power Struggle (2012) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on November 11, 2012, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Bodymaker Colosseum and featured nine matches, five of which were contested for championships. It was the second event under the Power Struggle name.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

The IWGP Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix . The title was introduced on June 12, 1987, in the final of an IWGP tournament. It was unified with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship on March 4, 2021 to form the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

Masato Tanaka

Masato Tanaka

Masato Tanaka is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) in Japan where he was a one-time FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Champion and a one-time WEW World Heavyweight Champion and in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in the United States where he was a one-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion. He is currently splitting his time wrestling for both Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah) and Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1). He is overall a ten-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions.

Destruction (2013)

Destruction (2013)

Destruction (2013) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on September 29, 2013, in Kobe, Hyōgo, at the Kobe World Memorial Hall. The event featured ten matches, four of which were contested for championships. It was the seventh event under the Destruction name.

King of Pro-Wrestling (2013)

King of Pro-Wrestling (2013)

King of Pro-Wrestling (2013) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on October 14, 2013, in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan and featured ten matches, four of which were contested for championships. It was the second event under the King of Pro-Wrestling name.

Power Struggle (2013)

Power Struggle (2013)

Power Struggle (2013) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on November 9, 2013, in Osaka, Osaka, at the Bodymaker Colosseum and featured ten matches, five of which were contested for championships. It was the third event under the Power Struggle name.

Destruction in Okayama (2014)

Destruction in Okayama (2014)

Destruction in Okayama (2014) was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on September 23, 2014, in Okayama at the Convex Okayama. The event featured ten matches, three of which were contested for a championship. It was the ninth event under the Destruction name. Due to Ustream getting out of the PPV business, Destruction in Okayama was the first NJPW PPV in two years that was not available through the promotion's largest international internet pay-per-view provider.

1974

The 1974 World League ran from April 5 to May 8, 1974. The tournament began with 16 wrestlers, eight Japanese and eight Internationals (called gaijin, the Japanese term for foreigners), placed into groups accordingly. All first round matches featured the Japanese against the Internationals. The top four finishers from both groups advanced to a second round of round-robin competition.[1][27]

Round one
Japanese International
Seiji Sakaguchi 7.5 Killer Karl Krupp 7
Antonio Inoki 7 Invader I 6
Masa Saito 5.5 Stan Stasiak 5
Kantaro Hoshino 4 Geto Mongol 3.5
Kotetsu Yamamoto 3.5 Khosrow Vaziri 3
Haruka Eigen 2 Bolo Mongol 3
Osamu Kido 2 Walter Johnson 1
Katsuhisa Shibata 1 Argentina Zuma 0
Round two
Antonio Inoki 5.5
Seiji Sakaguchi 5.5
Killer Karl Krupp 5.5
Masa Saito 5
Stan Stasiak 2.5
Invader I 2
Kantaro Hoshino 1.5
Geto Mongol 0
Tie-breaker
Antonio Inoki (J) 2-0
Seiji Sakaguchi (J) 1-1
Killer Karl Krupp (I) 0-2
  Inoki (J) Krupp (I) Sakaguchi (J)
Inoki (J) Inoki
(7:17)
Inoki
(16:52)
Krupp (I) Inoki
(7:17)
Sakaguchi
(12:46)
Sakaguchi (J) Inoki
(16:52)
Sakaguchi
(12:46)

Discover more about 1974 related topics

Gaijin

Gaijin

Gaijin is a Japanese word for foreigners and non-Japanese citizens in Japan, specifically being applied to foreigners of non-Japanese ethnicity and those from the Japanese diaspora who are not Japanese citizens. The word is composed of two kanji: gai and jin . Similarly composed words that refer to foreign things include gaikoku and gaisha . The word is typically used to refer to foreigners of non-East Asian ethnicities.

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Killer Karl Krupp

Killer Karl Krupp

George Momberg, better known by the ring name Killer Karl Krupp, was a Dutch-born professional wrestler famous during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

José González (wrestler)

José González (wrestler)

José Huertas González better known as Invader 1, is a Puerto Rican retired professional wrestler, who wrestled in the United States and around the world, especially in Puerto Rico. He was charged with the murder of wrestler Frank Goodish, but was acquitted due to self defense in contentious circumstances, particularly as key witnesses to the incident were unable to testify due to receiving their summons after the trial had concluded, domestic witnesses and event investors corroborated a different account than foreign witnesses, and that the murder weapon mysteriously vanished. It is believed by nearly all involved that González killed Brody.

Masa Saito

Masa Saito

Masanori Saito was a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Saito or Masa Saito (マサ斎藤), who wrestled for 33 years around the world. He had success as a singles wrestler, winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1990, and as a tag team wrestler with multiple partners in various National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories.

Stan Stasiak

Stan Stasiak

George Emile Stipich was a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Stan Stasiak. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) in the 1970s, where he won the WWWF Heavyweight Championship in 1973. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018.

Kantaro Hoshino

Kantaro Hoshino

Kantaro Hoshino was a Japanese born, Korean professional wrestler, manager, and promoter best known for his time in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. As a wrestler, he was half of The Yamaha Brothers team along with Kotetsu Yamamoto. As a manager, he co-led the heel stable Makai Club, with Tadao Yasuda.

Kotetsu Yamamoto

Kotetsu Yamamoto

Masaru Yamamoto , known by his ring name Kotetsu Yamamoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, referee, and color commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He was named "Kotetsu" by former Japanese pro wrestler Toyonobori after the famous knight, Aizu-No-Kotetsu. Originally a wrestler, Yamamoto was mostly known for his tag team The Yamaha Brothers with Kantaro Hoshino but made his biggest mark as a trainer in the New Japan Dojo having helped train Keiji Mutoh, Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Suzuki, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Masahiro Chono among others.

Haruka Eigen

Haruka Eigen

Haruka Eigen was a Japanese professional wrestler. He was an executive director of Pro Wrestling Noah.

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He participated in the foundation of New Japan of 1972 and the foundation of Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1984. In 2005, after four years in retirement, Kido returned to the ring.

Antonino Rocca

Antonino Rocca

Antonino Rocca was an Italian Argentine professional wrestler. He tag teamed with partner Miguel Pérez. He was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the class of 1995 and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996.

1975

The 1975 World League ran from April 4 to May 16, 1975. The tournament featured 16 wrestlers, but the Locals versus Internationals format was abolished. The top five finishers advanced to a knockout round, with the top finisher receiving a bye to the final.[2][27]

Final standings
Killer Karl Krupp 13.5
Antonio Inoki 12.5
Seiji Sakaguchi 12.5
Kintaro Ohki 12.5
Strong Kobayashi 12.5
Super Destroyer 10.5
Masa Saito 9
Kotetsu Yamamoto 8
Kantaro Hoshino 7
Man Mountain Mike 7
Haruka Eigen 5
Katsuhisa Shibata 3
John Gagne 2
Sangre Fría 2
Father Singh 2
Osamu Kido 1


QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
2Antonio InokiSub
1Killer Karl KruppSub
5Strong Kobayashi20:02
2Antonio InokiDefaulted2Antonio Inoki16:42
Won by defaultDDQ
3Seiji SakaguchiDDQ
4Kintaro Ohki2:23

Discover more about 1975 related topics

Killer Karl Krupp

Killer Karl Krupp

George Momberg, better known by the ring name Killer Karl Krupp, was a Dutch-born professional wrestler famous during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Kintaro Ohki

Kintaro Ohki

Kim Il, also known as his ring name Kintarō Ōki, was a South Korean professional wrestler, and Ssireum player. He spent his wrestling career from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Strong Kobayashi

Strong Kobayashi

Strong Kobayashi, also known by the stage name Strong Kongô, was a Japanese professional wrestler and actor. He is known for his appearances with International Wrestling Enterprise and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, as well as his appearances on television series including Choudenshi Bioman and Takeshi's Castle.

Masa Saito

Masa Saito

Masanori Saito was a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Saito or Masa Saito (マサ斎藤), who wrestled for 33 years around the world. He had success as a singles wrestler, winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1990, and as a tag team wrestler with multiple partners in various National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories.

Kotetsu Yamamoto

Kotetsu Yamamoto

Masaru Yamamoto , known by his ring name Kotetsu Yamamoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, referee, and color commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He was named "Kotetsu" by former Japanese pro wrestler Toyonobori after the famous knight, Aizu-No-Kotetsu. Originally a wrestler, Yamamoto was mostly known for his tag team The Yamaha Brothers with Kantaro Hoshino but made his biggest mark as a trainer in the New Japan Dojo having helped train Keiji Mutoh, Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Suzuki, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Masahiro Chono among others.

Kantaro Hoshino

Kantaro Hoshino

Kantaro Hoshino was a Japanese born, Korean professional wrestler, manager, and promoter best known for his time in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. As a wrestler, he was half of The Yamaha Brothers team along with Kotetsu Yamamoto. As a manager, he co-led the heel stable Makai Club, with Tadao Yasuda.

Man Mountain Mike

Man Mountain Mike

Gary Fletcher, was an American professional wrestler who was best known by his ring name, Man Mountain Mike.

Haruka Eigen

Haruka Eigen

Haruka Eigen was a Japanese professional wrestler. He was an executive director of Pro Wrestling Noah.

Dara Singh

Dara Singh

Dara Singh Randhawa was an Indian professional wrestler, actor, director and politician. He started acting in 1952 and was the first sportsman to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha of India. He worked as Hindi and Punjabi film producer, director and writer, and he acted in films and television. He is known for his undefeated worldwide streak in wrestling and later being a successful movie star. He got defeated by Brahmdev Misra of Gorakhpur in Calcutta's Dharmatala. His role of Hanuman in the film Bajrangbali (1976) and in Ramanand Sagar's Ramayan made him popular. Singh was inducted into the Legacy Category of the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2018.

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He participated in the foundation of New Japan of 1972 and the foundation of Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1984. In 2005, after four years in retirement, Kido returned to the ring.

1976

The 1976 World League ran from April 2 to May 11, 1976. The tournament featured 14 wrestlers. The top finisher advanced to the final match of the tournament, to face the winner of a three-wrestler round-robin semifinal round.[3][27]

First round
Pedro Morales 13
Killer Karl Krupp 10
Victor Rivera 10
Seiji Sakaguchi 10
Strong Kobayashi 9
Masa Saito 9
Kantaro Hoshino 7
Osamu Kido 6
Towering Inferno 5
Butcher Vachon 4
Haruka Eigen 3
Ken Mantell 3
Raul Mata 2
Kotetsu Yamamoto 0
Semifinals
Seiji Sakaguchi 2-0
Killer Karl Krupp 1-1
Victor Rivera 0-2
  Krupp Rivera Sakaguchi
Krupp Krupp
(12:06)
Sakaguchi
(6:12)
Rivera Krupp
(12:06)
Sakaguchi
(8:57)
Sakaguchi Sakaguchi
(6:12)
Sakaguchi
(8:57)


Final
   
1 Pedro Morales CO
2 Seiji Sakaguchi 25:38

Discover more about 1976 related topics

Pedro Morales

Pedro Morales

Pedro Antonio Morales was a Puerto Rican professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the United States with Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA) and the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF).

Killer Karl Krupp

Killer Karl Krupp

George Momberg, better known by the ring name Killer Karl Krupp, was a Dutch-born professional wrestler famous during the 1970s and early 1980s.

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Masa Saito

Masa Saito

Masanori Saito was a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Saito or Masa Saito (マサ斎藤), who wrestled for 33 years around the world. He had success as a singles wrestler, winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1990, and as a tag team wrestler with multiple partners in various National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories.

Kantaro Hoshino

Kantaro Hoshino

Kantaro Hoshino was a Japanese born, Korean professional wrestler, manager, and promoter best known for his time in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. As a wrestler, he was half of The Yamaha Brothers team along with Kotetsu Yamamoto. As a manager, he co-led the heel stable Makai Club, with Tadao Yasuda.

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He participated in the foundation of New Japan of 1972 and the foundation of Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1984. In 2005, after four years in retirement, Kido returned to the ring.

Paul Vachon

Paul Vachon

Paul Vachon is a Canadian retired professional wrestler. He is a member of the Vachon wrestling family. He is perhaps best known by his ring name Butcher Vachon.

Haruka Eigen

Haruka Eigen

Haruka Eigen was a Japanese professional wrestler. He was an executive director of Pro Wrestling Noah.

Kotetsu Yamamoto

Kotetsu Yamamoto

Masaru Yamamoto , known by his ring name Kotetsu Yamamoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, referee, and color commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He was named "Kotetsu" by former Japanese pro wrestler Toyonobori after the famous knight, Aizu-No-Kotetsu. Originally a wrestler, Yamamoto was mostly known for his tag team The Yamaha Brothers with Kantaro Hoshino but made his biggest mark as a trainer in the New Japan Dojo having helped train Keiji Mutoh, Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Suzuki, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Masahiro Chono among others.

1977

The 1977 World League ran from April 21 to May 30, 1977. The tournament featured 11 wrestlers.[4][27]

Final standings
The Masked Superstar 10
Seiji Sakaguchi 8
Mitsuo Yoshida 7.5
Nikolai Volkoff 7.5
Kantaro Hoshino 5
Johnny Powers 4
Manuel Soto 4
Haruka Eigen 3
Osamu Kido 3
Tony Charles 2
Enrique Vera 1
Final
   
1 The Masked Superstar Sub
2 Seiji Sakaguchi 20:05

Discover more about 1977 related topics

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

Nikolai Volkoff

Nikolai Volkoff

Josip Hrvoje Peruzović, better known by his ring name Nikolai Volkoff, was a Croatian-American professional wrestler best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Although Volkoff often portrayed a villainous Russian, he was actually a Croatian from Yugoslavia.

Kantaro Hoshino

Kantaro Hoshino

Kantaro Hoshino was a Japanese born, Korean professional wrestler, manager, and promoter best known for his time in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. As a wrestler, he was half of The Yamaha Brothers team along with Kotetsu Yamamoto. As a manager, he co-led the heel stable Makai Club, with Tadao Yasuda.

Johnny Powers (wrestler)

Johnny Powers (wrestler)

Johnny Powers was a Canadian professional wrestler. He competed in several North American and International promotions including National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), American Wrestling Association (AWA), Maple Leaf Wrestling, National Wrestling Federation, International Wrestling Association and the World Wide Wrestling Federation feuding with then WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino during the early 1960s NWA's Lou Thesz, Gene Kiniski and AWA's Verne Gagne.

Haruka Eigen

Haruka Eigen

Haruka Eigen was a Japanese professional wrestler. He was an executive director of Pro Wrestling Noah.

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He participated in the foundation of New Japan of 1972 and the foundation of Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1984. In 2005, after four years in retirement, Kido returned to the ring.

1978

The 1978 MSG League ran from April 21 to May 30, 1978. The tournament featured nine wrestlers.[6][27]

Final standings
André the Giant 37
Antonio Inoki 29
Seiji Sakaguchi 28
Tatsumi Fujinami 25
Bugsy McGraw 15
Nikolai Volkoff 14
Riki Choshu 9
Umanosuke Ueda 5
Chief Jay Strongbow 0
Final
   
1 André the Giant CO
2 Antonio Inoki 16:41

Discover more about 1978 related topics

André the Giant

André the Giant

André René Roussimoff, better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone. It also led to him being called "The Eighth Wonder of the World".

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Bugsy McGraw

Bugsy McGraw

Michael Davis, best known by the ring names Bugsy McGraw and The Skull, is an American retired professional wrestler. McGraw is known for his long beard and for his philosophical, crazed rants during wrestling interviews. He was a major star in significant territories during the 1970s and 1980s, including major runs in Vancouver, Australia, Florida, Dallas and Memphis.

Nikolai Volkoff

Nikolai Volkoff

Josip Hrvoje Peruzović, better known by his ring name Nikolai Volkoff, was a Croatian-American professional wrestler best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Although Volkoff often portrayed a villainous Russian, he was actually a Croatian from Yugoslavia.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

Umanosuke Ueda

Umanosuke Ueda

Hiroshi Ueda was a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Umanosuke Ueda . During his wrestling career, Ueda primarily stood out for wrestling with bleached blonde hair, a practice which was rare in his day but later became more common. His ring name was inspired by samurai warrior and Shinsengumi member Umanosuke Ueda.

Chief Jay Strongbow

Chief Jay Strongbow

Luke Joseph Scarpa was an American professional wrestler and WWE Hall of Famer who was best known by the ring name Chief Jay Strongbow. Much like his contemporary Wahoo McDaniel, he portrayed a Native American wrestler, who wore a war bonnet to the ring and would "go on the warpath" when the fans started cheering him against an opponent. In reality, Jay was an Italian-American who much like actor Iron Eyes Cody portrayed an Indian to stand-out more. His best accomplishments are in WWWF where he was a 4-time World Tag-Team Champion.

1979

The 1979 MSG League ran from April 27 to June 7, 1979. The tournament featured 10 wrestlers.[7][27]

Final standings
Antonio Inoki 41
Stan Hansen 37
André the Giant 36
Seiji Sakaguchi 31
Tatsumi Fujinami 22
Riki Choshu 18
Canek 16
Masa Saito 10
Larry Zbyszko 5
Tony Garea 0
Final
   
1 Antonio Inoki Pin
2 Stan Hansen  9:03 

Discover more about 1979 related topics

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

Stan Hansen

Stan Hansen

John Stanley Hansen II is an American retired professional wrestler.

André the Giant

André the Giant

André René Roussimoff, better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone. It also led to him being called "The Eighth Wonder of the World".

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

Masa Saito

Masa Saito

Masanori Saito was a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Saito or Masa Saito (マサ斎藤), who wrestled for 33 years around the world. He had success as a singles wrestler, winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1990, and as a tag team wrestler with multiple partners in various National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories.

Larry Zbyszko

Larry Zbyszko

Lawrence Whistler, better known by the ring name Larry Zbyszko, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, Bruno Sammartino, during the early 1980s as well as his work as a wrestler and color commentator for World Championship Wrestling. Among other accolades, he is a two-time world champion having twice held the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. Zbyszko was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 28, 2015 by Sammartino.

Tony Garea

Tony Garea

Anthony Gareljich is a New Zealand retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Tony Garea. He is best known for his appearances in the United States with the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation in the 1970s and 1980s.

1980

The 1980 MSG League ran from April 25 to June 5, 1980. The tournament featured 10 wrestlers.[8][27]

Final standings
Antonio Inoki 35
Stan Hansen 32
André the Giant 32
Dusty Rhodes 29
Seiji Sakaguchi 29
Tatsumi Fujinami 20
Riki Choshu 14
Strong Kobayashi 12
Chavo Guerrero 7
Ryuma Go 0
Final
   
1 Antonio Inoki DQ
2 Stan Hansen  7:49 

Discover more about 1980 related topics

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

Stan Hansen

Stan Hansen

John Stanley Hansen II is an American retired professional wrestler.

André the Giant

André the Giant

André René Roussimoff, better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone. It also led to him being called "The Eighth Wonder of the World".

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

1981

The 1981 MSG League ran from May 8 to June 4, 1981. The tournament featured 11 wrestlers.[9][27]

Final standings
Stan Hansen 39
Antonio Inoki 38
Tiger Jeet Singh 38
Hulk Hogan 36
Seiji Sakaguchi 33
Tatsumi Fujinami 29
Riki Choshu 16
Bobby Duncum 14
Sgt. Slaughter 12
Chris Adams 5
Mike Masters 0
Final
   
1 Stan Hansen CO
2 Antonio Inoki  7:45 

Discover more about 1981 related topics

Stan Hansen

Stan Hansen

John Stanley Hansen II is an American retired professional wrestler.

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

Tiger Jeet Singh

Tiger Jeet Singh

Jagjeet Singh Hans is an Indo-Canadian semi-retired professional wrestler, known better by his ring name Tiger Jeet Singh. He was known for his elaborate ring entrances, and generally performed as a heel. He wrestled in Japan for 22 years and was the first professional wrestler in Japan to defeat sumo wrestler Wajima Hiroshi. He held Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling's World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship and headlined the company's flagship event Anniversary Show in 1992.

Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan

Terry Gene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s, as well as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

Sgt. Slaughter

Sgt. Slaughter

Robert Rudolph Remus, best known by his ring name Sgt. Slaughter, is an American voice actor and retired professional wrestler who is currently signed to WWE in the ambassador program.

Chris Adams (wrestler)

Chris Adams (wrestler)

Christopher Adams, best known as "Gentleman" Chris Adams, was an English professional wrestler, wrestling promoter, trainer, and judoka.

1982

The 1982 MSG League ran from March 4 to April 1, 1982. The tournament featured 14 wrestlers.[10][27]

Final standings
André the Giant 56
Antonio Inoki 51
Killer Khan 48
Dick Murdoch 41
The Masked Superstar 35
Tatsumi Fujinami 35
Rusher Kimura 33
Seiji Sakaguchi 32
Tony Atlas 30
Tiger Toguchi 17
Yoshiaki Yatsu 13
Don Muraco 9
Riki Choshu 4
The Iron Sheik 4
† Antonio Inoki was injured and unable to compete in the final. Killer Khan, as the next highest finisher, took his place.
Final
   
1 André the Giant Pin
3 Killer Khan  16:42 

Discover more about 1982 related topics

André the Giant

André the Giant

André René Roussimoff, better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone. It also led to him being called "The Eighth Wonder of the World".

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

Killer Khan

Killer Khan

Masashi Ozawa is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. Popularly known as Killer Khan, he was billed from Mongolia and had numerous high-profile matches with André the Giant in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) during the 1980s, including a high profile "Mongolian stretcher match". Khan used Asian mist against opponents.

Dick Murdoch

Dick Murdoch

Hoyt Richard Murdoch was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names "Dirty" Dick Murdoch and "Captain Redneck". He was best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Rusher Kimura

Rusher Kimura

Masao Kimura was a Japanese professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Rusher Kimura . He was a five-time IWA World Heavyweight Champion, making him a five-time world champion.

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Tony Atlas

Tony Atlas

Anthony White better known by his ring name Tony Atlas is an American bodybuilder, powerlifter, and professional wrestler who has held multiple titles and championships in each sport. He is also known by his bodybuilding title, "Mr. USA", the nom de guerre the "Black Superman", as well as an alter ego named Saba Simba. He returned as an on screen manager for WWE, appearing on its now-defunct ECW brand. He re-signed with WWE in a legends deal in mid-2012.

Yoshiaki Yatsu

Yoshiaki Yatsu

Yoshiaki Yatsu is a Japanese professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and mixed martial artist. He is known for being one-half of the first-ever All Japan Pro Wrestling World Tag Team Champions with Jumbo Tsuruta, having won the NWA International Tag Team Championship and the PWF Tag Team Championship, and unifying the two titles.

Don Muraco

Don Muraco

Don Muraco is an American retired professional wrestler and podcaster. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wrestling Federation from 1981 to 1988, where he held the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship on two occasions and was crowned the inaugural winner of the King of the Ring tournament in 1985. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2004 and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

The Iron Sheik

The Iron Sheik

Hossein Khosrow Ali Vaziri, better known by his ring name the Iron Sheik, is an Iranian retired professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and actor. He is the only Iranian champion in WWE history, having won the WWF World Heavyweight Championship in 1983. His villainous character peaked during the 1980s WWF wrestling boom and his rivalry with Hulk Hogan turned Hogan into one of the greatest television heroes of the decade. He later formed a tag team with Nikolai Volkoff, which won the WWF Tag Team Championship at the inaugural WrestleMania event. In 2005, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

1983

The 1983 International Wrestling Grand Prix ran from May 6 to June 2, 1983. The tournament featured 10 wrestlers.[21][27] The winner was awarded a championship belt (the original IWGP Heavyweight Championship) defended annually against the winner of the IWGP League of the year).[11]

Final standings
Hulk Hogan 37
Antonio Inoki 36
André the Giant 35
Big John Studd 25
Killer Khan 24
Rusher Kimura 21
Akira Maeda 14
Canek 5
Otto Wanz 5
Enrique Vera 4
André Canek Hogan Inoki Khan Kimura Maeda Studd Vera Wanz
André André DCO André DCO André André André André André
Canek André Hogan Inoki Khan Kimura Maeda Studd Canek Wanz
Hogan DCO Hogan DCO Hogan Hogan Hogan Hogan Hogan Hogan
Inoki André Inoki DCO Inoki Inoki Inoki Inoki Inoki Inoki
Khan DCO Khan Hogan Inoki Khan DCO Studd Khan Khan
Kimura André Kimura Hogan Inoki Khan Kimura DCO Kimura Kimura
Maeda André Maeda Hogan Inoki DCO Kimura Studd Maeda Maeda
Studd André Studd Hogan Inoki Studd DCO Studd Studd Studd
Vera André Canek Hogan Inoki Khan Kimura Maeda Studd Vera
Wanz André Wanz Hogan Inoki Khan Kimura Maeda Studd Vera
Final
   
1 Hulk Hogan KO
2 Antonio Inoki  21:27 

Discover more about 1983 related topics

IWGP Heavyweight Championship (original version)

IWGP Heavyweight Championship (original version)

The original version of IWGP Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the initialism of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix.

Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan

Terry Gene Bollea, better known by his ring name Hulk Hogan, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is widely regarded as the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s, as well as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

André the Giant

André the Giant

André René Roussimoff, better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone. It also led to him being called "The Eighth Wonder of the World".

Big John Studd

Big John Studd

John William Minton was an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd. Studd is best known for his appearances with the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation in the 1970s and 1980s.

Killer Khan

Killer Khan

Masashi Ozawa is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. Popularly known as Killer Khan, he was billed from Mongolia and had numerous high-profile matches with André the Giant in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) during the 1980s, including a high profile "Mongolian stretcher match". Khan used Asian mist against opponents.

Rusher Kimura

Rusher Kimura

Masao Kimura was a Japanese professional wrestler, best known by his ring name Rusher Kimura . He was a five-time IWA World Heavyweight Champion, making him a five-time world champion.

Akira Maeda

Akira Maeda

Akira Maeda is a Japanese mixed martial arts promoter, writer and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist of Korean descent. Maeda was also known by the ring name Kwik-kik-Lee during his time on the British wrestling show World of Sport (WoS). Maeda helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling during the late 1980s. He founded Fighting Network RINGS in 1991 which would become one of the top MMA promotions before it folded in 2002.

Otto Wanz

Otto Wanz

Otto Wanz was an Austrian professional wrestler and boxer. He made his professional wrestling debut in 1968. He is a one time American Wrestling Association champion and former operator of the Catch Wrestling Association, where he was the promotion's inaugural World Heavyweight Champion, winning the title four times. He is overall a five-time world champion and the longest reigning world champion in Europe.

1984

The 1984 International Wrestling Grand Prix ran from May 11 to June 14, 1984. The tournament featured 12 wrestlers, and was the first time that the tournament featured no sort of final round.[22][27]

Final standings
Antonio Inoki 53
André the Giant 49
Tatsumi Fujinami 34
Riki Choshu 32
Dick Murdoch 30
Masa Saito 26
Adrian Adonis 25
The Masked Superstar 18
Ken Patera 17
John Quinn 10
Otto Wanz 6
Big John Studd 2

Discover more about 1984 related topics

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

André the Giant

André the Giant

André René Roussimoff, better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone. It also led to him being called "The Eighth Wonder of the World".

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

Dick Murdoch

Dick Murdoch

Hoyt Richard Murdoch was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names "Dirty" Dick Murdoch and "Captain Redneck". He was best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Masa Saito

Masa Saito

Masanori Saito was a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Saito or Masa Saito (マサ斎藤), who wrestled for 33 years around the world. He had success as a singles wrestler, winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1990, and as a tag team wrestler with multiple partners in various National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories.

Adrian Adonis

Adrian Adonis

Keith Adonis Franke was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adrian Adonis. He was best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1980s.

Ken Patera

Ken Patera

Kenneth Wayne Patera is an American retired professional wrestler, Olympic weightlifter, and strongman competitor from the United States.

John Quinn (wrestler)

John Quinn (wrestler)

John Arthur Quinn was a Canadian professional wrestler. He was best known for his appearances in the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) under the ring name The Kentucky Butcher in the late-1960s, where he challenged then WWWF World Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino on several occasions, including a 1968 main event at Madison Square Garden.

Otto Wanz

Otto Wanz

Otto Wanz was an Austrian professional wrestler and boxer. He made his professional wrestling debut in 1968. He is a one time American Wrestling Association champion and former operator of the Catch Wrestling Association, where he was the promotion's inaugural World Heavyweight Champion, winning the title four times. He is overall a five-time world champion and the longest reigning world champion in Europe.

Big John Studd

Big John Studd

John William Minton was an American professional wrestler and actor, better known by his ring name, Big John Studd. Studd is best known for his appearances with the World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation in the 1970s and 1980s.

1985

The 1985 International Wrestling Grand Prix ran from May 10 to June 15, 1985. The tournament featured 13 wrestlers, and was single-elimination. This was the first time the tournament did not feature a points system.[23][27]

First round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
            
Seiji Sakaguchi
André the Giant
5 Ron Miller
12 Strong Machine
Strong Machine
André the Giant
4 André the Giant
13 Canek
Tatsumi Fujinami
André the Giant
6 Tatsumi Fujinami
11 Mike Sharpe
Tatsumi Fujinami
Adrian Adonis
3 Adrian Adonis
14 King Kong Bundy
Tatsumi Fujinami
Dick Murdoch
7 The Masked Superstar
10 Seiji Sakaguchi
Seiji Sakaguchi
Dick Murdoch
2 Kengo Kimura
15 Dick Murdoch

Discover more about 1985 related topics

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata is a retired Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a trainer for the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, known primarily by his ring name Super Strong Machine .

André the Giant

André the Giant

André René Roussimoff, better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone. It also led to him being called "The Eighth Wonder of the World".

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Mike Sharpe

Mike Sharpe

Michael Sharpe was a Canadian professional wrestler better known as "Iron" Mike Sharpe. A second-generation wrestler whose father and uncle also competed in the profession, Sharpe was a mainstay for various territories throughout the United States and became a regular for both the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. After his retirement from in-ring competition he opened a wrestling school in Asbury Park, New Jersey, where he trained wrestlers such as Charlie Haas and Nova.

Adrian Adonis

Adrian Adonis

Keith Adonis Franke was an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Adrian Adonis. He was best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling Association and World Wrestling Federation throughout the 1980s.

King Kong Bundy

King Kong Bundy

Christopher Alan Pallies was an American professional wrestler, actor and stand-up comedian, better known by his wrestling gimmick and ring name, King Kong Bundy. Under this gimmick, he portrayed a pugnacious, trash-talking villain character.

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Dick Murdoch

Dick Murdoch

Hoyt Richard Murdoch was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names "Dirty" Dick Murdoch and "Captain Redneck". He was best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

1986

The 1986 International Wrestling Grand Prix ran from May 16 to June 19, 1986. The tournament featured the return of the points system, with 14 wrestlers in two blocks of seven each. The top two from each block advanced to a knockout stage.[24][27] The winner won the vacated IWGP Heavyweight Championship (original version).[11]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Antonio Inoki 25 Akira Maeda 27
André the Giant 17 Dick Murdoch 21
Seiji Sakaguchi 15 Tatsumi Fujinami 17
Kengo Kimura 15 Jimmy Snuka 16
The Masked Superstar 14 Umanosuke Ueda 13
Yoshiaki Fujiwara 11 The Wild Samoan 9
Klaus Wallace 0 The Cuban Assassin 0
Semifinals Final
      
A1 Antonio Inoki Sub
A2 André the Giant 9:30
A1 Antonio Inoki Pin
B2 Dick Murdoch  30:07 
B1 Akira Maeda CO
B2 Dick Murdoch  16:22 

Discover more about 1986 related topics

IWGP Heavyweight Championship (original version)

IWGP Heavyweight Championship (original version)

The original version of IWGP Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the initialism of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix.

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

Akira Maeda

Akira Maeda

Akira Maeda is a Japanese mixed martial arts promoter, writer and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist of Korean descent. Maeda was also known by the ring name Kwik-kik-Lee during his time on the British wrestling show World of Sport (WoS). Maeda helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling during the late 1980s. He founded Fighting Network RINGS in 1991 which would become one of the top MMA promotions before it folded in 2002.

André the Giant

André the Giant

André René Roussimoff, better known by his ring name André the Giant, was a French professional wrestler and actor. Roussimoff was known for his great size, which was a result of gigantism caused by excess growth hormone. It also led to him being called "The Eighth Wonder of the World".

Dick Murdoch

Dick Murdoch

Hoyt Richard Murdoch was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring names "Dirty" Dick Murdoch and "Captain Redneck". He was best known for his time in the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Kengo Kimura

Kengo Kimura

Seiei Kimura is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Kengo Kimura and for his many years working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in Japan.

Jimmy Snuka

Jimmy Snuka

James Reiher Snuka was a Fijian American professional wrestler. He is better known by the ring name Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka.

Umanosuke Ueda

Umanosuke Ueda

Hiroshi Ueda was a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Umanosuke Ueda . During his wrestling career, Ueda primarily stood out for wrestling with bleached blonde hair, a practice which was rare in his day but later became more common. His ring name was inspired by samurai warrior and Shinsengumi member Umanosuke Ueda.

Yoshiaki Fujiwara

Yoshiaki Fujiwara

Yoshiaki Fujiwara is a Japanese Professional Wrestler and trainer. He is famous for his long career in wrestling, having worked in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE (ZERO-ONE), and the two incarnations of shoot style promotion Universal Wrestling Federation. Fujiwara is known for his Catch Wrestling expertise, having been praised by fighters like Josh Barnett and Ken Shamrock. He was trained by Karl Gotch and has trained many MMA fighters and professional wrestlers. Fujiwara also has a strong background in Judo and Muay Thai.

Fidel Sierra

Fidel Sierra

David Canal is a Cuban professional wrestler better known by his ring name "The Cuban Assassin " Fidel Sierra. He is notable for being a longtime veteran of the Puerto Rico-based World Wrestling Council as well as for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling and Pacific Northwest Wrestling during the 1980s and 1990s. He wrestled under the name The Cuban Assassin towards the end of his career.

1987

The 1987 International Wrestling Grand Prix ran from May 11 to June 12, 1987. The tournament featured 14 wrestlers in two blocks of seven each. The top finishers from each block advanced to the final, with the winner becoming the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion. Tatsumi Fujinami missed the tournament due to an injury he suffered on the IWGP Champion Series tour, but acted as a commentator for the final match.[25][27]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Antonio Inoki 29 Masa Saito 28
Yoshiaki Fujiwara 19 Kengo Kimura 21
Konga the Barbarian 18 Hacksaw Higgins 16
Scott Hall 13 George Takano 13
Seiji Sakaguchi 11 Akira Maeda 10
Killer Tim Brooks 4 Umanosuke Ueda 4
Tatsumi Fujinami 0 Alexis Smirnoff 4
Final
   
A1 Antonio Inoki Pin
B1 Masa Saito  14:53 

Discover more about 1987 related topics

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

The IWGP Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix . The title was introduced on June 12, 1987, in the final of an IWGP tournament. It was unified with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship on March 4, 2021 to form the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

Masa Saito

Masa Saito

Masanori Saito was a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Saito or Masa Saito (マサ斎藤), who wrestled for 33 years around the world. He had success as a singles wrestler, winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1990, and as a tag team wrestler with multiple partners in various National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories.

Yoshiaki Fujiwara

Yoshiaki Fujiwara

Yoshiaki Fujiwara is a Japanese Professional Wrestler and trainer. He is famous for his long career in wrestling, having worked in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE (ZERO-ONE), and the two incarnations of shoot style promotion Universal Wrestling Federation. Fujiwara is known for his Catch Wrestling expertise, having been praised by fighters like Josh Barnett and Ken Shamrock. He was trained by Karl Gotch and has trained many MMA fighters and professional wrestlers. Fujiwara also has a strong background in Judo and Muay Thai.

Kengo Kimura

Kengo Kimura

Seiei Kimura is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Kengo Kimura and for his many years working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in Japan.

Scott Hall

Scott Hall

Scott Oliver Hall was an American professional wrestler. He was best known for his tenures with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) under both his real name and ring name, the Diamond Studd, and with the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Razor Ramon.

George Takano

George Takano

Joji Takano , born June 23, 1958, is an American-Japanese retired professional wrestler better known under the ring name George Takano . He was also billed from Uganda under the alias The Cobra, a masked wrestler persona. He worked for various Japanese and American wrestling promotions from the late 1970s to early 1990s. He is the older brother of Shunji Takano.

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi

Seiji Sakaguchi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in Judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.

Akira Maeda

Akira Maeda

Akira Maeda is a Japanese mixed martial arts promoter, writer and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist of Korean descent. Maeda was also known by the ring name Kwik-kik-Lee during his time on the British wrestling show World of Sport (WoS). Maeda helped develop the shoot-style of professional wrestling during the late 1980s. He founded Fighting Network RINGS in 1991 which would become one of the top MMA promotions before it folded in 2002.

Umanosuke Ueda

Umanosuke Ueda

Hiroshi Ueda was a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Umanosuke Ueda . During his wrestling career, Ueda primarily stood out for wrestling with bleached blonde hair, a practice which was rare in his day but later became more common. His ring name was inspired by samurai warrior and Shinsengumi member Umanosuke Ueda.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

1988

The 1988 International Wrestling Grand Prix ran from July 15 to July 29, 1988. The tournament featured five wrestlers in a single block, with the winner becoming the number one contender to IWGP Heavyweight Champion Tatsumi Fujinami for August 8.[26]

Final standings
Antonio Inoki 6
Riki Choshu 6
Big Van Vader 4
Masa Saito 4
Kengo Kimura 0

Discover more about 1988 related topics

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

IWGP Heavyweight Championship

The IWGP Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix . The title was introduced on June 12, 1987, in the final of an IWGP tournament. It was unified with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship on March 4, 2021 to form the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Antonio Inoki

Antonio Inoki

Muhammad Hussain Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki , a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki was a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

Big Van Vader

Big Van Vader

Leon Allen White, better known by his ring names Big Van Vader or simply Vader, was an American professional wrestler and professional football player. Throughout his career, he performed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), and Pro Wrestling Noah (NOAH) during the 1990s and 2000s. He is widely regarded as the greatest super-heavyweight professional wrestler of all time.

Masa Saito

Masa Saito

Masanori Saito was a Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Saito or Masa Saito (マサ斎藤), who wrestled for 33 years around the world. He had success as a singles wrestler, winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship in 1990, and as a tag team wrestler with multiple partners in various National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) territories.

Kengo Kimura

Kengo Kimura

Seiei Kimura is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Kengo Kimura and for his many years working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in Japan.

1989

The 1989 World Cup Tournament was held from November 24 to December 7, 1989. The tournament featured 20 wrestlers in four blocks of five each.[5][12]

Final standings
Block A Block B Block C Block D
Riki Choshu 8 Masahiro Chono 8 Salman Hashimikov 8 Steve Williams 8
Victor Zangiev 6 Shinya Hashimoto 6 Brad Rheingans 6 Osamu Kido 6
Kengo Kimura 4 Manny Fernandez 4 Hiroshi Hase 0 Shiro Koshinaka 2
Wayne Bloom 2 Timur Zalasov 2 George Takano 4 Super Strong Machine 2
Buzz Sawyer 0 Andrei Sulsaev 0 Tatsutoshi Goto 2 Vladimir Berkovich 2
Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
      
Shinya Hashimoto
Salman Hashimikov [12]
Shinya Hashimoto
Steve Williams [12]
Steve Williams
Victor Zangiev [12]
Shinya Hashimoto
Riki Choshu [12]
Riki Choshu
Osamu Kido [12]
Riki Choshu
Masahiro Chono [12]
Masahiro Chono
Brad Rheingans [12]

Discover more about 1989 related topics

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Salman Hashimikov

Salman Hashimikov

Salman Alkhazurovich Hashimikov, also spelled Hasimikov, is a prominent Soviet retired heavyweight wrestler. A Chechen from Russia, he won two European and four World Championship gold medals in freestyle wrestling. He had also won European and World gold as a Junior in 1970–71. After an unsuccessful business career, Salman spent five years as a professional wrestler in Japan at New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). There he won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from Big Van Vader in May 1989.

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s.

Brad Rheingans

Brad Rheingans

Brad Rheingans is an American former Greco-Roman wrestler and professional wrestler. He was a member of the United States' Greco-Roman wrestling teams for the 1976 and 1980 Summer Olympics, as well as winning two gold medals in the 1975 and 1979 Pan American Games and a bronze medal in the 1979 World Wrestling Championships.

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He participated in the foundation of New Japan of 1972 and the foundation of Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1984. In 2005, after four years in retirement, Kido returned to the ring.

Kengo Kimura

Kengo Kimura

Seiei Kimura is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Kengo Kimura and for his many years working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in Japan.

Manny Fernandez (wrestler)

Manny Fernandez (wrestler)

Emanuel Fernandez is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "The Raging Bull" Manny Fernandez.

Hiroshi Hase

Hiroshi Hase

Hiroshi Hase is a Japanese politician who is currently the governor of Ishikawa Prefecture. He served as the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology under Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. Prior to his appointment in the Cabinet, he also served as a member of the House of Representatives of the National Diet, representing the 1st district of Ishikawa Prefecture.

George Takano

George Takano

Joji Takano , born June 23, 1958, is an American-Japanese retired professional wrestler better known under the ring name George Takano . He was also billed from Uganda under the alias The Cobra, a masked wrestler persona. He worked for various Japanese and American wrestling promotions from the late 1970s to early 1990s. He is the older brother of Shunji Takano.

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata is a retired Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a trainer for the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, known primarily by his ring name Super Strong Machine .

Buzz Sawyer

Buzz Sawyer

Bruce Alan Woyan was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Buzz Sawyer.

1991

The 1991 G1 Climax was a round-robin tournament consisting of two four-man blocks, and running from August 7 to August 11, 1991.[27][28]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Keiji Mutoh 4 Masahiro Chono 5
Tatsumi Fujinami 3 Shinya Hashimoto 5
Scott Norton 3 Crusher Bam Bam Bigelow 2
Big Van Vader 2 Riki Choshu 0
Block A Fujinami Mutoh Norton Vader
Fujinami Mutoh
(13:56)
Draw
(7:56)
Fujinami
(12:13)
Mutoh Mutoh
(13:56)
Norton
(9:56)
Mutoh
(13:54)
Norton Draw
(7:56)
Norton
(9:56)
Vader
(10:49)
Vader Fujinami
(12:13)
Mutoh
(13:54)
Vader
(10:49)
Block B Bigelow Chono Choshu Hashimoto
Bigelow Chono
(12:38)
Bigelow
(10:10)
Hashimoto
(9:59)
Chono Chono
(12:38)
Chono
(14:17)
Draw
(30:00)
Choshu Bigelow
(10:10)
Chono
(14:17)
Hashimoto
(7:50)
Hashimoto Hashimoto
(9:59)
Draw
(30:00)
Hashimoto
(7:50)
Block B Decision Final
      
A1 Keiji Mutoh Pin
B1 Masahiro Chono 29:31
B1 Masahiro Chono Sub
B2 Shinya Hashimoto 15:50

Discover more about 1991 related topics

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s.

Scott Norton

Scott Norton

Scott Norton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, in which he was a member of the New World Order and nWo Japan. He is a two-time world champion, having won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship twice.

Bam Bam Bigelow

Bam Bam Bigelow

Scott Charles Bigelow was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Bam Bam Bigelow. Recognizable by his close to 400-pound frame and the distinctive flame tattoo that spanned most of his bald head, Bigelow was hailed by Ryan Murphy as "the most natural, agile and physically remarkable big man of the past quarter century", while former co-worker Bret Hart described him as "possibly the best working big man in the business."

Big Van Vader

Big Van Vader

Leon Allen White, better known by his ring names Big Van Vader or simply Vader, was an American professional wrestler and professional football player. Throughout his career, he performed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), and Pro Wrestling Noah (NOAH) during the 1990s and 2000s. He is widely regarded as the greatest super-heavyweight professional wrestler of all time.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

1992

The 1992 G1 Climax was a 16-man single-elimination tournament, and was also for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship. It ran from August 6 to August 12, 1992.[27][30] Terry Taylor advanced to the quarterfinals, due to a shoulder injury suffered by his scheduled opponent Hiroshi Hase on August 3.[80]

Round 1
August 6, 7
Quarterfinals
August 10
Semifinals
August 11
Final
August 12
        
Arn Anderson Pin
Steve Austin 8:58
Steve Austin Pin
Keiji Mutoh 13:52
Keiji Mutoh Pin
Barry Windham 10:17
Keiji Mutoh Sub
Masahiro Chono 26:07
Masahiro Chono Sub
Tony Halme 12:20
Masahiro Chono Sub
Scott Norton 10:48
Scott Norton Pin
Crusher Bam Bam Bigelow 8:16
Masahiro Chono Pin
Rick Rude 29:44
Kensuke Sasaki Pin
Jim Neidhart 8:20
Kensuke Sasaki Pin
Terry Taylor 9:35
Hiroshi Hase
Terry Taylor Forfeit
Kensuke Sasaki Pin
Rick Rude 19:24
Shinya Hashimoto Pin
The Barbarian 11:29
Shinya Hashimoto Pin
Rick Rude 13:52
Super Strong Machine Pin
Rick Rude 11:54

Discover more about 1992 related topics

Single-elimination tournament

Single-elimination tournament

A single-elimination, knockout, or sudden death tournament is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match-up is immediately eliminated from the tournament. Each winner will play another in the next round, until the final match-up, whose winner becomes the tournament champion. Each match-up may be a single match or several, for example two-legged ties in European sports or best-of series in American pro sports. Defeated competitors may play no further part after losing, or may participate in "consolation" or "classification" matches against other losers to determine the lower final rankings; for example, a third place playoff between losing semi-finalists. In a shootout poker tournament, there are more than two players competing at each table, and sometimes more than one progressing to the next round. Some competitions are held with a pure single-elimination tournament system. Others have many phases, with the last being a single-elimination final stage, often called playoffs.

Hiroshi Hase

Hiroshi Hase

Hiroshi Hase is a Japanese politician who is currently the governor of Ishikawa Prefecture. He served as the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology under Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. Prior to his appointment in the Cabinet, he also served as a member of the House of Representatives of the National Diet, representing the 1st district of Ishikawa Prefecture.

Arn Anderson

Arn Anderson

Martin Anthony Lunde, better known by the ring name Arn Anderson, is an American professional wrestling road agent, author, and retired professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a manager. Although he is widely regarded as one of the finest tag team wrestlers in history, he also had a successful singles career and became a four-time NWA/WCW World Television Champion, which he often called his "world title".

Barry Windham

Barry Windham

Barry Clinton Windham is an American retired professional wrestler. The son of wrestler Blackjack Mulligan, he is best known for his appearances with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW).

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Scott Norton

Scott Norton

Scott Norton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, in which he was a member of the New World Order and nWo Japan. He is a two-time world champion, having won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship twice.

Bam Bam Bigelow

Bam Bam Bigelow

Scott Charles Bigelow was an American professional wrestler, better known by the ring name Bam Bam Bigelow. Recognizable by his close to 400-pound frame and the distinctive flame tattoo that spanned most of his bald head, Bigelow was hailed by Ryan Murphy as "the most natural, agile and physically remarkable big man of the past quarter century", while former co-worker Bret Hart described him as "possibly the best working big man in the business."

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and founder of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring.

Jim Neidhart

Jim Neidhart

James Henry Neidhart was an American professional wrestler known for his appearances in the 1980s and 1990s in the World Wrestling Federation as Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, where he was a two-time WWF Tag Team Champion with his real-life brother-in-law Bret Hart in The Hart Foundation. He also won titles in Stampede Wrestling, Championship Wrestling from Florida, Mid-South Wrestling, Memphis Championship Wrestling and the Mid-Eastern Wrestling Federation. He was part of the Hart wrestling family through marriage to his wife Ellie Hart, teaming with various members throughout his career, and appearing with his daughter Natalya Neidhart on the reality television show Total Divas.

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s.

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata is a retired Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a trainer for the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, known primarily by his ring name Super Strong Machine .

Rick Rude

Rick Rude

Richard Erwin Rood, better known by his ring name "Ravishing" Rick Rude, was an American professional wrestler who performed for many promotions, including World Championship Wrestling (WCW), World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW).

1993

The 1993 G1 Climax was once again a 16-man single-elimination tournament, held from August 3 to August 7, 1993. NJPW invited several non-NJPW wrestlers to participate in the 1993 tournament, including Hiromichi Fuyuki, Ashura Hara, Takashi Ishikawa and The Great Kabuki from WAR, and Yoshiaki Fujiwara from Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi.[27][31][81]

Round 1
August 3, 4
Quarterfinals
August 5
Semifinals
August 6
Final
August 7
        
Hiroshi Hase Pin
Shinya Hashimoto 20:42
Hiroshi Hase Pin
Kengo Kimura 15:55
Michiyoshi Ohara Pin
Kengo Kimura 26:44
Hiroshi Hase Sub
Masahiro Chono 26:46
Takayuki Iizuka Pin
Hiromichi Fuyuki 12:10
Hiromichi Fuyuki Sub
Masahiro Chono 19:04
Ashura Hara Sub
Masahiro Chono 12:28
Hiroshi Hase Sub
Tatsumi Fujinami 21:49
Tatsumi Fujinami Pin
Yoshiaki Fujiwara 14:32
Tatsumi Fujinami Sub
Osamu Kido 11:58
Osamu Kido Pin
Takashi Ishikawa 11:33
Tatsumi Fujinami Sub
Keiji Mutoh 24:26
Shiro Koshinaka Pin
Super Strong Machine 17:33
Super Strong Machine Pin
Keiji Mutoh 17:22
Keiji Mutoh Pin
The Great Kabuki 16:17

Discover more about 1993 related topics

Hiromichi Fuyuki

Hiromichi Fuyuki

Hiromichi Fuyuki was a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter better known by his ring name Kodo Fuyuki best known for his time in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Wrestle Association R (WAR) and other Japanese and international promotions during the 1980s and 1990s as the leader of 6-man tag team Fuyuki-Gun with Gedo and Jado.

Ashura Hara

Ashura Hara

Susumu Hara was a Japanese rugby player and professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Ashura Hara (阿修羅・原).

Takashi Ishikawa

Takashi Ishikawa

Takashi Ishikawa is a former professional wrestler and sumo wrestler from Fujishima, Higashitagawa District, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan.

Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi

Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi

Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Group was a shoot style professional wrestling promotion based in Tokyo, Japan, operating from 1991 to 1996. It was formed by Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki after the collapse of the second incarnation of the UWF. The company had the financial backing of eyeglass brand Meganesuper Co., Ltd executive Hachiro Tanaka who was also funding Super World Sports (SWS). Its motto was "ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE".

Hiroshi Hase

Hiroshi Hase

Hiroshi Hase is a Japanese politician who is currently the governor of Ishikawa Prefecture. He served as the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology under Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. Prior to his appointment in the Cabinet, he also served as a member of the House of Representatives of the National Diet, representing the 1st district of Ishikawa Prefecture.

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s.

Michiyoshi Ohara

Michiyoshi Ohara

Michiyoshi Ohara is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, best known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he wrestled from 1990 to 2004, winning the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Tatsutoshi Goto in 1999.

Kengo Kimura

Kengo Kimura

Seiei Kimura is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Kengo Kimura and for his many years working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in Japan.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He participated in the foundation of New Japan of 1972 and the foundation of Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1984. In 2005, after four years in retirement, Kido returned to the ring.

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Wrestle Association "R" (WAR) during the 1980s and 1990s. He was also the first IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

1994

The 1994 G1 Climax returned to the round-robin format, this time with two blocks of six. It was held from August 3 to August 7, 1994. Guest natives included Yoshiaki Fujiwara from Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi and Yoshiaki Yatsu from Social Progress Wrestling Federation (SPWF).[27][32]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Masahiro Chono 8 Power Warrior 7
Keiji Mutoh 6 Hiroshi Hase 6
Riki Choshu 6 Shinya Hashimoto 6
Yoshiaki Yatsu 4 Tatsumi Fujinami 6
Yoshiaki Fujiwara 4 Shiro Koshinaka 5
Osamu Kido 2 Takayuki Iizuka 0
Block A Chono Choshu Fujiwara Kido Mutoh Yatsu
Chono Choshu
(3:47)
Chono
(9:31)
Chono
(6:55)
Chono
(27:28)
Chono
(15:01)
Choshu Choshu
(3:47)
Fujiwara
(9:14)
Choshu
(5:13)
Mutoh
(15:32)
Choshu
(10:11)
Fujiwara Chono
(9:31)
Fujiwara
(8:26)
Kido
(9:45)
Fujiwara
(12:12)
Yatsu
(9:14)
Kido Chono
(6:55)
Choshu
(5:13)
Kido
(9:45)
Mutoh
(7:53)
Yatsu
(8:25)
Mutoh Chono
(27:28)
Mutoh
(15:32)
Fujiwara
(12:12)
Mutoh
(7:53)
Mutoh
(15:12)
Yatsu Chono
(15:01)
Choshu
(10:11)
Yatsu
(9:14)
Yatsu
(8:25)
Mutoh
(15:12)
Block B Fujinami Hase Hashimoto Iizuka Koshinaka Warrior
Fujinami Hase
(11:53)
Hashimoto
(10:31)
Fujinami
(7:09)
Fujinami
(12:59)
Fujinami
(5:25)
Hase Hase
(11:53)
Hase
(9:10)
Hase
(17:32)
Koshinaka
(20:44)
Warrior
(16:50)
Hashimoto Hashimoto
(10:31)
Hase
(9:10)
Hashimoto
(13:04)
Draw
(30:00)
Draw
(30:00)
Iizuka Fujinami
(7:09)
Hase
(17:32)
Hashimoto
(13:04)
Koshinaka
(14:02)
Warrior
(17:33)
Koshinaka Fujinami
(12:59)
Koshinaka
(20:44)
Draw
(30:00)
Koshinaka
(14:02)
Warrior
(14:10)
Warrior Fujinami
(5:25)
Warrior
(16:50)
Draw
(30:00)
Warrior
(17:33)
Warrior
(14:10)
Final
   
A1 Masahiro Chono Sub
B1 Power Warrior 21:51

Discover more about 1994 related topics

Yoshiaki Fujiwara

Yoshiaki Fujiwara

Yoshiaki Fujiwara is a Japanese Professional Wrestler and trainer. He is famous for his long career in wrestling, having worked in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE (ZERO-ONE), and the two incarnations of shoot style promotion Universal Wrestling Federation. Fujiwara is known for his Catch Wrestling expertise, having been praised by fighters like Josh Barnett and Ken Shamrock. He was trained by Karl Gotch and has trained many MMA fighters and professional wrestlers. Fujiwara also has a strong background in Judo and Muay Thai.

Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi

Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi

Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Group was a shoot style professional wrestling promotion based in Tokyo, Japan, operating from 1991 to 1996. It was formed by Yoshiaki Fujiwara, Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki after the collapse of the second incarnation of the UWF. The company had the financial backing of eyeglass brand Meganesuper Co., Ltd executive Hachiro Tanaka who was also funding Super World Sports (SWS). Its motto was "ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE".

Yoshiaki Yatsu

Yoshiaki Yatsu

Yoshiaki Yatsu is a Japanese professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and mixed martial artist. He is known for being one-half of the first-ever All Japan Pro Wrestling World Tag Team Champions with Jumbo Tsuruta, having won the NWA International Tag Team Championship and the PWF Tag Team Championship, and unifying the two titles.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and founder of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring.

Hiroshi Hase

Hiroshi Hase

Hiroshi Hase is a Japanese politician who is currently the governor of Ishikawa Prefecture. He served as the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology under Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. Prior to his appointment in the Cabinet, he also served as a member of the House of Representatives of the National Diet, representing the 1st district of Ishikawa Prefecture.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Wrestle Association "R" (WAR) during the 1980s and 1990s. He was also the first IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He participated in the foundation of New Japan of 1972 and the foundation of Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1984. In 2005, after four years in retirement, Kido returned to the ring.

1995

The 1995 G1 Climax was another eight-man round-robin tournament held August 11 to August 15, with the addition that the top two scorers from each block would advance to a four-man mini-tournament to decide the winner.[27][33]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Keiji Mutoh 4 Shinya Hashimoto 4
Masahiro Chono 3 Scott Norton 4
Ric Flair 3 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 2
Shiro Koshinaka 2 Kensuke Sasaki 2
Block A Chono Flair Koshinaka Mutoh
Chono Draw
(30:00)
Chono
(11:10)
Mutoh
(11:36)
Flair Draw
(30:00)
Flair
(17:17)
Mutoh
(23:33)
Koshinaka Chono
(11:10)
Flair
(17:17)
Koshinaka
(15:47)
Mutoh Mutoh
(11:36)
Mutoh
(23:33)
Koshinaka
(15:47)
Block B Hashimoto Norton Tenzan Sasaki
Hashimoto Hashimoto
(13:35)
Hashimoto
(11:44)
Sasaki
(21:46)
Norton Hashimoto
(13:35)
Norton
(15:08)
Norton
(16:21)
Tenzan Hashimoto
(11:44)
Norton
(15:08)
Tenzan
(12:51)
Sasaki Sasaki
(21:46)
Norton
(16:21)
Tenzan
(12:51)
Semifinals Final
      
A1 Keiji Mutoh Pin
B2 Scott Norton 17:07
A1 Keiji Mutoh Pin
B1 Shinya Hashimoto 24:08
A2 Masahiro Chono Pin
B1 Shinya Hashimoto 10:05

Discover more about 1995 related topics

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Scott Norton

Scott Norton

Scott Norton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, in which he was a member of the New World Order and nWo Japan. He is a two-time world champion, having won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship twice.

Ric Flair

Ric Flair

Richard Morgan Fliehr, known professionally as Ric Flair, is an American professional wrestler. Regarded by multiple peers and journalists as the greatest professional wrestler of all time, Flair has had a career spanning over 50 years.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Wrestle Association "R" (WAR) during the 1980s and 1990s. He was also the first IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and founder of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring.

1996

The 1996 G1 Climax was held from August 2 to August 6, 1996, and was a round-robin tournament featuring two blocks of five.[27][34] Junji Hirata suffered an injury during his match with Kensuke Sasaki, which caused him to forfeit his remaining matches.

Final standings
Block A Block B
Riki Choshu 8 Masahiro Chono 6
Kensuke Sasaki 6 Shiro Koshinaka 4
Hiroyoshi Tenzan 4 Keiji Mutoh 4
Shinya Hashimoto 2 Kazuo Yamazaki 4
Junji Hirata 0 Satoshi Kojima 2
Block A Choshu Hashimoto Hirata Sasaki Tenzan
Choshu Choshu
(17:14)
Choshu
(Forfeit)
Choshu
(15:13)
Choshu
(5:12)
Hashimoto Choshu
(17:14)
Hashimoto
(Forfeit)
Sasaki
(9:13)
Tenzan
(11:27)
Hirata Choshu
(Forfeit)
Hashimoto
(Forfeit)
Sasaki
(5:08)
Tenzan
(Forfeit)
Sasaki Choshu
(15:13)
Sasaki
(9:13)
Sasaki
(5:08)
Sasaki
(15:03)
Tenzan Choshu
(5:12)
Tenzan
(11:27)
Tenzan
(Forfeit)
Sasaki
(15:03)
Block B Chono Kojima Koshinaka Mutoh Yamazaki
Chono Chono
(13:46)
Koshinaka
(22:10)
Chono
(24:43)
Chono
(12:25)
Kojima Chono
(13:46)
Kojima
(10:33)
Mutoh
(15:21)
Yamazaki
(9:56)
Koshinaka Koshinaka
(22:10)
Kojima
(10:33)
Mutoh
(11:59)
Koshinaka
(13:50)
Mutoh Chono
(24:43)
Mutoh
(15:21)
Mutoh
(11:59)
Yamazaki
(13:50)
Yamazaki Chono
(12:25)
Yamazaki
(9:56)
Koshinaka
(13:50)
Yamazaki
(13:50)
Final
   
A1 Riki Choshu Sub
B1 Masahiro Chono 13:45

Discover more about 1996 related topics

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata is a retired Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a trainer for the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, known primarily by his ring name Super Strong Machine .

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and founder of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring.

Riki Choshu

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his ring name Riki Choshu , is a South Korean-Japanese retired professional wrestler who is best known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as both a wrestler and a booker. He is considered one of Japan’s most influential wrestlers for his work in the 1980s and 1990s and is known as the first wrestler to popularize the Sasori-Gatame, better known in English as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter. After leaving NJPW in 2002, he formed Fighting World of Japan Pro Wrestling (WJ), but eventually returned to New Japan in October 2005 as a site foreman, booker and part-time wrestler. Choshu once again left NJPW in 2010 and primarily worked in Tatsumi Fujinami’s Dradition, as well as his own self-produced Power Hall events as a freelancer. Choshu was a second generation Zainichi Korean until his naturalization in 2016.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Wrestle Association "R" (WAR) during the 1980s and 1990s. He was also the first IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s.

Kazuo Yamazaki

Kazuo Yamazaki

Kazuo Yamazaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, wrestling instructor and commentator who is known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and shoot-style promotions Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) and UWF International (UWFi). He currently works as a commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously, the fourth to win the three major heavyweight championships in Japan with the Triple Crown Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight, and Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship, and one of three wrestlers to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Triple Crown Championship, and NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and is an overall seven-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. Since 2022, he also wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah.

1997

The 1997 G1 Climax was a 14-man single-elimination tournament, with Kensuke Sasaki and Buff Bagwell receiving byes to the quarterfinals. The tournament was held from August 1 to August 3.[27][35]

Round 1
August 1
Quarterfinals
August 2
Semifinals
August 3
Final
August 3
            
Satoshi Kojima Pin
Steven Regal 9:45
Satoshi Kojima Pin
Hiroyoshi Tenzan 11:43
Hiroyoshi Tenzan Pin
Tadao Yasuda 10:39
Hiroyoshi Tenzan Pin
Shinya Hashimoto 14:01
Masahiro Chono Sub
Michiyoshi Ohara 18:39
Masahiro Chono Sub
Shinya Hashimoto 5:45
Shinya Hashimoto Stop
Kazuo Yamazaki 11:35
Hiroyoshi Tenzan Pin
Kensuke Sasaki 8:09
Junji Hirata Pin
Scott Norton 6:31
Scott Norton Pin
The Great Muta 6:31
The Great Muta Pin
Manabu Nakanishi 10:25
Scott Norton Pin
Kensuke Sasaki 5:16
Buff Bagwell Pin
Kensuke Sasaki 8:04

Discover more about 1997 related topics

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and founder of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring.

Buff Bagwell

Buff Bagwell

Marcus Alexander Bagwell is an American professional wrestler better known by his ring name, Buff Bagwell. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) from 1991 to 2001, where he was a five-time World Tag Team Champion.

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously, the fourth to win the three major heavyweight championships in Japan with the Triple Crown Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight, and Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship, and one of three wrestlers to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Triple Crown Championship, and NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and is an overall seven-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. Since 2022, he also wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Tadao Yasuda

Tadao Yasuda

Tadao Yasuda is a Japanese retired sumo wrestler (rikishi), professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He competed in sumo from 1979 to 1992 under the shikona of Takanofuji Tadao, achieving the rank of komusubi, and afterwards turned to professional wrestling, in which he competed from 1994 to 2011, most notably in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was also fought in mixed martial arts from 2001 to 2003, holding a notable win over Jérôme Le Banner.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Michiyoshi Ohara

Michiyoshi Ohara

Michiyoshi Ohara is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, best known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he wrestled from 1990 to 2004, winning the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Tatsutoshi Goto in 1999.

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s.

Kazuo Yamazaki

Kazuo Yamazaki

Kazuo Yamazaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, wrestling instructor and commentator who is known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and shoot-style promotions Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) and UWF International (UWFi). He currently works as a commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata is a retired Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a trainer for the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, known primarily by his ring name Super Strong Machine .

Scott Norton

Scott Norton

Scott Norton is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenures in World Championship Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, in which he was a member of the New World Order and nWo Japan. He is a two-time world champion, having won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship twice.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

1998

The 1998 G1 Climax was another 16-man single-elimination tournament, held between July 31 and August 2. Genichiro Tenryu, who had separated from his own WAR promotion to become a freelancer since early in the year, was invited.[27][36]

Round 1
July 31
Quarterfinals
August 1
Semifinals
August 2
Final
August 2
            
Big Titan Pin
Tadao Yasuda 10:35
Tadao Yasuda Pin
Satoshi Kojima 13:38
Satoshi Kojima Pin
Hiroyoshi Tenzan 11:08
Satoshi Kojima Sub
Shinya Hashimoto 13:51
Tatsutoshi Goto Stop
Shinya Hashimoto 4:00
Shinya Hashimoto Pin
Genichiro Tenryu 13:13
Keiji Mutoh Pin
Genichiro Tenryu 21:37
Shinya Hashimoto Pin
Kazuo Yamazaki 15:34
Shiro Koshinaka Pin
Osamu Nishimura 10:25
Shiro Koshinaka Sub
Masahiro Chono 16:03
Masahiro Chono Sub
Manabu Nakanishi 18:52
Masahiro Chono Sub
Kazuo Yamazaki 9:43
Michiyoshi Ohara Pin
Kensuke Sasaki 10:59
Kensuke Sasaki Sub
Kazuo Yamazaki 6:42
Tatsumi Fujinami Sub
Kazuo Yamazaki 7:51

Discover more about 1998 related topics

Genichiro Tenryu

Genichiro Tenryu

Genichiro Shimada , better known as Genichiro Tenryu is a retired Japanese professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling. "Tenryu" was his shikona. He had two stints with All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he spent the majority of his career while also promoting Super World of Sports (SWS), Wrestle Association R (WAR) and Tenryu Project. At the time of his retirement, professional wrestling journalist and historian Dave Meltzer wrote that "one could make a strong case [that Tenryu was] between the fourth and sixth biggest native star" in the history of Japanese professional wrestling.

Rick Bognar

Rick Bognar

Richard Bognar was a Canadian professional wrestler, actor, and motivational speaker, best known as the "fake" Razor Ramon who debuted in the World Wrestling Federation alongside the "fake" Diesel in a storyline following the departures of Scott Hall and Kevin Nash (Diesel) from the WWF to WCW. He also wrestled as Big Titan in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling.

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously, the fourth to win the three major heavyweight championships in Japan with the Triple Crown Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight, and Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship, and one of three wrestlers to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Triple Crown Championship, and NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and is an overall seven-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. Since 2022, he also wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s.

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Wrestle Association "R" (WAR) during the 1980s and 1990s. He was also the first IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. Nishimura formerly worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and MUGA World Pro Wrestling (MUGA).

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Michiyoshi Ohara

Michiyoshi Ohara

Michiyoshi Ohara is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, best known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he wrestled from 1990 to 2004, winning the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Tatsutoshi Goto in 1999.

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and founder of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring.

Kazuo Yamazaki

Kazuo Yamazaki

Kazuo Yamazaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, wrestling instructor and commentator who is known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and shoot-style promotions Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) and UWF International (UWFi). He currently works as a commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

1999

The 1999 G1 Climax was a 12-man round-robin tournament, held from August 10 to August 15.[27][37]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Keiji Mutoh 8 Manabu Nakanishi 8
Yuji Nagata 8 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 6
Kensuke Sasaki 6 Shiro Koshinaka 6
Tatsumi Fujinami 6 Masahiro Chono 6
Satoshi Kojima 2 Shinya Hashimoto 4
Tadao Yasuda 0 Kazuo Yamazaki 0
Block A Fujinami Kojima Mutoh Nagata Sasaki Yasuda
Fujinami Fujinami
(13:10)
Fujinami
(17:36)
Nagata
(12:03)
Sasaki
(10:23)
Fujinami
(3:29)
Kojima Fujinami
(13:10)
Mutoh
(11:40)
Nagata
(19:51)
Sasaki
(13:50)
Kojima
(13:51)
Mutoh Fujinami
(17:36)
Mutoh
(11:40)
Mutoh
(21:11)
Mutoh
(20:56)
Mutoh
(6:25)
Nagata Nagata
(12:03)
Nagata
(19:51)
Mutoh
(21:11)
Nagata
(14:43)
Nagata
(10:26)
Sasaki Sasaki
(10:23)
Sasaki
(13:50)
Mutoh
(20:56)
Nagata
(14:43)
Sasaki
(7:28)
Yasuda Fujinami
(3:29)
Kojima
(13:51)
Mutoh
(6:25)
Nagata
(10:26)
Sasaki
(7:28)
Block B Chono Hashimoto Koshinaka Nakanishi Tenzan Yamazaki
Chono Chono
(21:36)
Koshinaka
(13:05)
Chono
(10:21)
Tenzan
(17:25)
Chono
(10:18)
Hashimoto Chono
(21:36)
Koshinaka
(13:47)
Nakanishi
(15:22)
Hashimoto
(13:24)
Hashimoto
(4:55)
Koshinaka Koshinaka
(13:05)
Koshinaka
(13:47)
Nakanishi
(14:15)
Tenzan
(15:14)
Koshinaka
(Forfeit)
Nakanishi Chono
(10:21)
Nakanishi
(15:22)
Nakanishi
(14:15)
Nakanishi
(15:40)
Nakanishi
(6:43)
Tenzan Tenzan
(17:25)
Hashimoto
(13:24)
Tenzan
(15:14)
Nakanishi
(15:40)
Tenzan
(12:30)
Yamazaki Chono
(10:18)
Hashimoto
(4:55)
Koshinaka
(Forfeit)
Nakanishi
(6:43)
Tenzan
(12:30)
Block A Decision Final
      
A1 Keiji Mutoh Sub
B1 Manabu Nakanishi 14:43
A1 Keiji Mutoh Sub
A2 Yuji Nagata 10:28

Discover more about 1999 related topics

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, he is the fifth longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion with a reign of 392 days, and formerly held the record for most successful title defenses with 10, until Hiroshi Tanahashi broke the record at Wrestle Kingdom VI. He is the only wrestler to have won Japanese professional wrestling's three biggest singles tournaments; New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax, All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival and Pro Wrestling Noah's Global League, in addition to being one of only five men to have held all three major heavyweight championships in Japanese professional wrestling, the IWGP, GHC and Triple Crown heavyweight championships.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and founder of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring.

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Wrestle Association "R" (WAR) during the 1980s and 1990s. He was also the first IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously, the fourth to win the three major heavyweight championships in Japan with the Triple Crown Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight, and Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship, and one of three wrestlers to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Triple Crown Championship, and NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and is an overall seven-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. Since 2022, he also wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah.

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto

Shinya Hashimoto was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter and actor. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the mid-1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s.

Tadao Yasuda

Tadao Yasuda

Tadao Yasuda is a Japanese retired sumo wrestler (rikishi), professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He competed in sumo from 1979 to 1992 under the shikona of Takanofuji Tadao, achieving the rank of komusubi, and afterwards turned to professional wrestling, in which he competed from 1994 to 2011, most notably in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was also fought in mixed martial arts from 2001 to 2003, holding a notable win over Jérôme Le Banner.

Kazuo Yamazaki

Kazuo Yamazaki

Kazuo Yamazaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, wrestling instructor and commentator who is known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and shoot-style promotions Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) and UWF International (UWFi). He currently works as a commentator for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

2000

The 2000 G1 Climax was a round-robin tournament, featuring four blocks of five, with each block champion advancing to a four-man tournament to decide that year's winner; it was held from August 7 to August 13. Also note that the points system was modified from the original: 1 point for a victory, and zero points for a draw or loss. This was the first time that two recognized junior heavyweights; IWGP titleholder Tatsuhito Takaiwa and previous champion Jyushin Thunder Liger, were invited to compete in the heavyweight tournament.[38]

Final standings
Block A Block B Block C Block D
Yuji Nagata 3 Kensuke Sasaki 3 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 3 Masahiro Chono 3
Takashi Iizuka 3 Satoshi Kojima 2 Manabu Nakanishi 3 Junji Hirata 2
Tatsumi Fujinami 2 Brian Johnston 2 Tadao Yasuda 2 Shiro Koshinaka 2
Jyushin Thunder Liger 1 Osamu Kido 0 Osamu Nishimura 2 Yutaka Yoshie 2
Tatsutoshi Goto 1 Hiro Saito 0 Kenzo Suzuki 0 Tatsuhito Takaiwa 1
Block A Fujinami Goto Iizuka Liger Nagata
Fujinami Fujinami
(6:42)
Iizuka
(11:46)
Fujinami
(10:33)
Nagata
(12:25)
Goto Fujinami
(6:42)
Iizuka
(9:42)
Liger
(7:17)
Goto
(11:41)
Iizuka Iizuka
(11:46)
Iizuka
(9:42)
Iizuka
(15:13)
Nagata
(16:38)
Liger Fujinami
(10:33)
Liger
(7:17)
Iizuka
(15:13)
Nagata
(12:06)
Nagata Nagata
(12:25)
Goto
(11:41)
Nagata
(16:38)
Nagata
(12:06)
Block B Johnston Kido Kojima Saito Sasaki
Johnston Johnston
(5:38)
Kojima
(10:08)
Johnston
(5:18)
Sasaki
(6:48)
Kido Johnston
(5:38)
Kojima
(9:55)
Draw
(6:29)
Sasaki
(4:21)
Kojima Kojima
(10:08)
Kojima
(9:55)
Draw
(5:54)
Sasaki
(19:39)
Saito Johnston
(5:18)
Draw
(6:29)
Draw
(5:54)
Draw
(5:37)
Sasaki Sasaki
(6:48)
Sasaki
(4:21)
Sasaki
(19:39)
Draw
(5:37)
Block C Nakanishi Nishimura Suzuki Tenzan Yasuda
Nakanishi Nakanishi
(13:04)
Nakanishi
(8:43)
Tenzan
(18:21)
Nakanishi
(9:23)
Nishimura Nakanishi
(13:04)
Nishimura
(7:37)
Nishimura
(14:22)
Yasuda
(11:47)
Suzuki Nakanishi
(8:43)
Nishimura
(7:37)
Tenzan
(13:24)
Yasuda
(10:43)
Tenzan Tenzan
(18:21)
Nishimura
(14:22)
Tenzan
(13:24)
Tenzan
(11:40)
Yasuda Nakanishi
(9:23)
Yasuda
(11:47)
Yasuda
(10:43)
Tenzan
(11:40)
Block D Chono Hirata Koshinaka Takaiwa Yoshie
Chono Chono
(11:42)
Koshinaka
(12:40)
Chono
(14:22)
Chono
(20:16)
Hirata Chono
(11:42)
Hirata
(8:24)
Hirata
(11:08)
Yoshie
(11:19)
Koshinaka Koshinaka
(12:40)
Hirata
(8:24)
Takaiwa
(9:04)
Koshinaka
(10:38)
Takaiwa Chono
(14:22)
Hirata
(11:08)
Takaiwa
(9:04)
Yoshie
(13:48)
Yoshie Chono
(20:16)
Yoshie
(11:19)
Koshinaka
(10:38)
Yoshie
(13:48)
Tiebreakers Semifinals Final
A1 Yuji Nagata Pin
A1 Yuji Nagata Sub B1 Kensuke Sasaki 15:12
A2 Takashi Iizuka 10:48 B1 Kensuke Sasaki Sub
C2 Manabu Nakanishi 19:42
C2 Manabu Nakanishi Sub
C1 Hiroyoshi Tenzan Sub D1 Masahiro Chono 9:33
C2 Manabu Nakanishi 11:26

Discover more about 2000 related topics

Cruiserweight (professional wrestling)

Cruiserweight (professional wrestling)

In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler who competes in a Cruiserweight division. The term was first coined in United States in 1996 by World Championship Wrestling. Prior to this, the terms "Light Heavyweight" and "Junior Heavyweight" were more commonly in use. The older term junior heavyweight is still favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles. Prominent titles include New Japan Pro-Wrestling's IWGP, Pro Wrestling Noah's GHC, and All Japan Pro Wrestling's World championships.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world junior heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix . Only wrestlers under the junior heavyweight weight-limit may hold the championship. NJPW currently controls two junior heavyweight championships: the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. The weight-limit for the title is 100 kg (220 lb).

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and founder of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously, the fourth to win the three major heavyweight championships in Japan with the Triple Crown Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight, and Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship, and one of three wrestlers to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Triple Crown Championship, and NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and is an overall seven-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. Since 2022, he also wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata

Junji Hirata is a retired Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a trainer for the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion, known primarily by his ring name Super Strong Machine .

Brian Johnston (fighter)

Brian Johnston (fighter)

Brian Johnston is an American mixed martial artist and professional wrestler who competed throughout the mid 1990s, most notably in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. His effective mix of precision striking and ground fighting, as seen with other fighters such as Marco Ruas, would set the standard for what are now common traits in modern-day fighting styles. Johnston holds a black belt in Judo and was a former Golden Gloves champion.

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Wrestle Association "R" (WAR) during the 1980s and 1990s. He was also the first IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido

Osamu Kido is a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He participated in the foundation of New Japan of 1972 and the foundation of Universal Wrestling Federation (UWF) in 1984. In 2005, after four years in retirement, Kido returned to the ring.

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. Nishimura formerly worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and MUGA World Pro Wrestling (MUGA).

2001

The 2001 G1 Climax was a two-block, twelve-man round-robin tournament held from August 4 to August 12. It returned to the original method of scoring, and also reintroduced the 1995 G1's format of each block's top two scorers advancing to the final four. Jyushin Thunder Liger and Minoru Tanaka were the junior heavyweight invitees.[39]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Yuji Nagata 7 Keiji Mutoh 8
Tadao Yasuda 6 Masahiro Chono 6
Manabu Nakanishi 6 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 6
Kazunari Murakami 5 Satoshi Kojima 4
Tatsumi Fujinami 4 Jyushin Thunder Liger 3
Minoru Tanaka 2 Osamu Nishimura 3
Block A Fujinami Murakami Nagata Nakanishi Tanaka Yasuda
Fujinami Fujinami
(0:36)
Nagata
(11:30)
Nakanishi
(5:18)
Fujinami
(8:38)
Yasuda
(5:14)
Murakami Fujinami
(0:36)
Draw
(8:01)
Murakami
(2:02)
Tanaka
(5:10)
Murakami
(3:48)
Nagata Nagata
(11:30)
Draw
(8:01)
Nakanishi
(14:15)
Nagata
(12:39)
Nagata
(8:11)
Nakanishi Nakanishi
(5:18)
Murakami
(2:02)
Nakanishi
(14:15)
Nakanishi
(9:47)
Yasuda
(7:11)
Tanaka Fujinami
(8:38)
Tanaka
(5:10)
Nagata
(12:39)
Nakanishi
(9:47)
Yasuda
(7:35)
Yasuda Yasuda
(5:14)
Murakami
(3:48)
Nagata
(8:11)
Yasuda
(7:11)
Yasuda
(7:35)
Block B Chono Kojima Liger Mutoh Nishimura Tenzan
Chono Kojima
(17:18)
Chono
(14:16)
Mutoh
(8:14)
Chono
(26:16)
Chono
(17:53)
Kojima Kojima
(17:18)
Liger
(16:01)
Kojima
(17:30)
Nishimura
(19:23)
Tenzan
(20:53)
Liger Chono
(14:16)
Liger
(16:01)
Mutoh
(14:24)
Draw
(30:00)
Tenzan
(15:44)
Mutoh Mutoh
(8:14)
Kojima
(17:30)
Mutoh
(14:24)
Mutoh
(16:08)
Mutoh
(18:35)
Nishimura Chono
(26:16)
Nishimura
(19:23)
Draw
(30:00)
Mutoh
(16:08)
Tenzan
(24:06)
Tenzan Chono
(17:53)
Tenzan
(20:53)
Tenzan
(15:44)
Mutoh
(18:35)
Tenzan
(24:06)
Semifinals Final
      
B1 Keiji Mutoh Sub
A2 Tadao Yasuda 11:22
B1 Keiji Mutoh Sub
A1 Yuji Nagata 22:03
B2 Masahiro Chono Sub
A1 Yuji Nagata 13:44

Discover more about 2001 related topics

Minoru Tanaka (wrestler)

Minoru Tanaka (wrestler)

Minoru Tanaka is a Japanese professional wrestler. Tanaka first gained prominence in Fujiwara Gumi and Battlarts before moving on to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he became a four time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, a five time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and the winner of the 2006 Best of the Super Juniors tournament. After leaving NJPW, he joined All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he found continued success in the junior heavyweight and tag team ranks upon winning the World Junior Heavyweight Championship once and the All Asia Tag Team Championship twice. From 2013 to 2016, Tanaka worked for Wrestle-1. He is currently a freelancer, and primarily competes in Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), where he has held the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship twice. He is a former GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion, making him the second man to hold all three major Japanese junior heavyweight singles titles as well as the only man to hold all five major junior heavyweight titles in Japan.

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, he is the fifth longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion with a reign of 392 days, and formerly held the record for most successful title defenses with 10, until Hiroshi Tanahashi broke the record at Wrestle Kingdom VI. He is the only wrestler to have won Japanese professional wrestling's three biggest singles tournaments; New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax, All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival and Pro Wrestling Noah's Global League, in addition to being one of only five men to have held all three major heavyweight championships in Japanese professional wrestling, the IWGP, GHC and Triple Crown heavyweight championships.

Tadao Yasuda

Tadao Yasuda

Tadao Yasuda is a Japanese retired sumo wrestler (rikishi), professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He competed in sumo from 1979 to 1992 under the shikona of Takanofuji Tadao, achieving the rank of komusubi, and afterwards turned to professional wrestling, in which he competed from 1994 to 2011, most notably in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was also fought in mixed martial arts from 2001 to 2003, holding a notable win over Jérôme Le Banner.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Kazunari Murakami

Kazunari Murakami

Kazunari Murakami is a Japanese professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah. Murakami is best known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) during the late 1990s and early 2000s, where he primarily competed as a member of the villainous Makai Club stable. Aside from pro wrestling, Murakami was also part of the first fight in PRIDE history, defeating John Dixson by submission in 1997.

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously, the fourth to win the three major heavyweight championships in Japan with the Triple Crown Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight, and Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship, and one of three wrestlers to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Triple Crown Championship, and NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and is an overall seven-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. Since 2022, he also wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah.

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. Nishimura formerly worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and MUGA World Pro Wrestling (MUGA).

2002

The 2002 G1 Climax was identical in structure to the previous year's, and was held from August 3 to August 11.[38]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Yoshihiro Takayama 8 Masahiro Chono 7
Hiroyoshi Tenzan 6 Osamu Nishimura 5
Kensuke Sasaki 6 Manabu Nakanishi 5
Hiroshi Tanahashi 4 Yuji Nagata 5
Shiro Koshinaka 4 Kenzo Suzuki 4
Yutaka Yoshie 2 Tadao Yasuda 4
Block A Koshinaka Sasaki Takayama Tanahashi Tenzan Yoshie
Koshinaka Sasaki
(8:33)
Takayama
(12:00)
Tanahashi
(8:52)
Koshinaka
(11:02)
Koshinaka
(10:54)
Sasaki Sasaki
(8:33)
Sasaki
(12:11)
Tanahashi
(1:40)
Tenzan
(15:52)
Sasaki
(0:41)
Takayama Takayama
(12:00)
Sasaki
(12:11)
Takayama
(9:24)
Takayama
(13:18)
Takayama
(11:28)
Tanahashi Tanahashi
(8:52)
Tanahashi
(1:40)
Takayama
(9:24)
Tenzan
(14:49)
Yoshie
(10:38)
Tenzan Koshinaka
(11:02)
Tenzan
(15:52)
Takayama
(13:18)
Tenzan
(14:49)
Tenzan
(15:53)
Yoshie Koshinaka
(10:54)
Sasaki
(0:41)
Takayama
(11:28)
Yoshie
(10:38)
Tenzan
(15:53)
Block B Chono Nagata Nakanishi Nishimura Suzuki Yasuda
Chono Nagata
(16:00)
Chono
(16:17)
Draw
(30:00)
Chono
(17:33)
Chono
(Forfeit)
Nagata Nagata
(16:00)
Nakanishi
(17:21)
Draw
(30:00)
Nagata
(14:51)
Yasuda
(11:10)
Nakanishi Chono
(16:17)
Nakanishi
(17:21)
Draw
(30:00)
Nakanishi
(11:17)
Yasuda
(2:15)
Nishimura Draw
(30:00)
Draw
(30:00)
Draw
(30:00)
Suzuki
(18:10)
Nishimura
(1:36)
Suzuki Chono
(17:33)
Nagata
(14:51)
Nakanishi
(11:17)
Suzuki
(18:10)
Suzuki
(0:37)
Yasuda Chono
(Forfeit)
Yasuda
(11:10)
Yasuda
(2:15)
Nishimura
(1:36)
Suzuki
(0:37)
Tiebreaker Semifinals Final
         
A1 Yoshihiro Takayama Pin
B2 Osamu Nishimura 22:38
B3 Manabu Nakanishi Sub
B2 Osamu Nishimura 5:49
A1 Yoshihiro Takayama Pin
B1 Masahiro Chono 20:23
B1 Masahiro Chono Sub
A2 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 22:03

Discover more about 2002 related topics

Yoshihiro Takayama

Yoshihiro Takayama

Yoshihiro Takayama is a former Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Debuting for UWF International (UWFI) in the 1990s, Takayama joined All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) in 1997 after UWF-i folded. In 2000, he joined Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), and later became a mainstay in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) where he arguably achieved his greatest success, holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and NWF Heavyweight Championship simultaneously in 2003. He is one of only five men to hold all three puroresu major heavyweight titles, the others being Kensuke Sasaki, Keiji Muto, Satoshi Kojima, and Yuji Nagata.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. Nishimura formerly worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and MUGA World Pro Wrestling (MUGA).

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and founder of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, he is the fifth longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion with a reign of 392 days, and formerly held the record for most successful title defenses with 10, until Hiroshi Tanahashi broke the record at Wrestle Kingdom VI. He is the only wrestler to have won Japanese professional wrestling's three biggest singles tournaments; New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax, All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival and Pro Wrestling Noah's Global League, in addition to being one of only five men to have held all three major heavyweight championships in Japanese professional wrestling, the IWGP, GHC and Triple Crown heavyweight championships.

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Wrestle Association "R" (WAR) during the 1980s and 1990s. He was also the first IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Kenzo Suzuki

Kenzo Suzuki

Kenzo Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and in the United States with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), where he was a one-time WWE Tag Team Champion in the latter company. He currently performs for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) under the ring name Kenso, where he is a one-time World Tag Team Champion and a one-time Gaora TV Champion.

Yutaka Yoshie

Yutaka Yoshie

Yutaka Yoshie , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer in Japan, performing most notably for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he is a former World Tag Team Champion. He has previously worked for promotions such as New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former IWGP Tag Team Champion, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1.

Tadao Yasuda

Tadao Yasuda

Tadao Yasuda is a Japanese retired sumo wrestler (rikishi), professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He competed in sumo from 1979 to 1992 under the shikona of Takanofuji Tadao, achieving the rank of komusubi, and afterwards turned to professional wrestling, in which he competed from 1994 to 2011, most notably in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was also fought in mixed martial arts from 2001 to 2003, holding a notable win over Jérôme Le Banner.

2003

The 2003 G1 Climax was another 12-man round-robin tournament, held from August 10 to August 17. Jun Akiyama from Pro Wrestling Noah, along with freelancer Yoshihiro Takayama were invitees.[41]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Jun Akiyama 7 Yoshihiro Takayama 8
Hiroyoshi Tenzan 6 Yuji Nagata 5
Masahiro Chono 5 Katsuyori Shibata 5
Manabu Nakanishi 4 Yutaka Yoshie 4
Osamu Nishimura 4 Shinsuke Nakamura 4
Hiroshi Tanahashi 4 Tadao Yasuda 4
Block A Akiyama Chono Nakanishi Nishimura Tanahashi Tenzan
Akiyama Draw
(30:00)
Akiyama
(16:35)
Nishimura
(27:17)
Akiyama
(16:08)
Akiyama
(19:43)
Chono Draw
(30:00)
Nakanishi
(11:39)
Chono
(24:08)
Chono
(13:11)
Tenzan
(21:21)
Nakanishi Akiyama
(16:35)
Nakanishi
(11:39)
Nishimura
(13:45)
Nakanishi
(14:04)
Tenzan
(14:50)
Nishimura Nishimura
(27:17)
Chono
(24:08)
Nishimura
(13:45)
Tanahashi
(14:03)
Tenzan
(25:56)
Tanahashi Akiyama
(16:08)
Chono
(13:11)
Nakanishi
(14:04)
Tanahashi
(14:03)
Tanahashi
(15:14)
Tenzan Akiyama
(19:43)
Tenzan
(21:21)
Tenzan
(14:50)
Tenzan
(25:56)
Tanahashi
(15:14)
Block B Nagata Nakamura Shibata Takayama Yasuda Yoshie
Nagata Nagata
(11:32)
Draw
(13:17)
Takayama
(14:05)
Yasuda
(12:21)
Nagata
(12:51)
Nakamura Nagata
(11:32)
Nakamura
(10:14)
Takayama
(7:08)
Nakamura
(7:38)
Yoshie
(12:31)
Shibata Draw
(13:17)
Nakamura
(10:14)
Takayama
(6:38)
Shibata
(1:14)
Shibata
(9:17)
Takayama Takayama
(14:05)
Takayama
(7:08)
Takayama
(6:38)
Yasuda
(11:16)
Takayama
(12:31)
Yasuda Yasuda
(12:21)
Nakamura
(7:38)
Shibata
(1:14)
Yasuda
(11:16)
Yoshie
(13:01)
Yoshie Nagata
(12:51)
Yoshie
(12:31)
Shibata
(9:17)
Takayama
(12:31)
Yoshie
(13:01)
Block B Decision Semifinals Final
         
A1 Jun Akiyama Pin
B2 Yuji Nagata 16:11
B2 Yuji Nagata KO
B3 Katsuyori Shibata 4:11
A1 Jun Akiyama Sub
A2 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 31:43
B1 Yoshihiro Takayama KO
A2 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 21:13

Discover more about 2003 related topics

Jun Akiyama

Jun Akiyama

Jun Akiyama is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to DDT Pro-Wrestling, where he is a former KO-D Openweight Champion. He is best known for his time working for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he was the president, representative director, co-head booker, and an in-ring performer. In AJPW, he is a former two-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, while also being a six-time overall professional wrestling world champion.

Pro Wrestling Noah

Pro Wrestling Noah

Pro Wrestling Noah is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) ace Mitsuharu Misawa after he had led a mass exodus in which 24 of AJPW's 26 contracted wrestlers left the promotion to form Noah.

Yoshihiro Takayama

Yoshihiro Takayama

Yoshihiro Takayama is a former Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Debuting for UWF International (UWFI) in the 1990s, Takayama joined All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) in 1997 after UWF-i folded. In 2000, he joined Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), and later became a mainstay in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) where he arguably achieved his greatest success, holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and NWF Heavyweight Championship simultaneously in 2003. He is one of only five men to hold all three puroresu major heavyweight titles, the others being Kensuke Sasaki, Keiji Muto, Satoshi Kojima, and Yuji Nagata.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, he is the fifth longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion with a reign of 392 days, and formerly held the record for most successful title defenses with 10, until Hiroshi Tanahashi broke the record at Wrestle Kingdom VI. He is the only wrestler to have won Japanese professional wrestling's three biggest singles tournaments; New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax, All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival and Pro Wrestling Noah's Global League, in addition to being one of only five men to have held all three major heavyweight championships in Japanese professional wrestling, the IWGP, GHC and Triple Crown heavyweight championships.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Katsuyori Shibata

Katsuyori Shibata

Katsuyori Shibata is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and professional wrestling trainer. In professional wrestling, he is known for his hard hitting offense. He is currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is a former three-time NEVER Openweight Champion, a one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, and the winner of the 2017 New Japan Cup. He is also a former holder of Revolution Pro Wrestling's British Heavyweight Championship. Since March 2018, Shibata has served as the head coach of NJPW's dojo in Los Angeles.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. Nishimura formerly worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and MUGA World Pro Wrestling (MUGA).

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Tadao Yasuda

Tadao Yasuda

Tadao Yasuda is a Japanese retired sumo wrestler (rikishi), professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. He competed in sumo from 1979 to 1992 under the shikona of Takanofuji Tadao, achieving the rank of komusubi, and afterwards turned to professional wrestling, in which he competed from 1994 to 2011, most notably in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was also fought in mixed martial arts from 2001 to 2003, holding a notable win over Jérôme Le Banner.

2004

The 2004 G1 Climax was a two-block, sixteen-man tournament held from August 7 to August 15. As well as the increased number of participants, it introduced a format in which the second and third runners-up from each block would advance to a four-man tournament, the two finalists of which would advance to a second four-man tournament also featuring each block winner; the eventual winner of this tournament would win the G1 Climax. Also, it would seem that, for this particular year, matches which ended in a double countout or double disqualification would result in zero points for both competitors.[42]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Katsuyori Shibata 8 Hiroshi Tanahashi 12
Genichiro Tenryu 8 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 11
Shinsuke Nakamura 8 Kensuke Sasaki 9
Masahiro Chono 8 Koji Kanemoto 6
Minoru Suzuki 8 Manabu Nakanishi 6
Yuji Nagata 8 Osamu Nishimura 6
Blue Wolf 4 Togi Makabe 4
Yutaka Yoshie 2 Yoshihiro Takayama 2
Block A Wolf Chono Nagata Nakamura Shibata Suzuki Tenryu Yoshie
Wolf Chono
(14:29)
Nagata
(13:35)
Nakamura
(8:15)
Wolf
(11:46)
Suzuki
(13:34)
Tenryu
(6:09)
Wolf
(14:04)
Chono Chono
(14:29)
Chono
(16:26)
Draw
(14:36)1
Shibata
(15:05)
Chono
(17:32)
Tenryu
(0:38)
Chono
(12:57)
Nagata Nagata
(13:35)
Chono
(16:26)
Nakamura
(13:08)
Nagata
(12:44)
Suzuki
(17:39)
Nagata
(11:28)
Nagata
(13:50)
Nakamura Nakamura
(8:15)
Draw
(14:36)1
Nakamura
(13:08)
Shibata
(12:00)
Nakamura
(11:58)
Tenryu
(14:43)
Nakamura
(11:33)
Shibata Wolf
(11:46)
Shibata
(15:05)
Nagata
(12:44)
Shibata
(12:00)
Suzuki
(7:20)
Shibata
(7:15)
Shibata
(10:22)
Suzuki Suzuki
(13:34)
Chono
(17:32)
Suzuki
(17:39)
Nakamura
(11:58)
Suzuki
(7:20)
Tenryu
(13:01)
Suzuki
(9:12)
Tenryu Tenryu
(6:09)
Tenryu
(0:38)
Nagata
(11:28)
Tenryu
(14:43)
Shibata
(7:15)
Tenryu
(13:01)
Yoshie
(4:07)
Yoshie Wolf
(14:04)
Chono
(12:57)
Nagata
(13:50)
Nakamura
(11:33)
Shibata
(10:22)
Suzuki
(9:12)
Yoshie
(4:07)
Block B Kanemoto Makabe Nakanishi Nishimura Sasaki Takayama Tanahashi Tenzan
Kanemoto Kanemoto
(13:50)
Kanemoto
(9:54)
Nishimura
(14:03)
Sasaki
(16:55)
Kanemoto
(Forfeit)
Tanahashi
(15:45)
Tenzan
(16:55)
Makabe Kanemoto
(13:50)
Nakanishi
(7:40)
Makabe
(12:51)
Sasaki
(6:34)
Makabe
(Forfeit)
Tanahashi
(11:35)
Tenzan
(11:33)
Nakanishi Kanemoto
(9:54)
Nakanishi
(7:40)
Nakanishi
(14:36)
Sasaki
(17:57)
Nakanishi
(15:48)
Tanahashi
(9:12)
Tenzan
(12:47)
Nishimura Nishimura
(14:03)
Makabe
(12:51)
Nakanishi
(14:36)
Sasaki
(14:00)
Nishimura
(Forfeit)
Tanahashi
(16:23)
Nishimura
(20:02)
Sasaki Sasaki
(16:55)
Sasaki
(6:34)
Sasaki
(17:57)
Sasaki
(14:00)
Takayama
(14:40)
Tanahashi
(12:00)
Draw
(30:00)
Takayama Kanemoto
(Forfeit)
Makabe
(Forfeit)
Nakanishi
(15:48)
Nishimura
(Forfeit)
Takayama
(14:40)
Tanahashi
(Forfeit)
Tenzan
(Forfeit)
Tanahashi Tanahashi
(15:45)
Tanahashi
(11:35)
Tanahashi
(9:12)
Tanahashi
(16:23)
Tanahashi
(12:00)
Tanahashi
(Forfeit)
Tenzan
(15:15)
Tenzan Tenzan
(16:55)
Tenzan
(11:33)
Tenzan
(12:47)
Nishimura
(20:02)
Draw
(30:00)
Tenzan
(Forfeit)
Tenzan
(15:15)

1 This was a double countout, and so neither Chono nor Nakamura received any points.

Block A DecisionQuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinal
A1Katsuyori ShibataKO
B2Hiroyoshi TenzanSubB2Hiroyoshi Tenzan7:11
A4Masahiro ChonoDQA3Shinsuke Nakamura13:06B2Hiroyoshi Tenzan21:01
A3Shinsuke Nakamura4:39B1Hiroshi TanahashiSub
B1Hiroshi TanahashiPin
A2Genichiro TenryuPinA2Genichiro Tenryu6:34
B3Kensuke Sasaki8:11

Discover more about 2004 related topics

Katsuyori Shibata

Katsuyori Shibata

Katsuyori Shibata is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and professional wrestling trainer. In professional wrestling, he is known for his hard hitting offense. He is currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is a former three-time NEVER Openweight Champion, a one-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, and the winner of the 2017 New Japan Cup. He is also a former holder of Revolution Pro Wrestling's British Heavyweight Championship. Since March 2018, Shibata has served as the head coach of NJPW's dojo in Los Angeles.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Genichiro Tenryu

Genichiro Tenryu

Genichiro Shimada , better known as Genichiro Tenryu is a retired Japanese professional wrestler and professional wrestling promoter. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling. "Tenryu" was his shikona. He had two stints with All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he spent the majority of his career while also promoting Super World of Sports (SWS), Wrestle Association R (WAR) and Tenryu Project. At the time of his retirement, professional wrestling journalist and historian Dave Meltzer wrote that "one could make a strong case [that Tenryu was] between the fourth and sixth biggest native star" in the history of Japanese professional wrestling.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand.

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, and founder of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Koji Kanemoto

Koji Kanemoto

Kōji Kanemoto is a Japanese professional wrestler of Zainichi Korean descent. He has previously worked with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling. He is currently a freelancer.

Minoru Suzuki

Minoru Suzuki

Minoru Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as a freelancer. In NJPW, Suzuki is currently in his first reign as the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion with El Desperado and Ren Narita. He has also held the IWGP Intercontinental Championship as well as twice holding the NEVER Openweight Championship.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. Nishimura formerly worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and MUGA World Pro Wrestling (MUGA).

Togi Makabe

Togi Makabe

Shinya Makabe , better known by his ring name Togi Makabe is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, two-time NEVER Openweight Champion and one-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.

2005

The 2005 G1 Climax was another 16-man round-robin tournament, held from August 4 to August 14. It returned to the format of 2003, eliminating the "quarterfinals" seen in 2004, and simply bringing each block's top two scorers into the final four.[43]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Masahiro Chono 10 Kazuyuki Fujita 14
Toshiaki Kawada 10 Shinsuke Nakamura 11
Yuji Nagata 8 Manabu Nakanishi 10
Hiroyoshi Tenzan 8 Hiroshi Tanahashi 7
Minoru Suzuki 6 Yutaka Yoshie 6
Kendo Kashin 5 Tatsutoshi Goto 4
Osamu Nishimura 5 Toru Yano 4
Tatsumi Fujinami 4 Togi Makabe 0
Block A Chono Fujinami Kashin Kawada Nagata Nishimura Suzuki Tenzan
Chono Chono
(11:08)
Chono
(1:45)
Chono
(12:14)
Chono
(17:02)
Nishimura
(20:55)
Chono
(17:50)
Tenzan
(18:33)
Fujinami Chono
(11:08)
Fujinami
(4:50)
Kawada
(12:03)
Nagata
(9:37)
Nishimura
(11:29)
Fujinami
(10:17)
Tenzan
(12:49)
Kashin Chono
(1:45)
Fujinami
(4:50)
Kashin
(11:16)
Nagata
(13:08)
Kashin
(15:07)
Draw
(12:17)
Tenzan
(12:19)
Kawada Chono
(12:14)
Kawada
(12:03)
Kashin
(11:16)
Kawada
(26:55)
Kawada
(17:00)
Kawada
(17:11)
Kawada
(19:08)
Nagata Chono
(17:02)
Nagata
(9:37)
Nagata
(13:08)
Kawada
(26:55)
Nagata
(19:34)
Suzuki
(12:06)
Nagata
(16:55)
Nishimura Nishimura
(20:55)
Nishimura
(11:29)
Kashin
(15:07)
Kawada
(17:00)
Nagata
(19:34)
Draw
(30:00)
Tenzan
(18:46)
Suzuki Chono
(17:50)
Fujinami
(10:17)
Draw
(12:17)
Kawada
(17:11)
Suzuki
(12:06)
Draw
(30:00)
Suzuki
(13:50)
Tenzan Tenzan
(18:33)
Tenzan
(12:49)
Tenzan
(12:19)
Kawada
(19:08)
Nagata
(16:55)
Tenzan
(18:46)
Suzuki
(13:50)
Block B Fujita Goto Makabe Nakamura Nakanishi Tanahashi Yano Yoshie
Fujita Fujita
(3:19)
Fujita
(Forfeit)
Fujita
(6:25)
Fujita
(8:02)
Fujita
(9:14)
Fujita
(3:41)
Fujita
(8:45)
Goto Fujita
(3:19)
Goto
(Forfeit)
Nakamura
(6:11)
Nakanishi
(7:26)
Tanahashi
(9:09)
Goto
(4:16)
Yoshie
(8:22)
Makabe Fujita
(Forfeit)
Goto
(Forfeit)
Nakamura
(2:30)
Nakanishi
(Forfeit)
Tanahashi
(Forfeit)
Yano
(Forfeit)
Yoshie
(12:23)
Nakamura Fujita
(6:25)
Nakamura
(6:11)
Nakamura
(2:30)
Nakamura
(14:38)
Nakamura
(13:35)
Draw
(5:15)
Nakamura
(10:49)
Nakanishi Fujita
(8:02)
Nakanishi
(7:26)
Nakanishi
(Forfeit)
Nakamura
(14:38)
Nakanishi
(13:50)
Nakanishi
(5:17)
Nakanishi
(12:40)
Tanahashi Fujita
(9:14)
Tanahashi
(9:09)
Tanahashi
(Forfeit)
Nakamura
(13:35)
Nakanishi
(13:50)
Draw
(30:00)
Tanahashi
(15:01)
Yano Fujita
(3:41)
Goto
(4:16)
Yano
(Forfeit)
Draw
(5:15)
Nakanishi
(5:17)
Draw
(30:00)
Yoshie
(12:39)
Yoshie Fujita
(8:45)
Yoshie
(8:22)
Yoshie
(12:23)
Nakamura
(10:49)
Nakanishi
(12:40)
Tanahashi
(15:01)
Yoshie
(12:39)
Semifinals Final
      
A1 Masahiro Chono Sub
B2 Shinsuke Nakamura 11:35
A1 Masahiro Chono Pin
B1 Kazuyuki Fujita 8:52
B1 Kazuyuki Fujita Pin
A2 Toshiaki Kawada 6:23

Discover more about 2005 related topics

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Kazuyuki Fujita

Kazuyuki Fujita

Kazuyuki Fujita is a Japanese professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and a former amateur wrestler, currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a one-time GHC Heavyweight Champion. He has most recently fought in Road FC, but is also known for his work in the PRIDE Fighting Championships, K-1, Rizin Fighting Federation, and World Victory Road.

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Minoru Suzuki

Minoru Suzuki

Minoru Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as a freelancer. In NJPW, Suzuki is currently in his first reign as the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion with El Desperado and Ren Narita. He has also held the IWGP Intercontinental Championship as well as twice holding the NEVER Openweight Championship.

Kendo Kashin

Kendo Kashin

Tokimitsu Ishizawa, better known by his ring name Kendo Kashin, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his time in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a two time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, a one time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, and the winner of the 1999 Best of the Super Juniors. He is also known for his forays into mixed martial arts, most notably for Pride Fighting Championship (Pride), where he defeated Gracie Jiu Jitsu fighter Ryan Gracie at PRIDE 15. He currently wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah.

Tatsutoshi Goto

Tatsutoshi Goto

Tatsutoshi Goto is a Japanese professional wrestler. He competed primarily in WAR and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and briefly used the name "T2000 Machine". He also briefly competed in World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as part of the nWo Japan.

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura

Osamu Nishimura is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. Nishimura formerly worked for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and MUGA World Pro Wrestling (MUGA).

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

Togi Makabe

Togi Makabe

Shinya Makabe , better known by his ring name Togi Makabe is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, two-time NEVER Openweight Champion and one-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.

2006

The 2006 G1 Climax was a 10-man round-robin tournament held from August 6 to August 13.[44]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Satoshi Kojima 7 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 8
Giant Bernard 5 Koji Kanemoto 5
Hiroshi Tanahashi 4 Yuji Nagata 4
Jyushin Thunder Liger 2 Togi Makabe 3
Manabu Nakanishi 2 Naofumi Yamamoto 0
Block A Bernard Kojima Liger Nakanishi Tanahashi
Bernard Draw
(25:54)
Bernard
(6:53)
Nakanishi
(11:41)
Bernard
(17:54)
Kojima Draw
(25:54)
Kojima
(14:09)
Kojima
(18:17)
Kojima
(21:55)
Liger Bernard
(6:53)
Kojima
(14:09)
Liger
(8:32)
Tanahashi
(14:18)
Nakanishi Nakanishi
(11:41)
Kojima
(18:17)
Liger
(8:32)
Tanahashi
(14:51)
Tanahashi Bernard
(17:54)
Kojima
(21:55)
Tanahashi
(14:18)
Tanahashi
(14:51)
Block B Kanemoto Makabe Nagata Tenzan Yamamoto
Kanemoto Kanemoto
(11:25)
Draw
(30:00)
Tenzan
(13:07)
Kanemoto
(13:14)
Makabe Kanemoto
(11:25)
Draw
(15:44)
Tenzan
(12:23)
Makabe
(11:18)
Nagata Draw
(30:00)
Draw
(15:44)
Tenzan
(15:41)
Nagata
(10:28)
Tenzan Tenzan
(13:07)
Tenzan
(12:23)
Tenzan
(15:41)
Tenzan
(12:28)
Yamamoto Kanemoto
(13:14)
Makabe
(11:18)
Nagata
(10:28)
Tenzan
(12:28)
Semifinals Final
      
A1 Satoshi Kojima Pin
B2 Koji Kanemoto 15:41
A1 Satoshi Kojima Pin
B1 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 27:36
B1 Hiroyoshi Tenzan Sub
A2 Giant Bernard 11:13

Discover more about 2006 related topics

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously, the fourth to win the three major heavyweight championships in Japan with the Triple Crown Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight, and Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship, and one of three wrestlers to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Triple Crown Championship, and NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and is an overall seven-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. Since 2022, he also wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Matt Bloom

Matt Bloom

Matthew Jason Bloom is an American retired professional wrestler and professional football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he is the head trainer at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

Koji Kanemoto

Koji Kanemoto

Kōji Kanemoto is a Japanese professional wrestler of Zainichi Korean descent. He has previously worked with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling. He is currently a freelancer.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, he is the fifth longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion with a reign of 392 days, and formerly held the record for most successful title defenses with 10, until Hiroshi Tanahashi broke the record at Wrestle Kingdom VI. He is the only wrestler to have won Japanese professional wrestling's three biggest singles tournaments; New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax, All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival and Pro Wrestling Noah's Global League, in addition to being one of only five men to have held all three major heavyweight championships in Japanese professional wrestling, the IWGP, GHC and Triple Crown heavyweight championships.

Togi Makabe

Togi Makabe

Shinya Makabe , better known by his ring name Togi Makabe is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, two-time NEVER Openweight Champion and one-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Yoshi Tatsu

Yoshi Tatsu

Naofumi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler and former boxer and mixed martial artist currently signed to All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW).

2007

The 2007 G1 Climax, featuring twelve men in two blocks, was held from August 5 to August 12.[45]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Togi Makabe 6 Shinsuke Nakamura 7
Yuji Nagata 6 Hiroshi Tanahashi 6
Akebono 5 Toru Yano 5
Giant Bernard 5 Shiro Koshinaka 4
Hiroyoshi Tenzan 4 Milano Collection A.T. 4
Masahiro Chono 4 Manabu Nakanishi 4
Block A Bernard Chono Makabe Nagata Tenzan Akebono
Bernard Bernard
(3:40)
Makabe
(8:34)
Nagata
(13:58)
Bernard
(13:24)
Draw
(9:57)
Chono Bernard
(3:40)
Makabe
(11:17)
Chono
(16:15)
Tenzan
(17:20)
Chono
(7:45)
Makabe Makabe
(8:34)
Makabe
(11:17)
Makabe
(15:44)
Tenzan
(15:45)
Akebono
(7:48)
Nagata Nagata
(13:58)
Chono
(16:15)
Makabe
(15:44)
Nagata
(10:41)
Nagata
(6:32)
Tenzan Bernard
(13:24)
Tenzan
(17:20)
Tenzan
(15:45)
Nagata
(10:41)
Akebono
(9:18)
Akebono Draw
(9:57)
Chono
(7:45)
Akebono
(7:48)
Nagata
(6:32)
Akebono
(9:18)
Block B Koshinaka Milano Nakamura Nakanishi Tanahashi Yano
Koshinaka Milano
(10:29)
Koshinaka
(10:34)
Koshinaka
(10:30)
Tanahashi
(17:04)
Yano
(9:52)
Milano Milano
(10:29)
Nakamura
(12:30)
Nakanishi
(5:29)
Tanahashi
(9:59)
Milano
(6:00)
Nakamura Koshinaka
(10:34)
Nakamura
(12:30)
Nakamura
(12:38)
Draw
(30:00)
Nakamura
(12:13)
Nakanishi Koshinaka
(10:30)
Nakanishi
(5:29)
Nakamura
(12:38)
Nakanishi
(12:13)
Yano
(10:41)
Tanahashi Tanahashi
(17:04)
Tanahashi
(9:59)
Draw
(30:00)
Nakanishi
(12:13)
Draw
(12:27)
Yano Yano
(9:52)
Milano
(6:00)
Nakamura
(12:13)
Yano
(10:41)
Draw
(12:27)
Semifinals Final
      
A1 Togi Makabe Pin
B2 Hiroshi Tanahashi 15:24
B2 Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
A2 Yuji Nagata 19:02
B1 Shinsuke Nakamura Stop
A2 Yuji Nagata 18:22

Discover more about 2007 related topics

Togi Makabe

Togi Makabe

Shinya Makabe , better known by his ring name Togi Makabe is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, two-time NEVER Openweight Champion and one-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand.

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, he is the fifth longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion with a reign of 392 days, and formerly held the record for most successful title defenses with 10, until Hiroshi Tanahashi broke the record at Wrestle Kingdom VI. He is the only wrestler to have won Japanese professional wrestling's three biggest singles tournaments; New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax, All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival and Pro Wrestling Noah's Global League, in addition to being one of only five men to have held all three major heavyweight championships in Japanese professional wrestling, the IWGP, GHC and Triple Crown heavyweight championships.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Akebono Tarō

Akebono Tarō

Akebono Tarō is an American-born Japanese former professional sumo wrestler and professional wrestler from Waimānalo, Hawaii. Joining sumo in Japan in 1988, he was trained by pioneering Hawaiian wrestler Takamiyama and rose swiftly up the rankings, reaching the top division in 1990. After two consecutive yusho or tournament championships in November 1992 and January 1993 he made history by becoming the first non-Japanese-born wrestler ever to reach yokozuna, the highest rank in sumo.

Toru Yano

Toru Yano

Toru Yano , is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the KOPW 2020 and the provisional KOPW 2021. He is a four time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion. He is also a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and two-time GHC Tag Team Champion.

Matt Bloom

Matt Bloom

Matthew Jason Bloom is an American retired professional wrestler and professional football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he is the head trainer at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Wrestle Association "R" (WAR) during the 1980s and 1990s. He was also the first IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono

Masahiro Chono is an American-born Japanese-American retired professional wrestler and actor best known for his 26 year stint with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). As the leader of nWo Japan, Team 2000 and Black New Japan, he was the promotion's top heel for much of his career, beginning in 1994 when he adopted his Yakuza inspired gimmick.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

2008

The 2008 G1 Climax, featuring fourteen men in two blocks, was held from August 9 to August 17 over seven shows.[46]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Togi Makabe 8 Hirooki Goto 8
Satoshi Kojima 7 Shinsuke Nakamura 8
Shinjiro Otani 7 Toshiaki Kawada 7
Manabu Nakanishi 6 Yutaka Yoshie 7
Giant Bernard 6 Yuji Nagata 6
Hiroshi Tanahashi 4 Toru Yano 4
Wataru Inoue 4 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 2
Block A Bernard Inoue Kojima Makabe Nakanishi Otani Tanahashi
Bernard Inoue
(7:32)
Bernard
(13:27)
Makabe
(10:56)
Nakanishi
(13:17)
Bernard
(14:12)
Bernard
(13:51)
Inoue Inoue
(7:32)
Kojima
(12:39)
Makabe
(12:59)
Inoue
(8:38)
Otani
(9:56)
Tanahashi
(14:07)
Kojima Bernard
(13:27)
Kojima
(12:39)
Makabe
(12:26)
Kojima
(15:15)
Draw
(30:00)
Kojima
(16:57)
Makabe Makabe
(10:56)
Makabe
(12:59)
Makabe
(12:26)
Nakanishi
(9:31)
Otani
(12:11)
Makabe
(20:14)
Nakanishi Nakanishi
(13:17)
Inoue
(8:38)
Kojima
(15:15)
Nakanishi
(9:31)
Otani
(12:21)
Nakanishi
(17:33)
Otani Bernard
(14:12)
Otani
(9:56)
Draw
(30:00)
Otani
(12:11)
Otani
(12:21)
Tanahashi
(12:44)
Tanahashi Bernard
(13:51)
Tanahashi
(14:07)
Kojima
(16:57)
Makabe
(20:14)
Nakanishi
(17:33)
Tanahashi
(12:44)
Block B Goto Kawada Nagata Nakamura Tenzan Yano Yoshie
Goto Kawada
(13:24)
Goto
(12:12)
Goto
(14:22)
Goto
(12:43)
Goto
(9:11)
Yoshie
(14:28)
Kawada Kawada
(13:24)
Kawada
(16:38)
Nakamura
(14:36)
Tenzan
(19:24)
Kawada
(8:38)
Draw
(30:00)
Nagata Goto
(12:12)
Kawada
(16:38)
Nakamura
(15:52)
Nagata
(11:34)
Nagata
(13:10)
Nagata
(15:38)
Nakamura Goto
(14:22)
Nakamura
(14:36)
Nakamura
(15:52)
Nakamura
(12:16)
Yano
(12:53)
Nakamura
(15:20)
Tenzan Goto
(12:43)
Tenzan
(19:24)
Nagata
(11:34)
Nakamura
(12:16)
Yano
(11:50)
Yoshie
(15:09)
Yano Goto
(9:11)
Kawada
(8:38)
Nagata
(13:10)
Yano
(12:53)
Yano
(11:50)
Yoshie
(11:38)
Yoshie Yoshie
(14:28)
Draw
(30:00)
Nagata
(15:38)
Nakamura
(15:20)
Yoshie
(15:09)
Yoshie
(11:38)
Final
   
A1 Togi Makabe Pin
B1 Hirooki Goto 22:25

Discover more about 2008 related topics

Togi Makabe

Togi Makabe

Shinya Makabe , better known by his ring name Togi Makabe is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, two-time NEVER Openweight Champion and one-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.

Hirooki Goto

Hirooki Goto

Hirooki Goto is a Japanese professional wrestler. Since his debut, he has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he is currently one-half of IWGP Tag Team Champion alongside Yoshi-Hashi in their second reign. He is also known for being the longest reigning NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion with his Chaos stablemates, Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi, a two-time IWGP Intercontinental Champion, one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, five-time NEVER Openweight Champion, one-time winner of the G1 Climax (2008), four-time winner of the World Tag League, and a record three-time winner of the New Japan Cup.

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously, the fourth to win the three major heavyweight championships in Japan with the Triple Crown Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight, and Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship, and one of three wrestlers to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Triple Crown Championship, and NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and is an overall seven-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. Since 2022, he also wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah.

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand.

Shinjiro Otani

Shinjiro Otani

Shinjiro Otani is a semi-retired Japanese professional wrestler and the current acting president of Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1). He is currently inactive from pro-wrestling competition due to a cervical spine injury sustained in April 2022. A product of the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) dojo, Otani is best known for his longtime association with Zero1, a promotion he founded in 2001 along with Shinya Hashimoto.

Toshiaki Kawada

Toshiaki Kawada

Toshiaki Kawada is a Japanese semi-retired professional wrestler best known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), whom he worked for from his debut in 1982 up until 2008. In All Japan, he was a 5 time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, a 9 time World Tag Team Champion, three time winner of the Real World Tag League and a two time winner of the Champion Carnival. He was also recognised as the ace of the promotion from 2000–2005.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Matt Bloom

Matt Bloom

Matthew Jason Bloom is an American retired professional wrestler and professional football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he is the head trainer at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata

Yuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, he is the fifth longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion with a reign of 392 days, and formerly held the record for most successful title defenses with 10, until Hiroshi Tanahashi broke the record at Wrestle Kingdom VI. He is the only wrestler to have won Japanese professional wrestling's three biggest singles tournaments; New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax, All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival and Pro Wrestling Noah's Global League, in addition to being one of only five men to have held all three major heavyweight championships in Japanese professional wrestling, the IWGP, GHC and Triple Crown heavyweight championships.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Toru Yano

Toru Yano

Toru Yano , is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the KOPW 2020 and the provisional KOPW 2021. He is a four time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion. He is also a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and two-time GHC Tag Team Champion.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

2009

The 2009 G1 Climax, featuring fourteen men in two blocks, was held from August 7 to August 16 over eight shows. In a tournament first, the exact tie for first place in Block A between Togi Makabe and Hiroshi Tanahashi was decided by a coin toss.[47]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Togi Makabe 7 Shinsuke Nakamura 12
Hiroshi Tanahashi 7 Takashi Sugiura 7
Masato Tanaka 7 Hirooki Goto 6
Toru Yano 6 Manabu Nakanishi 6
Takao Omori 6 Yuji Nagata 5
Giant Bernard 5 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 4
Tajiri 4 Takashi Iizuka 2
Block A Bernard Makabe Omori Tajiri Tanahashi Tanaka Yano
Bernard Bernard
(12:15)
Bernard
(10:11)
Tajiri
(10:33)
Tanahashi
(19:57)
Draw
(13:07)
Yano
(9:50)
Makabe Bernard
(12:15)
Omori
(14:40)
Makabe
(12:17)
Draw
(30:00)
Makabe
(12:29)
Makabe
(13:18)
Omori Bernard
(10:11)
Omori
(14:40)
Omori
(1:05)
Omori
(18:20)
Tanaka
(13:08)
Yano
(9:11)
Tajiri Tajiri
(10:33)
Makabe
(12:17)
Omori
(1:05)
Tajiri
(18:03)
Tanaka
(11:24)
Yano
(11:34)
Tanahashi Tanahashi
(19:57)
Draw
(30:00)
Omori
(18:20)
Tajiri
(18:03)
Tanahashi
(22:28)
Tanahashi
(18:39)
Tanaka Draw
(13:07)
Makabe
(12:29)
Tanaka
(13:08)
Tanaka
(11:24)
Tanahashi
(22:28)
Tanaka
(10:44)
Yano Yano
(9:50)
Makabe
(13:18)
Yano
(9:11)
Yano
(11:34)
Tanahashi
(18:39)
Tanaka
(10:44)
Block B Goto Iizuka Nagata Nakamura Nakanishi Sugiura Tenzan
Goto Goto
(12:24)
Nagata
(17:48)
Nakamura
(16:42)
Goto
(14:55)
Sugiura
(13:32)
Goto
(6:57)
Iizuka Goto
(12:24)
Iizuka
(7:53)
Nakamura
(5:11)
Nakanishi
(11:58)
Sugiura
(9:05)
Tenzan
(10:59)
Nagata Nagata
(17:48)
Iizuka
(7:53)
Nakamura
(17:41)
Nakanishi
(21:58)
Draw
(30:00)
Nagata
(11:01)
Nakamura Nakamura
(16:42)
Nakamura
(5:11)
Nakamura
(17:41)
Nakamura
(7:10)
Nakamura
(13:51)
Nakamura
(8:41)
Nakanishi Goto
(14:55)
Nakanishi
(11:58)
Nakanishi
(21:58)
Nakamura
(7:10)
Sugiura
(14:22)
Nakanishi
(10:30)
Sugiura Sugiura
(13:32)
Sugiura
(9:05)
Draw
(30:00)
Nakamura
(13:51)
Sugiura
(14:22)
Tenzan
(12:42)
Tenzan Goto
(6:57)
Tenzan
(10:59)
Nagata
(11:01)
Nakamura
(8:41)
Nakanishi
(10:30)
Tenzan
(12:42)
Semifinals Final
      
A1 Togi Makabe Pin
B2 Takashi Sugiura 11:57
A1 Togi Makabe Pin
B1 Shinsuke Nakamura 18:29
B1 Shinsuke Nakamura Pin
A2 Hiroshi Tanahashi 13:31

Discover more about 2009 related topics

Togi Makabe

Togi Makabe

Shinya Makabe , better known by his ring name Togi Makabe is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, two-time NEVER Openweight Champion and one-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand.

Takashi Sugiura

Takashi Sugiura

Takashi Sugiura is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah). Sugiura, an accomplished amateur wrestler, joined Noah's dojo in 2000, making his professional debut on December 23, 2000, and thus becoming the first wrestler to make his pro wrestling debut in Noah. He has also competed in mixed martial arts with a notable victory over Giant Silva. Sugiura wrestled as a junior heavyweight in his earlier pro career and is a former GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion. Sugiura moved up to heavyweight and became the second longest reigning GHC Heavyweight Champion, having held the title for 581 days between December 2009 and July 2011. As of September 2011, Sugiura is the chairman of Noah's Wrestler's Association and holds the concomitant position on the promotion's board of directors.

Masato Tanaka

Masato Tanaka

Masato Tanaka is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) in Japan where he was a one-time FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Champion and a one-time WEW World Heavyweight Champion and in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) in the United States where he was a one-time ECW World Heavyweight Champion. He is currently splitting his time wrestling for both Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah) and Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1). He is overall a ten-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions.

Hirooki Goto

Hirooki Goto

Hirooki Goto is a Japanese professional wrestler. Since his debut, he has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he is currently one-half of IWGP Tag Team Champion alongside Yoshi-Hashi in their second reign. He is also known for being the longest reigning NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion with his Chaos stablemates, Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi, a two-time IWGP Intercontinental Champion, one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, five-time NEVER Openweight Champion, one-time winner of the G1 Climax (2008), four-time winner of the World Tag League, and a record three-time winner of the New Japan Cup.

Toru Yano

Toru Yano

Toru Yano , is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the KOPW 2020 and the provisional KOPW 2021. He is a four time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion. He is also a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and two-time GHC Tag Team Champion.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Takao Omori

Takao Omori

Takao Omori is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he is a one-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion and seven-time World Tag Team Champion. He is also part of the All Japan Board of Directors. He has worked in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah) and Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1).

Matt Bloom

Matt Bloom

Matthew Jason Bloom is an American retired professional wrestler and professional football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he is the head trainer at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Yoshihiro Tajiri

Yoshihiro Tajiri

Yoshihiro Tajiri is a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter primarily known under the ring name Tajiri, he has also competed under his real name as well as under the names Aquarius and Kikkoman and briefly worked as the masked character Tigre Blanco.

2010

The 2010 version of the G1 Climax tournament was announced in late May 2010 and was the 20th anniversary of the G1 Climax tournament. The tournament took place over eight shows between August 6 and August 15, 2010.[82][83][84] Naomichi Marufuji was scheduled to participate in the tournament, but was forced to pull out after suffering an arm injury on July 25.[85] On August 5, NJPW announced that Prince Devitt would replace Marufuji in the tournament.[86] With his victory, freelancer Satoshi Kojima became the third man to have won both the G1 Climax and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival.

Final standings
Block A Block B
Hiroshi Tanahashi 9 Satoshi Kojima 10
Togi Makabe 8 Shinsuke Nakamura 9
Manabu Nakanishi 8 Go Shiozaki 9
Toru Yano 8 Hirooki Goto 8
Prince Devitt 8 Yuji Nagata 8
Tetsuya Naito 7 Giant Bernard 6
Strong Man 4 Yujiro Takahashi 4
Karl Anderson 4 Wataru Inoue 2
Block A Anderson Devitt Makabe Naito Nakanishi Strong Man Tanahashi Yano
Anderson Devitt
(10:44)[87]
Makabe
(11:07)[88]
Naito
(11:52)[89]
Nakanishi
(7:29)[90]
Strong Man
(6:30)[91]
Anderson
(11:42)[92]
Anderson
(9:16)[93]
Devitt Devitt
(10:44)[87]
Makabe
(13:36)[90]
Devitt
(11:42)[88]
Nakanishi
(9:23)[91]
Devitt
(7:36)[92]
Devitt
(11:35)[93]
Yano
(7:26)[48]
Makabe Makabe
(11:07)[88]
Makabe
(13:36)[90]
Naito
(14:34)[92]
Makabe
(10:52)[93]
Makabe
(5:57)[89]
Tanahashi
(11:58)[48]
Yano
(7:18)[87]
Naito Naito
(11:52)[89]
Devitt
(11:42)[88]
Naito
(14:34)[92]
Naito
(10:52)[48]
Strong Man
(7:55)[93]
Draw
(30:00)[90]
Yano
(10:59)[91]
Nakanishi Nakanishi
(7:29)[90]
Nakanishi
(9:23)[91]
Makabe
(10:52)[93]
Naito
(10:52)[48]
Nakanishi
(8:41)[88]
Tanahashi
(15:01)[89]
Nakanishi
(7:30)[92]
Strong Man Strong Man
(6:30)[91]
Devitt
(7:36)[92]
Makabe
(5:57)[89]
Strong Man
(7:55)[93]
Nakanishi
(8:41)[88]
Tanahashi
(6:50)[87]
Yano
(5:16)[90]
Tanahashi Anderson
(11:42)[92]
Devitt
(11:35)[93]
Tanahashi
(11:58)[48]
Draw
(30:00)[90]
Tanahashi
(15:01)[89]
Tanahashi
(6:50)[87]
Tanahashi
(14:49)[88]
Yano Anderson
(9:16)[93]
Yano
(7:26)[48]
Yano
(7:18)[87]
Yano
(10:59)[91]
Nakanishi
(7:30)[92]
Yano
(5:16)[90]
Tanahashi
(14:49)[88]
Block B Bernard Goto Inoue Kojima Nagata Nakamura Shiozaki Takahashi
Bernard Bernard
(11:25)[89]
Bernard
(9:19)[92]
Kojima
(11:44)[88]
Bernard
(13:05)[87]
Nakamura
(10:39)[90]
Shiozaki
(11:07)[91]
Takahashi
(8:03)[93]
Goto Bernard
(11:25)[89]
Goto
(10:14)[90]
Kojima
(12:09)[48]
Goto
(15:22)[88]
Goto
(16:51)[87]
Shiozaki
(17:52)[93]
Goto
(13:03)[91]
Inoue Bernard
(9:19)[92]
Goto
(10:14)[90]
Kojima
(13:56)[89]
Nagata
(10:18)[93]
Nakamura
(11:18)[91]
Shiozaki
(16:03)[87]
Inoue
(8:19)[88]
Kojima Kojima
(11:44)[88]
Kojima
(12:09)[48]
Kojima
(13:56)[89]
Nagata
(16:18)[91]
Nakamura
(16:45)[93]
Kojima
(15:13)[90]
Kojima
(8:20)[92]
Nagata Bernard
(13:05)[87]
Goto
(15:22)[88]
Nagata
(10:18)[93]
Nagata
(16:18)[91]
Nagata
(17:43)[92]
Nagata
(16:25)[89]
Takahashi
(5:28)[48]
Nakamura Nakamura
(10:39)[90]
Goto
(16:51)[87]
Nakamura
(11:18)[91]
Nakamura
(16:45)[93]
Nagata
(17:43)[92]
Draw
(30:00)[48]
Nakamura
(11:47)[89]
Shiozaki Shiozaki
(11:07)[91]
Shiozaki
(17:52)[93]
Shiozaki
(16:03)[87]
Kojima
(15:13)[90]
Nagata
(16:25)[89]
Draw
(30:00)[48]
Shiozaki
(10:36)[92]
Takahashi Takahashi
(8:03)[93]
Goto
(13:03)[91]
Inoue
(8:19)[88]
Kojima
(8:20)[92]
Takahashi
(5:28)[48]
Nakamura
(11:47)[89]
Shiozaki
(10:36)[92]
Final
   
A1 Hiroshi Tanahashi Pin
B1 Satoshi Kojima 21:25[48]

Discover more about 2010 related topics

Naomichi Marufuji

Naomichi Marufuji

Naomichi Marufuji is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions including New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), Ring of Honor (ROH), and Impact Wrestling. Marufuji is a four-time GHC Heavyweight Champion, as well as the first of two men to win Junior Heavyweight Championships in all three major Japanese promotions. In 2009, he was appointed to the position of Vice President of Pro Wrestling Noah, and has retained the position since, being reappointed in September 2011.

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously, the fourth to win the three major heavyweight championships in Japan with the Triple Crown Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight, and Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship, and one of three wrestlers to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Triple Crown Championship, and NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and is an overall seven-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. Since 2022, he also wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah.

All Japan Pro Wrestling

All Japan Pro Wrestling

All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW/AJP) or simply All Japan is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established on October 21, 1972 when Giant Baba split away from the Japanese Wrestling Association and created his own promotion. Many wrestlers had left with Baba, with many more joining the following year when JWA folded. From the mid-1970s, All Japan was firmly established as the largest promotion in Japan. As the 1990s began, aging stars gave way to a younger generation including Mitsuharu Misawa, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams, Kenta Kobashi, Gary Albright, Toshiaki Kawada, Mike Barton, Akira Taue and Jun Akiyama, leading to perhaps AJPW's most profitable period in the 1990s.

Champion Carnival

Champion Carnival

The Champion Carnival is a professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). The tournament is also known by the nickname Haru no Saiten and is sometimes abbreviated to CC. Created by AJPW founder Giant Baba, the tournament has been held annually since 1973 and is the longest-running singles tournament in professional wrestling, while also ranking as the most prestigious event in the AJPW calendar. It is considered a successor to the World League, held by Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance (JWA) between 1959 and 1972, predating the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) G1 Climax tournament by a year.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand.

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi

Manabu Nakanishi is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.

Go Shiozaki

Go Shiozaki

Go Shiozaki is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to the Pro Wrestling Noah promotion where he is the former GHC Heavyweight Champion in a record breaking fifth reign. He made his debut for the promotion in July 2004 and remained with it until the end of 2012. In January 2013, Shiozaki joined All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he became a one-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion and a two-time World Tag Team Champion, before resigning from the promotion in September 2015. Afterwards, he returned to Noah, where, in May 2016, he won the GHC Heavyweight Championship for the third time. He has also worked for American promotions Ring of Honor (ROH) and Full Impact Pro (FIP), winning the latter's World Heavyweight Championship. In August 2016, Shiozaki was appointed the chairman of Noah's wrestlers' association.

Hirooki Goto

Hirooki Goto

Hirooki Goto is a Japanese professional wrestler. Since his debut, he has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he is currently one-half of IWGP Tag Team Champion alongside Yoshi-Hashi in their second reign. He is also known for being the longest reigning NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion with his Chaos stablemates, Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi, a two-time IWGP Intercontinental Champion, one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, five-time NEVER Openweight Champion, one-time winner of the G1 Climax (2008), four-time winner of the World Tag League, and a record three-time winner of the New Japan Cup.

Matt Bloom

Matt Bloom

Matthew Jason Bloom is an American retired professional wrestler and professional football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he is the head trainer at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

Jon Andersen

Jon Andersen

Jon Andersen-Reel, normally referred to simply as Jon Andersen is an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder, and former professional strongman competitor. Andersen has wrestled for Pro Wrestling Revolution based in California, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) in Mexico and Japanese promotions Inoki Genome Federation (IGF) and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Karl Anderson

Karl Anderson

Chad Allegra is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Karl Anderson. He is currently signed to WWE where he performs on the Raw brand and is a member of the stable The O.C. as well as a member of the Bullet Club.

2011

The 2011 version of the G1 Climax tournament was announced on May 3, 2011. It took place over ten shows between August 1 and August 14 and included 20 participants, making it at the time the largest G1 Climax in history.[94][95]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Tetsuya Naito 12 Shinsuke Nakamura 14
Hiroshi Tanahashi 12 Satoshi Kojima 12
Yoshihiro Takayama 10 Minoru Suzuki 12
Togi Makabe 10 MVP 12
Giant Bernard 10 Hirooki Goto 12
Toru Yano 10 Karl Anderson 8
Yuji Nagata 10 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 8
Lance Archer 8 La Sombra 4
Yujiro Takahashi 6 Wataru Inoue 4
Hideo Saito 2 Strong Man 4
Block A Archer Bernard Makabe Nagata Naito Saito Takahashi Takayama Tanahashi Yano
Archer Bernard
(11:23)[96]
Archer
(8:18)[97]
Nagata
(8:42)[98]
Naito
(12:38)[99]
Archer
(6:42)[100]
Archer
(7:14)[101]
Archer
(7:19)[49]
Tanahashi
(11:33)[102]
Yano
(8:51)[103]
Bernard Bernard
(11:23)[96]
Makabe
(12:35)[103]
Bernard
(10:00)[104]
Naito
(10:44)[98]
Bernard
(9:47)[97]
Bernard
(8:58)[100]
Takayama
(9:36)[102]
Tanahashi
(13:05)[101]
Bernard
(7:29)[49]
Makabe Archer
(8:18)[97]
Makabe
(12:35)[103]
Makabe
(13:13)[99]
Makabe
(14:27)[96]
Makabe
(5:23)[102]
Takahashi
(8:37)[49]
Takayama
(12:14)[98]
Tanahashi
(18:46)[104]
Makabe
(10:54)[100]
Nagata Nagata
(8:42)[98]
Bernard
(10:00)[104]
Makabe
(13:13)[99]
Nagata
(13:11)[100]
Saito
(4:29)[49]
Nagata
(9:49)[102]
Nagata
(13:51)[103]
Nagata
(18:19)[97]
Yano
(11:24)[96]
Naito Naito
(12:38)[99]
Naito
(10:44)[98]
Makabe
(14:27)[96]
Nagata
(13:11)[100]
Naito
(7:25)[103]
Takahashi
(10:52)[97]
Naito
(10:32)[101]
Naito
(5:11)[49]
Naito
(14:05)[102]
Saito Archer
(6:42)[100]
Bernard
(9:47)[97]
Makabe
(5:23)[102]
Saito
(4:29)[49]
Naito
(7:25)[103]
Takahashi
(9:25)[96]
Takayama
(3:29)[104]
Tanahashi
(8:01)[99]
Yano
(6:09)[101]
Takahashi Archer
(7:14)[101]
Bernard
(8:58)[100]
Takahashi
(8:37)[49]
Nagata
(9:49)[102]
Takahashi
(10:52)[97]
Takahashi
(9:25)[96]
Takayama
(9:25)[99]
Tanahashi
(12:43)[103]
Yano
(8:30)[104]
Takayama Archer
(7:19)[49]
Takayama
(9:36)[102]
Takayama
(12:14)[98]
Nagata
(13:51)[103]
Naito
(10:32)[101]
Takayama
(3:29)[104]
Takayama
(9:25)[99]
Tanahashi
(11:57)[100]
Takayama
(6:29)[97]
Tanahashi Tanahashi
(11:33)[102]
Tanahashi
(13:05)[101]
Tanahashi
(18:46)[104]
Nagata
(18:19)[97]
Naito
(5:11)[49]
Tanahashi
(8:01)[99]
Tanahashi
(12:43)[103]
Tanahashi
(11:57)[100]
Yano
(16:57)[98]
Yano Yano
(8:51)[103]
Bernard
(7:29)[49]
Makabe
(10:54)[100]
Yano
(11:24)[96]
Naito
(14:05)[102]
Yano
(6:09)[101]
Yano
(8:30)[104]
Takayama
(6:29)[97]
Yano
(16:57)[98]
Block B Anderson Goto Inoue Kojima MVP Nakamura Sombra Strong Man Suzuki Tenzan
Anderson Goto
(10:56)[104]
Inoue
(9:07)[99]
Kojima
(12:55)[103]
Anderson
(8:30)[49]
Nakamura
(12:11)[101]
Anderson
(7:49)[100]
Anderson
(7:55)[102]
Suzuki
(10:59)[96]
Anderson
(9:39)[98]
Goto Goto
(10:56)[104]
Goto
(11:09)[103]
Goto
(16:15)[96]
MVP
(10:39)[101]
Goto
(13:13)[98]
Goto
(9:06)[102]
Strong Man
(7:27)[49]
Suzuki
(12:38)[99]
Goto
(10:37)[97]
Inoue Inoue
(9:07)[99]
Goto
(11:09)[103]
Kojima
(9:51)[98]
MVP
(9:34)[96]
Nakamura
(12:29)[102]
Sombra
(8:41)[97]
Inoue
(7:00)[100]
Suzuki
(14:19)[101]
Tenzan
(9:50)[104]
Kojima Kojima
(12:55)[103]
Goto
(16:15)[96]
Kojima
(9:51)[98]
Kojima
(11:26)[104]
Nakamura
(15:05)[100]
Kojima
(9:25)[101]
Kojima
(8:15)[99]
Kojima
(12:40)[97]
Tenzan
(14:10)[49]
MVP Anderson
(8:30)[49]
MVP
(10:39)[101]
MVP
(9:34)[96]
Kojima
(11:26)[104]
MVP
(12:02)[97]
MVP
(4:59)[98]
MVP
(8:18)[103]
Suzuki
(12:03)[100]
MVP
(11:17)[99]
Nakamura Nakamura
(12:11)[101]
Goto
(13:13)[98]
Nakamura
(12:29)[102]
Nakamura
(15:05)[100]
MVP
(12:02)[97]
Nakamura
(10:49)[99]
Nakamura
(6:56)[104]
Nakamura
(12:13)[49]
Nakamura
(13:43)[96]
Sombra Anderson
(7:49)[100]
Goto
(9:06)[102]
Sombra
(8:41)[97]
Kojima
(9:25)[101]
MVP
(4:59)[98]
Nakamura
(10:49)[99]
Sombra
(6:48)[96]
Suzuki
(9:32)[104]
Tenzan
(9:16)[103]
Strong Man Anderson
(7:55)[102]
Strong Man
(7:27)[49]
Inoue
(7:00)[100]
Kojima
(8:15)[99]
MVP
(8:18)[103]
Nakamura
(6:56)[104]
Sombra
(6:48)[96]
Strong Man
(9:31)[98]
Tenzan
(7:18)[101]
Suzuki Suzuki
(10:59)[96]
Suzuki
(12:38)[99]
Suzuki
(14:19)[101]
Kojima
(12:40)[97]
Suzuki
(12:03)[100]
Nakamura
(12:13)[49]
Suzuki
(9:32)[104]
Strong Man
(9:31)[98]
Suzuki
(14:26)[102]
Tenzan Anderson
(9:39)[98]
Goto
(10:37)[97]
Tenzan
(9:50)[104]
Tenzan
(14:10)[49]
MVP
(11:17)[99]
Nakamura
(13:43)[96]
Tenzan
(9:16)[103]
Tenzan
(7:18)[101]
Suzuki
(14:26)[102]
Final
   
A1 Tetsuya Naito Pin
B1 Shinsuke Nakamura 20:19[49]

Discover more about 2011 related topics

Tetsuya Naito

Tetsuya Naito

Tetsuya Naito is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the leader of the Los Ingobernables de Japón faction.

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand.

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima

Satoshi Kojima is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but makes appearances for Pro Wrestling Noah. Considered to be one of the greatest Japanese professional wrestlers of the 21st century and of all-time, he was the first wrestler to hold NJPW's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and All Japan Pro Wrestling's Triple Crown Championship simultaneously, the fourth to win the three major heavyweight championships in Japan with the Triple Crown Heavyweight, IWGP Heavyweight, and Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship, and one of three wrestlers to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Triple Crown Championship, and NWA World Heavyweight Championship, and is an overall seven-time world champion in major professional wrestling promotions. Since 2022, he also wrestles for Pro Wrestling Noah.

Minoru Suzuki

Minoru Suzuki

Minoru Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as a freelancer. In NJPW, Suzuki is currently in his first reign as the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion with El Desperado and Ren Narita. He has also held the IWGP Intercontinental Championship as well as twice holding the NEVER Openweight Championship.

Togi Makabe

Togi Makabe

Shinya Makabe , better known by his ring name Togi Makabe is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion, two-time NEVER Openweight Champion and one-time NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.

Montel Vontavious Porter

Montel Vontavious Porter

Hassan Hamin Assad is an American professional wrestler and manager currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name MVP and is the manager of Omos.

Matt Bloom

Matt Bloom

Matthew Jason Bloom is an American retired professional wrestler and professional football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he is the head trainer at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.

Hirooki Goto

Hirooki Goto

Hirooki Goto is a Japanese professional wrestler. Since his debut, he has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he is currently one-half of IWGP Tag Team Champion alongside Yoshi-Hashi in their second reign. He is also known for being the longest reigning NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion with his Chaos stablemates, Tomohiro Ishii and Yoshi-Hashi, a two-time IWGP Intercontinental Champion, one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, five-time NEVER Openweight Champion, one-time winner of the G1 Climax (2008), four-time winner of the World Tag League, and a record three-time winner of the New Japan Cup.

Karl Anderson

Karl Anderson

Chad Allegra is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Karl Anderson. He is currently signed to WWE where he performs on the Raw brand and is a member of the stable The O.C. as well as a member of the Bullet Club.

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Tenzan

Hiroyoshi Yamamoto is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and is better known by his ring name Hiroyoshi Tenzan . With Satoshi Kojima, in 2008, they won the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the G1 Tag League in NJPW, becoming the only tag team which has done both. He is a four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a record twelve-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. He is also a former National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) World Heavyweight Champion.

Jon Andersen

Jon Andersen

Jon Andersen-Reel, normally referred to simply as Jon Andersen is an American professional wrestler, bodybuilder, and former professional strongman competitor. Andersen has wrestled for Pro Wrestling Revolution based in California, Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) in Mexico and Japanese promotions Inoki Genome Federation (IGF) and New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

2012

The 2012 version of the G1 Climax tournament took place over nine shows between August 1 and August 12 and included 18 participants.[105][106] The 24-year-old Kazuchika Okada went on to become the youngest G1 Climax winner in history, breaking the previous record held by the then 27-year-old Masahiro Chono.[50] Okada also became the first winner since Hirooki Goto to win the tournament in his first attempt.[50] Karl Anderson became the first foreigner to make it to the final of the tournament since Rick Rude in 1992.[107]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Karl Anderson 10 Kazuchika Okada 10
Hiroshi Tanahashi 10 Lance Archer 8
Shelton Benjamin 8 Hirooki Goto 8
Yuji Nagata 8 Togi Makabe 8
Minoru Suzuki 8 MVP 8
Satoshi Kojima 8 Tetsuya Naito 8
Naomichi Marufuji 8 Hiroyoshi Tenzan 8
Toru Yano 6 Shinsuke Nakamura 8
Yujiro Takahashi 6 Rush 6
Block A Anderson Benjamin Kojima Marufuji Nagata Suzuki Takahashi Tanahashi Yano
Anderson Anderson
(9:15)[108]
Kojima
(12:47)[109]
Marufuji
(9:14)[110]
Anderson
(11:28)[111]
Anderson
(12:22)[112]
Takahashi
(10:16)[113]
Anderson
(11:15)[50]
Anderson
(9:14)[114]
Benjamin Anderson
(9:15)[108]
Benjamin
(9:04)[50]
Benjamin
(7:54)[112]
Nagata
(9:52)[114]
Suzuki
(10:45)[115]
Benjamin
(7:40)[109]
Tanahashi
(13:54)[111]
Benjamin
(8:11)[113]
Kojima Kojima
(12:47)[109]
Benjamin
(9:04)[50]
Marufuji
(11:37)[111]
Kojima
(13:52)[110]
Kojima
(13:33)[114]
Takahashi
(8:34)[112]
Tanahashi
(17:41)[113]
Kojima
(9:03)[115]
Marufuji Marufuji
(9:14)[110]
Benjamin
(7:54)[112]
Marufuji
(11:37)[111]
Nagata
(13:04)[113]
Suzuki
(14:49)[109]
Marufuji
(8:34)[115]
Marufuji
(21:29)[108]
Yano
(9:55)[50]
Nagata Anderson
(11:28)[111]
Nagata
(9:52)[114]
Kojima
(13:52)[110]
Nagata
(13:04)[113]
Nagata
(9:03)[50]
Takahashi
(9:31)[108]
Tanahashi
(17:24)[115]
Nagata
(10:01)[112]
Suzuki Anderson
(12:22)[112]
Suzuki
(10:45)[115]
Kojima
(13:33)[114]
Suzuki
(14:49)[109]
Nagata
(9:03)[50]
Suzuki
(8:05)[111]
Suzuki
(20:53)[110]
Yano
(8:05)[108]
Takahashi Takahashi
(10:16)[113]
Benjamin
(7:40)[109]
Takahashi
(8:34)[112]
Marufuji
(8:34)[115]
Takahashi
(9:31)[108]
Suzuki
(8:05)[111]
Tanahashi
(14:23)[114]
Yano
(7:34)[110]
Tanahashi Anderson
(11:15)[50]
Tanahashi
(13:54)[111]
Tanahashi
(17:41)[113]
Marufuji
(21:29)[108]
Tanahashi
(17:24)[115]
Suzuki
(20:53)[110]
Tanahashi
(14:23)[114]
Tanahashi
(14:18)[109]
Yano Anderson
(9:14)[114]
Benjamin
(8:11)[113]
Kojima
(9:03)[115]
Yano
(9:55)[50]
Nagata
(10:01)[112]
Yano
(8:05)[108]
Yano
(7:34)[110]
Tanahashi
(14:18)[109]
Block B Archer Goto Makabe MVP Naito Nakamura Okada Rush Tenzan
Archer Archer
(9:41)[110]
Archer
(9:55)[111]
MVP
(10:50)[50]
Archer
(10:41)[114]
Nakamura
(12:11)[113]
Okada
(10:46)[109]
Rush
(7:30)[112]
Archer
(10:57)[108]
Goto Archer
(9:41)[110]
Makabe
(13:31)[115]
Goto
(9:19)[113]
Goto
(11:05)[50]
Goto
(13:31)[112]
Goto
(18:36)[114]
Rush
(8:02)[111]
Tenzan
(13:39)[109]
Makabe Archer
(9:55)[111]
Makabe
(13:31)[115]
MVP
(9:30)[112]
Makabe
(14:10)[108]
Makabe
(14:12)[110]
Okada
(9:33)[50]
Makabe
(7:17)[114]
Tenzan
(11:58)[113]
MVP MVP
(10:50)[50]
Goto
(9:19)[113]
MVP
(9:30)[112]
Naito
(9:33)[110]
Nakamura
(12:14)[109]
Okada
(10:44)[115]
MVP
(7:53)[108]
MVP
(9:35)[114]
Naito Archer
(10:41)[114]
Goto
(11:05)[50]
Makabe
(14:10)[108]
Naito
(9:33)[110]
Naito
(13:39)[111]
Naito
(21:59)[112]
Rush
(9:39)[109]
Naito
(13:27)[115]
Nakamura Nakamura
(12:11)[113]
Goto
(13:31)[112]
Makabe
(14:12)[110]
Nakamura
(12:14)[109]
Naito
(13:39)[111]
Nakamura
(16:16)[108]
Nakamura
(10:07)[115]
Tenzan
(12:48)[50]
Okada Okada
(10:46)[109]
Goto
(18:36)[114]
Okada
(9:33)[50]
Okada
(10:44)[115]
Naito
(21:59)[112]
Nakamura
(16:16)[108]
Okada
(9:20)[113]
Okada
(11:20)[111]
Rush Rush
(7:30)[112]
Rush
(8:02)[111]
Makabe
(7:17)[114]
MVP
(7:53)[108]
Rush
(9:39)[109]
Nakamura
(10:07)[115]
Okada
(9:20)[113]
Tenzan
(9:30)[110]
Tenzan Archer
(10:57)[108]
Tenzan
(13:39)[109]
Tenzan
(11:58)[113]
MVP
(9:35)[114]
Naito
(13:27)[115]
Tenzan
(12:48)[50]
Okada
(11:20)[111]
Tenzan
(9:30)[110]
Final
   
A1 Karl Anderson Pin