New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and its roster enter the most crucial time of its year as this Saturday marks the beginning of the G1 Climax.
G1 Climax 32 aims to bring back the prestige and excitement this tournament created for years prior to the worldwide pandemic, going back to the four-block system they utilized over two decades ago. The stars leading the field this year include defending G1 Climax winner, Kazuchika Okada, and IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, Jay White, who returns to the tournament after having to miss the 2021 event. The field also includes a number of exciting first-time competitors such as NJPW STRONG competitors JONAH and Tom Lawlor, who made waves in NJPW’s United States branch over the past year.
With the four-block system returning and 28 participants set to take part, the usual conclusion will be shaken up. There will be a winner from A Block, B Block, C Block, and D Block. These four will go on to face one another in two semifinal matches to decide who goes to the final of G1 Climax 32. There’s no confirmation on which blocks will face each other on Aug. 17, but whoever moves on will compete in the main event on the final night of the tournament on Aug. 18 inside the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.
There are potential winners in each block which leaves this year’s G1 Climax the most uncertain in years. Okada will go for back-to-back wins much like Kota Ibushi had accomplished before getting injured in last year’s final. Tetsuya Naito has aspirations to main event the Tokyo Dome and Wrestle Kingdom one more time. And who knows, maybe Hiroshi Tanahashi can win the G1 Climax one more time to pursue the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, a title he has never held. There are endless possibilities that should excite wrestling fans.
Here’s a look at the blocks and schedule.
G1 Climax 32 Blocks
A Block:
- Kazuchika Okada – 2021 G1 Climax Winner
- Toru Yano
- Tom Lawlor
- Jeff Cobb
- JONAH
- Bad Luck Fale
- Lance Archer (AEW)
B Block:
- Jay White – IWGP World Heavyweight Champion
- Tomohiro Ishii
- SANADA
- Tama Tonga
- Great-O-Khan
- Chase Owens
- Taichi
C Block:
- Hiroshi Tanahashi
- Hirooki Goto – NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champion
- EVIL
- KENTA
- Zack Sabre Jr.
- Aaron Henare
- Tetsuya Naito
D Block:
- Will Ospreay – IWGP United States Champion
- Shingo Takagi – KOPW Holder
- Juice Robinson
- YOSHI-HASHI – NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champion
- David Finlay
- Yujiro Takahashi
- El Phantasmo
G1 Climax 32 Schedule
July 16
A Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. Jeff Cobb
B Block: SANADA vs. Jay White
C Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Aaron Henare
D Block: Will Ospreay vs. El Phantasmo
July 17
A Block: Toru Yano vs. JONAH
B Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Taichi
C Block: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. KENTA
D Block: Shingo Takagi vs. Juice Robinson
July 20
A Block: Lance Archer vs. Bad Luck Fale
B Block: Tama Tonga vs. Chase Owens
C Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Tetsuya Naito
D Block: David Finlay vs. Yujiro Takahashi
July 23
A Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. Toru Yano
B Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Jay White
C Block: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Aaron Henare
D Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Shingo Takagi
July 24
A Block: Jeff Cobb vs. Bad Luck Fale
B Block: SANADA vs. Taichi
C Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Tetsuya Naito
D Block: El Phantasmo vs. Yujiro Takahashi
July 26
A Block: Tom Lawlor vs. Lance Archer
B Block: Great-O-Khan vs. Chase Owens
C Block: KENTA vs. EVIL
D Block: David Finlay vs. Juice Robinson
July 27
A Block: Toru Yano vs. Bad Luck Fale
B Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Tama Tonga
C Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Aaron Henare
D Block: Will Ospreay vs. Yujiro Takahashi
July 30
A Block: Tom Lawlor vs. JONAH
B Block: SANADA vs. Great-O-Khan
C Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
D Block: David Finlay vs. Shingo Takagi
July 31
A Block: Jeff Cobb vs. Lance Archer
A Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. Bad Luck Fale
B Block: Jay White vs. Chase Owens
C Block: Tetsuya Naito vs. EVIL
D Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Juice Robinson
August 2
A Block: Toru Yano vs. Tom Lawlor
B Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Great-O-Khan
B Block: Tama Tonga vs. SANADA
C Block: Hirooki Goto vs. KENTA
D Block: David Finlay vs. Will Ospreay
August 5
A Block: JONAH vs. Jeff Cobb
B Block: Taichi vs. Chase Owens
C Block: Tetsuya Naito vs. Aaron Henare
C Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. EVIL
D Block: Juice Robinson vs. Yujiro Takahashi
August 6
A Block: Toru Yano vs. Lance Archer
B Block: Great-O-Khan vs. Jay White
C Block: Hirooki Goto vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
D Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. El Phantasmo
D Block: Shingo Takagi vs. Will Ospreay
August 7
A Block: Tom Lawlor vs. Bad Luck Fale
A Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. JONAH
B Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Chase Owens
C Block: Aaron Henare vs. EVIL
D Block: Juice Robinson vs. El Phantasmo
August 9
A Block: JONAH vs. Lance Archer
B Block: SANADA vs. Chase Owens
B Block: Tama Tonga vs. Taichi
C Block: Tetsuya Naito vs. KENTA
D Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Yujiro Takahashi
August 10
A Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. Tom Lawlor
B Block: Tama Tonga vs. Great-O-Khan
C Block: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. EVIL
C Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hirooki Goto
D Block: David Finlay vs. El Phantasmo
August 13
A Block: Toru Yano vs. Jeff Cobb
B Block: Taichi vs. Jay White
C Block: Aaron Henare vs. KENTA
D Block: Shingo Takagi vs. Yujiro Takahashi
D Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Will Ospreay
August 14
A Block: Tom Lawlor vs. Jeff Cobb
B Block: Taichi vs. Great-O-Khan
C Block: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. KENTA
D Block: YOSHI-HASHI vs. David Finlay
August 16
A Block: Kazuchika Okada vs. Lance Archer
A Block: JONAH vs. Bad Luck Fale
B Block: Tomohiro Ishii vs. SANADA
B Block: Tama Tonga vs. Jay White
C Block: Hirooki Goto vs. EVIL
C Block: Tetsuya Naito vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
D Block: Shingo Takagi vs. El Phantasmo
D Block: Will Ospreay vs. Juice Robinson
August 17
G1 Climax 32 Semifinal: TBA vs. TBA
G1 Climax 32 Semifinal: TBA vs. TBA
August 18
G1 Climax 32 Final: TBA vs. TBA
For more on the tournament, here’s a look at the most anticipated matches of G1 Clima 32 and five competitors who could walk out as the winner come Aug. 18.
The Most Anticipated G1 Climax 32 Matches
Five Potential G1 Climax 32 Winners
More from LWOS Pro Wrestling
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