G1 Climax
New Japan Pro-Wrestling event series
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 the most victorious wrestlers in each pool wrestling in a short tournament to decide that year's winner. Since 2012, the winner of the tournament earns the right to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at the following January's Wrestle Kingdom show.
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, and zero points for a loss or no contest. Under the current format, double decisions (such as double count-outs or double disqualifications) are treated as draws.
Tournament history
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 Muto, Masahiro Chono and Shinya Hashimoto, three NJPW wrestlers who had just returned to the promotion from their overseas learning excursions.[13] Past winners include Muto, 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 Muto (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 Muto won the tournament. Muto 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. Muto and Sasaki are the only two wrestlers to have won the G1 Climax while holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.[18] As of 2026, every G1 Climax winner has held either the IWGP Heavyweight Championship or IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, with Konosuke Takeshita being the last to accomplish this by defeating Zack Sabre Jr. for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at King of Pro-Wrestling on October 13, 2025. 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.
List of winners
IWGP Heavyweight Championship challenge rights certificate
The tradition of G1 Climax winners getting an IWGP Heavyweight Championship title shot has been in place since the beginning of the tournament, with exceptions in 1992 (when Masahiro Chono was awarded the NWA World Heavyweight Championship as prize for winning the tournament), 1993 and 2001 (when Yuji Nagata challenged for the GHC Heavyweight title due to the IWGP being vacant at the time) as well as 1995 and 2000, when the champion won the tournament. This tradition can be traced back to the days of the IWGP League, with the championship itself being awarded the title per stipulation from 1983 to 1986 and the 1987 tournament being used to crown the first proper, full-time IWGP Heavyweight champion. 1988 would be the first time a title shot was awarded to the winner.
After winning the 2012 G1 Climax, Kazuchika Okada made a shocking statement to challenge Hiroshi Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 7. This would start a tradition that lasted every year until 2024, when Zack Sabre Jr choose to face Tetsuya Naito at King or Pro-Wrestling, and would be repeated in 2025 with Konosuke Takeshita challenging Sabre Jr at the same event.
| Year | Certificate history |
|---|---|
| 1991 | Holder: Masahiro Chono
Lost to Tatsumi Fujinami for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on November 5, 1991 at Tokyo 3Days Battle |
| 1992 | Holder: Masahiro Chono
Won the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship with winning the tournament on August 12, 1992 |
| 1993 | Holder: Tatsumi Fujinami
Choose not to pursue |
| 1994 | Holder: Masahiro Chono
Lost to Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on September 27, 1994 at G1 Climax Special |
| 1995 | Holder: Keiji Muto
Was the IWGP Heavyweight Champion when winning the tournament on August 15, 1995 Defended against Junji Hirata in G1 Climax Special tour on September 25, 1995 at G1 Climax Special And defended against Nobuhiko Takada in New Japan Pro Wrestling vs UWF International on October 9, 1995 |
| 1996 | Holder: Riki Choshu
Lost to Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 1997 at Wrestling World |
| 1997 | Holder: Kensuke Sasaki
Defeated Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on August 31, 1997 at Final Power Hall In Yokohama |
| 1998 | Holder: Shinya Hashimoto
Lost to Scott Norton for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on October 30, 1998 at nWo Typhoon |
| 1999 | Holder: Manabu Nakanishi
Lost to Keiji Muto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on October 11, 1999 at Final Dome |
| 2000 | Holder: Kensuke Sasaki
Was the IWGP Heavyweight Champion when winning the tournament on August 13, 2000 Lost to Toshiaki Kawada in a non title match on October 9, 2000 at Do Judge!! decided to vacate the title in humiliation |
| 2001 | Holder: Yuji Nagata
Lost to Jun Akiyama for the GHC Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2002 at Wrestling World Making Nagata the only person to not challenge for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship as the winner Originally was supposed to face Kazuyuki Fujita for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, but Fujita vacated the title due to injury |
| 2002 | Holder: Masahiro Chono
Fought Yuji Nagata for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to a time limit draw on October 26, 2002 at Toukon Series |
| 2003 | Holder: Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Defeated Yoshihiro Takayama for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on November 3, 2003 at Yokohama Dead Out |
| 2004 | Holder: Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Defeated Kensuke Sasaki for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on December 12, 2004 at Final Battle |
| 2005 | Holder: Masahiro Chono
Lost to Brock Lesnar for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship alongside Kazuyuki Fujita in a Three Way Match on October 8, 2005 at Toukon Souzou New Chapter |
| 2006 | Holder: Hiroyoshi Tenzan
Lost to Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on October 9, 2006 at Explosion |
| 2007 | Holder: Hiroshi Tanahashi
Defeated Yuji Nagata for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on October 8, 2007 at Explosion |
| 2008 | Holder: Hirooki Goto
Lost to Keiji Muto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on August 31, 2008 at AJPW Pro-Wrestling Love in Ryogoku Vol. 5 Making Goto the only person to challenge for the title outside of the NJPW ring |
| 2009 | Holder: Togi Makabe
Lost to Shinsuke Nakamura for the vacated IWGP Heavyweight Championship on September 27, 2009 at Circuit New Japan Generation After previous champion Hiroshi Tanahashi had to vacate the title due to an injury at the eye socket he received during the G1 Climax tournament match against Nakamura |
| 2010 | Holder: Satoshi Kojima
Defeated Togi Makabe for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on October 11, 2010 at Destruction |
| 2011 | Holder: Shinsuke Nakamura
Lost to Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on September 19, 2011 at G1 Climax Special |
| 2012 | Holder: Kazuchika Okada
Successfully defended the certificate against Karl Anderson on October 8, 2012 at King of Pro-Wrestling[63] Successfully defended the certificate against Hirooki Goto on November 11, 2012 at Power Struggle[64] Lost to Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2013 at Wrestle Kingdom 7 in Tokyo Dome[65] |
| 2013 | Holder: Tetsuya Naito
Successfully defended the certificate against Masato Tanaka on September 29, 2013 at Destruction[66] Successfully defended the certificate against Yujiro Takahashi on October 14, 2013 at King of Pro-Wrestling[67] Successfully defended the certificate against Masato Tanaka on November 9, 2013, at Power Struggle[68] Lost to Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2014 at Wrestle Kingdom 8 in Tokyo Dome[69] |
| 2014 | Holder: Kazuchika Okada
Successfully defended the certificate against Karl Anderson on September 23, 2014 at Destruction in Okayama[70] Successfully defended the certificate against Tetsuya Naito on October 13, 2014 at King of Pro-Wrestling[71] Lost to Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2015 at Wrestle Kingdom 9 in Tokyo Dome[72] |
| 2015 | Holder: Hiroshi Tanahashi
Successfully defended the certificate against Bad Luck Fale on September 27, 2015 at Destruction in Kobe[73] Successfully defended the certificate against Tetsuya Naito on October 12, 2015 at King of Pro-Wrestling[74] Lost to Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2016 at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome[75] |
| 2016 | Holder: Kenny Omega
Successfully defended the certificate against Yoshi-Hashi on September 22, 2016 at Destruction in Hiroshima[76] Successfully defended the certificate against Hirooki Goto on October 10, 2016 at King of Pro-Wrestling[77] Lost to Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2017 at Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome[78] |
| 2017 | Holder: Tetsuya Naito
Successfully defended the certificate against Tomohiro Ishii on October 9, 2017 at King of Pro-Wrestling[79] Lost to Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2018 at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome[80] |
| 2018 | Holder: Hiroshi Tanahashi
Successfully defended the certificate against Kazuchika Okada on September 23, 2018 at Destruction in Kobe Successfully defended the certificate against Jay White on October 8, 2018 at King of Pro-Wrestling Defeated Kenny Omega for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2019 at Wrestle Kingdom 13 in Tokyo Dome |
| 2019 | Holder: Kota Ibushi
Successfully defended the certificate against Kenta on September 16, 2019 at Destruction in Kagoshima Successfully defended the certificate against Evil on October 14, 2019 at King of Pro-Wrestling Lost to Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2020 at Wrestle Kingdom 14 in Tokyo Dome[81] |
| 2020 | Holder: Kota Ibushi
Lost the certificate against Jay White on November 7, 2020 at Power Struggle |
| Holder: Jay White
Lost to Kota Ibushi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship on January 5, 2021 at Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome | |
| 2021 | Holder: Kazuchika Okada
Successfully defended the certificate against Tama Tonga on November 6, 2021 at Power Struggle Defeated Shingo Takagi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2022 at Wrestle Kingdom 16 |
| 2022 | Holder: Kazuchika Okada
Defeated Jay White for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2023 at Wrestle Kingdom 17 |
| 2023 | Holder: Tetsuya Naito
Successfully defended the certificate against Jeff Cobb on September 24, 2023 at Destruction in Kobe Defeated Sanada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on January 4, 2024 at Wrestle Kingdom 18 |
| 2024 | Holder: Zack Sabre Jr.
Defeated Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on October 14, 2024 at King of Pro-Wrestling |
| 2025 | Holder: Konosuke Takeshita
Defeated Zack Sabre Jr. for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on October 13, 2025 at King of Pro-Wrestling |
World League
1974
The 1974 World League ran from April 5 to May 8, 1974. The tournament began with 16 wrestlers, eight Japanese and eight Internationals, 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]
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Antonio Inoki (J) | 2-0 |
|---|---|
| Seiji Sakaguchi (J) | 1-1 |
| Killer Karl Krupp (I) | 0-2 |
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]
| Killer Karl Krupp | 13.5 |
|---|---|
| Antonio Inoki | 12.5 |
| Seiji Sakaguchi | 12.5 |
| Kintarō Ōki | 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 |
| Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | |||||||||||
| 2 | Antonio Inoki | Sub | |||||||||||
| 1 | Killer Karl Krupp | Sub | |||||||||||
| 5 | Strong Kobayashi | 20:02 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Antonio Inoki | Defaulted | 2 | Antonio Inoki | 16:42 | ||||||||
| Won by default | DDQ | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Seiji Sakaguchi | DDQ | |||||||||||
| 4 | Kintarō Ōki | 2:23 | |||||||||||
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]
| 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 |
| Seiji Sakaguchi | 2-0 |
|---|---|
| Killer Karl Krupp | 1-1 |
| Victor Rivera | 0-2 |
| Final | ||||
| 1 | Pedro Morales | CO | ||
| 2 | Seiji Sakaguchi | 25:38 | ||
1977
The 1977 World League ran from April 21 to May 30, 1977. The tournament featured 11 wrestlers.[4][27]
| 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 | ||
MSG Series
1978
The 1978 MSG Series ran from April 21 to May 30, 1978. The tournament featured nine wrestlers in a round robin format, with a different scoring system than today's tournaments. A win by pinfall or submission was worth five points, a win by dq or countout was worth four points, a time limit, double dq, or double countout draw was worth two points, and a loss or forfeit was worth 0 points. André the Giant received an extra five points, although the reason why is unclear.[6][27][82]
| André the Giant | 37 |
|---|---|
| Antonio Inoki | 29 |
| Seiji Sakaguchi | 28 |
| Tatsumi Fujinami | 25 |
| Bugsy McGraw | 15 |
| Nikolai Volkoff | 14 |
| Umanosuke Ueda | 10 |
| Riki Choshu | 9 |
| Chief Jay Strongbow | 0 |
| Final | ||||
| 1 | André the Giant | CO | ||
| 2 | Antonio Inoki | 16:41 | ||
1979
The 1979 MSG Series ran from April 27 to June 7, 1979. The tournament featured 10 wrestlers.[7][27][83]
| 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 | ||
1980
The 1980 MSG Series ran from April 25 to June 5, 1980. The tournament featured 10 wrestlers.[8][27][84]
| Antonio Inoki | 35 |
|---|---|
| Stan Hansen | 32 |
| André the Giant | 32 |
| Seiji Sakaguchi | 32 |
| Dusty Rhodes | 29 |
| Tatsumi Fujinami | 20 |
| Strong Kobayashi | 12 |
| Riki Choshu | 11 |
| Chavo Guerrero | 7 |
| Ryuma Go | 0 |
| Final | ||||
| 1 | Antonio Inoki | DQ | ||
| 2 | Stan Hansen | 7:49 | ||
1981
The 1981 MSG Series ran from May 8 to June 4, 1981. The tournament featured 11 wrestlers.[9][27][85]
| 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 | ||
1982
The 1982 MSG Series ran from March 4 to April 1, 1982. The tournament featured 14 wrestlers.[10][27][86]
| André the Giant | 57 |
|---|---|
| Antonio Inoki † | 53 |
| Killer Khan | 50 |
| Dick Murdoch | 42 |
| The Masked Superstar | 36 |
| Tatsumi Fujinami | 35 |
| Rusher Kimura | 33 |
| Seiji Sakaguchi | 33 |
| Tony Atlas | 31 |
| Tiger Toguchi | 17 |
| Yoshiaki Yatsu | 13 |
| Don Muraco | 9 |
| The Iron Sheik | 5 |
| Riki Choshu | 4 |
| Final | ||||
| 1 | André the Giant | Pin | ||
| 3 | Killer Khan | 16:42 | ||
IWGP League
1983
The 1983 International Wrestling Grand Prix Championship League 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]
| 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 | N/a | André | DCO | André | DCO | André | André | André | André | André |
| Canek | André | N/a | Hogan | Inoki | Khan | Kimura | Maeda | Studd | Canek | Wanz |
| Hogan | DCO | Hogan | N/a | DCO | Hogan | Hogan | Hogan | Hogan | Hogan | Hogan |
| Inoki | André | Inoki | DCO | N/a | Inoki | Inoki | Inoki | Inoki | Inoki | Inoki |
| Khan | DCO | Khan | Hogan | Inoki | N/a | Khan | DCO | Studd | Khan | Khan |
| Kimura | André | Kimura | Hogan | Inoki | Khan | N/a | Kimura | DCO | Kimura | Kimura |
| Maeda | André | Maeda | Hogan | Inoki | DCO | Kimura | N/a | Studd | Maeda | Maeda |
| Studd | André | Studd | Hogan | Inoki | Studd | DCO | Studd | N/a | Studd | Studd |
| Vera | André | Canek | Hogan | Inoki | Khan | Kimura | Maeda | Studd | N/a | Vera |
| Wanz | André | Wanz | Hogan | Inoki | Khan | Kimura | Maeda | Studd | Vera | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| 1 | Hulk Hogan | KO | ||
| 2 | Antonio Inoki | 21:27 | ||
1984
The 1984 International Wrestling Grand Prix Champion League 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]
| 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 |
1985
The IWGP Champion Series 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 | ||||||||||||||||||
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]
| 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 | |||||||
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]
| 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 | ||
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]
| Antonio Inoki | 6 |
|---|---|
| Riki Choshu | 6 |
| Big Van Vader | 4 |
| Masa Saito | 4 |
| Kengo Kimura | 0 |
World Cup Tournament
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]
| 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] | ||||||||||
G1 Climax
1991
The inaugural G1 Climax was a round-robin tournament consisting of two four-man blocks, and running from August 7 to August 11, 1991.[27][28]
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Keiji Muto | 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 | Muto | Norton | Vader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fujinami | N/a | Muto (13:56) | Draw (7:56) | Fujinami (12:13) |
| Muto | Muto (13:56) | N/a | Norton (9:56) | Muto (13:54) |
| Norton | Draw (7:56) | Norton (9:56) | N/a | Vader (10:49) |
| Vader | Fujinami (12:13) | Muto (13:54) | Vader (10:49) | N/a |
| Block B | Bigelow | Chono | Choshu | Hashimoto |
| Bigelow | N/a | Chono (12:38) | Bigelow (10:10) | Hashimoto (9:59) |
| Chono | Chono (12:38) | N/a | Chono (14:17) | Draw (30:00) |
| Choshu | Bigelow (10:10) | Chono (14:17) | N/a | Hashimoto (7:50) |
| Hashimoto | Hashimoto (9:59) | Draw (30:00) | Hashimoto (7:50) | N/a |
| Block B Decision | Final | ||||||||
| A1 | Keiji Muto | Pin | |||||||
| B1 | Masahiro Chono | Sub | B1 | Masahiro Chono | 29:31 | ||||
| B2 | Shinya Hashimoto | 15:50 | |||||||
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.[87]
| Round 1 August 6, 7 | Quarterfinals August 10 | Semifinals August 11 | Final August 12 | ||||||||||||
| Arn Anderson | 8:58 | ||||||||||||||
| Steve Austin | Pin | ||||||||||||||
| Steve Austin | 13:52 | ||||||||||||||
| Keiji Muto | Pin | ||||||||||||||
| Keiji Muto | Pin | ||||||||||||||
| Barry Windham | 10:17 | ||||||||||||||
| Keiji Muto | 26:07 | ||||||||||||||
| Masahiro Chono | Sub | ||||||||||||||
| 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 | 19:24 | ||||||||||||||
| Rick Rude | Pin | ||||||||||||||
| Shinya Hashimoto | Pin | ||||||||||||||
| The Barbarian | 11:29 | ||||||||||||||
| Shinya Hashimoto | 13:52 | ||||||||||||||
| Rick Rude | Pin | ||||||||||||||
| Super Strong Machine | 11:54 | ||||||||||||||
| Rick Rude | Pin | ||||||||||||||
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][88]
| 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 Muto | 24:26 | ||||||||||||||
| Shiro Koshinaka | Pin | ||||||||||||||
| Super Strong Machine | 17:33 | ||||||||||||||
| Super Strong Machine | Pin | ||||||||||||||
| Keiji Muto | 17:22 | ||||||||||||||
| Keiji Muto | Pin | ||||||||||||||
| The Great Kabuki | 16:17 | ||||||||||||||
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]
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Masahiro Chono | 8 | Power Warrior | 7 |
| Keiji Muto | 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 | Muto | Yatsu |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chono | N/a | Choshu (3:47) | Chono (9:31) | Chono (6:55) | Chono (27:28) | Chono (15:01) |
| Choshu | Choshu (3:47) | N/a | Fujiwara (9:14) | Choshu (5:13) | Muto (15:32) | Choshu (10:11) |
| Fujiwara | Chono (9:31) | Fujiwara (8:26) | N/a | Kido (9:45) | Fujiwara (12:12) | Yatsu (9:14) |
| Kido | Chono (6:55) | Choshu (5:13) | Kido (9:45) | N/a | Muto (7:53) | Yatsu (8:25) |
| Muto | Chono (27:28) | Muto (15:32) | Fujiwara (12:12) | Muto (7:53) | N/a | Muto (15:12) |
| Yatsu | Chono (15:01) | Choshu (10:11) | Yatsu (9:14) | Yatsu (8:25) | Muto (15:12) | N/a |
| Block B | Fujinami | Hase | Hashimoto | Iizuka | Koshinaka | Warrior |
| Fujinami | N/a | Hase (11:53) | Hashimoto (10:31) | Fujinami (7:09) | Fujinami (12:59) | Fujinami (5:25) |
| Hase | Hase (11:53) | N/a | Hase (9:10) | Hase (17:32) | Koshinaka (20:44) | Warrior (16:50) |
| Hashimoto | Hashimoto (10:31) | Hase (9:10) | N/a | Hashimoto (13:04) | Draw (30:00) | Draw (30:00) |
| Iizuka | Fujinami (7:09) | Hase (17:32) | Hashimoto (13:04) | N/a | Koshinaka (14:02) | Warrior (17:33) |
| Koshinaka | Fujinami (12:59) | Koshinaka (20:44) | Draw (30:00) | Koshinaka (14:02) | N/a | Warrior (14:10) |
| Warrior | Fujinami (5:25) | Warrior (16:50) | Draw (30:00) | Warrior (17:33) | Warrior (14:10) | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Masahiro Chono | Sub | ||
| B1 | Power Warrior | 21:51 | ||
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. Masahiro Chono advanced out of his block despite being tied with Ric Flair because of his faster match winning time over Shiro Koshinaka.[27][33]
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Keiji Muto | 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 | Muto |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chono | N/a | Draw (30:00) | Chono (11:10) | Muto (11:36) |
| Flair | Draw (30:00) | N/a | Flair (17:17) | Muto (23:33) |
| Koshinaka | Chono (11:10) | Flair (17:17) | N/a | Koshinaka (15:47) |
| Muto | Muto (11:36) | Muto (23:33) | Koshinaka (15:47) | N/a |
| Block B | Hashimoto | Norton | Tenzan | Sasaki |
| Hashimoto | N/a | Hashimoto (13:35) | Hashimoto (11:44) | Sasaki (21:46) |
| Norton | Hashimoto (13:35) | N/a | Norton (15:08) | Norton (16:21) |
| Tenzan | Hashimoto (11:44) | Norton (15:08) | N/a | Tenzan (12:51) |
| Sasaki | Sasaki (21:46) | Norton (16:21) | Tenzan (12:51) | N/a |
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| A1 | Keiji Muto | Pin | |||||||
| B2 | Scott Norton | 17:07 | |||||||
| A1 | Keiji Muto | Pin | |||||||
| B1 | Shinya Hashimoto | 24:08 | |||||||
| A2 | Masahiro Chono | Pin | |||||||
| B1 | Shinya Hashimoto | 10:05 | |||||||
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.
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Riki Choshu | 8 | Masahiro Chono | 6 |
| Kensuke Sasaki | 6 | Shiro Koshinaka | 4 |
| Hiroyoshi Tenzan | 4 | Keiji Muto | 4 |
| Shinya Hashimoto | 2 | Kazuo Yamazaki | 4 |
| Junji Hirata | 0 | Satoshi Kojima | 2 |
| Block A | Choshu | Hashimoto | Hirata | Sasaki | Tenzan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choshu | N/a | Choshu (17:14) | Choshu (Forfeit) | Choshu (15:13) | Choshu (5:12) |
| Hashimoto | Choshu (17:14) | N/a | Hashimoto (Forfeit) | Sasaki (9:13) | Tenzan (11:27) |
| Hirata | Choshu (Forfeit) | Hashimoto (Forfeit) | N/a | Sasaki (5:08) | Tenzan (Forfeit) |
| Sasaki | Choshu (15:13) | Sasaki (9:13) | Sasaki (5:08) | N/a | Sasaki (15:03) |
| Tenzan | Choshu (5:12) | Tenzan (11:27) | Tenzan (Forfeit) | Sasaki (15:03) | N/a |
| Block B | Chono | Kojima | Koshinaka | Muto | Yamazaki |
| Chono | N/a | Chono (13:46) | Koshinaka (22:10) | Chono (24:43) | Chono (12:25) |
| Kojima | Chono (13:46) | N/a | Kojima (10:33) | Muto (15:21) | Yamazaki (9:56) |
| Koshinaka | Koshinaka (22:10) | Kojima (10:33) | N/a | Muto (11:59) | Koshinaka (13:50) |
| Muto | Chono (24:43) | Muto (15:21) | Muto (11:59) | N/a | Yamazaki (13:50) |
| Yamazaki | Chono (12:25) | Yamazaki (9:56) | Koshinaka (13:50) | Yamazaki (13:50) | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Riki Choshu | Sub | ||
| B1 | Masahiro Chono | 13:45 | ||
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 | ||||||||||||||||||
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 Muto | 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 | ||||||||||||||||||
1999
The 1999 G1 Climax was a 12-man round-robin tournament, held from August 10 to August 15. This was the first of two years (with 2000) where head-to-head tiebreakers did not decide numerical ties; the winner of Block A was decided by a tiebreaker match, even though there was a clear winner in the two participants' league match.[27][37]
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Keiji Muto | 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 | Muto | Nagata | Sasaki | Yasuda |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fujinami | N/a | Fujinami (13:10) | Fujinami (17:36) | Nagata (12:03) | Sasaki (10:23) | Fujinami (3:29) |
| Kojima | Fujinami (13:10) | N/a | Muto (11:40) | Nagata (19:51) | Sasaki (13:50) | Kojima (13:51) |
| Muto | Fujinami (17:36) | Muto (11:40) | N/a | Muto (21:11) | Muto (20:56) | Muto (6:25) |
| Nagata | Nagata (12:03) | Nagata (19:51) | Muto (21:11) | N/a | Nagata (14:43) | Nagata (10:26) |
| Sasaki | Sasaki (10:23) | Sasaki (13:50) | Muto (20:56) | Nagata (14:43) | N/a | Sasaki (7:28) |
| Yasuda | Fujinami (3:29) | Kojima (13:51) | Muto (6:25) | Nagata (10:26) | Sasaki (7:28) | N/a |
| Block B | Chono | Hashimoto | Koshinaka | Nakanishi | Tenzan | Yamazaki |
| Chono | N/a | Chono (21:36) | Koshinaka (13:05) | Chono (10:21) | Tenzan (17:25) | Chono (10:18) |
| Hashimoto | Chono (21:36) | N/a | Koshinaka (13:47) | Nakanishi (15:22) | Hashimoto (13:24) | Hashimoto (4:55) |
| Koshinaka | Koshinaka (13:05) | Koshinaka (13:47) | N/a | Nakanishi (14:15) | Tenzan (15:14) | Koshinaka (Forfeit) |
| Nakanishi | Chono (10:21) | Nakanishi (15:22) | Nakanishi (14:15) | N/a | Nakanishi (15:40) | Nakanishi (6:43) |
| Tenzan | Tenzan (17:25) | Hashimoto (13:24) | Tenzan (15:14) | Nakanishi (15:40) | N/a | Tenzan (12:30) |
| Yamazaki | Chono (10:18) | Hashimoto (4:55) | Koshinaka (Forfeit) | Nakanishi (6:43) | Tenzan (12:30) | N/a |
| Block A Decision | Final | ||||||||
| A1 | Keiji Muto | Sub | |||||||
| A1 | Keiji Muto | Sub | B1 | Manabu Nakanishi | 14:43 | ||||
| A2 | Yuji Nagata | 10:28 | |||||||
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. Additionally, head-to-head tiebreakers did not decide numerical ties; the winners of Block A and Block C were decided by tiebreaker matches, even though there was a clear winner in the two participants' league match. 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]
| 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 | N/a | Fujinami (6:42) | Iizuka (11:46) | Fujinami (10:33) | Nagata (12:25) |
| Goto | Fujinami (6:42) | N/a | Iizuka (9:42) | Liger (7:17) | Goto (11:41) |
| Iizuka | Iizuka (11:46) | Iizuka (9:42) | N/a | Iizuka (15:13) | Nagata (16:38) |
| Liger | Fujinami (10:33) | Liger (7:17) | Iizuka (15:13) | N/a | Nagata (12:06) |
| Nagata | Nagata (12:25) | Goto (11:41) | Nagata (16:38) | Nagata (12:06) | N/a |
| Block B | Johnston | Kido | Kojima | Saito | Sasaki |
| Johnston | N/a | Johnston (5:38) | Kojima (10:08) | Johnston (5:18) | Sasaki (6:48) |
| Kido | Johnston (5:38) | N/a | Kojima (9:55) | Draw (6:29) | Sasaki (4:21) |
| Kojima | Kojima (10:08) | Kojima (9:55) | N/a | Draw (5:54) | Sasaki (19:39) |
| Saito | Johnston (5:18) | Draw (6:29) | Draw (5:54) | N/a | Draw (5:37) |
| Sasaki | Sasaki (6:48) | Sasaki (4:21) | Sasaki (19:39) | Draw (5:37) | N/a |
| Block C | Nakanishi | Nishimura | Suzuki | Tenzan | Yasuda |
| Nakanishi | N/a | Nakanishi (13:04) | Nakanishi (8:43) | Tenzan (18:21) | Nakanishi (9:23) |
| Nishimura | Nakanishi (13:04) | N/a | Nishimura (7:37) | Nishimura (14:22) | Yasuda (11:47) |
| Suzuki | Nakanishi (8:43) | Nishimura (7:37) | N/a | Tenzan (13:24) | Yasuda (10:43) |
| Tenzan | Tenzan (18:21) | Nishimura (14:22) | Tenzan (13:24) | N/a | Tenzan (11:40) |
| Yasuda | Nakanishi (9:23) | Yasuda (11:47) | Yasuda (10:43) | Tenzan (11:40) | N/a |
| Block D | Chono | Hirata | Koshinaka | Takaiwa | Yoshie |
| Chono | N/a | Chono (11:42) | Koshinaka (12:40) | Chono (14:22) | Chono (20:16) |
| Hirata | Chono (11:42) | N/a | Hirata (8:24) | Hirata (11:08) | Yoshie (11:19) |
| Koshinaka | Koshinaka (12:40) | Hirata (8:24) | N/a | Takaiwa (9:04) | Koshinaka (10:38) |
| Takaiwa | Chono (14:22) | Hirata (11:08) | Takaiwa (9:04) | N/a | Yoshie (13:48) |
| Yoshie | Chono (20:16) | Yoshie (11:19) | Koshinaka (10:38) | Yoshie (13:48) | N/a |
| 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 | ||||||||||||
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]
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Yuji Nagata | 7 | Keiji Muto | 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 | N/a | Fujinami (0:36) | Nagata (11:30) | Nakanishi (5:18) | Fujinami (8:38) | Yasuda (5:14) |
| Murakami | Fujinami (0:36) | N/a | Draw (8:01) | Murakami (2:02) | Tanaka (5:10) | Murakami (3:48) |
| Nagata | Nagata (11:30) | Draw (8:01) | N/a | Nakanishi (14:15) | Nagata (12:39) | Nagata (8:11) |
| Nakanishi | Nakanishi (5:18) | Murakami (2:02) | Nakanishi (14:15) | N/a | Nakanishi (9:47) | Yasuda (7:11) |
| Tanaka | Fujinami (8:38) | Tanaka (5:10) | Nagata (12:39) | Nakanishi (9:47) | N/a | Yasuda (7:35) |
| Yasuda | Yasuda (5:14) | Murakami (3:48) | Nagata (8:11) | Yasuda (7:11) | Yasuda (7:35) | N/a |
| Block B | Chono | Kojima | Liger | Muto | Nishimura | Tenzan |
| Chono | N/a | Kojima (17:18) | Chono (14:16) | Muto (8:14) | Chono (26:16) | Chono (17:53) |
| Kojima | Kojima (17:18) | N/a | Liger (16:01) | Kojima (17:30) | Nishimura (19:23) | Tenzan (20:53) |
| Liger | Chono (14:16) | Liger (16:01) | N/a | Muto (14:24) | Draw (30:00) | Tenzan (15:44) |
| Muto | Muto (8:14) | Kojima (17:30) | Muto (14:24) | N/a | Muto (16:08) | Muto (18:35) |
| Nishimura | Chono (26:16) | Nishimura (19:23) | Draw (30:00) | Muto (16:08) | N/a | Tenzan (24:06) |
| Tenzan | Chono (17:53) | Tenzan (20:53) | Tenzan (15:44) | Muto (18:35) | Tenzan (24:06) | N/a |
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| B1 | Keiji Muto | Sub | |||||||
| A2 | Tadao Yasuda | 11:22 | |||||||
| B1 | Keiji Muto | Sub | |||||||
| A1 | Yuji Nagata | 22:03 | |||||||
| B2 | Masahiro Chono | Sub | |||||||
| A1 | Yuji Nagata | 13:44 | |||||||
2002
The 2002 G1 Climax was identical in structure to the previous year's, and was held from August 3 to August 11.[38]
| 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 | N/a | Sasaki (8:33) | Takayama (12:00) | Tanahashi (8:52) | Koshinaka (11:02) | Koshinaka (10:54) |
| Sasaki | Sasaki (8:33) | N/a | Sasaki (12:11) | Tanahashi (1:40) | Tenzan (15:52) | Sasaki (0:41) |
| Takayama | Takayama (12:00) | Sasaki (12:11) | N/a | Takayama (9:24) | Takayama (13:18) | Takayama (11:28) |
| Tanahashi | Tanahashi (8:52) | Tanahashi (1:40) | Takayama (9:24) | N/a | Tenzan (14:49) | Yoshie (10:38) |
| Tenzan | Koshinaka (11:02) | Tenzan (15:52) | Takayama (13:18) | Tenzan (14:49) | N/a | Tenzan (15:53) |
| Yoshie | Koshinaka (10:54) | Sasaki (0:41) | Takayama (11:28) | Yoshie (10:38) | Tenzan (15:53) | N/a |
| Block B | Chono | Nagata | Nakanishi | Nishimura | Suzuki | Yasuda |
| Chono | N/a | Nagata (16:00) | Chono (16:17) | Draw (30:00) | Chono (17:33) | Chono (Forfeit) |
| Nagata | Nagata (16:00) | N/a | Nakanishi (17:21) | Draw (30:00) | Nagata (14:51) | Yasuda (11:10) |
| Nakanishi | Chono (16:17) | Nakanishi (17:21) | N/a | Draw (30:00) | Nakanishi (11:17) | Yasuda (2:15) |
| Nishimura | Draw (30:00) | Draw (30:00) | Draw (30:00) | N/a | Suzuki (18:10) | Nishimura (1:36) |
| Suzuki | Chono (17:33) | Nagata (14:51) | Nakanishi (11:17) | Suzuki (18:10) | N/a | Suzuki (0:37) |
| Yasuda | Chono (Forfeit) | Yasuda (11:10) | Yasuda (2:15) | Nishimura (1:36) | Suzuki (0:37) | N/a |
| 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 | ||||||||||||
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]
| 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 | N/a | Draw (30:00) | Akiyama (16:35) | Nishimura (27:17) | Akiyama (16:08) | Akiyama (19:43) |
| Chono | Draw (30:00) | N/a | Nakanishi (11:39) | Chono (24:08) | Chono (13:11) | Tenzan (21:21) |
| Nakanishi | Akiyama (16:35) | Nakanishi (11:39) | N/a | Nishimura (13:45) | Nakanishi (14:04) | Tenzan (14:50) |
| Nishimura | Nishimura (27:17) | Chono (24:08) | Nishimura (13:45) | N/a | Tanahashi (14:03) | Tenzan (25:56) |
| Tanahashi | Akiyama (16:08) | Chono (13:11) | Nakanishi (14:04) | Tanahashi (14:03) | N/a | Tanahashi (15:14) |
| Tenzan | Akiyama (19:43) | Tenzan (21:21) | Tenzan (14:50) | Tenzan (25:56) | Tanahashi (15:14) | N/a |
| Block B | Nagata | Nakamura | Shibata | Takayama | Yasuda | Yoshie |
| Nagata | N/a | Nagata (11:32) | Draw (13:17) | Takayama (14:05) | Yasuda (12:21) | Nagata (12:51) |
| Nakamura | Nagata (11:32) | N/a | Nakamura (10:14) | Takayama (7:08) | Nakamura (7:38) | Yoshie (12:31) |
| Shibata | Draw (13:17) | Nakamura (10:14) | N/a | Takayama (6:38) | Shibata (1:14) | Shibata (9:17) |
| Takayama | Takayama (14:05) | Takayama (7:08) | Takayama (6:38) | N/a | Yasuda (11:16) | Takayama (12:31) |
| Yasuda | Yasuda (12:21) | Nakamura (7:38) | Shibata (1:14) | Yasuda (11:16) | N/a | Yoshie (13:01) |
| Yoshie | Nagata (12:51) | Yoshie (12:31) | Shibata (9:17) | Takayama (12:31) | Yoshie (13:01) | N/a |
| 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 | ||||||||||||
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]
| 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 | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a |
| Block B | Kanemoto | Makabe | Nakanishi | Nishimura | Sasaki | Takayama | Tanahashi | Tenzan |
| Kanemoto | N/a | Kanemoto (13:50) | Kanemoto (9:54) | Nishimura (14:03) | Sasaki (16:55) | Kanemoto (Forfeit) | Tanahashi (15:45) | Tenzan (16:55) |
| Makabe | Kanemoto (13:50) | N/a | Nakanishi (7:40) | Makabe (12:51) | Sasaki (6:34) | Makabe (Forfeit) | Tanahashi (11:35) | Tenzan (11:33) |
| Nakanishi | Kanemoto (9:54) | Nakanishi (7:40) | N/a | 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) | N/a | Sasaki (14:00) | Nishimura (Forfeit) | Tanahashi (16:23) | Nishimura (20:02) |
| Sasaki | Sasaki (16:55) | Sasaki (6:34) | Sasaki (17:57) | Sasaki (14:00) | N/a | Takayama (14:40) | Tanahashi (12:00) | Draw (30:00) |
| Takayama | Kanemoto (Forfeit) | Makabe (Forfeit) | Nakanishi (15:48) | Nishimura (Forfeit) | Takayama (14:40) | N/a | Tanahashi (Forfeit) | Tenzan (Forfeit) |
| Tanahashi | Tanahashi (15:45) | Tanahashi (11:35) | Tanahashi (9:12) | Tanahashi (16:23) | Tanahashi (12:00) | Tanahashi (Forfeit) | N/a | Tenzan (15:15) |
| Tenzan | Tenzan (16:55) | Tenzan (11:33) | Tenzan (12:47) | Nishimura (20:02) | Draw (30:00) | Tenzan (Forfeit) | Tenzan (15:15) | N/a |
1 This was a double countout, and so neither Chono nor Nakamura received any points.
| Block A Decision | Quarterfinals | Semifinals | Final | |||||||||||||||
| A1 | Katsuyori Shibata | KO | ||||||||||||||||
| B2 | Hiroyoshi Tenzan | Sub | B2 | Hiroyoshi Tenzan | 7:11 | |||||||||||||
| A4 | Masahiro Chono | DQ | A3 | Shinsuke Nakamura | 13:06 | B2 | Hiroyoshi Tenzan | 21:01 | ||||||||||
| A3 | Shinsuke Nakamura | 4:39 | B1 | Hiroshi Tanahashi | Sub | |||||||||||||
| B1 | Hiroshi Tanahashi | Pin | ||||||||||||||||
| A2 | Genichiro Tenryu | Pin | A2 | Genichiro Tenryu | 6:34 | |||||||||||||
| B3 | Kensuke Sasaki | 8:11 | ||||||||||||||||
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]
| 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 | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a | 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) | N/a |
| Block B | Fujita | Goto | Makabe | Nakamura | Nakanishi | Tanahashi | Yano | Yoshie |
| Fujita | N/a | Fujita (3:19) | Fujita (Forfeit) | Fujita (6:25) | Fujita (8:02) | Fujita (9:14) | Fujita (3:41) | Fujita (8:45) |
| Goto | Fujita (3:19) | N/a | Goto (Forfeit) | Nakamura (6:11) | Nakanishi (7:26) | Tanahashi (9:09) | Goto (4:16) | Yoshie (8:22) |
| Makabe | Fujita (Forfeit) | Goto (Forfeit) | N/a | Nakamura (2:30) | Nakanishi (Forfeit) | Tanahashi (Forfeit) | Yano (Forfeit) | Yoshie (12:23) |
| Nakamura | Fujita (6:25) | Nakamura (6:11) | Nakamura (2:30) | N/a | Nakamura (14:38) | Nakamura (13:35) | Draw (5:15) | Nakamura (10:49) |
| Nakanishi | Fujita (8:02) | Nakanishi (7:26) | Nakanishi (Forfeit) | Nakamura (14:38) | N/a | Nakanishi (13:50) | Nakanishi (5:17) | Nakanishi (12:40) |
| Tanahashi | Fujita (9:14) | Tanahashi (9:09) | Tanahashi (Forfeit) | Nakamura (13:35) | Nakanishi (13:50) | N/a | Draw (30:00) | Tanahashi (15:01) |
| Yano | Fujita (3:41) | Goto (4:16) | Yano (Forfeit) | Draw (5:15) | Nakanishi (5:17) | Draw (30:00) | N/a | 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) | N/a |
| 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 | |||||||
2006
The 2006 G1 Climax was a 10-man round-robin tournament held from August 6 to August 13.[44]
| 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 | N/a | Draw (25:54) | Bernard (6:53) | Nakanishi (11:41) | Bernard (17:54) |
| Kojima | Draw (25:54) | N/a | Kojima (14:09) | Kojima (18:17) | Kojima (21:55) |
| Liger | Bernard (6:53) | Kojima (14:09) | N/a | Liger (8:32) | Tanahashi (14:18) |
| Nakanishi | Nakanishi (11:41) | Kojima (18:17) | Liger (8:32) | N/a | Tanahashi (14:51) |
| Tanahashi | Bernard (17:54) | Kojima (21:55) | Tanahashi (14:18) | Tanahashi (14:51) | N/a |
| Block B | Kanemoto | Makabe | Nagata | Tenzan | Yamamoto |
| Kanemoto | N/a | Kanemoto (11:25) | Draw (30:00) | Tenzan (13:07) | Kanemoto (13:14) |
| Makabe | Kanemoto (11:25) | N/a | Draw (15:44) | Tenzan (12:23) | Makabe (11:18) |
| Nagata | Draw (30:00) | Draw (15:44) | N/a | Tenzan (15:41) | Nagata (10:28) |
| Tenzan | Tenzan (13:07) | Tenzan (12:23) | Tenzan (15:41) | N/a | Tenzan (12:28) |
| Yamamoto | Kanemoto (13:14) | Makabe (11:18) | Nagata (10:28) | Tenzan (12:28) | N/a |
| 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 | |||||||
2007
The 2007 G1 Climax, featuring twelve men in two blocks, was held from August 5 to August 12.[45]
| 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 | N/a | Bernard (3:40) | Makabe (8:34) | Nagata (13:58) | Bernard (13:24) | Draw (9:57) |
| Chono | Bernard (3:40) | N/a | Makabe (11:17) | Chono (16:15) | Tenzan (17:20) | Chono (7:45) |
| Makabe | Makabe (8:34) | Makabe (11:17) | N/a | Makabe (15:44) | Tenzan (15:45) | Akebono (7:48) |
| Nagata | Nagata (13:58) | Chono (16:15) | Makabe (15:44) | N/a | Nagata (10:41) | Nagata (6:32) |
| Tenzan | Bernard (13:24) | Tenzan (17:20) | Tenzan (15:45) | Nagata (10:41) | N/a | Akebono (9:18) |
| Akebono | Draw (9:57) | Chono (7:45) | Akebono (7:48) | Nagata (6:32) | Akebono (9:18) | N/a |
| Block B | Koshinaka | Milano | Nakamura | Nakanishi | Tanahashi | Yano |
| Koshinaka | N/a | Milano (10:29) | Koshinaka (10:34) | Koshinaka (10:30) | Tanahashi (17:04) | Yano (9:52) |
| Milano | Milano (10:29) | N/a | Nakamura (12:30) | Nakanishi (5:29) | Tanahashi (9:59) | Milano (6:00) |
| Nakamura | Koshinaka (10:34) | Nakamura (12:30) | N/a | Nakamura (12:38) | Draw (30:00) | Nakamura (12:13) |
| Nakanishi | Koshinaka (10:30) | Nakanishi (5:29) | Nakamura (12:38) | N/a | Nakanishi (12:13) | Yano (10:41) |
| Tanahashi | Tanahashi (17:04) | Tanahashi (9:59) | Draw (30:00) | Nakanishi (12:13) | N/a | Draw (12:27) |
| Yano | Yano (9:52) | Milano (6:00) | Nakamura (12:13) | Yano (10:41) | Draw (12:27) | N/a |
| 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 | |||||||
2008
The 2008 G1 Climax, featuring fourteen men in two blocks, was held from August 9 to August 17 over seven shows.[46]
| 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 | N/a | Inoue (7:32) | Bernard (13:27) | Makabe (10:56) | Nakanishi (13:17) | Bernard (14:12) | Bernard (13:51) |
| Inoue | Inoue (7:32) | N/a | Kojima (12:39) | Makabe (12:59) | Inoue (8:38) | Otani (9:56) | Tanahashi (14:07) |
| Kojima | Bernard (13:27) | Kojima (12:39) | N/a | Makabe (12:26) | Kojima (15:15) | Draw (30:00) | Kojima (16:57) |
| Makabe | Makabe (10:56) | Makabe (12:59) | Makabe (12:26) | N/a | Nakanishi (9:31) | Otani (12:11) | Makabe (20:14) |
| Nakanishi | Nakanishi (13:17) | Inoue (8:38) | Kojima (15:15) | Nakanishi (9:31) | N/a | Otani (12:21) | Nakanishi (17:33) |
| Otani | Bernard (14:12) | Otani (9:56) | Draw (30:00) | Otani (12:11) | Otani (12:21) | N/a | Tanahashi (12:44) |
| Tanahashi | Bernard (13:51) | Tanahashi (14:07) | Kojima (16:57) | Makabe (20:14) | Nakanishi (17:33) | Tanahashi (12:44) | N/a |
| Block B | Goto | Kawada | Nagata | Nakamura | Tenzan | Yano | Yoshie |
| Goto | N/a | Kawada (13:24) | Goto (12:12) | Goto (14:22) | Goto (12:43) | Goto (9:11) | Yoshie (14:28) |
| Kawada | Kawada (13:24) | N/a | Kawada (16:38) | Nakamura (14:36) | Tenzan (19:24) | Kawada (8:38) | Draw (30:00) |
| Nagata | Goto (12:12) | Kawada (16:38) | N/a | Nakamura (15:52) | Nagata (11:34) | Nagata (13:10) | Nagata (15:38) |
| Nakamura | Goto (14:22) | Nakamura (14:36) | Nakamura (15:52) | N/a | Nakamura (12:16) | Yano (12:53) | Nakamura (15:20) |
| Tenzan | Goto (12:43) | Tenzan (19:24) | Nagata (11:34) | Nakamura (12:16) | N/a | Yano (11:50) | Yoshie (15:09) |
| Yano | Goto (9:11) | Kawada (8:38) | Nagata (13:10) | Yano (12:53) | Yano (11:50) | N/a | Yoshie (11:38) |
| Yoshie | Yoshie (14:28) | Draw (30:00) | Nagata (15:38) | Nakamura (15:20) | Yoshie (15:09) | Yoshie (11:38) | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Togi Makabe | Pin | ||
| B1 | Hirooki Goto | 22:25 | ||
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]
| 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 | N/a | Bernard (12:15) | Bernard (10:11) | Tajiri (10:33) | Tanahashi (19:57) | Draw (13:07) | Yano (9:50) |
| Makabe | Bernard (12:15) | N/a | Omori (14:40) | Makabe (12:17) | Draw (30:00) | Makabe (12:29) | Makabe (13:18) |
| Omori | Bernard (10:11) | Omori (14:40) | N/a | Omori (1:05) | Omori (18:20) | Tanaka (13:08) | Yano (9:11) |
| Tajiri | Tajiri (10:33) | Makabe (12:17) | Omori (1:05) | N/a | Tajiri (18:03) | Tanaka (11:24) | Yano (11:34) |
| Tanahashi | Tanahashi (19:57) | Draw (30:00) | Omori (18:20) | Tajiri (18:03) | N/a | Tanahashi (22:28) | Tanahashi (18:39) |
| Tanaka | Draw (13:07) | Makabe (12:29) | Tanaka (13:08) | Tanaka (11:24) | Tanahashi (22:28) | N/a | Tanaka (10:44) |
| Yano | Yano (9:50) | Makabe (13:18) | Yano (9:11) | Yano (11:34) | Tanahashi (18:39) | Tanaka (10:44) | N/a |
| Block B | Goto | Iizuka | Nagata | Nakamura | Nakanishi | Sugiura | Tenzan |
| Goto | N/a | Goto (12:24) | Nagata (17:48) | Nakamura (16:42) | Goto (14:55) | Sugiura (13:32) | Goto (6:57) |
| Iizuka | Goto (12:24) | N/a | Iizuka (7:53) | Nakamura (5:11) | Nakanishi (11:58) | Sugiura (9:05) | Tenzan (10:59) |
| Nagata | Nagata (17:48) | Iizuka (7:53) | N/a | Nakamura (17:41) | Nakanishi (21:58) | Draw (30:00) | Nagata (11:01) |
| Nakamura | Nakamura (16:42) | Nakamura (5:11) | Nakamura (17:41) | N/a | Nakamura (7:10) | Nakamura (13:51) | Nakamura (8:41) |
| Nakanishi | Goto (14:55) | Nakanishi (11:58) | Nakanishi (21:58) | Nakamura (7:10) | N/a | Sugiura (14:22) | Nakanishi (10:30) |
| Sugiura | Sugiura (13:32) | Sugiura (9:05) | Draw (30:00) | Nakamura (13:51) | Sugiura (14:22) | N/a | Tenzan (12:42) |
| Tenzan | Goto (6:57) | Tenzan (10:59) | Nagata (11:01) | Nakamura (8:41) | Nakanishi (10:30) | Tenzan (12:42) | N/a |
| 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 | |||||||
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.[89][90][91] Naomichi Marufuji was scheduled to participate in the tournament, but was forced to pull out after suffering an arm injury on July 25.[92] On August 5, NJPW announced that Prince Devitt would replace Marufuji in the tournament.[93] 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.
| 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 | N/a | Devitt (10:44)[94] | Makabe (11:07)[95] | Naito (11:52)[96] | Nakanishi (7:29)[97] | Strong Man (6:30)[98] | Anderson (11:42)[99] | Anderson (9:16)[100] |
| Devitt | Devitt (10:44)[94] | N/a | Makabe (13:36)[97] | Devitt (11:42)[95] | Nakanishi (9:23)[98] | Devitt (7:36)[99] | Devitt (11:35)[100] | Yano (7:26)[48] |
| Makabe | Makabe (11:07)[95] | Makabe (13:36)[97] | N/a | Naito (14:34)[99] | Makabe (10:52)[100] | Makabe (5:57)[96] | Tanahashi (11:58)[48] | Yano (7:18)[94] |
| Naito | Naito (11:52)[96] | Devitt (11:42)[95] | Naito (14:34)[99] | N/a | Naito (10:52)[48] | Strong Man (7:55)[100] | Draw (30:00)[97] | Yano (10:59)[98] |
| Nakanishi | Nakanishi (7:29)[97] | Nakanishi (9:23)[98] | Makabe (10:52)[100] | Naito (10:52)[48] | N/a | Nakanishi (8:41)[95] | Tanahashi (15:01)[96] | Nakanishi (7:30)[99] |
| Strong Man | Strong Man (6:30)[98] | Devitt (7:36)[99] | Makabe (5:57)[96] | Strong Man (7:55)[100] | Nakanishi (8:41)[95] | N/a | Tanahashi (6:50)[94] | Yano (5:16)[97] |
| Tanahashi | Anderson (11:42)[99] | Devitt (11:35)[100] | Tanahashi (11:58)[48] | Draw (30:00)[97] | Tanahashi (15:01)[96] | Tanahashi (6:50)[94] | N/a | Tanahashi (14:49)[95] |
| Yano | Anderson (9:16)[100] | Yano (7:26)[48] | Yano (7:18)[94] | Yano (10:59)[98] | Nakanishi (7:30)[99] | Yano (5:16)[97] | Tanahashi (14:49)[95] | N/a |
| Block B | Bernard | Goto | Inoue | Kojima | Nagata | Nakamura | Shiozaki | Takahashi |
| Bernard | N/a | Bernard (11:25)[96] | Bernard (9:19)[99] | Kojima (11:44)[95] | Bernard (13:05)[94] | Nakamura (10:39)[97] | Shiozaki (11:07)[98] | Takahashi (8:03)[100] |
| Goto | Bernard (11:25)[96] | N/a | Goto (10:14)[97] | Kojima (12:09)[48] | Goto (15:22)[95] | Goto (16:51)[94] | Shiozaki (17:52)[100] | Goto (13:03)[98] |
| Inoue | Bernard (9:19)[99] | Goto (10:14)[97] | N/a | Kojima (13:56)[96] | Nagata (10:18)[100] | Nakamura (11:18)[98] | Shiozaki (16:03)[94] | Inoue (8:19)[95] |
| Kojima | Kojima (11:44)[95] | Kojima (12:09)[48] | Kojima (13:56)[96] | N/a | Nagata (16:18)[98] | Nakamura (16:45)[100] | Kojima (15:13)[97] | Kojima (8:20)[99] |
| Nagata | Bernard (13:05)[94] | Goto (15:22)[95] | Nagata (10:18)[100] | Nagata (16:18)[98] | N/a | Nagata (17:43)[99] | Nagata (16:25)[96] | Takahashi (5:28)[48] |
| Nakamura | Nakamura (10:39)[97] | Goto (16:51)[94] | Nakamura (11:18)[98] | Nakamura (16:45)[100] | Nagata (17:43)[99] | N/a | Draw (30:00)[48] | Nakamura (11:47)[96] |
| Shiozaki | Shiozaki (11:07)[98] | Shiozaki (17:52)[100] | Shiozaki (16:03)[94] | Kojima (15:13)[97] | Nagata (16:25)[96] | Draw (30:00)[48] | N/a | Shiozaki (10:36)[99] |
| Takahashi | Takahashi (8:03)[100] | Goto (13:03)[98] | Inoue (8:19)[95] | Kojima (8:20)[99] | Takahashi (5:28)[48] | Nakamura (11:47)[96] | Shiozaki (10:36)[99] | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Hiroshi Tanahashi | Pin | ||
| B1 | Satoshi Kojima | 21:25[48] | ||
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.[101][102]
| 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 | N/a | Bernard (11:23)[103] | Archer (8:18)[104] | Nagata (8:42)[105] | Naito (12:38)[106] | Archer (6:42)[107] | Archer (7:14)[108] | Archer (7:19)[49] | Tanahashi (11:33)[109] | Yano (8:51)[110] |
| Bernard | Bernard (11:23)[103] | N/a | Makabe (12:35)[110] | Bernard (10:00)[111] | Naito (10:44)[105] | Bernard (9:47)[104] | Bernard (8:58)[107] | Takayama (9:36)[109] | Tanahashi (13:05)[108] | Bernard (7:29)[49] |
| Makabe | Archer (8:18)[104] | Makabe (12:35)[110] | N/a | Makabe (13:13)[106] | Makabe (14:27)[103] | Makabe (5:23)[109] | Takahashi (8:37)[49] | Takayama (12:14)[105] | Tanahashi (18:46)[111] | Makabe (10:54)[107] |
| Nagata | Nagata (8:42)[105] | Bernard (10:00)[111] | Makabe (13:13)[106] | N/a | Nagata (13:11)[107] | Saito (4:29)[49] | Nagata (9:49)[109] | Nagata (13:51)[110] | Nagata (18:19)[104] | Yano (11:24)[103] |
| Naito | Naito (12:38)[106] | Naito (10:44)[105] | Makabe (14:27)[103] | Nagata (13:11)[107] | N/a | Naito (7:25)[110] | Takahashi (10:52)[104] | Naito (10:32)[108] | Naito (5:11)[49] | Naito (14:05)[109] |
| Saito | Archer (6:42)[107] | Bernard (9:47)[104] | Makabe (5:23)[109] | Saito (4:29)[49] | Naito (7:25)[110] | N/a | Takahashi (9:25)[103] | Takayama (3:29)[111] | Tanahashi (8:01)[106] | Yano (6:09)[108] |
| Takahashi | Archer (7:14)[108] | Bernard (8:58)[107] | Takahashi (8:37)[49] | Nagata (9:49)[109] | Takahashi (10:52)[104] | Takahashi (9:25)[103] | N/a | Takayama (9:25)[106] | Tanahashi (12:43)[110] | Yano (8:30)[111] |
| Takayama | Archer (7:19)[49] | Takayama (9:36)[109] | Takayama (12:14)[105] | Nagata (13:51)[110] | Naito (10:32)[108] | Takayama (3:29)[111] | Takayama (9:25)[106] | N/a | Tanahashi (11:57)[107] | Takayama (6:29)[104] |
| Tanahashi | Tanahashi (11:33)[109] | Tanahashi (13:05)[108] | Tanahashi (18:46)[111] | Nagata (18:19)[104] | Naito (5:11)[49] | Tanahashi (8:01)[106] | Tanahashi (12:43)[110] | Tanahashi (11:57)[107] | N/a | Yano (16:57)[105] |
| Yano | Yano (8:51)[110] | Bernard (7:29)[49] | Makabe (10:54)[107] | Yano (11:24)[103] | Naito (14:05)[109] | Yano (6:09)[108] | Yano (8:30)[111] | Takayama (6:29)[104] | Yano (16:57)[105] | N/a |
| Block B | Anderson | Goto | Inoue | Kojima | MVP | Nakamura | Sombra | Strong Man | Suzuki | Tenzan |
| Anderson | N/a | Goto (10:56)[111] | Inoue (9:07)[106] | Kojima (12:55)[110] | Anderson (8:30)[49] | Nakamura (12:11)[108] | Anderson (7:49)[107] | Anderson (7:55)[109] | Suzuki (10:59)[103] | Anderson (9:39)[105] |
| Goto | Goto (10:56)[111] | N/a | Goto (11:09)[110] | Goto (16:15)[103] | MVP (10:39)[108] | Goto (13:13)[105] | Goto (9:06)[109] | Strong Man (7:27)[49] | Suzuki (12:38)[106] | Goto (10:37)[104] |
| Inoue | Inoue (9:07)[106] | Goto (11:09)[110] | N/a | Kojima (9:51)[105] | MVP (9:34)[103] | Nakamura (12:29)[109] | Sombra (8:41)[104] | Inoue (7:00)[107] | Suzuki (14:19)[108] | Tenzan (9:50)[111] |
| Kojima | Kojima (12:55)[110] | Goto (16:15)[103] | Kojima (9:51)[105] | N/a | Kojima (11:26)[111] | Nakamura (15:05)[107] | Kojima (9:25)[108] | Kojima (8:15)[106] | Kojima (12:40)[104] | Tenzan (14:10)[49] |
| MVP | Anderson (8:30)[49] | MVP (10:39)[108] | MVP (9:34)[103] | Kojima (11:26)[111] | N/a | MVP (12:02)[104] | MVP (4:59)[105] | MVP (8:18)[110] | Suzuki (12:03)[107] | MVP (11:17)[106] |
| Nakamura | Nakamura (12:11)[108] | Goto (13:13)[105] | Nakamura (12:29)[109] | Nakamura (15:05)[107] | MVP (12:02)[104] | N/a | Nakamura (10:49)[106] | Nakamura (6:56)[111] | Nakamura (12:13)[49] | Nakamura (13:43)[103] |
| Sombra | Anderson (7:49)[107] | Goto (9:06)[109] | Sombra (8:41)[104] | Kojima (9:25)[108] | MVP (4:59)[105] | Nakamura (10:49)[106] | N/a | Sombra (6:48)[103] | Suzuki (9:32)[111] | Tenzan (9:16)[110] |
| Strong Man | Anderson (7:55)[109] | Strong Man (7:27)[49] | Inoue (7:00)[107] | Kojima (8:15)[106] | MVP (8:18)[110] | Nakamura (6:56)[111] | Sombra (6:48)[103] | N/a | Strong Man (9:31)[105] | Tenzan (7:18)[108] |
| Suzuki | Suzuki (10:59)[103] | Suzuki (12:38)[106] | Suzuki (14:19)[108] | Kojima (12:40)[104] | Suzuki (12:03)[107] | Nakamura (12:13)[49] | Suzuki (9:32)[111] | Strong Man (9:31)[105] | N/a | Suzuki (14:26)[109] |
| Tenzan | Anderson (9:39)[105] | Goto (10:37)[104] | Tenzan (9:50)[111] | Tenzan (14:10)[49] | MVP (11:17)[106] | Nakamura (13:43)[103] | Tenzan (9:16)[110] | Tenzan (7:18)[108] | Suzuki (14:26)[109] | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Tetsuya Naito | Pin | ||
| B1 | Shinsuke Nakamura | 20:19[49] | ||
2012
The 2012 version of the G1 Climax tournament took place over nine shows between August 1 and August 12 and included 18 participants.[112][113] 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.[114]
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Karl Anderson | 10 | Kazuchika Okada | 10 |
| Hiroshi Tanahashi | 10 | Lance Archer | 8 |
| Yuji Nagata | 8 | Hirooki Goto | 8 |
| Shelton Benjamin | 8 | Togi Makabe | 8 |
| Satoshi Kojima | 8 | MVP | 8 |
| Minoru Suzuki | 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 | N/a | Anderson (9:15)[115] | Kojima (12:47)[116] | Marufuji (9:14)[117] | Anderson (11:28)[118] | Anderson (12:22)[119] | Takahashi (10:16)[120] | Anderson (11:15)[50] | Anderson (9:14)[121] |
| Benjamin | Anderson (9:15)[115] | N/a | Benjamin (9:04)[50] | Benjamin (7:54)[119] | Nagata (9:52)[121] | Suzuki (10:45)[122] | Benjamin (7:40)[116] | Tanahashi (13:54)[118] | Benjamin (8:11)[120] |
| Kojima | Kojima (12:47)[116] | Benjamin (9:04)[50] | N/a | Marufuji (11:37)[118] | Kojima (13:52)[117] | Kojima (13:33)[121] | Takahashi (8:34)[119] | Tanahashi (17:41)[120] | Kojima (9:03)[122] |
| Marufuji | Marufuji (9:14)[117] | Benjamin (7:54)[119] | Marufuji (11:37)[118] | N/a | Nagata (13:04)[120] | Suzuki (14:49)[116] | Marufuji (8:34)[122] | Marufuji (21:29)[115] | Yano (9:55)[50] |
| Nagata | Anderson (11:28)[118] | Nagata (9:52)[121] | Kojima (13:52)[117] | Nagata (13:04)[120] | N/a | Nagata (9:03)[50] | Takahashi (9:31)[115] | Tanahashi (17:24)[122] | Nagata (10:01)[119] |
| Suzuki | Anderson (12:22)[119] | Suzuki (10:45)[122] | Kojima (13:33)[121] | Suzuki (14:49)[116] | Nagata (9:03)[50] | N/a | Suzuki (8:05)[118] | Suzuki (20:53)[117] | Yano (8:05)[115] |
| Takahashi | Takahashi (10:16)[120] | Benjamin (7:40)[116] | Takahashi (8:34)[119] | Marufuji (8:34)[122] | Takahashi (9:31)[115] | Suzuki (8:05)[118] | N/a | Tanahashi (14:23)[121] | Yano (7:34)[117] |
| Tanahashi | Anderson (11:15)[50] | Tanahashi (13:54)[118] | Tanahashi (17:41)[120] | Marufuji (21:29)[115] | Tanahashi (17:24)[122] | Suzuki (20:53)[117] | Tanahashi (14:23)[121] | N/a | Tanahashi (14:18)[116] |
| Yano | Anderson (9:14)[121] | Benjamin (8:11)[120] | Kojima (9:03)[122] | Yano (9:55)[50] | Nagata (10:01)[119] | Yano (8:05)[115] | Yano (7:34)[117] | Tanahashi (14:18)[116] | N/a |
| Block B | Archer | Goto | Makabe | MVP | Naito | Nakamura | Okada | Rush | Tenzan |
| Archer | N/a | Archer (9:41)[117] | Archer (9:55)[118] | MVP (10:50)[50] | Archer (10:41)[121] | Nakamura (12:11)[120] | Okada (10:46)[116] | Rush (7:30)[119] | Archer (10:57)[115] |
| Goto | Archer (9:41)[117] | N/a | Makabe (13:31)[122] | Goto (9:19)[120] | Goto (11:05)[50] | Goto (13:31)[119] | Goto (18:36)[121] | Rush (8:02)[118] | Tenzan (13:39)[116] |
| Makabe | Archer (9:55)[118] | Makabe (13:31)[122] | N/a | MVP (9:30)[119] | Makabe (14:10)[115] | Makabe (14:12)[117] | Okada (9:33)[50] | Makabe (7:17)[121] | Tenzan (11:58)[120] |
| MVP | MVP (10:50)[50] | Goto (9:19)[120] | MVP (9:30)[119] | N/a | Naito (9:33)[117] | Nakamura (12:14)[116] | Okada (10:44)[122] | MVP (7:53)[115] | MVP (9:35)[121] |
| Naito | Archer (10:41)[121] | Goto (11:05)[50] | Makabe (14:10)[115] | Naito (9:33)[117] | N/a | Naito (13:39)[118] | Naito (21:59)[119] | Rush (9:39)[116] | Naito (13:27)[122] |
| Nakamura | Nakamura (12:11)[120] | Goto (13:31)[119] | Makabe (14:12)[117] | Nakamura (12:14)[116] | Naito (13:39)[118] | N/a | Nakamura (16:16)[115] | Nakamura (10:07)[122] | Tenzan (12:48)[50] |
| Okada | Okada (10:46)[116] | Goto (18:36)[121] | Okada (9:33)[50] | Okada (10:44)[122] | Naito (21:59)[119] | Nakamura (16:16)[115] | N/a | Okada (9:20)[120] | Okada (11:20)[118] |
| Rush | Rush (7:30)[119] | Rush (8:02)[118] | Makabe (7:17)[121] | MVP (7:53)[115] | Rush (9:39)[116] | Nakamura (10:07)[122] | Okada (9:20)[120] | N/a | Tenzan (9:30)[117] |
| Tenzan | Archer (10:57)[115] | Tenzan (13:39)[116] | Tenzan (11:58)[120] | MVP (9:35)[121] | Naito (13:27)[122] | Tenzan (12:48)[50] | Okada (11:20)[118] | Tenzan (9:30)[117] | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Karl Anderson | Pin | ||
| B1 | Kazuchika Okada | 23:19[50] | ||
2013
The 2013 version of the G1 Climax tournament took place over nine shows between August 1 and August 11 and included 20 participants.[123][124] In an unprecedented move, NJPW broadcast all nine events live on internet pay-per-view (iPPV) through Niconico and Ustream.[125] On August 8, NJPW announced that Hirooki Goto and Hiroyoshi Tenzan had suffered jaw and rib fractures respectively and would both miss the rest of the tournament.[126]
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiroshi Tanahashi | 11 | Tetsuya Naito | 10 |
| Katsuyori Shibata | 10 | Minoru Suzuki | 10 |
| Davey Boy Smith, Jr. | 10 | Karl Anderson | 10 |
| Prince Devitt | 10 | Shelton X Benjamin | 10 |
| Togi Makabe | 10 | Shinsuke Nakamura | 10 |
| Kazuchika Okada | 9 | Yuji Nagata | 10 |
| Hirooki Goto | 8 | Kota Ibushi | 8 |
| Lance Archer | 8 | Toru Yano | 8 |
| Satoshi Kojima | 8 | Yujiro Takahashi | 8 |
| Tomohiro Ishii | 6 | Hiroyoshi Tenzan | 6 |
| Block A | Archer | Devitt | Goto | Ishii | Kojima | Makabe | Okada | Shibata | Smith | Tanahashi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Archer | N/a | Archer (8:14)[127] | Goto (8:35)[128] | Archer (10:43)[129] | Archer (12:38)[130] | Makabe (9:07)[131] | Okada (11:26)[132] | Shibata (6:41)[133] | Archer (14:37)[51] | Tanahashi (10:56)[134] |
| Devitt | Archer (8:14)[127] | N/a | Goto (8:04)[133] | Devitt (10:28)[132] | Devitt (9:02)[131] | Devitt (8:43)[51] | Devitt (12:56)[129] | Shibata (6:56)[134] | Smith (7:26)[130] | Devitt (11:07)[128] |
| Goto | Goto (8:35)[128] | Goto (8:04)[133] | N/a | Ishii (Forfeit) | Goto (13:07)[132] | Makabe (11:20)[129] | Goto (12:43)[127] | Shibata (Forfeit) | Smith (Forfeit) | Tanahashi (15:30)[131] |
| Ishii | Archer (10:43)[129] | Devitt (10:28)[132] | Ishii (Forfeit) | N/a | Kojima (11:20)[133] | Makabe (14:00)[130] | Okada (11:21)[134] | Ishii (12:17)[128] | Smith (11:17)[131] | Ishii (17:42)[127] |
| Kojima | Archer (12:38)[130] | Devitt (9:02)[131] | Goto (13:07)[132] | Kojima (11:20)[133] | N/a | Makabe (15:40)[134] | Kojima (11:56)[51] | Kojima (9:40)[127] | Smith (11:43)[128] | Kojima (16:07)[129] |
| Makabe | Makabe (9:07)[131] | Devitt (8:43)[51] | Makabe (11:20)[129] | Makabe (14:00)[130] | Makabe (15:40)[134] | N/a | Makabe (13:55)[128] | Shibata (7:23)[132] | Smith (10:13)[127] | Tanahashi (13:37)[133] |
| Okada | Okada (11:26)[132] | Devitt (12:56)[129] | Goto (12:43)[127] | Okada (11:21)[134] | Kojima (11:56)[51] | Makabe (13:55)[128] | N/a | Okada (9:13)[131] | Okada (13:33)[133] | Draw (30:00)[130] |
| Shibata | Shibata (6:41)[133] | Shibata (6:56)[134] | Shibata (Forfeit) | Ishii (12:17)[128] | Kojima (9:40)[127] | Shibata (7:23)[132] | Okada (9:13)[131] | N/a | Shibata (9:06)[129] | Tanahashi (10:56)[51] |
| Smith | Archer (14:37)[51] | Smith (7:26)[130] | Smith (Forfeit) | Smith (11:17)[131] | Smith (11:43)[128] | Smith (10:13)[127] | Okada (13:33)[133] | Shibata (9:06)[129] | N/a | Tanahashi (14:35)[132] |
| Tanahashi | Tanahashi (10:56)[134] | Devitt (11:07)[128] | Tanahashi (15:30)[131] | Ishii (17:42)[127] | Kojima (16:07)[129] | Tanahashi (13:37)[133] | Draw (30:00)[130] | Tanahashi (10:56)[51] | Tanahashi (14:35)[132] | N/a |
| Block B | Anderson | Benjamin | Ibushi | Nagata | Naito | Nakamura | Suzuki | Takahashi | Tenzan | Yano |
| Anderson | N/a | Anderson (6:28)[127] | Ibushi (9:52)[132] | Anderson (10:09)[134] | Naito (13:11)[51] | Anderson (12:54)[129] | Suzuki (10:40)[133] | Anderson (7:00)[130] | Anderson (9:55)[128] | Yano (7:24)[131] |
| Benjamin | Anderson (6:28)[127] | N/a | Benjamin (10:20)[131] | Benjamin (8:17)[128] | Naito (8:36)[133] | Benjamin (10:34)[51] | Suzuki (8:42)[134] | Takahashi (7:58)[132] | Benjamin (8:20)[129] | Benjamin (7:35)[130] |
| Ibushi | Ibushi (9:52)[132] | Benjamin (10:20)[131] | N/a | Nagata (13:49)[133] | Ibushi (13:16)[127] | Nakamura (19:18)[128] | Suzuki (13:37)[130] | Takahashi (8:45)[134] | Ibushi (Forfeit) | Ibushi (7:32)[129] |
| Nagata | Anderson (10:09)[134] | Benjamin (8:17)[128] | Nagata (13:49)[133] | N/a | Naito (11:40)[132] | Nakamura (13:55)[131] | Nagata (14:34)[129] | Nagata (9:06)[51] | Nagata (Forfeit) | Nagata (6:46)[127] |
| Naito | Naito (13:11)[51] | Naito (8:36)[133] | Ibushi (13:16)[127] | Naito (11:40)[132] | N/a | Naito (14:50)[130] | Naito (16:19)[128] | Takahashi (9:30)[129] | Tenzan (12:20)[131] | Yano (9:26)[134] |
| Nakamura | Anderson (12:54)[129] | Benjamin (10:34)[51] | Nakamura (19:18)[128] | Nakamura (13:55)[131] | Naito (14:50)[130] | N/a | Suzuki (13:44)[127] | Nakamura (10:47)[133] | Nakamura (Forfeit) | Nakamura (11:36)[132] |
| Suzuki | Suzuki (10:40)[133] | Suzuki (8:42)[134] | Suzuki (13:37)[130] | Nagata (14:34)[129] | Naito (16:19)[128] | Suzuki (13:44)[127] | N/a | Suzuki (10:31)[131] | Tenzan (11:46)[132] | Yano (9:23)[51] |
| Takahashi | Anderson (7:00)[130] | Takahashi (7:58)[132] | Takahashi (8:45)[134] | Nagata (9:06)[51] | Takahashi (9:30)[129] | Nakamura (10:47)[133] | Suzuki (10:31)[131] | N/a | Takahashi (9:07)[127] | Yano (7:04)[128] |
| Tenzan | Anderson (9:55)[128] | Benjamin (8:20)[129] | Ibushi (Forfeit) | Nagata (Forfeit) | Tenzan (12:20)[131] | Nakamura (Forfeit) | Tenzan (11:46)[132] | Takahashi (9:07)[127] | N/a | Tenzan (8:39)[133] |
| Yano | Yano (7:24)[131] | Benjamin (7:35)[130] | Ibushi (7:32)[129] | Nagata (6:46)[127] | Yano (9:26)[134] | Nakamura (11:36)[132] | Yano (9:23)[51] | Yano (7:04)[128] | Tenzan (8:39)[133] | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Hiroshi Tanahashi | Pin | ||
| B1 | Tetsuya Naito | 26:44[51] | ||
2014
The 2014 version of the G1 Climax tournament took place between July 21 and August 10 with the final taking place in Tokorozawa, Saitama at the Seibu Dome for the first time departing Ryōgoku Kokugikan, which housed the final from every year since the tournament began.[135] With 22 participants, the tournament marked the largest G1 Climax in history. Like the previous year, all events in the tournament were made available on iPPV through Niconico and Ustream.[136] Kota Ibushi was scheduled to take part in the tournament, but on July 18 NJPW announced that he would have to pull out due to a concussion suffered at the beginning of the month.[137] The following day, Tomoaki Honma was named Ibushi's replacement in the tournament.[138]
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinsuke Nakamura | 16 | Kazuchika Okada | 16 |
| Hiroshi Tanahashi | 14 | A.J. Styles | 16 |
| Bad Luck Fale | 12 | Karl Anderson | 10 |
| Katsuyori Shibata | 12 | Minoru Suzuki | 10 |
| Shelton X Benjamin | 10 | Tetsuya Naito | 10 |
| Tomohiro Ishii | 10 | Lance Archer | 8 |
| Davey Boy Smith, Jr. | 10 | Yujiro Takahashi | 8 |
| Satoshi Kojima | 10 | Hiroyoshi Tenzan | 8 |
| Doc Gallows | 8 | Toru Yano | 8 |
| Yuji Nagata | 8 | Hirooki Goto | 8 |
| Tomoaki Honma | 0 | Togi Makabe | 8 |
| Block A | Fale | Benjamin | Gallows | Honma | Ishii | Kojima | Nagata | Nakamura | Shibata | Smith | Tanahashi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fale | N/a | Benjamin (5:55)[139] | Gallows (8:04)[140] | Fale (6:40)[141] | Fale (9:39)[142] | Kojima (8:25)[143] | Fale (10:57)[144] | Nakamura (11:08)[145] | Fale (7:14)[146] | Fale (7:10)[147] | Fale (12:27)[148] |
| Benjamin | Benjamin (5:55)[139] | N/a | Benjamin (8:54)[142] | Benjamin (8:08)[145] | Benjamin (8:11)[144] | Kojima (10:11)[141] | Nagata (10:52)[149] | Nakamura (9:01)[140] | Shibata (14:01)[148] | Benjamin (8:44)[143] | Tanahashi (12:32)[146] |
| Gallows | Gallows (8:04)[140] | Benjamin (8:54)[142] | N/a | Gallows (7:37)[144] | Ishii (8:11)[148] | Kojima (7:11)[149] | Gallows (7:53)[146] | Nakamura (11:35)[147] | Gallows (6:30)[145] | Smith (10:08)[141] | Tanahashi (11:14)[139] |
| Honma | Fale (6:40)[141] | Benjamin (8:08)[145] | Gallows (7:37)[144] | N/a | Ishii (12:06)[143] | Kojima (6:55)[147] | Nagata (11:15)[139] | Nakamura (10:19)[148] | Shibata (10:47)[149] | Smith (8:53)[146] | Tanahashi (11:01)[142] |
| Ishii | Fale (9:39)[142] | Benjamin (8:11)[144] | Ishii (8:11)[148] | Ishii (12:06)[143] | N/a | Ishii (12:27)[139] | Ishii (11:46)[145] | Nakamura (15:14)[141] | Shibata (12:24)[147] | Ishii (10:24)[149] | Tanahashi (15:02)[140] |
| Kojima | Kojima (8:25)[143] | Kojima (10:11)[141] | Kojima (7:11)[149] | Kojima (6:55)[147] | Ishii (12:27)[139] | N/a | Kojima (11:27)[142] | Nakamura (12:51)[146] | Shibata (10:11)[140] | Smith (11:30)[148] | Tanahashi (13:01)[144] |
| Nagata | Fale (10:57)[144] | Nagata (10:52)[149] | Gallows (7:53)[146] | Nagata (11:15)[139] | Ishii (11:46)[145] | Kojima (11:27)[142] | N/a | Nakamura (16:11)[143] | Nagata (13:31)[141] | Nagata (9:39)[140] | Tanahashi (12:34)[147] |
| Nakamura | Nakamura (11:08)[145] | Nakamura (9:01)[140] | Nakamura (11:35)[147] | Nakamura (10:19)[148] | Nakamura (15:14)[141] | Nakamura (12:51)[146] | Nakamura (16:11)[143] | N/a | Shibata (15:27)[142] | Nakamura (13:37)[139] | Tanahashi (17:00)[149] |
| Shibata | Fale (7:14)[146] | Shibata (14:01)[148] | Gallows (6:30)[145] | Shibata (10:47)[149] | Shibata (12:24)[147] | Shibata (10:11)[140] | Nagata (13:31)[141] | Shibata (15:27)[142] | N/a | Smith (9:42)[144] | Shibata (16:16)[143] |
| Smith | Fale (7:10)[147] | Benjamin (8:44)[143] | Smith (10:08)[141] | Smith (8:53)[146] | Ishii (10:24)[149] | Smith (11:30)[148] | Nagata (9:39)[140] | Nakamura (13:37)[139] | Smith (9:42)[144] | N/a | Smith (12:57)[145] |
| Tanahashi | Fale (12:27)[148] | Tanahashi (12:32)[146] | Tanahashi (11:14)[139] | Tanahashi (11:01)[142] | Tanahashi (15:02)[140] | Tanahashi (13:01)[144] | Tanahashi (12:34)[147] | Tanahashi (17:00)[149] | Shibata (16:16)[143] | Smith (12:57)[145] | N/a |
| Block B | Anderson | Archer | Goto | Makabe | Naito | Okada | Styles | Suzuki | Takahashi | Tenzan | Yano |
| Anderson | N/a | Archer (7:35)[144] | Anderson (11:36)[140] | Makabe (8:44)[139] | Anderson (7:51)[145] | Anderson (12:34)[143] | Styles (14:33)[146] | Anderson (8:35)[147] | Anderson (7:45)[141] | Tenzan (10:11)[142] | Yano (5:46)[148] |
| Archer | Archer (7:35)[144] | N/a | Archer (8:52)[145] | Makabe (10:35)[143] | Naito (8:39)[139] | Okada (11:05)[147] | Styles (12:52)[149] | Suzuki (9:17)[140] | Takahashi (9:00)[146] | Archer (10:44)[148] | Archer (4:38)[141] |
| Goto | Anderson (11:36)[140] | Archer (8:52)[145] | N/a | Goto (11:37)[142] | Goto (12:21)[149] | Okada (15:34)[146] | Styles (14:58)[148] | Goto (7:03)[144] | Goto (10:31)[139] | Tenzan (11:46)[141] | Yano (1:21)[143] |
| Makabe | Makabe (8:44)[139] | Makabe (10:35)[143] | Goto (11:37)[142] | N/a | Makabe (12:02)[141] | Okada (14:49)[144] | Styles (11:33)[145] | Suzuki (12:21)[149] | Takahashi (8:16)[140] | Makabe (8:22)[146] | Yano (2:48)[147] |
| Naito | Anderson (7:51)[145] | Naito (8:39)[139] | Goto (12:21)[149] | Makabe (12:02)[141] | N/a | Naito (13:54)[148] | Naito (15:55)[143] | Suzuki (12:16)[146] | Takahashi (13:54)[142] | Naito (10:23)[147] | Naito (9:11)[144] |
| Okada | Anderson (12:34)[143] | Okada (11:05)[147] | Okada (15:34)[146] | Okada (14:49)[144] | Naito (13:54)[148] | N/a | Okada (18:03)[142] | Okada (17:14)[145] | Okada (12:49)[149] | Okada (12:51)[139] | Okada (9:01)[140] |
| Styles | Styles (14:33)[146] | Styles (12:52)[149] | Styles (14:58)[148] | Styles (11:33)[145] | Naito (15:55)[143] | Okada (18:03)[142] | N/a | Styles (16:20)[141] | Styles (8:36)[147] | Styles (14:22)[140] | Styles (9:53)[139] |
| Suzuki | Anderson (8:35)[147] | Suzuki (9:17)[140] | Goto (7:03)[144] | Suzuki (12:21)[149] | Suzuki (12:16)[146] | Okada (17:14)[145] | Styles (16:20)[141] | N/a | Suzuki (8:39)[148] | Suzuki (11:04)[143] | Yano (2:15)[142] |
| Takahashi | Anderson (7:45)[141] | Takahashi (9:00)[146] | Goto (10:31)[139] | Takahashi (8:16)[140] | Takahashi (13:54)[142] | Okada (12:49)[149] | Styles (8:36)[147] | Suzuki (8:39)[148] | N/a | Tenzan (11:16)[144] | Takahashi (2:56)[145] |
| Tenzan | Tenzan (10:11)[142] | Archer (10:44)[148] | Tenzan (11:46)[141] | Makabe (8:22)[146] | Naito (10:23)[147] | Okada (12:51)[139] | Styles (14:22)[140] | Suzuki (11:04)[143] | Tenzan (11:16)[144] | N/a | Tenzan (4:33)[149] |
| Yano | Yano (5:46)[148] | Archer (4:38)[141] | Yano (1:21)[143] | Yano (2:48)[147] | Naito (9:11)[144] | Okada (9:01)[140] | Styles (9:53)[139] | Yano (2:15)[142] | Takahashi (2:56)[145] | Tenzan (4:33)[149] | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Shinsuke Nakamura | Pin | ||
| B1 | Kazuchika Okada | 23:18[52] | ||
2015
The 2015 version of the G1 Climax tournament took place between July 20 and August 16. Taking place over 19 shows, it was the longest G1 Climax in history.[150] The final three days took place back at Ryōgoku Kokugikan.[151] Participants in the tournament were announced on June 7.[152] For the tournament, NJPW introduced a new format, where each show would only include five tournament matches all from the same block, giving the other participants more time to rest.[17] Shinsuke Nakamura injured his left elbow in his second match, forcing him to forfeit his third match against Michael Elgin.[153]
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiroshi Tanahashi | 14 | Shinsuke Nakamura | 14 |
| A.J. Styles | 12 | Kazuchika Okada | 14 |
| Tetsuya Naito | 10 | Karl Anderson | 12 |
| Bad Luck Fale | 10 | Hirooki Goto | 12 |
| Toru Yano | 8 | Tomohiro Ishii | 10 |
| Katsuyori Shibata | 8 | Michael Elgin | 8 |
| Kota Ibushi | 8 | Yujiro Takahashi | 6 |
| Togi Makabe | 8 | Yuji Nagata | 6 |
| Hiroyoshi Tenzan | 6 | Satoshi Kojima | 6 |
| Doc Gallows | 6 | Tomoaki Honma | 2 |
| Block A | Fale | Gallows | Ibushi | Makabe | Naito | Shibata | Styles | Tanahashi | Tenzan | Yano |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fale | N/a | Fale (8:43)[154] | Fale (8:30)[155] | Fale (8:06)[156] | Naito (10:41)[157] | Shibata (7:51)[158] | Styles (9:53)[159] | Fale (13:07)[160] | Fale (9:51)[161] | Yano (3:44)[162] |
| Gallows | Fale (8:43)[154] | N/a | Ibushi (8:35)[156] | Makabe (8:55)[155] | Gallows (8:22)[159] | Gallows (7:52)[162] | Styles (10:14)[158] | Tanahashi (11:37)[161] | Tenzan (9:17)[157] | Gallows (6:58)[160] |
| Ibushi | Fale (8:30)[155] | Ibushi (8:35)[156] | N/a | Ibushi (9:07)[162] | Naito (17:18)[161] | Shibata (13:25)[160] | Ibushi (19:10)[154] | Tanahashi (20:53)[157] | Ibushi (11:14)[158] | Yano (0:50)[159] |
| Makabe | Fale (8:06)[156] | Makabe (8:55)[155] | Ibushi (9:07)[162] | N/a | Makabe (15:45)[158] | Shibata (9:35)[154] | Styles (11:17)[161] | Tanahashi (16:15)[159] | Makabe (8:41)[160] | Makabe (6:26)[157] |
| Naito | Naito (10:41)[157] | Gallows (8:22)[159] | Naito (17:18)[161] | Makabe (15:45)[158] | N/a | Shibata (12:11)[156] | Naito (17:13)[160] | Naito (24:14)[154] | Tenzan (14:14)[162] | Naito (8:01)[155] |
| Shibata | Shibata (7:51)[158] | Gallows (7:52)[162] | Shibata (13:25)[160] | Shibata (9:35)[154] | Shibata (12:11)[156] | N/a | Styles (13:36)[157] | Tanahashi (21:20)[155] | Tenzan (9:49)[159] | Yano (4:01)[161] |
| Styles | Styles (9:53)[159] | Styles (10:14)[158] | Ibushi (19:10)[154] | Styles (11:17)[161] | Naito (17:13)[160] | Styles (13:36)[157] | N/a | Tanahashi (27:56)[162] | Styles (13:29)[155] | Styles (10:13)[156] |
| Tanahashi | Fale (13:07)[160] | Tanahashi (11:37)[161] | Tanahashi (20:53)[157] | Tanahashi (16:15)[159] | Naito (24:14)[154] | Tanahashi (21:20)[155] | Tanahashi (27:56)[162] | N/a | Tanahashi (15:11)[156] | Tanahashi (14:59)[158] |
| Tenzan | Fale (9:51)[161] | Tenzan (9:17)[157] | Ibushi (11:14)[158] | Makabe (8:41)[160] | Tenzan (14:14)[162] | Tenzan (9:49)[159] | Styles (13:29)[155] | Tanahashi (15:11)[156] | N/a | Yano (6:38)[154] |
| Yano | Yano (3:44)[162] | Gallows (6:58)[160] | Yano (0:50)[159] | Makabe (6:26)[157] | Naito (8:01)[155] | Yano (4:01)[161] | Styles (10:13)[156] | Tanahashi (14:59)[158] | Yano (6:38)[154] | N/a |
| Block B | Anderson | Elgin | Goto | Honma | Ishii | Kojima | Nagata | Nakamura | Okada | Takahashi |
| Anderson | N/a | Anderson (12:56)[163] | Anderson (11:34)[164] | Anderson (11:37)[165] | Ishii (16:31)[166] | Kojima (10:53)[167] | Anderson (11:15)[168] | Anderson (17:41)[169] | Okada (14:34)[170] | Anderson (10:04)[171] |
| Elgin | Anderson (12:56)[163] | N/a | Goto (11:41)[171] | Elgin (9:55)[168] | Ishii (14:30)[167] | Kojima (12:49)[164] | Elgin (11:02)[165] | Elgin (forfeit)[153] | Okada (11:48)[169] | Elgin (11:58)[170] |
| Goto | Anderson (11:34)[164] | Goto (11:41)[171] | N/a | Goto (12:20)[166] | Goto (17:11)[163] | Goto (12:39)[165] | Nagata (13:00)[167] | Nakamura (16:32)[170] | Goto (16:45)[168] | Goto (11:48)[169] |
| Honma | Anderson (11:37)[165] | Elgin (9:55)[168] | Goto (12:20)[166] | N/a | Honma (16:13)[171] | Kojima (10:15)[170] | Nagata (12:49)[169] | Nakamura (11:50)[163] | Okada (17:51)[164] | Takahashi (10:33)[167] |
| Ishii | Ishii (16:31)[166] | Ishii (14:30)[167] | Goto (17:11)[163] | Honma (16:13)[171] | N/a | Ishii (12:20)[169] | Ishii (16:19)[170] | Nakamura (14:47)[168] | Okada (17:07)[165] | Ishii (12:17)[164] |
| Kojima | Kojima (10:53)[167] | Kojima (12:49)[164] | Goto (12:39)[165] | Kojima (10:15)[170] | Ishii (12:20)[169] | N/a | Nagata (10:50)[163] | Nakamura (11:24)[171] | Okada (18:22)[166] | Takahashi (13:01)[168] |
| Nagata | Anderson (11:15)[168] | Elgin (11:02)[165] | Nagata (13:00)[167] | Nagata (12:49)[169] | Ishii (16:19)[170] | Nagata (10:50)[163] | N/a | Nakamura (16:26)[164] | Okada (18:14)[171] | Takahashi (12:03)[166] |
| Nakamura | Anderson (17:41)[169] | Elgin (forfeit)[153] | Nakamura (16:32)[170] | Nakamura (11:50)[163] | Nakamura (14:47)[168] | Nakamura (11:24)[171] | Nakamura (16:26)[164] | N/a | Nakamura (23:31)[167] | Nakamura (10:36)[165] |
| Okada | Okada (14:34)[170] | Okada (11:48)[169] | Goto (16:45)[168] | Okada (17:51)[164] | Okada (17:07)[165] | Okada (18:22)[166] | Okada (18:14)[171] | Nakamura (23:31)[167] | N/a | Okada (14:21)[163] |
| Takahashi | Anderson (10:04)[171] | Elgin (11:58)[170] | Goto (11:48)[169] | Takahashi (10:33)[167] | Ishii (12:17)[164] | Takahashi (13:01)[168] | Takahashi (12:03)[166] | Nakamura (10:36)[165] | Okada (14:21)[163] | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Hiroshi Tanahashi | Pin | ||
| B1 | Shinsuke Nakamura | 32:15[53] | ||
2016
The 2016 version of the G1 Climax tournament took place between July 18 and August 14.[172] On June 27, NJPW announced the participants, which included two outsiders; Pro Wrestling Noah's Katsuhiko Nakajima and Naomichi Marufuji.[173] Originally, former three-time G1 Climax winner and the wrestler with the most G1 Climax appearances, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, was left out of the tournament. However, on July 3, Tenzan's longtime tag team partner Satoshi Kojima gave him his spot in the tournament.[174] Afterwards, Tenzan confirmed this would be his last G1 Climax.[175] In the final, Canadian Kenny Omega made history, becoming the first non-Japanese winner of the tournament under its G1 Climax name as well as the first man in four years to win the tournament in his first attempt.[54]
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hirooki Goto | 12 | Kenny Omega | 12 |
| Kazuchika Okada | 11 | Tetsuya Naito | 12 |
| Hiroshi Tanahashi | 11 | Katsuhiko Nakajima | 10 |
| Bad Luck Fale | 10 | Toru Yano | 10 |
| Naomichi Marufuji | 10 | Michael Elgin | 10 |
| Togi Makabe | 8 | Katsuyori Shibata | 10 |
| Tama Tonga | 8 | Evil | 8 |
| Sanada | 8 | Tomoaki Honma | 6 |
| Tomohiro Ishii | 8 | Yuji Nagata | 6 |
| Hiroyoshi Tenzan | 4 | Yoshi-Hashi | 6 |
| Block A | Fale | Goto | Ishii | Makabe | Marufuji | Okada | Sanada | Tanahashi | Tenzan | Tonga |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fale | N/a | Goto (9:18)[176] | Ishii (9:35)[177] | Fale (8:38)[178] | Fale (9:36)[179] | Fale (11:16)[180] | Fale (9:06)[181] | Tanahashi (15:05)[182] | Fale (8:22)[183] | Tonga (8:39)[184] |
| Goto | Goto (9:18)[176] | N/a | Goto (11:49)[179] | Goto (14:12)[180] | Goto (13:17)[184] | Okada (16:11)[177] | Sanada (12:05)[182] | Tanahashi (17:47)[181] | Goto (10:02)[178] | Goto (12:29)[183] |
| Ishii | Ishii (9:35)[177] | Goto (11:49)[179] | N/a | Ishii (12:33)[184] | Ishii (12:14)[182] | Ishii (18:43)[178] | Sanada (12:18)[180] | Tanahashi (16:10)[183] | Tenzan (14:08)[176] | Tonga (11:00)[181] |
| Makabe | Fale (8:38)[178] | Goto (14:12)[180] | Ishii (12:33)[184] | N/a | Marufuji (10:39)[181] | Okada (15:04)[183] | Makabe (12:25)[177] | Makabe (14:04)[179] | Makabe (10:08)[182] | Makabe (10:37)[176] |
| Marufuji | Fale (9:36)[179] | Goto (13:17)[184] | Ishii (12:14)[182] | Marufuji (10:39)[181] | N/a | Marufuji (19:07)[176] | Marufuji (10:39)[183] | Tanahashi (19:00)[178] | Marufuji (12:29)[177] | Marufuji (10:54)[180] |
| Okada | Fale (11:16)[180] | Okada (16:11)[177] | Ishii (18:43)[178] | Okada (15:04)[183] | Marufuji (19:07)[176] | N/a | Okada (13:20)[179] | Draw (30:00)[184] | Okada (12:30)[181] | Okada (11:45)[182] |
| Sanada | Fale (9:06)[181] | Sanada (12:05)[182] | Sanada (12:18)[180] | Makabe (12:25)[177] | Marufuji (10:39)[183] | Okada (13:20)[179] | N/a | Sanada (19:30)[176] | Sanada (12:12)[184] | Tonga (10:40)[178] |
| Tanahashi | Tanahashi (15:05)[182] | Tanahashi (17:47)[181] | Tanahashi (16:10)[183] | Makabe (14:04)[179] | Tanahashi (19:00)[178] | Draw (30:00)[184] | Sanada (19:30)[176] | N/a | Tanahashi (11:17)[180] | Tonga (11:10)[177] |
| Tenzan | Fale (8:22)[183] | Goto (10:02)[178] | Tenzan (14:08)[176] | Makabe (10:08)[182] | Marufuji (12:29)[177] | Okada (12:30)[181] | Sanada (12:12)[184] | Tanahashi (11:17)[180] | N/a | Tenzan (10:31)[179] |
| Tonga | Tonga (8:39)[184] | Goto (12:29)[183] | Tonga (11:00)[181] | Makabe (10:37)[176] | Marufuji (10:54)[180] | Okada (11:45)[182] | Tonga (10:40)[178] | Tonga (11:10)[177] | Tenzan (10:31)[179] | N/a |
| Block B | Elgin | Evil | Honma | Nagata | Naito | Nakajima | Omega | Shibata | Yano | Yoshi-Hashi |
| Elgin | N/a | Evil (10:54)[185] | Elgin (18:43)[186] | Elgin (10:35)[187] | Naito (22:12)[188] | Nakajima (16:50)[189] | Elgin (16:44)[190] | Elgin (15:53)[191] | Yano (4:59)[192] | Elgin (9:49)[193] |
| Evil | Evil (10:54)[185] | N/a | Evil (9:49)[193] | Nagata (10:54)[188] | Naito (21:28)[192] | Nakajima (10:31)[191] | Omega (10:15)[187] | Evil (9:42)[189] | Evil (2:57)[186] | Yoshi-Hashi (12:48)[190] |
| Honma | Elgin (18:43)[186] | Evil (9:49)[193] | N/a | Honma (10:29)[189] | Naito (20:38)[187] | Nakajima (12:32)[192] | Omega (13:59)[191] | Honma (11:11)[185] | Yano (4:21)[190] | Honma (13:07)[188] |
| Nagata | Elgin (10:35)[187] | Nagata (10:54)[188] | Honma (10:29)[189] | N/a | Nagata (15:32)[185] | Nakajima (12:32)[190] | Omega (14:17)[192] | Shibata (12:16)[186] | Yano (4:22)[193] | Nagata (11:56)[191] |
| Naito | Naito (22:12)[188] | Naito (21:28)[192] | Naito (20:38)[187] | Nagata (15:32)[185] | N/a | Naito (19:08)[193] | Omega (28:12)[189] | Shibata (19:24)[190] | Naito (4:54)[191] | Naito (15:01)[186] |
| Nakajima | Nakajima (16:50)[189] | Nakajima (10:31)[191] | Nakajima (12:32)[192] | Nakajima (12:32)[190] | Naito (19:08)[193] | N/a | Omega (10:29)[186] | Shibata (14:08)[188] | Nakajima (3:51)[185] | Yoshi-Hashi (12:02)[187] |
| Omega | Elgin (16:44)[190] | Omega (10:15)[187] | Omega (13:59)[191] | Omega (14:17)[192] | Omega (28:12)[189] | Omega (10:29)[186] | N/a | Shibata (12:28)[193] | Omega (9:05)[188] | Yoshi-Hashi (12:16)[185] |
| Shibata | Elgin (15:53)[191] | Evil (9:42)[189] | Honma (11:11)[185] | Shibata (12:16)[186] | Shibata (19:24)[190] | Shibata (14:08)[188] | Shibata (12:28)[193] | N/a | Yano (1:05)[187] | Shibata (11:08)[192] |
| Yano | Yano (4:59)[192] | Evil (2:57)[186] | Yano (4:21)[190] | Yano (4:22)[193] | Naito (4:54)[191] | Nakajima (3:51)[185] | Omega (9:05)[188] | Yano (1:05)[187] | N/a | Yano (3:31)[189] |
| Yoshi-Hashi | Elgin (9:49)[193] | Yoshi-Hashi (12:48)[190] | Honma (13:07)[188] | Nagata (11:56)[191] | Naito (15:01)[186] | Yoshi-Hashi (12:02)[187] | Yoshi-Hashi (12:16)[185] | Shibata (11:08)[192] | Yano (3:31)[189] | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Hirooki Goto | Pin | ||
| B1 | Kenny Omega | 26:49[54] | ||
2017
The 2017 version of the G1 Climax tournament took place between July 17 and August 13. Prior to the tournament, NJPW held two "G1 Special" shows in Long Beach, California on July 1 and 2.[194] On June 20, NJPW announced the participants in the tournament, which included one outsider: freelancer Kota Ibushi, competing in his third G1. Juice Robinson and Zack Sabre Jr. took part in their first G1 Climax tournament, while Yuji Nagata took part in his 19th and final tournament.[195] The final match between Kenny Omega and Tetsuya Naito became the longest match in G1 Climax history,[196] breaking the previous record from 2015.[197]
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tetsuya Naito | 14 | Kenny Omega | 14 |
| Hiroshi Tanahashi | 12 | Kazuchika Okada | 13 |
| Bad Luck Fale | 12 | Evil | 12 |
| Hirooki Goto | 10 | Minoru Suzuki | 9 |
| Kota Ibushi | 10 | Tama Tonga | 8 |
| Zack Sabre Jr. | 10 | Sanada | 8 |
| Tomohiro Ishii | 8 | Juice Robinson | 8 |
| Togi Makabe | 8 | Toru Yano | 8 |
| Yoshi-Hashi | 4 | Michael Elgin | 8 |
| Yuji Nagata | 2 | Satoshi Kojima | 2 |
| Block A | Fale | Goto | Ibushi | Ishii | Makabe | Nagata | Naito | Sabre | Tanahashi | Yoshi-Hashi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fale | N/a | Fale (9:34)[198] | Fale (11:37)[199] | Fale (11:58)[200] | Fale (9:25)[201] | Fale (11:56)[202] | Fale (11:55)[203] | Sabre (9:02)[204] | Tanahashi (11:05)[205] | Yoshi-Hashi (10:21)[206] |
| Goto | Fale (9:34)[198] | N/a | Goto (11:03)[202] | Goto (13:43)[201] | Makabe (16:55)[203] | Goto (15:02)[205] | Naito (13:30)[206] | Goto (10:10)[199] | Tanahashi (17:22)[204] | Goto (11:26)[200] |
| Ibushi | Fale (11:37)[199] | Goto (11:03)[202] | N/a | Ibushi (17:14)[203] | Makabe (13:20)[204] | Ibushi (15:54)[200] | Naito (24:41)[201] | Ibushi (15:51)[205] | Ibushi (20:40)[206] | Ibushi (14:28)[198] |
| Ishii | Fale (11:58)[200] | Goto (13:43)[201] | Ibushi (17:14)[203] | N/a | Ishii (15:51)[205] | Ishii (13:51)[206] | Ishii (20:58)[199] | Sabre (15:22)[202] | Tanahashi (23:30)[198] | Ishii (15:43)[204] |
| Makabe | Fale (9:25)[201] | Makabe (16:55)[203] | Makabe (13:20)[204] | Ishii (15:51)[205] | N/a | Makabe (10:45)[199] | Naito (11:31)[198] | Sabre (9:30)[206] | Tanahashi (13:34)[200] | Makabe (11:28)[202] |
| Nagata | Fale (11:56)[202] | Goto (15:02)[205] | Ibushi (15:54)[200] | Ishii (13:51)[206] | Makabe (10:45)[199] | N/a | Naito (15:16)[204] | Nagata (15:08)[198] | Tanahashi (14:47)[203] | Yoshi-Hashi (16:29)[201] |
| Naito | Fale (11:55)[203] | Naito (13:30)[206] | Naito (24:41)[201] | Ishii (20:58)[199] | Naito (11:31)[198] | Naito (15:16)[204] | N/a | Naito (14:20)[200] | Naito (26:41)[202] | Naito (22:19)[205] |
| Sabre | Sabre (9:02)[204] | Goto (10:10)[199] | Ibushi (15:51)[205] | Sabre (15:22)[202] | Sabre (9:30)[206] | Nagata (15:08)[198] | Naito (14:20)[200] | N/a | Sabre (17:18)[201] | Sabre (11:48)[203] |
| Tanahashi | Tanahashi (11:05)[205] | Tanahashi (17:22)[204] | Ibushi (20:40)[206] | Tanahashi (23:30)[198] | Tanahashi (13:34)[200] | Tanahashi (14:47)[203] | Naito (26:41)[202] | Sabre (17:18)[201] | N/a | Tanahashi (13:34)[199] |
| Yoshi-Hashi | Yoshi-Hashi (10:21)[206] | Goto (11:26)[200] | Ibushi (14:28)[198] | Ishii (15:43)[204] | Makabe (11:28)[202] | Yoshi-Hashi (16:29)[201] | Naito (22:19)[205] | Sabre (11:48)[203] | Tanahashi (13:34)[199] | N/a |
| Block B | Elgin | Evil | Kojima | Okada | Omega | Robinson | Sanada | Suzuki | Tonga | Yano |
| Elgin | N/a | Elgin (11:07)[207] | Elgin (13:09)[208] | Okada (25:49)[209] | Elgin (24:39)[210] | Robinson (11:48)[211] | Sanada (15:06)[212] | Elgin (11:13)[213] | Tonga (13:46)[214] | Yano (2:58)[215] |
| Evil | Elgin (11:07)[207] | N/a | Evil (14:23)[211] | Evil (22:47)[213] | Omega (23:33)[215] | Evil (11:46)[209] | Sanada (15:48)[214] | Evil (8:38)[210] | Evil (10:27)[208] | Evil (1:33)[212] |
| Kojima | Elgin (13:09)[208] | Evil (14:23)[211] | N/a | Okada (15:26)[210] | Omega (12:42)[212] | Robinson (11:48)[214] | Kojima (12:09)[213] | Suzuki (10:13)[215] | Tonga (10:43)[207] | Yano (9:12)[209] |
| Okada | Okada (25:49)[209] | Evil (22:47)[213] | Okada (15:26)[210] | N/a | Omega (24:40)[211] | Okada (20:29)[212] | Okada (20:49)[208] | Draw (30:00)[207] | Okada (11:22)[215] | Okada (10:31)[214] |
| Omega | Elgin (24:39)[210] | Omega (23:33)[215] | Omega (12:42)[212] | Omega (24:40)[211] | N/a | Robinson (15:36)[213] | Omega (15:03)[207] | Omega (21:24)[214] | Omega (11:41)[209] | Omega (11:31)[208] |
| Robinson | Robinson (11:48)[211] | Evil (11:46)[209] | Robinson (11:48)[214] | Okada (20:29)[212] | Robinson (15:36)[213] | N/a | Sanada (13:48) | Suzuki (11:23)[208] | Tonga (10:36)[210] | Robinson (4:25)[207] |
| Sanada | Sanada (15:06)[212] | Sanada (15:48)[214] | Kojima (12:09)[213] | Okada (20:49)[208] | Omega (15:03)[207] | Sanada (13:48)[215] | N/a | Suzuki (11:22)[209] | Tonga (11:59)[211] | Sanada (4:33)[210] |
| Suzuki | Elgin (11:13)[213] | Evil (8:38)[210] | Suzuki (10:13)[215] | Draw (30:00)[207] | Omega (21:24)[214] | Suzuki (11:23)[208] | Suzuki (11:22)[209] | N/a | Suzuki (10:22)[212] | Yano (6:56)[211] |
| Tonga | Tonga (13:46)[214] | Evil (10:27)[208] | Tonga (10:43)[207] | Okada (11:22)[215] | Omega (11:41)[209] | Tonga (10:36)[210] | Tonga (11:59)[211] | Suzuki (10:22)[212] | N/a | Yano (3:15)[213] |
| Yano | Yano (2:58)[215] | Evil (1:33)[212] | Yano (9:12)[209] | Okada (10:31)[214] | Omega (11:31)[208] | Robinson (4:25)[207] | Sanada (4:33)[210] | Yano (6:56)[211] | Yano (3:15)[213] | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Tetsuya Naito | Pin | ||
| B1 | Kenny Omega | 34:35[55] | ||
2018
The 2018 version of the G1 Climax took place from July 14 until August 12.[216] Due to renovations at Ryōgoku Kokugikan, the final three shows for the tournament took place at Nippon Budokan, representing New Japan's first shows at that arena since 2003. The announcement of the participants, blocks and schedule took place during the 2018 Kizuna Road shows.[217] Hiroshi Tanahashi set a then record for most points set by a wrestler in a 20-man G1 Climax with 15 points. The final match was the longest match in G1 history until it was beaten in 2020.
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Hiroshi Tanahashi | 15 | Kota Ibushi | 12 |
| Kazuchika Okada | 13 | Kenny Omega | 12 |
| Jay White | 12 | Zack Sabre Jr. | 12 |
| Minoru Suzuki | 10 | Tetsuya Naito | 12 |
| Evil | 10 | Tomohiro Ishii | 10 |
| Yoshi-Hashi | 6 | Sanada | 8 |
| Michael Elgin | 6 | Juice Robinson | 6 |
| Togi Makabe | 6 | Hirooki Goto | 6 |
| Hangman Page | 6 | Toru Yano | 6 |
| Bad Luck Fale | 6 | Tama Tonga | 6 |
| Block A | Elgin | Evil | Fale | Makabe | Okada | Page | Suzuki | Tanahashi | White | Yoshi-Hashi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elgin | N/a | Elgin (16:08)[218] | Elgin (11:13)[219] | Makabe (8:46)[220] | Okada (20:56)[221] | Elgin (17:17)[222] | Suzuki (14:10)[223] | Tanahashi (16:03)[224] | White (17:44)[225] | Yoshi-Hashi (14:22)[226] |
| Evil | Elgin (16:08)[218] | N/a | Evil (12:13)[226] | Evil (10:16)[225] | Okada (18:27)[224] | Evil (15:40)[223] | Suzuki (12:13)[221] | Tanahashi (12:57)[219] | Evil (11:36)[220] | Evil (12:37)[222] |
| Fale | Elgin (11:13)[219] | Evil (12:13)[226] | N/a | Fale (7:51)[221] | Fale (13:38)[222] | Page (8:04)[218] | Suzuki (8:51)[220] | Tanahashi (16:27)[225] | Fale (11:42)[223] | Yoshi-Hashi (8:31)[224] |
| Makabe | Makabe (8:46)[220] | Evil (10:16)[225] | Fale (7:51)[221] | N/a | Okada (15:11)[226] | Page (9:10)[219] | Makabe (14:58)[222] | Tanahashi (12:00)[223] | White (10:22)[224] | Makabe (11:05)[218] |
| Okada | Okada (20:56)[221] | Okada (18:27)[224] | Fale (13:38)[222] | Okada (15:11)[226] | N/a | Okada (17:31)[225] | Okada (18:20)[219] | Draw (30:00)[220] | White (25:36)[218] | Okada (19:40)[223] |
| Page | Elgin (17:17)[222] | Evil (15:40)[223] | Page (8:04)[218] | Page (9:10)[219] | Okada (17:31)[225] | N/a | Page (12:05)[224] | Tanahashi (12:08)[226] | White (17:10)[221] | Yoshi-Hashi (10:22)[220] |
| Suzuki | Suzuki (14:10)[223] | Suzuki (12:13)[221] | Suzuki (8:51)[220] | Makabe (14:58)[222] | Okada (18:20)[219] | Page (12:05)[224] | N/a | Tanahashi (13:59)[218] | Suzuki (10:35)[226] | Suzuki (13:44)[225] |
| Tanahashi | Tanahashi (16:03)[224] | Tanahashi (12:57)[219] | Tanahashi (16:27)[225] | Tanahashi (12:00)[223] | Draw (30:00)[220] | Tanahashi (12:08)[226] | Tanahashi (13:59)[218] | N/a | White (24:02)[222] | Tanahashi (12:36)[221] |
| White | White (17:44)[225] | Evil (11:36)[220] | Fale (11:42)[223] | White (10:22)[224] | White (25:36)[218] | White (17:10)[221] | Suzuki (10:35)[226] | White (24:02)[222] | N/a | White (9:48)[219] |
| Yoshi-Hashi | Yoshi-Hashi (14:22)[226] | Evil (12:37)[222] | Yoshi-Hashi (8:31)[224] | Makabe (11:05)[218] | Okada (19:40)[223] | Yoshi-Hashi (10:22)[220] | Suzuki (13:44)[225] | Tanahashi (12:36)[221] | White (9:48)[219] | N/a |
| Block B | Goto | Ibushi | Ishii | Naito | Omega | Robinson | Sabre | Sanada | Tonga | Yano |
| Goto | N/a | Ibushi (18:09)[227] | Ishii (18:15)[228] | Naito (13:26)[229] | Omega (19:29)[230] | Robinson (10:36)[231] | Sabre (10:43)[232] | Goto (13:38)[233] | Goto (11:15)[234] | Goto (2:17)[235] |
| Ibushi | Ibushi (18:09)[227] | N/a | Ibushi (16:13)[229] | Ibushi (25:09)[234] | Ibushi (23:13)[231] | Ibushi (13:03)[230] | Ibushi (22:58)[233] | Sanada (22:23)[235] | Tonga (14:17)[232] | Yano (8:23)[228] |
| Ishii | Ishii (18:15)[228] | Ibushi (16:13)[229] | N/a | Naito (19:13)[230] | Ishii (22:42)[234] | Ishii (12:24)[232] | Sabre (14:35)[235] | Ishii (17:00)[231] | Tonga (10:32)[227] | Ishii (8:52)[233] |
| Naito | Naito (13:26)[229] | Ibushi (25:09)[234] | Naito (19:13)[230] | N/a | Omega (23:19)[233] | Naito (16:43)[228] | Sabre (18:17)[231] | Naito (19:52)[232] | Naito (10:06)[235] | Naito (8:28)[227] |
| Omega | Omega (19:29)[230] | Ibushi (23:13)[231] | Ishii (22:42)[234] | Omega (23:19)[233] | N/a | Omega (15:31)[235] | Omega (15:14)[227] | Omega (20:12)[229] | Omega (9:55)[228] | Yano (9:04)[232] |
| Robinson | Robinson (10:36)[231] | Ibushi (13:03)[230] | Ishii (12:24)[232] | Naito (16:43)[228] | Omega (15:31)[235] | N/a | Sabre (13:39)[234] | Robinson (12:36)[227] | Tonga (14:05)[233] | Robinson (8:28)[229] |
| Sabre | Sabre (10:43)[232] | Ibushi (22:58)[233] | Sabre (14:35)[235] | Sabre (18:17)[231] | Omega (15:14)[227] | Sabre (13:39)[234] | N/a | Sanada (10:45)[228] | Sabre (10:59)[229] | Sabre (10:34)[230] |
| Sanada | Goto (13:38)[233] | Sanada (22:23)[235] | Ishii (17:00)[231] | Naito (19:52)[232] | Omega (20:12)[229] | Robinson (12:36)[227] | Sanada (10:45)[228] | N/a | Sanada (10:46)[230] | Sanada (5:22)[234] |
| Tonga | Goto (11:15)[234] | Tonga (14:17)[232] | Tonga (10:32)[227] | Naito (10:06)[235] | Omega (9:55)[228] | Tonga (14:05)[233] | Sabre (10:59)[229] | Sanada (10:46)[230] | N/a | Yano (5:08)[231] |
| Yano | Goto (2:17)[235] | Yano (8:23)[228] | Ishii (8:52)[233] | Naito (8:28)[227] | Yano (9:04)[232] | Robinson (8:28)[229] | Sabre (10:34)[230] | Sanada (5:22)[234] | Yano (5:08)[231] | N/a |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Hiroshi Tanahashi | Pin | ||
| B1 | Kota Ibushi | 35:00[56] | ||
2019
The 2019 edition of the G1 Climax took place from July 6 to August 12 with the finals taking place at Nippon Budokan. For the first time in NJPW history, the opening night of the tournament took place outside Japan, at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.[19] Kota Ibushi won the G1, defeating Jay White in the final.
2020
The 2020 edition of the G1 Climax took place from September 19 until October 18 with the final three days being held at Ryōgoku Kokugikan. This was the first time that the tournament was not held in the summer but in the autumn. This was due to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo originally being scheduled to be held when the tournament is usually held. Later, the Olympics were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[20][236] The final match became the longest match in G1 Climax history, surpassing the previous record in 2018. Kota Ibushi became the third wrestler along with Masahiro Chono and Hiroyoshi Tenzan to win two consecutive G1 Climax tournaments and the first wrestler to reach the finals for the third time in a row.
2021
The 2021 edition of the G1 Climax was announced on July 8 and took place from September 18 until October 21 with the finals taking place at Nippon Budokan.[237] Kazuchika Okada and Jeff Cobb set the record for the most points in a 20-man G1 with 16 points each; Cobb also set the record for most consecutive wins in a single G1 Climax with 8 wins in a row. Kota Ibushi also made his fourth consecutive appearance in a G1 final.[238][239] Okada would win the G1, defeating Ibushi in the tournament final by referee stoppage.[240]
2022
The 2022 edition of the G1 Climax was announced on April 9 at Hyper Battle and took place from July 16 until August 18, returning the G1 to the summer. This edition consisted of 28 participants across 4 blocks.[241] The Final match was between Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay, which Okada won by pinfall, marking Okada's 4th G1 Climax victory and becoming the 4th wrestler to win two consecutive G1 Climax tournaments, alongside Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Kota Ibushi.[242]
2023
[243] The 2023 edition of the G1 Climax was announced on April 8 at Sakura Genesis and took place from July 15 until August 13.[244] The tournament featured 32 participants, making it the largest G1 to date.[245] The 2023 G1 Climax also featured the tournament debuts of Shota Umino, Hikuleo, Eddie Kingston, Ren Narita, Gabriel Kidd, Alex Coughlin, Shane Haste, Mikey Nicholls, Yota Tsuji and Kaito Kiyomiya with Kingston and Kiyomiya being outsiders from All Elite Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Noah respectively. In the finals, Tetsuya Naito defeated Kazuchika Okada to win his third G1 Climax.
2024
The 2024 edition of the G1 Climax was announced on June 9 at Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall and took place from July 20 until August 18.[246] The tournament saw a return to 20 participants split into two 10-man blocks for the first time since 2021. Only the top 3 wrestlers in each block advanced, with the block winners earning a bye into the semifinals. The tournament marked the tournament debuts of Callum Newman, Boltin Oleg, Jake Lee, Yuya Uemura, and AEW–DDT representative Konosuke Takeshita.
2025
The 2025 edition of the G1 Climax was announced on April 7 and will take place from July 19 until August 17.[247] Only the top 3 wrestlers in each block advanced, with the block winners earning a bye into the semifinals.
2026
The 2026 edition of the G1 Climax was announced on January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 20 and will take place from July 11 until August 16. For the second time in NJPW history (and first time in 7 years), the opening night of the tournament will take place outside Japan, at the NOW Arena in Chicago.[248]