One of the most essential parts of New Japan Pro Wrestling is the divisions. Heavyweight and junior heavyweight divisions allow each wrestler to shine in their particular weight class.
The G1 Climax is a heavyweight tournament, yet many junior heavyweights have taken part and showcased just how talented they are in the past.
Here is a look at 6 Junior Heavyweights who have taken part in New Japan’s G1 Climax tournament.
6. Tatsuhito Takaiwa
Tatsuhito Takaiwa was a formidable force in the junior division. He worked his way up from young lion, and alongside being part of the first-ever IWGP Jr Tag Championships, he was a Best of Super Junior champion.
Along with Liger, Tatsuhito Takaiwa was one of the first juniors to take part in the tournament in 2000.
During this tournament, there were four blocks with five competitors. Unfortunately, like Liger, Takaiwa only walked away with one win over Shiro Koshinaka.
However, it was definitely a tough block to be in with men like Masahiro Chono, Yutaka Yoshi, and many more.
Although he may not have picked up as many wins as he would’ve wanted, he continued to put on decent matches throughout.
He and Liger also managed to showcase everything the junior division had to offer, and that they could be tough opponents heavyweights.
5. Kota Ibushi
Credit: NJPW1972
Despite his success in the New Japan heavyweight division, Kota Ibushi got his start as a high-flying Jr Heavyweight in worldwide promotions.
Ibushi was a freelancer during his early career but made several appearances for New Japan in Junior tournaments.
Yet, in 2013, Ibushi decided to enter the G1 Climax and, although increasing his weight, was still counted as a Junior Heavyweight.
Going into the tournament, fans had seen Ibushi wrestle all kinds of opponents using different styles. As the tournament started, it was clear that Ibushi wouldn’t let his size be a disadvantage.
Although it was his first time, Ibushi picked up some huge wins over wrestlers like Karl Anderson, Toru Yano, and Stardust Genius Tetsuya Naito.
Alongside this, he put on fantastic bouts against veterans like Shinsuke Nakamura and Yuji Nagata.
Ending with a respectable eight points, his G1 appearance showcased just how good Kota Ibushi was and his dedication to wrestling.
Ibushi returned to the junior division afterward, signing a joint contract with New Japan and DDT Pro Wrestling before he eventually made the jump to Heavyweight in 2014.
4. Minoru Tanaka
Credit: NJPW1972
Like Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Tanaka was one of the junior heavyweights invited to participate in the 2001 G1 Climax.
Since debuting in New Japan in 1999, Minoru Tanaka had dominated the junior division, winning both the IWGP tag and singles titles. It was his chance to wrestle heavyweights in a setting outside of tag matches.
During that year, the tournament was full of huge names, and it was unfortunate that he only picked up one win amongst his block of six.
Although he picked up losses against men like Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata, and Tatsumi Fujinami, he put up intense fights.
Yet his win against Kazunari Murakami was enough to make an impact and showcase that he deserved a place in the G1 Climax.
Although not achieving as many points as other juniors since him, he definitely made a statement. He continued a successful career across Japan and showcased his talent as one of the most diverse wrestlers.
Tanaka showed that, despite his size, he could easily stand up against men much bigger than him.
3. Will Ospreay
Back in 2019, it seemed like Will Ospreay had it all. Ospreay had previously defeated Dragon Lee at Dominion to become IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion for the third time and was even awarded five stars by Dave Meltzer.
Yet, despite beating some of the best wrestlers in the world, it wasn’t enough. In 2019, Ospreay entered himself in the G1 Climax 29.
Some fans saw Ospreay at a disadvantage because of his size. Others saw his strengths and experience fighting men much bigger than him.
Ospreay lost to the likes of Zack Sabre Jr, EVIL, Kota Ibushi, and CHAOS leader Okada, however he had huge victories as well.
Despite his size, Ospreay managed to beat bigger men like Bad Luck Fale. More importantly, he defeated veterans SANADA and Hiroshi Tanahashi in quality matches.
In the end, Ospreay finished with a very respectable 8 points. He matched the total of G1 veterans across the tournament, including Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Zack Sabre Jr, and SANADA.
It also gave him a lot of experience wrestling a different style and adapting to opponents he usually only saw in tag matches. For many, it was a vital part of his journey to becoming a heavyweight.
2. Prince Devitt (Finn Balor)
Credit: NJPW1972
When it comes to New Japan Jr Heavyweights who blurred the lines between the divisions, Prince Devitt is at the top of the list.
In particular, Devitt started his Heavyweight experience back in 2010 after replacing the legend Naomichi Marufuji in the tournament.
During his debut tournament, Devitt was against some of the best wrestlers in New Japan. He came out with a very impressive eight points, along with Togi Makabe, Manabu Nakanishi and Toru Yano.
In 2013, he entered the tournament again as the IWGP Jr Heavyweight champion and the leader of the newest faction, Bullet Club.
He picked up huge wins against Tomohiro Ishii, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Satoshi Kojima, Kazuchika Okada, and many more during the tournaments.
Although it might not have set the trend in the company, his appearances in the G1 had an impact on his career.
After moving to WWE, Prince Devitt became the fully-fledged Heavyweight Finn Balor. He achieved colossal success combining his New Japan style with a more mainstream heavyweight offense.
1. Jushin Thunder Liger
Credit: NJPW1972
When it comes to junior heavyweights, there is no denying that Jushin Thunder Liger is one of the best.
He was also one of the first juniors to ever take part in the G1 Climax.
Although he only picked up one win in the tournament in 2000, it was a historic moment. It also wasn’t a unique experience.
After his first tournament, Liger then went on to compete in a further two tournaments.
In 2001, Liger improved with one win against Satoshi Kojima and drew against Osamu Nishimura.
Although his final tournament in 2006 saw him back to just one win against Manabu Nakanishi, each of these wins were still wins against some of the best in the company at the time.
Jushin Thunder Liger has traveled the world, competing against some of the best in the world regardless of weight class.
As one of the pioneers of junior wrestling, Liger also broke down some of the barriers between divisions.
He also continued to ensure that he showcased junior pride and represented the division to its fullest.
To make sure you stay updated with all the latest wrestling news, add WrestleTalk.com to your Google Discover feed and follow us on Twitter!
Comments.
Loading comments…