The Forbidden Door is essentially wide open with the working relationship between AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling. One thing fans are longing for is the inclusion of AEW stars in New Japan’s annual G1 Climax.
The 2021 tournament is currently underway with talent from other promotions unable to participate due to the pandemic. Hopefully by next year, enough progress will have been made with the pandemic that the field will be a little more inclusive.
The G1 Climax has a stellar track record of quality in recent years and it is very fun to think about the great matches we could see from AEW stars in the future.
It is highly unlikely that all eight of these men would be included in the tournament in one year. Typically New Japan would use three or four stars from other promotions so maybe half could make the cut.
That being said, any of these stars could be included and make the G1 Climax that much more exciting.
As such, these are eight AEW stars who should compete in the 2022 G1 Climax. Also, Buddy Matthews should also be on this list but he is not in AEW (yet?) so just know he was in mind when this was made.
8. Jungle Boy
The G1 Climax is one of the most unique learning experiences in all of wrestling.
The tournament is grueling with entrants forced to wrestle as many as ten high level matches in a row. Jungle Boy is one of the youngest members of the AEW roster and could learn so much by competing.
Not to mention his matches would be fantastic. Jungle Boy has become one of the best and most popular performers in AEW and his boyish charm could translate very easily to matches in Japan.
Competing against stiff workhorses like Shingo Takagi, Minoru Suzuki, and Tomohiro Ishii would make Jungle Boy incredibly sympathetic and the matches would be a lock to be great as well.
7. Andrade El Idolo
You may not remember it, but Andrade El Idolo has competed in the G1 Climax before. In a different time with a different name, Andrade competed as La Sombra in the 2011 tournament.
However, so much has changed about the tournament and Andrade as a performer since then. Andrade has a decade of experience as one of the best workers in the world since then and the quality of the G1 Climax has shot through the roof.
Andrade also shares a history with Tetsuya Naito of Los Ingobernables de Japon so there are loads of storyline possibilities with him and other members of the faction.
Andrade’s WWE career had fans longing for him to be given the chance to have classic matches. The G1 Climax would give him plenty.
6. Miro
Miro has proven himself to be one of the most consistently entertaining wrestlers in the world in 2021. After years of being underutilized in WWE, his TNT Championship reign has been nothing short of spectacular.
In addition to his promos, his matches have also been a highlight of AEW programming. Miro has shown an ability to have great matches with people of many styles.
His opponents have been smaller than him like Fuego del Sol and Darby Allin, and larger men like Lance Archer and Eddie Kingston. In the G1 Climax he would face a mix of both.
But come on, this entry could have just said Miro vs. Tomohiro Ishii and it would have been sufficient.
5. PAC
PAC is unquestionably one of the most dynamic performers in all of wrestling. There is no wasted movement in his actions and all of his moves are extremely explosive.
PAC works like a junior heavyweight but his size would allow him to size up the heavyweights of New Japan with no hesitation.
His inclusion in the G1 Climax could be akin to the recent performances of Will Ospreay in 2019 and 2020. The two share a very similar style, focusing on agility and utilizing high-flying moves.
If we are able to see the two square off again in the tournament we would be guaranteed a great match but the same could be said about many of the potential opponents PAC would face.
Who wouldn’t want to see PAC take on Shingo Takagi, Kota Ibushi, or Hiroshi Tanahashi?
4. CM Punk
Following his debut at the United Center, CM Punk said on the media call that he was an AEW guy but if Tony Khan wanted him to compete in the G1 Climax, they would talk.
Punk is someone with very limited experience working in New Japan Pro Wrestling. He was set to go there early in his career when Shinya Hashimoto told him he was too big to be a junior heavyweight but too small to be a heavyweight.
As a result, every possible opponent Punk would face in the G1 Climax would be a dream match happening for the very first time.
Punk has just made his return to the ring after seven years so an inclusion in the G1 Climax might be ambitious, but boy would it be fun.
3. Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes has always been very open about wanting to compete in a G1 Climax. His obligations in Ring of Honor kept him out of the tournament in 2018 but with AEW and New Japan now working together maybe he can finally get his wish.
Rhodes has become an incredibly consistent in-ring performer since leaving WWE. His TNT open challenge in 2020 was among the best things AEW did all year and he would see a similar workload should he compete in a G1 Climax.
Rhodes would be an ideal representative for AEW in the G1 Climax. He waves the AEW banner prouder than anyone and he wants to wrestle the likes of Hiroshi Tanahashi which would now be a possibility.
Rhodes is no longer the same performer he was in WWE. If he was included in the G1 Climax, he would not only take part, but he could be a standout.
2. Malakai Black
Malakai Black competing in the G1 Climax is just a match made in heaven. Or perhaps a match made in Hell is more appropriate considering who we’re talking about here.
Black has been heavily pushed and heavily protected since arriving in AEW. His performances are dominant and extremely impressive, especially after sitting on the bench in WWE for two years.
He is showing why he is a top talent and his style would mesh perfectly in the G1 Climax. He is a hybrid performer, able to mix high-flying, striking and grappling better than most.
You could name any member of the New Japan roster and you would get a dream match for Black. They would all be so different as well.
Whether it is Zack Sabre Jr., Minoru Suzuki, Jeff Cobb, Kazuchika Okada, or anyone else of the roster, Black will continue to prove why he should have been a featured performer for years.
1. Bryan Danielson
Could it really be anyone else? We will soon see how Bryan Danielson differs from Daniel Bryan in the ring, which is very exciting.
The ultimate form of this would be his inclusion in a future G1 Climax tournament. It is no secret that Danielson wants to compete in New Japan and it seems very likely that it will happen at some point.
He has wrestled for the promotion before, but that was before he signed with WWE in 2009. Since then, New Japan has become one of the top promotions in the world for match quality.
Danielson watched from the outside as Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito, Kota Ibushi and others reached the top of the wrestling mountain. Now, he can finally get in on the action.
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