NJPW G1 Climax 2025 Predictions: Favorites, underdogs and more
The G1 Climax 2025 (the 35th edition) begins on 19 July and runs through 17 August, a month of elite round‑robin wrestling that will shape Wrestle Kingdom 20’s main event picture in January 2026.
This year once again features a 20‑man field split into two blocks (A & B), finalised after New Japan Soul where Ryohei Oiwa and YOSHI-HASHI claimed the last spots.
Confirmed Entrants Snapshot (selection): Zack Sabre Jr., Gabe Kidd, Boltin Oleg, El Phantasmo, YOSHI-HASHI, Ryohei Oiwa and others across the 20‑man roster.
G1 Climax Favourites this year
Zack Sabre Jr. enters as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. While champions seldom need the Wrestle Kingdom briefcase, his star power makes a block victory plausible.
Gabe Kidd, the IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion enters with an escalating prominence in the company following an AEW run. Dual champion visibility could boost international eyes on the company, positioning him as a high‑ceiling pick to top his block.
Prime Challengers
Shota Umino symbolises the Reiwa Three Musketeers’ continued ascendancy; incremental improvements in big‑match pacing hint at a semi‑final or finalist breakthrough.
Yota Tsuji parallels Umino’s trajectory with a power offence and charismatic presence; his near‑misses to date frame a narrative arc ripe for a block tiebreaker storyline.
Underdogs & Dark Horses
Ryohei Oiwa punched his ticket via qualifier win, momentum that often fuels early round surprises before attritional experience gaps appear in the field.
Key Storylines to Monitor
The desperate search for a “next breakout star” underscores NJPW’s strategic evolution as legacy pillars (like Tanahashi) age, magnifying how Umino, Tsuji, Kidd and others convert recent spotlight opportunities into sustained drawing power going forward.
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