Play-in matches set for final four NJPW G1 tournament spots
Eight wrestlers are set to compete for the final four spots in NJPW G1 Climax 2025.
Over the weekend, NJPW revealed 16 of the 20 entrants who will be participating in this summer’s tournament. The last four spots are still up for grabs with play-in matches taking place during the New Japan Soul tour with events at Korakuen Hall on June 23 and Budokan Hall on July 4.
Here is the play-in schedule:
Monday, June 23 —
- A Block play-in match: Taichi vs. Callum Newman
- B Block play-in match: Tomohiro Ishii vs. Drilla Moloney
Friday, July 4 —
- A Block play-in match: Ryohei Oiwa vs. Bad Luck Fale
- B Block play-in match: YOSHI-HASHI vs. Chase Owens
Moloney and Oiwa would be competing in their first-ever G1s if they are able to qualify for the tournament. Moloney is a member of Bullet Club War Dogs, while Oiwa is part of TMDK.
At NJPW Dominion on Sunday, Taichi & Ishii defeated Newman & Great-O-Khan to become the new IWGP Tag Team Champions. Ishii also currently holds singles gold as the NJPW Strong Openweight Champion.
The G1 begins on July 19 and runs through August 17. Here’s what the field looks like ahead of the last four entrants being confirmed:
A Block —
- Hirooki Goto
- Oleg Boltin
- Yuya Uemura
- Yota Tsuji
- David Finlay
- EVIL
- SANADA
- Hiroshi Tanahashi
- Taichi or Callum Newman
- Ryohei Oiwa or Bad Luck Fale
B Block —
- El Phantasmo
- Shota Umino
- Shingo Takagi
- Zack Sabre Jr.
- Great-O-Khan
- Gabe Kidd
- Ren Narita
- Konosuke Takeshita
- Tomohiro Ishii or Drilla Moloney
- YOSHI-HASHI or Chase Owens