NJPW Announces 16 of 20 Competitors for 2025 G1 Climax Tournament & Return of Play-In Tournament for Final 4 Spots

Indie / Misc
Jun 15, 2025

During Sunday’s Dominion 2025 event in Osaka, Japan, New Japan Pro Wrestling officially announced sixteen of the twenty competitors for this year’s G1 Climax tournament, which takes place from July 19 to August 17 in Japan.

In regards to surprise entrants for this year’s tournament, it was announced that AEW talent Konosuke Takeshita will be making a return and competing in this year’s tournament for the second year in a row. Takeshita was announced to be competing in B Block.

Similar to last year’s tournament, it was also announced that a Play-in Tournament will be held to determine the final four entrants for this year’s tournament with two for A Block and two for B Block. The competitors for this upcoming Play-in tournament were not revealed.

A Block:

  • Hirooki Goto
  • Boltin Oleg
  • Yuya Uemura
  • Yota Tsuji
  • David Finlay
  • EVIL
  • SANADA
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi
  • First winner of A Block Play-in Tournament
  • Second winner of A Block Play-in Tournament

B Block:

  • El Phantasmo
  • Shota Umino
  • Shingo Takagi
  • Zack Sabre Jr.
  • Great-O-Khan
  • Gabe Kidd
  • Ren Narita
  • Konosuke Takeshita (AEW)
  • First winner of B Block Play-in Tournament
  • Second winner of B Block Play-in Tournament
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