With the G1 CLIMAX now in the books, there’s lost of post-news/fallout from New Japan:
G1 winner Zack Sabre Jr. appeared at the traditional post-tournament press conference in Tokyo today. It was made official that he’ll get his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship shot not on January 4 at Tokyo Dome as it custom (but not mandatory), but on 10/14 at Ryogoku Kokugikan. SImple reasoning: If he wins then, he goes home to England as champion for ROYAL QUEST 4.
Not so simple: He may not get Tetsuya Naito as the champion because next up is not Sabre, but…oddly…Great-O-Khan. That match will happen at DESTRUCTION on 9/29 at Kobe World Hall in Kobe. The winner defends on 10/14 against Sabre.
Also official for 9/29 is IWGP Global Champion David Finlay vs. YOSHI-HASHI for the title. YOSHI-HASHI pinned Finlay in a match yesterday at the G1 Finals.
In other upcoming title matches, on 9/14 there will be NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champions Boltin Oleg, Toru Yano & Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Dick Togo, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL for the titles.
On 9/8 at Korakuen Hall, G1 runner-up Yota Tsuji gets a consolation prize of sorts-in the main event he’ll face NJPW WORLD TV Champion Jeff Cobb for the title. On 9/9, NEVER Openweight Champion HENARE vs. Hiromu Takahashi for the title is now official after Takahashi pinned HENARE in a multi-man tag yesterday.
On 9/11 in Sendai, IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion DOUKI vs. Taiji Ishimori for the title is also official.
Finally, the 9/7 Shingo Takagi 20th Anniversary event at Aimesse Yamanashi in Yamanasni is now a legit advance sellout and will be a live New Japan World broadcast. The main event will be the Shingo Takagi 20th Anniversary match-Hiromu Takahashi, Yota Tsuji & Tetsuya Naito vs. Shingo Takagi, BUSHI & TBA.
