G1 Climax 30 : A Close Look Into the Numbers

With the start of the 30th Annual G1 Climax Tournament just 5 days away, we thought we would take this opportunity to share with all of you some very interesting facts about the biggest wrestling tournament in the wrestling calendar year. So with that said, Franklin Lee give you the G1 Climax by the numbers.

30 – the number of years New Japan Pro Wrestling has been holding this tournament.

19 – THE MOST CONSECUTIVE APPEARANCES made by a wrestler or wrestlers in the G1 Climax. 2001 G1 Climax Winner, Yuji Nagata; and with his entry in this year’s G1 Climax, 3-time G1 Climax Winner, Hiroshi Tanahashi, are now tied for THE MOST CONSECUTIVE APPEARANCES in the G1 Climax Tournament at 19 straight appearances each.

18 – the number of wrestlers who have won the G1 Climax Tournament. Even though the G1 Climax Tournament has been going on now for 30 years, it has only been won by 18 different wrestlers.

16 – of the 18 men who have won the G1 Climax Tournament, 16 of them have gone on to either become the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion or is the current reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. The only 2 G1 Climax Tournament Winners to never hold the title are the 2008 G1 Climax Winner, Hirooki Goto; and last year’s G1 Climax Winner, Kota Ibushi.

16 – the number of years it has been since someone has won the G1 Climax Tournament on back-to-back years. Ever since Hiroyoshi Tenzan won his second consecutive G1 Climax Tournament in 2004, the G1 Climax Tournament has been won by a different wrestler every year for the last 16 years. If last year’s G1 Climax Winner, Kota Ibushi, can find a way to win this year’s G1 Climax Tournament, he’ll not only become the third man in New Japan Pro Wrestling history to win the G1 Climax Tournament on back-to-back years; but he’ll also be the first one to do so in 16 years.

8 – the greatest number of years in-between G1 Climax Tournament wins. After winning his third G1 Climax Tournament in 1994, Masahiro Chono would not win the G1 Climax Tournament again until 2002; 8 years later.

6 – the greatest number of wrestlers to make their first ever appearance in the G1 Climax Tournament in a single year. Not including the first G1 Climax Tournament in 1991, last year’s G1 Climax Tournament featured 6 wrestlers making their first ever appearance in the G1 Climax Tournament. That’s 30% of the field. The 6 wrestlers who made their first ever appearance in the G1 Climax Tournament last year were: Will Ospreay, Shingo Takagi, TAICHI, Jeff Cobb, KENTA, and the IWGP United States Champion Jon Moxley.

6 – of the 18 men who have won the G1 Climax Tournament, 6 of them have won the G1 Climax Tournament more than once.

6 – of the 18 men who have the G1 Climax Tournament, 6 of them have gone on to either become the IWGP Intercontinental Champion or is the current reigning IWGP Intercontinental Champion.

6 – of the 18 men who have won the G1 Climax Tournament, 6 of them have gone on to win both the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Heavyweight Championship. Those 6 men are: Masahiro Chono, Tatsumi Fujinami, The Great Muta, Shinya Hashimoto, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, and Satoshi Kojima.

5 – THE MOST TIMES a single wrestler has won the G1 Climax Tournament. Masahiro Chono holds the record and distinction of having won THE MOST G1 Climax Tournaments at 5; having won it in 1991, 1992, 1994, 2002, and 2005.

4 – of the 18 men who have won the G1 Climax Tournament, 4 of them have gone on to hold both the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Those 4 men are: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Shinsuke Nakamura, Tetsuya Naito, and Kenny Omega.

3 – of the 18 men who have won the G1 Climax Tournament, only 3 have won it more than twice. Masahiro Chono is in first place having won the G1 Climax Tournament 5 times; and Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Hiroshi Tanahashi have both won the G1 Climax Tournament 3 times each.

2 – of the 18 men who have won the G1 Climax Tournament, only 2 have won it on back-to-back years. Masahiro Chono would be the first having won the G1 Climax Tournament in 1991 and 1992. And Hiroyoshi Tenzan would become the second; having won the G1 Climax in 2003 and 2004.

1 – of the 18 men who have won the G1 Climax Tournament, only 1 gaijin (foreigner) has ever won the G1 Climax Tournament. In 2016, Kenny Omega made history by becoming THE FIRST, and to this very day, THE ONLY gaijin to win the G1 Climax Tournament. And even more impressive is the fact that Kenny Omega won the G1 Climax Tournament that year on his first try.

1 – of the 18 men who have won the G1 Climax Tournament, only 1 man has held all 3 major titles in New Japan Pro Wrestling’s heavyweight division. Along with being the first and only gaijin to win the G1 Climax Tournament, Kenny Omega also holds the distinction of being THE ONLY G1 Climax Tournament Winner to hold all 3 major titles in New Japan Pro Wrestling’s heavyweight division. Those 3 titles being: the IWGP United States Championship, the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

Just some interesting facts and figures about the biggest wrestling tournament in the wrestling calendar year for all of you to enjoy.