New Japan Pro Wrestling has officially announced the full list of participants who will compete in the 2019 G1 Climax.
Previously, Kazuchika Okada (IWGP Heavyweight Champion), Kota Ibushi, Tetsuya Naito (IWGP Intercontinental Champion), Jay White, KENTA, Jon Moxley (IWGP United States Champion), Will Ospreay, and Shinago Takagi were all confirmed for the annual event.
Now NJPW has added the likes of 2018 winner Hiroshi Tanahashi, who would go on to defeat Kenny Omega this past year at Wrestle Kingdom 13 for the IWGP Heavyweight championship.
This year’s tournament is set to begin on July 6 in Dallas, Texas. The competition is a round-robin style event with all 20 participants in their respective blocks facing off against one another until a finalist is determined from Block A & B. The two top competitors in their respective blocks will go on to face each in other, with the winner guaranteed to headline Wrestle Kingdom 14 with a title shot.
Matches for the tournament are set to be revealed tomorrow, but here is what Block A and Block B look like:
Block A
Bad Luck Fale
EVIL
Hiroshi Tanahashi
Kazuchika Okada
KENTA
Kota Ibushi
Lance Archer
SANADA
Will Ospreay
Zack Sabre Jr.
Block B
Hirooki Goto
Jay White
Jeff Cobb
Jon Moxley
Juice Robinson
Shingo Takagi
Taichi
Tetsuya Naito
Tomohiro Ishii
Toru Yano