New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced the blocks and schedule for this year’s NJPW G1 Climax tournament kicking off on July 15. 

NJPW:

The G1 Climax 33 lineup will see 32 of the world’s best do battle in the summer heat across July and August. On June 10, the block lineups were announced, with some thrilling matchups sure to take place!

Watch all of G1 Climax 33 live in English on NJPW World!

A BLOCK

SANADA (8th entry, 8th consecutive. IWGP World Heavyweight Champion)

Chase Owens (3rd entry, 3rd consecutive)

Hikuleo (debut entry)

Ren Narita (debut entry)

Shota Umino (debut entry)

Yota Tsuji (debut entry)

Gabe Kidd (debut entry)

Kaito Kiyomiya (debut entry)

The youth group of G1 Climax also contains the difficult prospect of the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA. Six debutants will be looking to make their mark and progress to the knockout phase, and brand new contenders could arise for SANADA before the tournament’s end. 

B BLOCK

Kazuchika Okada (12th entry, 12th consecutive. 2012, 2014, 2021, 2022 G1 winner. NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champion)

YOSHI-HASHI (7th entry, 4th consecutive. IWGP/NJPW STRONG Tag Team Champion)

Taichi (5th entry, 5th consecutive. KOPW 2023 title holder)

KENTA (5th entry, 5th consecutive. NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion)

Great-O-Khan (3rd entry, 3rd consecutive. RPW British Heavyweight Champion)

Will Ospreay (4th entry, 2nd consecutive)

Tanga Loa (2nd entry, 1st in two years)

El Phantasmo (2nd entry, 2nd consecutive)

A highly contentious group will be headed up by Kazuchika Okada looking for his fifth G1 and third consecutive. A United Empire derby is on the cards, and plenty of combustible elements make this a thrilling block to watch.

C BLOCK

David Finlay (2nd entry, 2nd consecutive. NEVER Openweight Champion)

Tomohiro Ishii (11th entry, 11th consecutive. NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champion)

EVIL (8th entry, 8th consecutive)

Tama Tonga (6th entry, 3rd consecutive)

Shingo Takagi (5th entry, 5th conseuctive)

Aaron Henare (2nd entry, 2nd consecutive)

Eddie Kingston (debut entry)

Mikey Nicholls (debut entry)

This might be the high impact group of G1 Climax 33, with the savage David Finlay, and the always violent Ishii, Shingo and Kingston in the mix. Eyes might well be on how EVIL fits in with Finlay’s BULLET CLUB vision, and Tama Tonga’s quest for revenge against the Rebel.

D BLOCK

Hiroshi Tanahashi (22nd entry, 22nd consecutive. 2007, 2015, 2018 G1 winner. NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Champion)

Tetsuya Naito (14th entry, 14th consecutive. 2013, 2017 G1 winner)

Hirooki Goto (16th entry, 16th consecutive. 2008 G1 winner. IWGP Tag Team Champion)

Zack Sabre Jr. (7th entry, 7th consecutive. NJPW World TV Champion)

Toru Yano (18th entry, 17th consecutive)

Jeff Cobb (5th entry, 5th consecutive)

Shane Haste (debut entry)

Alex Coughlin (debut entry)

In contrast to debut entrants Shane Haste and Alex Coughlin, D Block houses the most G1 experience, and 6 G1 wins among its eight participants. With big match experience aplenty, this could be the most competitive of all four blocks as we get to the last eight.