Zack Sabre Jr. Wins G1 Climax, Makes Early Challenge For IWGP Title

The 34th G1 Climax has come to an end and for the first time since 2016, a foreign-born talent won the prestigious Japanese tournament.

Zack Sabre Jr. submitted Yota Tsuji in the finals of the tournament on Sunday, only the second foreign-born talent to win the G1 Climax since it began in 1991. Sabre had been outspoken about his desire to win the tournament all year, even suggesting his career would be a failure if he did not manage to capture the golden flame trophy. While Sabre was emotional over the victory, he was quick to do away with tradition.

After the win, Sabre announced that he planned on challenging IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito at King of Pro Wrestling on October 14 in Ryogoku Sumo Hall. Traditionally, the G1 Climax winner challenges the champion at Wrestle Kingdom in January, but Sabre said he nor the fans wanted to wait that long. Sabre also cited his love for Ryogoku Sumo Hall, as well as his desire to defend the world title at NJPW Royal Quest 4 on October 20 in his home country of England, as reasons for the early title challenge.

The only other foreign-born G1 Climax winner was former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega, who won the 2016 tournament. The G1 Climax's previous iteration, known as MSG League and the IWGP League, were won by foreign talent Andre The Giant and Hulk Hogan in the past in 1982 and 1983 respectively, but NJPW recognizes those as separate lineages.