On Sunday and Monday, New Japan announced the following participants and blocks for the 2018 NJPW G-1 Climax tournament, that begins on July 14 and ends on August 12, with the final three shows taking place at the Budokan Hall.
Notably coming out of the announcements is that long-time rivals Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi will meet once again in A Block, along with last year’s finals of Kenny Omega and Tetsuya Naito as part of B Block, but the big story is that the Golden Lovers of Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi are both in B Block and will meet for the first time in New Japan during the tournament.
A Block
Kazuchika Okada
Hiroshi Tanahashi
IWGP US Champion “Switchblade” Jay White (first G-1)
Minoru Suzuki
EVIL
Bad Luck Fale
Hangman Page (first G-1)
Togi Makabe
Michael Elgin
YOSHI-HASHIB Block
IWGP Champion Kenny Omega
Tetsuya Naito
Kota Ibushi
SANADA
NEVER Champion Hirooki Goto (Goto defeated Elgin on Sunday to regain the title)
Tomohiro Ishii
Zack Sabre Jr.
Tama Tonga
Juice Robinson
Toru Yano
The top matches for each day of the tournament will be announced on Tuesday. All 19 shows of the tournament will feature English commentary on New Japan World by Kevin Kelly.