Former IWGP World Champion Hirooki Goto Forced To Withdraw From 2025 NJPW G1 Climax

By Brie Coder
Hirooki Goto celebrates another successful title defense of his IWGP World Championship in Japan. Etsuo Hara/Getty Images

Ahead of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's annual summer blockbuster tournament, the company announced that former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Hirooki Goto will not be part of this year's G1 Climax 35. According to the announcement posted on X [formerly known as Twitter], Goto sustained an elbow injury at Tanahashi Jam on June 29, where, by referee stoppage, he lost his championship to Zack Sabre Jr. The statement by NJPW reads as follows: "After medical evaluation through the week, it has been determined that Hirooki Goto, who missed July 4's New Japan Soul card as a result of an elbow injury sustained at Tanahashi Jam on June 29, will be unable to compete in the G1 Climax 35 tournament, and currently has no set date for a return."

That said, Goto's withdraw leaves an opening for another star to take his place in this year's tournament. To determine who that challenger will be, NJPW announced there will be a Last Chance Play-In Gauntlet at Korakuen Hall on July 6, where Tomohiro Ishii, Taichi, Satoshi Kojima, and Chase Owens will compete in the match with the winner officially entering the tournament in the A block. This year's G1 Climax 35 tournament begins July 19 and will run through August 17.

It was a hero's journey that Goto ultimately conquered this past February after he won the IWGP World Heavyweight Title from Sabre Jr., the first world championship he's won in his career since joining the promotion in 2003. The "Aramusha" warrior held seven successful title defenses, including against Sabre Jr., (which ended in a double pin), Shingo Takagi, Callum Newman, David Finlay, Shota Umino, Yuji Nagata, and the "Ace of the Universe" Hiroshi Tanahashi, who is wrapping up his in-ring career.

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