6 Junior Heavyweights Who Competed In The G1 Climax

4. Minoru Tanaka

Like Jushin Thunder Liger, Minoru Tanaka was one of the junior heavyweights invited to participate in the 2001 G1 Climax.

Since debuting in New Japan in 1999, Minoru Tanaka had dominated the junior division, winning both the IWGP tag and singles titles. It was his chance to wrestle heavyweights in a setting outside of tag matches.

During that year, the tournament was full of huge names, and it was unfortunate that he only picked up one win amongst his block of six.

Although he picked up losses against men like Manabu Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata, and Tatsumi Fujinami, he put up intense fights.

Yet his win against Kazunari Murakami was enough to make an impact and showcase that he deserved a place in the G1 Climax.

Although not achieving as many points as other juniors since him, he definitely made a statement. He continued a successful career across Japan and showcased his talent as one of the most diverse wrestlers.

Tanaka showed that, despite his size, he could easily stand up against men much bigger than him.

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3. Will Ospreay

Back in 2019, it seemed like Will Ospreay had it all. Ospreay had previously defeated Dragon Lee at Dominion to become IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion for the third time and was even awarded five stars by Dave Meltzer.

Yet, despite beating some of the best wrestlers in the world, it wasn’t enough. In 2019, Ospreay entered himself in the G1 Climax 29.

Some fans saw Ospreay at a disadvantage because of his size. Others saw his strengths and experience fighting men much bigger than him.

Ospreay lost to the likes of Zack Sabre Jr, EVIL, Kota Ibushi, and CHAOS leader Okada, however he had huge victories as well.

Despite his size, Ospreay managed to beat bigger men like Bad Luck Fale. More importantly, he defeated veterans SANADA and Hiroshi Tanahashi in quality matches.

In the end, Ospreay finished with a very respectable 8 points. He matched the total of G1 veterans across the tournament, including Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Zack Sabre Jr, and SANADA.

It also gave him a lot of experience wrestling a different style and adapting to opponents he usually only saw in tag matches. For many, it was a vital part of his journey to becoming a heavyweight.

• new japan pro wrestling
• kota ibushi
• G1 Climax
• Will Ospreay

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