6 Junior Heavyweights Who Competed In The G1 Climax

2. Prince Devitt (Finn Balor)

When it comes to New Japan Jr Heavyweights who blurred the lines between the divisions, Prince Devitt is at the top of the list.

In particular, Devitt started his Heavyweight experience back in 2010 after replacing the legend Naomichi Marufuji in the tournament.

During his debut tournament, Devitt was against some of the best wrestlers in New Japan. He came out with a very impressive eight points, along with Togi Makabe, Manabu Nakanishi and Toru Yano.

In 2013, he entered the tournament again as the IWGP Jr Heavyweight champion and the leader of the newest faction, Bullet Club.

He picked up huge wins against Tomohiro Ishii, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Satoshi Kojima, Kazuchika Okada, and many more during the tournaments.

Although it might not have set the trend in the company, his appearances in the G1 had an impact on his career.

After moving to WWE, Prince Devitt became the fully-fledged Heavyweight Finn Balor. He achieved colossal success combining his New Japan style with a more mainstream heavyweight offense.

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1. Jushin Thunder Liger

When it comes to junior heavyweights, there is no denying that Jushin Thunder Liger is one of the best.

He was also one of the first juniors to ever take part in the G1 Climax.

Although he only picked up one win in the tournament in 2000, it was a historic moment. It also wasn’t a unique experience.

After his first tournament, Liger then went on to compete in a further two tournaments.

In 2001, Liger improved with one win against Satoshi Kojima and drew against Osamu Nishimura.

Although his final tournament in 2006 saw him back to just one win against Manabu Nakanishi, each of these wins were still wins against some of the best in the company at the time.

Jushin Thunder Liger has traveled the world, competing against some of the best in the world regardless of weight class.

As one of the pioneers of junior wrestling, Liger also broke down some of the barriers between divisions.

He also continued to ensure that he showcased junior pride and represented the division to its fullest.

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

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