Every year since 1991, New Japan Pro Wrestling has held the G1 Climax. The 2019 edition of the tournament, on paper, has the chance to be the best of them all.
That's because the tournament features 20 of the best wrestlers in the world, competing in two separate blocks (A and B) starting on Saturday, July 6 for the first time in the United States at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. It culminates on Monday, Aug. 12 in Tokyo.
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Ten wrestlers will be in block, facing off against each other in a point-based system. A win earns you two points, a time limit-draw nets a point for each wrestler and a loss earns zero points. Whoever has the most points in their respective blocks at the end of the round-robin portion of the tournament will battle in the G1 Climax finals.
That winner will get a crack at whoever the IWGP heavyweight champion is in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 14 on Jan. 4, 2020 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo. If current heavyweight titleholder Kazuchika Okada comes out the winner, he will pick his opponent.
Some notable names in the tournament include Okada, 2018 winner Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, IWGP junior heavyweight champion Will Ospreay, former IWGP heavyweight champions Tetsuya Naito and Jay White and two newcomers to the field: former Jon Moxley (Dean Ambrose) and KENTA (Hideo Itami).
The G1 Climax is known to provide some of the best matches of the calendar year. Here is everything you need to know about New Japan Pro Wrestling's G1 Climax 29.
(All times are Eastern)
New Japan Pro Wrestling's G1 Climax 29 dates
New Japan Pro Wrestling's G1 Climax takes place from July 6 — Aug. 12.
How to watch NJPW G1 Climax 29
NJPW G1 Climax 29 will be available on the New Japan World streaming service (subscription required) and the opening night on July 6 airs live on AXS TV.
MORE: Kazuchika Okada takes back New Japan top spot
NJPW G1 Climax 29 top matches, locations
FINALS — Monday, Aug. 12 — Nippon Budokan in Tokyo
Kota Ibushi (A Block winner) vs. Jay White (B Block winner)
NJPW G1 Climax 29 Standings
| A Block | Points | B Block | Points |
| Kota Ibushi * (Won tiebreaker over Okada in head-to-head) | 14 | Jay White | 12 |
| Kazuchika Okada | 14 | Jon Moxley | 10 |
| SANADA | 8 | Tetsuya Naito | 10 |
| KENTA | 8 | Hirooki Goto | 10 |
| Hiroshi Tanahashi | 8 | Toru Yano | 8 |
| EVIL | 8 | Tomorhiro Ishii | 8 |
| Will Ospreay | 8 | Juice Robinson | 8 |
| Bad Luck Fale | 8 | Taichi | 8 |
| Zach Sabre Jr. | 8 | Jeff Cobb | 8 |
| Lance Archer | 6 | Shingo Takagi | 8 |
