As previously reported, Zack Sabre Jr. is the winner of this year’s NJPW G1 Climax tournament, which guarantees him a shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight title. He will get that shot against either Tetsuya Naito or Great-O-Khan at King of Pro Wrestling in October. In a post show press conference following the event, ZSJ commented on his victory. Here are highlights:
On his G1 Climax win: “I’m still overwhelmed from the reaction from the fans not just from this weekend, but all through the G1. From people I met on the street to everyone I’ve met over the course of the series, everyone has the belief I was going to win the G1. I’ve spent most of my adult life in Japan, but I feel that this last month in particular was one where I made a connection with Japanese fans, and these two nights in Ryogoku was the best atmosphere I’ve ever had in my career.”
On leading NJPW: “If you have skill, the right mindset and dedication then opportunities will come when you’re properly prepared. I feel I’m overqualified now to lead New Japan into the future, and there’s no doubt in my mind I will be the next IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. It’s very clear how much I love Japan and New Japan and I’m ready to be the best in the world now.”
On Yota Tsuji: “There’s a reason why he was the first of his generation to win a New Japan Cup and come so close to the G1. He has achieved a lot in a short soace of time. There’s no shame in him losing, I think he overachieved, but it was always my G1 to win. I still represent a generational shift, with this being my first G1, so it’s my role and motivation to bring up the young generation with me. The future will be very strong.”
