9 Early Predictions For NJPW G1 Climax 2018

3. A Brand New Format

G1 Climax
NJPW

Wrestling fans absolutely love the G1 Climax, but it must be a devastatingly gruelling tour for the wrestlers themselves. Each and every year the injuries seem to pile up. The 2017 edition may have been the best yet, but there were multiple reports that suggested that all of NJPW's top stars were working hurt. With New Japan growing all the time, it may well the right moment to change things up a little.

Dave Meltzer suggested a revamped G1 Climax format for 2018, and this could well be the road the company decides to take. Meltzer's idea was to increase the field from 20 combatants to 24, but to split them over four blocks as opposed to two. This would result in the individuals wrestling fewer singles matches, giving them more time to recover and recuperate.

Whether New Japan takes Meltzer's idea remains to be seen, but a new format may well be the way forward for all involved. New Japan has seen some important stars get seriously injured in 2017 - worker safety needs to become more of a priority.

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Born in the middle of Wales in the middle of the 1980's, John can't quite remember when he started watching wrestling but he has a terrible feeling that Dino Bravo was involved. Now living in Prague, John spends most of his time trying to work out how Tomohiro Ishii still stands upright. His favourite wrestler of all time is Dean Malenko, but really it is Repo Man. He is the author of 'An Illustrated History of Slavic Misery', the best book about the Slavic people that you haven't yet read. You can get that and others from www.poshlostbooks.com.