Tony Khan has suggested that members of his roster participating in NJPW tournaments is worrying due to the risk of injury.
The G1 Climax is the highlight of many fans’ wrestling calendars each year. This year’s iteration of the tournament will begin on July 15 and feature 32 competitors in four blocks, one of which is AEW’s Eddie Kingston.
In the past, Tony Khan has permitted Jon Moxley’s inclusion in the G1 and just last year Wheeler Yuta was involved in the Best of the Super Juniors. Speaking with, Pacific Rim on F4W the AEW boss has discussed sending his talent to Japan for such events.
“We participate in the G1, we’ve sent people in the past, and now Eddie Kingston being a part of the G1 and Wheeler Yuta competing in the (Best of) Super Juniors last year, it gives us great opportunities to have top stars we believe in represent AEW in Japan.”
-Tony Khan
Due to the relationship between the two companies, it’s unsurprising that an AEW talent has been included in the lineup, though, some were hoping that Tony Khan would send multiple entrants to compete in the round robin spectacle.
To expand on this, Khan has admitted that he is often worried about his performers competing in these tournaments because of injury, though, he was quick to express how happy he was that Eddie Kingston is going to feature in the G1 as it is one of his dreams.
“Absolutely I am [worried] but at the same time for Eddie Kingston going to the G1 is a lifelong dream for him and it’s something that he has wanted to do since he was very young and it’s something I want to make possible for him. Eddie’s a long-time fan of puroresu also and I believe that it means so much to him, it’s worth it taking that kind of a risk even though he’s coming back from a major injury and he’s been out. For him to go back and risk re-injury, losing more time it’s terrible but the upside that he can go over, fulfill his dream, and compete in the G1, hopefully, he does very well, and he could maybe even win the G1, that would be incredible, and I know that Eddie Kingston has it in him to go over there and represent AEW very well night in, night out, that’s the kind of competitor he is and I also know how much he loves puroresu and I know how much this means to him.”
-Tony Khan
For this year’s tournament, Eddie Kingston finds himself in block C, where fans are excited to watch him get in the ring with stars such as Shingo Takagi, Tomohiro Ishii and Aaron Henare.
As always, we’ll aim to provide any updates on AEW talent working on NJPW shows as we hear more.
H/T to TJ Wrestling for the transcription.
