Sabre Jr. wants to defend the World Title in England.
For the first time in his career, Zack Sabre Jr. won NJPW’s G1 Climax tournament. He emerged victorious from the 2024 tourney and is guaranteed a shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
NJPW1972.com ran a written version of their sit-down chat with Sabre Jr. He expressed his thought that even if Kazuchika Okada and Will Ospreay stayed with NJPW, he’d still be in the position he’s currently in.
Even if they were still here, this would be an essential time for me to reach the top. Yeah, especially without them here, my responsibility was to reach the top, and if I couldn’t reach the top without (Kazuchika) Okada or (Will) Ospreay there then when could I? But if those wrestlers were here, I would still be the G1 winner and I would still be striving for all those goals. Them not being there is more beneficial for the younger generation than it is for me. I would still be in this position if they hadn’t left, but with the gap those wrestlers have created, there’s more space and more opportunities for everyone. I’m going to be at the top, but I won’t want to be at the top by myself.
Instead of waiting until Wrestle Kingdom 19 in 2025 to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title, Sabre Jr. is getting his opportunity in October at King of Pro Wrestling.
One of his talking points to back that decision is on top of wanting his first defense to take place at Royal Quest in England the following weekend, he thinks the G1 winner waiting until January to get their title match creates a lull period during the fall season. Sabre Jr. said that’s not exciting for the fans.
There’s a couple of reasons (why I want my IWGP World Title match before Wrestle Kingdom 19). I’ve challenged for the top title in Ryogoku twice before against (Kazuchika) Okada and failed. I love the environment there, and after I won the G1 there, it makes sense to win the title in the same arena. Of course my goal is to main event Wrestle Kingdom, but the goal is not just to be in that position but to truly be at the top. The best way to prove that I am at the top of New Japan Pro-Wrestling isn’t to be the challenger at the Tokyo Dome but the champion. To retain the championship at Wrestle Kingdom means more than to win it there. And speaking as a fan, I get that the most important tournament winner should get the most important spot at Wrestle Kingdom, but I think that structure has meant that the autumn has been at a standing position recently, and it isn’t exciting for the fans. Then for me, selfishly, I didn’t want to wait. I’ve waited 20 years to be in that spot and I didn’t want to wait anymore.
On the lead-up to him challenging for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title, Sabre Jr. appeared at AEW All In at Wembley Stadium and competed in the Casino Gauntlet match.
