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NEW JAPAN ANNOUNCES G1 CLIMAX PLANS FOR THE FALL, SUWAMA, BIG JAPAN IN HOKKAIDO AND MORE FROM JAPAN

New Japan Pro Wrestling

New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced the full schedule for this year’s G1 Climax tournament.

The full schedule is:

• September 18 in EDION Arena Osaka
• September 19 in EDION Arena Osaka
• September 23 in Ota Ward General Gymnasium
• September 24 in Ota Ward General Gymnasium
• Septemebr 26 in Kobe World Kinen Hall
• September 29 in Korakuen Hall
• September 30 in Korakuen Hall
• October 1 in Hamamatsu Arena
• October 3 in Dolphins Arena
• October 4 in Korakuen Hall
• October 7 in Hiroshima Sun Plaza Hall
• October 8 in Kobe
• October 9 in EDION Arena Osaka
• October 12 in Xebio Arena Sendai
• October 13 in Xebio Arena Senidai
• October 14 in Yamagata
• October 18 in Yokohama Budokan
• October 20 in Nippon Budokan
• October 21 in Nippon Budokan

With 19 shows announced, one could hypothesize there will be two blocks of 10 competitors. Last year’s tournament had the same amount of shows, each show having five block matches and an opening match between two young lions.

Bushiroad founder Takaaki Kidani has confirmed all company employees, including New Japan wrestlers, received their first COVID-19 vaccine today.

New Japan has uploaded a new interview with Dick Togo. Topics discussed include how he became EVIL’s pareja, nearly dying in Vietnam and if he wants to compete in this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament.

The interview can be read here.

Jon Moxley will attempt his fifth defense of the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship against Karl Anderson on All Elite Wrestling’s Dynamite show next Wednesday, it was announced during last night’s show.

Dragon Gate

Dragon Gate has announced the full cards for its Hopeful Gate 2021 tour shows on July 10 in Fujisan Messe and July 11 in KBS Hall.

The full cards are:

July 10 in Fujisan Messe
• Genki Horiguchi, Susumu Yokosuka and U-T vs. Ho Ho Lun, Keisuke Okuda and Yasushi Kanda
• BxB Hulk and Dia Inferno vs. Dragon Dia and La Estrella
• Eita and KAZMA SAKAMOTO vs. Naruki Doi and Ryo Saito
• Funky Jacky Kamei, King Shimizu and Kzy vs. Jason Lee, Kota Minoura and Shun Skywalker
• Ben-K, Dragon Kid, Kagetora and YAMATO vs. Diamante, KAI, Kaito Ishida and SB KENTo

July 11 in KBS Hall
• BxB Hulk, Eita and H.Y.O vs, Funky Jacky Kamei, King Shimizu and Kzy
• Takashi Yoshida vs. U-T
• Kaito Ishida and KAZMA SAKAMOTO vs. Ryo Saito and Yosuke Santa Maria
• Dia Inferno, Diamante, KAI and SB KENTo vs. Dragon Dia, Jason Lee, La Estrella and Shun Skywalker
• Genki Horiguchi and Susumu Yokosuka vs. Kagetora and Keisuke Okuda
• Ben-K, Dragon Kid, YAMATO and Yasushi Kanda vs. Don Fujii, Kota Minoura, Masato Yoshino and Naruki Doi

Dragon Gate will hold its fourth Hopeful Gate 2021 tour show tomorrow in Korakuen Hall.

The full card is:

• Ho Ho Lun and Punch Tominaga vs. Problem Dragon and Takashi Yoshida
• BxB Hulk, Kaito Ishida and KAZMA SAKAMOTO vs. Funky Jacky Kamei, King Shimizu, U-T
• “brother” YASSHI, Ben-K, Dragon Kid, Kagetora and Keisuke Okuda vs. Don Fujii, Gamma, Kenichiro Arai, Ryo Saito and Yasushi Kanda
• Kota Minoura vs. Masaaki Mochizuki
• Dia Inferno, Diamante, Eita and SB KENTo vs. Dragon Dia, Jason Lee, La Estrella and Shun Skywalker
• Genki Horiguchi, Kzy and Susumu Yokosuka vs. Masato Yoshino, Naruki Doi and Shachihoko Boy
• No Rope Lumberjack match: KAI vs. YAMATO

All Japan Pro Wrestling

Ahead of his in-ring return, All Japan Pro Wrestling’s SUWAMA spoke to Tokyo Sports about his experience with COVID-19.

SUWAMA, who has asthma, experienced regular coughing, a 37-degree fever, fatigue and pain in his joints among various symptoms. He was bedridden for three weeks.

He is scheduled to team with Dan Tamura and Shotaro Ashino against Hokuto Omori, Jake Lee and Yusuke Kodama in his return at All Japan’s show on July 11 in Osaka.

Before testing positive for COVID-19 last month, SUWAMA was scheduled to attempt his eighth defense of the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship against Lee at All Japan’s show on June 26 in Ota Ward Gymnasium. Instead, the title was vacated and Lee defeated Kento Miyahara and Yuma Aoyagi to become the new champion.

An article from Tokyo Sports covering the news can be read here.

Big Japan Pro Wrestling

Big Japan Pro Wrestling will begin its Hokkaido tour tomorrow.

The full card is:

• Kazumasa Yoshida and Kosuke Sato vs. Keiki Suzuki and Yuki Ishikawa
• Jaki Numazawa and Yuichi Taniguchi vs. Kazumi Kikuta and Masaki Morihiro
• Akira Hyodo and Kankuro Hoshino vs. Brahman Kei and Brahman Shu
• Drew Parker and Yuko Miyamoto vs. Kota Sekifuda and Noriyuki Yoshida
• Takuho Kato and Yasufumi Nakanoue vs. Takuya Nomura and Yuya Aoki
• Abdullah Kobayashi, Ryuji Ito and Yuji Okabayashi vs. Daichi Hashimoto, Hideyoshi Kamitani and Kazuki Hashimoto

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