NJPW star withdraws from G1 Climax due to injury

One of NJPW’s top wrestlers has been forced to withdraw from the G1 Climax due to injury.

Gabe Kidd’s tournament run began on July 19 with a loss to Konosuke Takeshita on the opening night. Since then, Kidd has had to forfeit his scheduled B Block matches with a right knee injury preventing him from competing. It’s now been officially confirmed that Kidd is out of the remainder of the G1. He shared the news with fans during an appearance at Friday’s NJPW show in Tokyo.

“I was really hopeful that I could come back and power through this and continue in this G1 Climax, but I’ve spoke to the doctors and there is no way I can be cleared, so I have no other choice [but] to withdraw from the G1 Climax,” Kidd announced. “And this is sh*t, man. It really f*cking sucks. It’s been a mental battle these past few days since I found out this information.”

Further details about the injury and when Kidd will be able to return have not been provided. Kidd promised that, when he is able to come back, he will be the best version of himself fans have ever seen.

“A positive note is that I’ve received hundreds of messages from these people — the fans — and they’ve said they want me to rest and come back stronger,” he said. “And I can only promise you one thing, is that when I am back fighting on this blue mat that it is going to be the best version of Gabe Kidd that you’ve ever f*cking seen.”

NJPW also has not announced if Kidd will be vacating the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. He won the title from Yota Tsuji in June and made his first defense against Hiroshi Tanahashi earlier this month.