Veteran NJPW star Hirooki Goto will not compete in this year’s G1 Climax 35, as the company officially announced his withdrawal on Friday evening due to injury.

Goto sustained an elbow injury during his match against Zack Sabre Jr. at Tanahashi Jam on June 29, a bout where he alost the IWGP World Championship. While he missed the July 4 New Japan Soul event, the hope was that he could recover in time for the G1 tournament. However, after a full medical evaluation, NJPW confirmed that Goto will be sidelined with no current timetable for return.

“After medical evaluation through the week, it has been determined that Hirooki Goto… will be unable to compete in the G1 Climax 35 tournament, and currently has no set date for a return,” NJPW said in an official statement on their website. “We apologise to fans looking forward to seeing Goto wrestle, and appreciate your understanding.”

Replacement Match Scheduled for July 6

With Goto out of the tournament, NJPW has announced a Last Chance Play-In Gauntlet Match to determine who will replace him in A Block of the G1. Set to take place at Korakuen Hall on July 6, the match will feature:

• Tomohiro Ishii
• Taichi
• Satoshi Kojima
• Chase Owens

The winner of the gauntlet will earn the final slot in the G1 Climax 35 field, stepping into a stacked A Block lineup.

Goto’s injury marks a disappointing setback in what has been a competitive year for the decorated NJPW star. The match at Tanahashi Jam was the third bout between him and Zack Sabre Jr. this year, further intensifying their rivalry. Though he lost the IWGP World Championship in that match, many fans were hopeful Goto would use the G1 as a path to redemption and potential title contention once again.

The G1 Climax 35 tournament kicks off on July 19 and runs through August 17, featuring top-tier NJPW talent in a round-robin format with major implications for the future IWGP World title picture.

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