Gabe Kidd Forced Out of NJPW G1 Climax Due to Injury

NJPW has taken a major hit in the G1 Climax tournament as IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Gabe Kidd has officially withdrawn due to a right knee injury.

Kidd kicked off his G1 campaign with a loss to Konosuke Takeshita on July 19. But fans noticed something was off when he began missing B Block matches. The injury was confirmed on Friday during NJPW’s show in Tokyo, where Kidd appeared live to break the news himself.

“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 said to the crowd. “And this is sht, man. It really fcking sucks. It’s been a mental battle these past few days since I found out this information.”

No additional medical details have been released, and NJPW has yet to confirm whether Kidd will be required to vacate the IWGP Global Heavyweight Title. He captured the belt from Yota Tsuji in June and made his first successful defense against Hiroshi Tanahashi just weeks ago. Kidd remains optimistic despite the setback, focusing on the support he’s received and his desire to come back even stronger.

“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 fcking seen.”*

This withdrawal leaves a noticeable void in the G1 Climax, and fans are now left wondering what’s next for Kidd’s title reign and when he’ll be cleared to return to action.

It’s a tough loss for NJPW and Gabe Kidd, but he’s not backing down. Do you think Kidd should be forced to vacate the title, or should he keep it until he’s cleared? Sound off in the comments.