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Konosuke Takeshita Wins G1 Climax 35, Defeats EVIL In Tournament Final

AEW/NJPW/DDT star Konosuke Takeshita defeated EVIL to win G1 Climax 35, earning an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship opportunity.
Lyric Swinton|
Konosuke Takeshita is the winner of G1 Climax 35.
Konosuke Takeshita is the winner of G1 Climax 35. | New Japan Pro-Wrestling

The Alpha can now call himself a G1 Climax winner.

On the final night of G1 Climax 35, Konosuke Takeshita defeated EVIL in a 26-minute Ariake Arena main event. The match was a non-traditional G1 final to say the least, quickly descending into the madness that has come to be associated with the matches of House of Torture, NJPW's top heel faction led by EVIL.

Takeshita and his ally from the Don Callis Family, Rocky Romero, were able to fend off the interference from House of Torture member with a surprise hand from IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr.

Once the match returned to being a one-on-one affair, it was an intense battle of wills with both men eager to etch their name into the G1 Climax's esteemed history. The crowd in Ariake Arena was split during several moments of the match, but ultimately it was chants for EVIL that were most dominant.

Despite EVIL's regular hijinks, because of his status as a full-time member of the NJPW roster, he entered the match as the crowd favorite as opposed to Takeshita, who is a part-timer splitting his time between AEW, NJPW, and DDT.

Even with the odds stacked against him, including a very vulnerable knee that was repeatedly attacked during the match, the Alpha secured victory with a Raging Fire to win G1 Climax 35. The three-contract supernova now sits atop the wrestling world after winning its most prestigious tournament.

When addressing the crowd after the match, Takeshita told NJPW fans "I'll show you a sight you've never seen before."

Konosuke Takeshita is the winner of G1 Climax 35.
Konosuke Takeshita is the winner of G1 Climax 35. | New Japan Pro-Wrestling

DDT Connections

Konosuke Takeshita is the third wrestler who began their career in DDT Wrestling and went on to win the G1 Climax tournament in NJPW. The other two were Kenny Omega (2016) and Kota Ibushi (2019/2020).

At today's DDT show in Osaka, it was announced to the crowd that former five-time KO-D Openweight Champion Takeshita had won the G1 Climax tournament, and the audience erupted in cheers.

What's Next?

Typically, the winner of the G1 Climax will go on to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom in the Tokyo Dome on January 4. But much like Zack Sabre Jr. did last year after winning the G1 Climax, Konosuke Takeshita has elected to use his guaranteed world title match at an earlier date.

Sabre used his shot last year at October's King of Pro Wrestling in Ryōgoku Kokugikan, so it wouldn't be out of the question for Takeshita to do the same.

A more immediate question is what will Konosuke Takeshita be doing at Forbidden Door London on August 24? The Don Callis Family is stronger than they've ever been with Takeshita as the winner of G1 Climax 35, Kazuchika Okada as AEW Unified Champion, and Kyle Fletcher as TNT Champion. His stablemates already have matches lined up for the show, but due to being occupied with the G1, Takeshita doesn't yet have a match announced.

Viewed as an outsider by many in the NJPW locker room, Konosuke Takeshita winning the G1 Climax has surely ruffled more than a few feathers. Will any of New Japan's stars lay down a challenge to the Alpha for the O2 Arena to seek revenge?

G1 Climax 35 Night 19 Results [8/17/2025]

Final

Konosuke Takeshita (B Block #3) def. EVIL (A Block #1)

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Published
Lyric Swinton
LYRIC SWINTON

Lyric Swinton is a proud graduate of the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor’s in Sport & Entertainment Management. Her lifelong passion for wrestling has taken her around the world, primarily writing about alternative and international promotions for several major wrestling and media outlets, such as Pro Wrestling Illustrated Magazine, Blavity, Fightful, and more. She has covered wrestling for seven major promotions in some of the most famous venues in the world, including Wembley Stadium and the Tokyo Dome.

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