Hikuleo is feeling ultra confident heading into the G1 Climax 33.
The 32-year-old star spoke about the annual tournament, which kicks off this Saturday, during a recent interview on the NJPW website. Hikuleo says that this is the true test of where wrestlers can prove themselves. He recalls supporting Tama Tonga in his first G1, adding that he didn’t fully understand its magnitude until he saw it himself in person.
A lot. I remember when Tama got that call to be in his first G1, I was there. I remember how excited he was, and then his work ethic toward the tournament itself. I didn’t truly understand it until I came to Japan myself and saw how guys would train so differently to the rest of the year. This is where you really prove yourself and show your stuff as a singles competitor.
Hikuleo confidently states later in the interview that he will be the name that everyone says after this year’s G1.
My name hasn’t been brought up in any of this conversation around the new generation around here. People already know my name, but they’ll be saying it a lot more once this tournament is done.
Competing alongside Hikuleo is some of NJPW’s biggest names, but it will also include AEW’s Eddie Kingston. Unfortunately for the Mad King, he’s been dealing with some travel delays and will now miss the G1 Climax press conference ahead of the tournament kicking off. You can read about that here.