Zack Sabre Jr. says being the champion in NJPW means you're at the highest level.
Zack Sabre Jr has had his sights set on winning the NJPW G1 Climax and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship for a long time. In 2024, he finally won the tournament, so he has earned a shot at the gold. In doing so, he will have the opportunity to complete his ascension.
In an interview with NJPW's website, Sabre Jr. was asked to comment on how important the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship is to him.
"This current championship is somewhat new, but the letters IWGP carry the same lineage as all the top champions of the past. To me, it’s the most important championship in the world; we might not be the biggest promotion in the world, but we are at the top of the world when it comes to quality, when it comes to being a true pro-wrestling company and when it comes to in-ring focus. Being the champion here makes you the highest level in the world as a professional wrestler, and that’s where I’ll be in October. The summer of Sabre isn’t over," Sabre Jr. said.
Sabre Jr. also discussed his victory in the G1 Climax and noted that he had come close before, but 2024 seemed like the best time to win, as he was more ready to reach his goals than ever before. He stated that he felt like everything was happening at the right time.
"Every time I entered the G1 I thought I was capable of winning, and apart from one year where I did have a losing record, I’ve always had the potential to get through. Last year I made it to the quarterfinals, for example. But I thought everything leading up to this made it seem that this was the best time to win. In wrestling, waiting isn’t always a bad thing. There’s a lot more I want to achieve beyond just the G1; before, I might have been ready to win the New Japan Cup, but I wasn’t ready to be IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Now I feel like everything is happening at the right time," Sabre Jr. said.
During the interview, Sabre Jr. stated that he thought he would still be in this position if Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada hadn't left NJPW. Check out his comments here.
Sabre Jr. is set to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at NJPW King of Pro-Wrestling. More information is available here.
