Posted in: NJPW, Sports, TV | Tagged: NJPW G1 Climax, wrestling

G1 Climax Invades Chicago as NJPW 2026 Schedule Revealed

El Presidente reports live with hot wrestling gossip! NJPW's G1 Climax 36 opens in Chicago, plus Death Vegas Invitacional and the 2026 schedule so far revealed!

Greetings, comrades! It is I, your El Presidente, reporting to you live from my golden throne room where I am practicing my lariat technique on a CIA agent who tried to infiltrate my palace disguised as a pizza delivery man. But enough about my Tuesday evening activities! I have some absolutely electrifying news from New Japan Pro Wrestling that has me more excited than the time I convinced Kim Jong-un to let me book a battle royal in Pyongyang!

NJPW has just dropped their 2026 schedule like a Rainmaker on the wrestling world, and comrades, the headline is bigger than my collection of confiscated CIA surveillance equipment: G1 Climax 36 is coming to Chicago! That's right, the most prestigious tournament in all of professional wrestling will kick off on Saturday, July 11th at the NOW Arena in the Windy City!

Now, for those of you who may not be familiar with the G1 Climax, let me explain while I dodge this incoming drone strike. The G1 is the Super Bowl, World Cup, and Socialist Revolution of professional wrestling all rolled into one beautiful month-long package. It is where the best wrestlers in the world beat each other senseless in a round-robin tournament format, and the winner receives a contract for an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match at Wrestle Kingdom. It is capitalism at its most entertaining, comrades, which is the only kind of capitalism El Presidente endorses!

This marks only the SECOND time in history that the G1 has ventured outside of Japan, and the first time since 2019 when Dallas, Texas had the honor. I remember 2019 well – I was there, sharing a luxury suite with Fidel Castro's ghost, who kept complaining about the nachos being too expensive. But I digress!

The tournament will still conclude in its traditional home at Ryogoku Sumo Hall in Tokyo on August 15th and 16th, giving us the perfect blend of international expansion and Japanese tradition. It's like when I expanded my regime's propaganda department to include TikTok influencers while still maintaining our traditional newspaper censorship programs!

But wait, comrades! There is MORE! As if the wrestling gods themselves were showering blessings upon us (possibly to distract from the international sanctions), El Desperado is bringing his Invitacional series to Las Vegas on April 16th with Death Vegas Invitacional!

For those unfamiliar, El Desperado has been hosting these special events that showcase the junior heavyweight division in all its high-flying glory. After successful shows at Korakuen Hall in 2024 and 2025, he's taking the party to Sin City! The specific venue is still to be announced, but I'm already planning my trip. I once played poker with Muammar Gaddafi in Vegas, and let me tell you, that man could not bluff to save his life. Unlike me, who convinced the UN I definitely don't have any nuclear weapons. wink

The full 2026 schedule is absolutely LOADED with premium events, comrades:

• February 11: NEW BEGINNING IN OSAKA at EDION Arena
• February 27: NEW BEGINNING USA in Trenton, New Jersey at the CURE Arena (another American show!)
• March 6: NJPW's 54TH ANNIVERSARY at Ota General Gymnasium in Tokyo
• March 20-21: NEW JAPAN CUP 2026 SEMI FINAL & FINAL in Niigata
• April 4: SAKURA GENESIS 2026 at the legendary Ryogoku Sumo Hall
• April 25: WRESTLING REDZONE in Hiroshima
• May 3-4: WRESTLING DONTAKU 2026 in Fukuoka
• June 7: BEST OF THE SUPER JR. 33 FINAL at Ota General Gymnasium
• June 14: DOMINION at Osaka-Jo Hall

This schedule is more packed than my offshore bank accounts, comrades! And notice how NJPW is making a concerted effort to bring their product to American audiences with shows in Chicago and Trenton, in addition to the Vegas spectacular. This is the kind of international cooperation I can get behind – unlike the international cooperation that keeps trying to extradite me for "crimes against humanity" or whatever.

I am particularly excited about the G1 opening in Chicago because the NOW Arena is an excellent venue, and the Midwest American crowds are as passionate about their wrestling as they are about their deep-dish pizza and industrial labor unions. Solidarity forever, comrades!

The fact that NJPW is confidently expanding internationally shows the strength of their product and their fanbase. In an era where some wrestling companies are content to stay in their comfort zones, NJPW is boldly going where they have rarely gone before. It reminds me of the time I convinced Saddam Hussein to try sushi for the first time – sometimes you have to take risks and embrace new experiences, even if it means potential food poisoning or international incidents!

Ticket information has not been released yet, but rest assured, El Presidente will keep you informed faster than my secret police can shut down a dissenting blog! I recommend you set aside your funds now, comrades, because these tickets will sell faster than state-owned assets during my privatization schemes!

In conclusion, 2026 is shaping up to be an absolutely phenomenal year for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Between the G1 in Chicago, Death Vegas Invitacional, and a stacked schedule of traditional events, we are truly blessed. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to finish interrogating this CIA agent and then start planning my summer vacation around the G1 schedule.

¡Viva la revolución! ¡Viva New Japan Pro Wrestling! And remember, comrades – support your local wrestling promotion and overthrow your local oligarchy!

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