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Kazuchika Okada stands on the cusp of even more history in this year’s G1. Already a four time winner of the tournament, and having won the last two years in a row, Okada is looking to become the first ever to win three in a row, and should he do so, he would tie Masahiro Chono’s record of five G1 Climax victories. It’s incredible to think that at the mid 30s age where so many wrestlers reach their primes, Okada has already had an unprecedented career. Coming to represent the summer tournament in the same way that Chono did to be dubbed ‘Mr. August’ in his own heyday, Okada’s long entry in the history books is set to become even longer; that is unless the up and coming generation beneath him can put a stop to the rain.
After a crushing defeat to Kenny Omega at Wrestle Kingdom 17, Will Ospreay put himself on the clock, giving himself one year to get back to the top of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and get NJPW back to the top of the wrestling world. June 25 and his rematch with Omega in Toronto will be one key turning point in that campaign one way or the other, and G1 Climax 33 will be another. With a G1 win all but assuring a place in the Wrestle Kingdom main event, this certainly seems like the most direct path for Ospreay to reach his goal, and with he Assassin buoyed by being in the first G1 with cheering crowds since his debut year in 2019, he’ll be doubly motivated to blow the world away with his performances.
Okada continues to be the white whale for Ospreay. His one victory over the Rainmaker would come at the end of the group phase in 2020, a win that had the significant asterisk of Great-O-Khan’s involvement and the foundation of the Empire attached. Will formed the United Empire in a bid to escape from Okada’s shadow, but through Wrestle Kingdom headlining bouts and last year’s G1 final hasn’t been able to as of yet. Okada arguably stands as the single biggest obstacle to Will's stated goal of getting to the top in the wrestling world
