Episode 113: The Ace for the Third Time

July 22, 2026

My third G1 victory came in 2018. My opponent was Kota Ibushi, and the final match was a brutal 35-minute war—the longest final in G1 history.

That year, I was diagnosed with osteoarthritis in my knees, and my right knee was completely battered. At the start of the year, I lost the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, and if I’m being honest, there was a palpable feeling in the air that "Tanahashi's era is over."

Physically, it was without a doubt the most grueling condition I had been in across all three of my G1 wins. Youth was gone... though I was certainly trying to act young (laughs).

My knees were screaming. Even so, wrestlers are creatures who want you to feel "anticipation for the future" rather than just dwelling on "past achievements."

My opponent in the finals—or rather, Kota Ibushi throughout that entire year—had the total package: spirit, technique, and physical condition. He looked like he was having so much fun wrestling.

Before the match started, it clearly felt like the majority of the fans were expecting "Ibushi's first G1 victory."

However, the moment Katsuyori Shibata appeared in my corner, the energy in the arena shifted in an instant.

In that situation, Ibushi might have felt like the rug was pulled out from under him. The momentum that had been at his back suddenly began blowing in my direction.

My knees were wrecked, but as long as you have a spirit that refuses to give up, you can still fight. That’s what I wanted to prove in 2018.

Looking back at my three G1 victories, even though my physical stamina declined year by year, every single time I somehow felt, "This is the happiest victory of my life."

Now then, who will weave what kind of story in this year’s G1 CLIMAX 36? I can't wait to see it!