The NJPW G1 Climax 35 tournament has suffered its first major injury setback as Gabe Kidd has been forced to forfeit a block match due to a hyper-extended knee sustained during the opening weekend of the competition.
On Night 2 of G1 action, Kidd appeared before the crowd on crutches and delivered an impassioned promo, announcing that he would not be competing against Zack Sabre Jr. as originally scheduled. While the forfeit is a significant blow in the tightly-contested round-robin tournament format, Kidd was adamant that he is not withdrawing entirely and plans to continue in the competition as soon as he is medically cleared.
The knee injury appears to have occurred during Kiddโs hard-hitting opening-round match on July 19 against AEWโs Konosuke Takeshita. The loss was a grueling one, and it’s believed to have contributed directly to the injury. As a member of the Bullet Club War Dogs, Kidd has built a reputation for intensity and resilienceโtraits that will now be tested as he recovers mid-tournament.
Kiddโs injury comes on the heels of his surprise appearance at AEWโs All In: Texas event, where he aligned with members of the Blackpool Combat Club. While itโs unclear how the injury will impact his availability for future NJPW or AEW bookings, the timing is undoubtedly unfortunate for the rising star.
In the G1 Climax tournament, every point matters, and forfeiting a match places Kidd at a considerable disadvantage. However, his determination to fight through the pain has drawn praise from fans and peers alike.
่ชใใฎๅใงใชใณใฐใซไธใใๆฌ ๅ ดๅ ฑๅ
ๆฉใใใใชใใพใใใใซ
2025.7.20 ๅๆตทใใใใผใ#GABEKIDD#G1CLIMAX35 pic.twitter.com/U00cHtDAkc— middle (@middle_wr) July 20, 2025
PWMania will provide further updates as Kiddโs condition develops.
