NJPW's Chicago ticket struggle highlights a cooling US market
Hoffman Estates, Illinois is a long way from Korakuen Hall, both geographically and culturally. This Saturday, July 11, the NOW Arena hosts the opening night of the G1 Climax 36. It is a bold move to start New Japan's premier round-robin tournament on American soil.
Yet, the advance figures suggest the promotion is running into a hard ceiling. Without a marquee name like Kazuchika Okada or Will Ospreay on the full-time roster, the casual American audience is staying home.
According to the latest WrestleTix data, NJPW has only distributed 3,363 tickets for the Chicago debut. This is a significant drop compared to the 4,520 tickets distributed for Windy City Riot at the Wintrust Arena in April 2025. At a cheapest entry price of $65.65, fans are showing resistance to paying premium rates for a compromised card.
The Gabe Kidd visa mess leaves NJPW's booking in tatters
The promotional headache is compounded by a self-inflicted wound. On Monday, July 6, Gabe Kidd defeated Shota Umino at Korakuen Hall to capture the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. The match was a violent, chaotic spectacle.
Kidd attacked the referee before the bell, bloodied Umino in a pre-match brawl, and spat on NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi. He won with a Death Rider after faking an injury, followed by a piledriver on the floor in front of a stunned Tanahashi. He then delivered another piledriver in the ring to seal the victory.
Kidd's post-match actions were even more disrespectful. He threw the newly won championship belt around the ring, slapped Tanahashi across the face, and left without the title. It was a star-making performance designed to establish Kidd as the most dangerous force in the company.
As the Wrestling Observer reported, Kidd's AEW contract should make him a prime attraction for US fans. However, Kidd is currently sidelined from US bookings due to ongoing visa issues. The champion of the Global title cannot cross the border to defend it or even wrestle on the opening night in Chicago.
Kidd does not have a match on the first night in Chicago. His first tournament match will be on July 18 when the tour resumes in Japan against his Bullet Club War Dogs stablemate Drilla Moloney. This leaves NJPW in a bizarre position.
Their hottest heel is stuck in Japan while the American fans are left with a card missing its main catalyst. Umino’s title reign was cut short after just 22 days, with his only successful defense being against PAC. Now, Umino heads to Chicago physically compromised, sporting a kayfabe neck injury, and facing a brutal tournament schedule.
Analyzing the key Night 1 matchups in Hoffman Estates
The Battle for A Block Supremacy
In A Block, the stand-out match is Konosuke Takeshita vs. Yota Tsuji. Tsuji enters the tournament as the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion, meaning he is the target for the entire field. Takeshita is NJPW's ultimate outsider threat, representing AEW and Don Callis's faction.
The dynamic here is power versus raw athleticism. Takeshita's forearm strikes and German suplexes will test Tsuji's championship resolve. Takeshita needs a victory here to establish himself as the tournament favorite, and his superior conditioning should give him the edge.
We also see Shingo Takagi facing Jake Lee in an A Block encounter. Lee's slow, methodical style contrasts with Takagi's high-octane offense. Lee will attempt to slow the pace to a crawl, using his reach and big boots to keep Takagi at bay.
Takagi's path to victory lies in close-quarters combat, using his lariat to disrupt Lee's spacing. This could be the sleeper match of the night if Lee is willing to work at Takagi's pace.
In A Block, the clash between Oleg Boltin and Ryohei Oiwa is a pure showcase of young power. Boltin is a human tank, possessing amateur wrestling credentials that make him nearly impossible to take down. Oiwa, fresh off qualifying by beating El Phantasmo, is the technical underdog.
Oiwa's path to victory involves targetting Boltin's legs to cut down the giant's base. However, Boltin's raw strength and devastating suplexes will likely prove too much for the sophomore G1 competitor.
The B Block Collision Course
The main event in Chicago features B Block's Shota Umino taking on Zack Sabre Jr. Under normal circumstances, this would be a classic clash of styles. Umino is the fiery babyface archetype, while Sabre is the premier submission specialist.
But the narrative has shifted completely. Sabre will systematically dissect Umino's injured neck. Expect Sabre to secure a submission victory using a variation of the neck-cranking Orienteering with Napalm Death.
The B Block clash between Ren Narita and OSKAR carries significant narrative weight. OSKAR qualified for his first G1 Climax by defeating Yujiro Takahashi, but only after Yuto-Ice neutralized the House of Torture's interference. On Saturday, OSKAR goes in alone against Narita, the chief instigator of that same faction.
With Yuto-Ice placed in A Block, OSKAR lacks his usual protection. Narita will undoubtedly look to exploit this tactical gap, using his push-up bar and referee distractions to secure a cheap two points. OSKAR's giant frame gives him a physical advantage, but Narita's mastery of the dark arts makes this an uphill battle.
B Block also features a speed-versus-technical battle between Yuya Uemura and Callum Newman. Newman, the British sensation from United Empire, relies on his unmatched quickness and aerial offense to blitz opponents. Uemura, however, is a master of leverage and classic suplexes.
If Uemura can capture Newman mid-air or cut off the ring, he can ground the flyer and work his way toward a Kanuki suplex. This match will be won or lost in the opening five minutes; if Newman fails to establish his pace early, Uemura's ground-and-pound style will wear him down.
Wembley and the broader AEW-NJPW cooling trend
The ticket sales drop in Chicago is mirrored across the Atlantic. AEW's ticket push for Wembley Stadium, which currently stands at 26,915 tickets distributed, is a far cry from the 53,922 tickets they distributed in 2024. Fans are becoming selective.
The booking has relied on tournaments like the Owen Hart Cup, won by Will Ospreay and Mercedes Mone, to build matches rather than organic rivalries. Mercedes Mone is expected to face Thekla at Wembley, but Ospreay's challenger is undecided. It depends on this Wednesday's Beach Break match between MJF and Kenny Omega.
This lack of clear direction is hurting advance sales. Fans are hesitant to commit to stadium travel when the top matches remain a mystery. Furthermore, AEW's upcoming Redemption pay-per-view on July 26 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec is another crowded spot on the calendar.
With so many high-priced events stacked together, fans are forced to choose where to spend their money. AEW is also returning to the NOW Arena on Saturday, September 26 for All Out. This means the Hoffman Estates venue will host two major promotions in a three-month span.
The Chicago market is being oversaturated. NJPW's low numbers on Saturday are a warning sign for AEW's fall event. When promotions run the same market repeatedly with incomplete rosters, the audience eventually stays home.
G1 Climax Night 1 Prediction
Despite Umino's popularity, Zack Sabre Jr. will exploit the neck injury and win the B Block opener via submission. Takeshita will defeat Tsuji in A Block, setting up a dominant run for the AEW star. NJPW will put on a great show in the ring, but the half-empty arena will remain the big story of the night.
