Wrestle-1 Grand Prix

The Wrestle-1 Grand Prix is an annual professional wrestling tournament run by the Wrestle-1 promotion to determine the top wrestler in the promotion, typically contested in the summer normally in June to July or August. The tournament was inaugurated in 2015.

The tournament takes its name from a similar tournament done by the Wrestle-1 joint venture cards in 2005; however that tournament never finished, as the promotion broke up in October 2 of that year, before the semifinals could take place. The winner of the tournament gets a shot for the Wrestle-1 Championship.

History
On July 13, 2015 Wrestle-1 announced the first "Wrestle-1 Grand Prix", a single-elimination tournament featuring 21 participants and taking place between August 2 and 30. The tournament was billed as the Wrestle-1 equivalent of New Japan Pro Wrestling's G1 Climax. The tournament takes its name from a similar tournament done by the Wrestle-1 joint venture cards in 2005; however that tournament never finished, as the promotion broke up in October 2 of that year, before the semifinals could take place. The participants announced for the tournament were Kazma Sakamoto, Akira, Kaz Hayashi, Jay Freddie, Mazada, Hiroki Murase, Minoru Tanaka, Andy Wu, the Wrestle-1 Champion KAI, Jiro Kuroshio, Yasufumi Nakanoue, Koji Doi, Masayuki Kono, Ryota Hama, Kumagoro, Nosawa Rongai, Manabu Soya, Shuji Kondo, Tajiri and Shotaro Ashino. The winner of the tournament Manabu Soya recieved a shot for the Wrestle-1 Championship against the reinning champion KAI. On September 21, Soya defeated KAI to win the Wrestle-1 Championship. On May 16, 2016 Wrestle-1 announced the second "Wrestle-1 Grand Prix" this time featuring 16 participants and taking place between June 16 to July 1. The participants announced for the tournament were Manabu Soya, Kazma Sakamoto, Hiroki Murase, Daiki Inaba, Jiro Kuroshio, Koji Doi, Kotaro Suzuki, Akira, Yuji Hino, Ryota Hama, Yasufumi Nakanoue, Kumagoro, Kaz Hayashi, Minoru Tanaka, Masayuki Kono and Seiki Yoshioka. Manabu Soya was the winner of the tournament winning the Wrestle-1 Grand Prix twice. Soya was supposed to be against KAI for the the Wrestle-1 Championship again at the Pro Wrestling Love in Yokohama but he was sidelined with a shoulder injury. Daiki Inaba faced Shuji Kondo in a 1º contendership match to the Wrestle-1 Championship and to face KAI in Pro Wrestling Love in Yokohama. Inaba defeated Kondo to become the 1º contender and to face KAI in Pro Wrestling Love in Yokohama. Inaba went on to defeat KAI at the Pro Wrestling Love in Yokohama to become the new Wrestle-1 Champion.

2015
The 2015 Wrestle-1 Grand Prix, was held from held from August 2 to August 30.The tournament featured 21-man single-elimination tournament The first two rounds were held on individual nights, with round one and The winner of the tournament get a shot for the Wrestle-1 Championship.

2016
The 2016 Wrestle-1 Grand Prix is scheduled to take place between June 15 and July 1. The winner of the Manabu Soya didn't recieved his shot for the Wrestle-1 Championship due to being sidelined with a shoulder injury.