Nagata wins G1 Climax

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling

New Japan Pro Wrestling's 11th annual G-1 Climax tournament concluded today as former WCW star Yuji Nagata defeated current Triple Crown Heavyweight champion Keiji Mutoh (AKA The Great Muta).

Yuji Nagata headlocks Keiji Mutoh during the finals of the 2001 G1 Climax. (Photo courtesy New Japan Pro Wrestling).

Before an announced crowd of 11,500 fans in the venerable Tokyo Sumo hall, Nagata forced Mutoh to submit to his signature Nagata Lock II move in 22:03.

Nagata finished in first place in Group A with seven points in the round-robin portion of the tournament with a record of 3-1-1.

Nagata advanced to the final after defeating New Japan booker Masa Chono in the semi-finals on Saturday at Sumo Hall while Mutoh beat Tadao Yasuda to go on to the championship.

This is the first time Nagata has won the G1 Climax, previously bowing out in the semi-finals the past two years. Mutoh won the tournament in 1995.

The G1 Climax is considered the most prestigious heavyweight tournament in Japanese wrestling and is one of the most important events on the New Japan calendar.

The finals of the G1 were broadcast live on Japanese network television.

New Japan G1 CLIMAX 2001 Final Standings

Block A	Yuji Nagata	Tadao Yasuda	Manabu Nakanishi	Kazunari Murakami	Tatsumi Fujinami	Minoru Tanaka	Total Points
Nagata		WON	LOST	DRAW	WON	WON	7
Yasuda	LOST		WON	LOST	WON	WON	6
Nakanishi	WON	LOST		LOST	WON	WON	6
Murakami	DRAW	WON	WON		LOST	LOST	5
Fujinami	LOST	LOST	LOST	WON		WON	4
Tanaka	LOST	LOST	LOST	WON	LOST		2

Block B	Keiji Mutoh	Masa Chono	Hiroyoshi Tenzan	Satoshi Kojima	Jushin Liger	Osamu Nishimura	Total Points
Mutoh		WON	WON	LOST	WON	WON	8
Chono	LOST		WON	LOST	WON	WON	6
Tenzan	LOST	LOST		WON	WON	WON	6
Kojima	WON	WON	LOST		LOST	LOST	4
Liger	LOST	LOST	LOST	WON		DRAW	3
Nishimura	LOST	LOST	LOST	WON	DRAW		3

History of New Japan's G1 Climax

A look at this year's tournament