Sabre first non Japanese MVP since Bob Sapp
Zack Sabre Jr. has been named Tokyo Sports’ pro-wrestling MVP for 2024. The IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and G1 Climax winner is the first non Japanese since Bob Sapp in 2002 to claim the honours, and only the second in the awards’ 51 year history.
Tokyo Sports praised Sabre’s performances in the last year as well as results in and out of NJPW, capturing the G1 Climax trophy and IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in a remarkable 2024 campaign.
‘Of all the things I set out to achieve this year, I thought Tokyo Sports MVP was the hardest to attain,’ Sabre admitted, stating that the honour was ‘one of the greatest achievements not just of my career but my life.’
Asked about the significance of his win as a foreign wrestler, Sabre quipped ‘Sorry to Sapp,’ continuing ‘I was very conscious there had only been one foreign MVP. But it was important to be accepted this year just as an NJPW wrestler, it’s nice to win as a foreigner but (the award) is more a sign that I’m just accepted in the wrestling fabric.’
Connecting his reflections into plans for 2025, Sabre reaffirmed his desire to be victorious in the Tokyo Dome, saying that ‘no foreigner has won a Wrestle Kingdom main event, and nobody has ever defended their title there two nights in a row. If I do that I’ll be top of the industry, not just as a foreign wrestler.’
With tongue in cheek he informed the media that although his mother was yet to know of his achievement, the first person he phoned was Chris Brookes. In closing, Sabre remarked that ‘everything I’ve done combined over the last 13 years has led to this award. I feel vindicated that my 14 year old self had such vision when I was dreaming of this.’
Also from NJPW, Yota Tsuji versus Hirooki Goto in the New Japan Cup final was selected as Match of the Year, while Boltin Oleg took the Best Newcomer cap.
Goto stated ‘I lost the match, but thank you for selecting it as the best of the year. I dedicate the award to my father who passed away in February’.
Tsuji commented ‘we wrestlers fight with our own thoguths and dreams, and transform those into hope and art. I’m honoured of all the matches this year, this was chosen as the best. It was a match that opened the door to a new generation, and I want to talk into this new land to see what lies beyond. Are you ready?’
On his best newcomer award, Boltin commented ‘I think this is down to my results in my first G1, and winning the NEVER Openweight 6 Man Championships, but next I want to be IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, to win the G1 and to be Tokyo Sports MVP. I look forward to your support’.
