Karl Fredericks Shares That Final Straw For Him In NJPW Was Not Being Selected For Expanded G1 Climax Tournament
A look back at Karl Fredericks’ exit from NJPW.
After several years on the independent scene, Karl Fredericks made the decision to join the New Japan Pro-Wrestling L.A. Dojo and enter the Young Lion system.
He was with the company from 2018 to 2022. Fredericks told Ray Petree of the Augusta Free Press that the final straw for him in NJPW was not being selected for the expanded G1 Climax field in 2022. It is the largest G1 field in NJPW history.
“The last straw for me was in early ‘22. I had to talk like, ‘Hey, I need to start wrestling guys’ and they did start giving that to me. I got to wrestle Josh Alexander and guys like that. I was — you know, winning and losing doesn’t matter. I just need to be fighting these guys and proving that I can fight on their level. That’s all I needed. It was contract season, so I did an extension, but I wasn’t making any money. I’m living in Reno, which, for anyone that doesn’t know, rent in Reno, and the price of the cost of living in Nevada is not too far off from LA… So, I’m scraping by, and I’m not getting — opportunity-wise — I’m not getting much. Like, guys, I’m not doing well right now. So, I signed an extension that would get me through the — I think to August.” He added, “What I was told when I signed was, ‘We’ll get you these things going here, and then once summer comes, we’re doing G1 again. We’re going to do real shows, in front of a real audience. Go show out in Japan, and that’s when we’re gonna get this thing rolling again.’ So, I’m still in, you know? Like, f*ck yeah, let’s do it.
It was probably May. I remember being in a hotel room with some of the tenured talent, the guys that I look up to, and the people we have these conversations with. One of them turns to me and says, ‘You’re in the G1, right? You gotta be.’ Well, I hadn’t been told anything at that point. So, I had turned to the people to ask, because they were in the room for those conversations, and I just got a sad look, and they shook their heads no. That’s when I knew I was out.” He continued, “This should be my second G1 by now, or at the very least my first, and it was the biggest G1 ever; they added 10 slots to it, and I see the guys, especially the guys from over here, or guys not from our company… American guys from over here. I’m like, look man, you added 10 spots. If you want these guys who aren’t bleeding for this company like I’ve been doing… You’re not gonna sit here and tell me that that guy’s better than me, you know what I mean? I feel that way to this day. I had no money, no money to fall back on. I wasn’t making enough to save anything.”
Fredericks went on to sign with WWE in 2023. He was with the company until his release in 2025.
PRODUCE Wrestling returns to MyAEW PPV on October 12 in Brooklyn, NY with their Season 2 premiere, SKODEN, co-produced by Karl Fredericks on the occassion of indigenous people’s day. Fans can pre-order PRODUCE Season 2 in its entirety on MyAEW.com for 50% off using the code PRODUCESeason2.
