New Japan Pro Wrestling returns this weekend for arguably their biggest show since Wrestle Kingdom, SAKURA GENESIS, live from Ryogoku Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The show will air live on New Japan World this Sunday (3:00 a.m. EST in the U.S.) and will feature both the traditional Japanese commentary, as well as English commentary from Kevin Kelly and Don Callis.
Wrestlezone will have complete live coverage of NJPW Sakura Genesis early Sunday morning, with our discussion page going up at midnight EST.
** ** **
The main event will see Kazuchika Okada in his fourth defense of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, taking on this year’s winner of the New Japan Cup and a man desperate for victory, Katsuyori Shibata.
For Shibata, this opportunity is perhaps over a decade in the making. In the mid-2000s he was chosen alongside Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura as one of three prospects to carry the company forward, in a time where New Japan desperately needed a miracle. But while the others embraced their roles and went on to define a generation of company history – boasting ten world championship reigns between them – Shibata left to pursue a legitimate career in mixed-martial arts; the very style NJPW was attempting to move away from. When he returned years later, he faced a mountain of frustration and adversity from many in the locker room, something reflected in a very real way through his lone wolf, no-nonsense persona.
Shibata winning the New Japan Cup was a surprise to many, in particular to the western fans anticipating another chance for Bullet Club’s Kenny Omega. After losing both the NEVER Openweight Championship and the RPW British Heavyweight Championship in the last three months, a man that should have been a legend long ago now steps into the ring to fight for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for only the second time.
With the era of Tanahashi and Nakamura on the throne of New Japan now past, Shibata steps up to face the leader of a new generation in Kazuchika Okada. But the current ace of puroresu is no transitional champion; this is a man who, in his three current defenses, has bested the rock of Pro Wrestling NOAH Naomichi Marufuji, the leader of Bullet Club Kenny Omega, and perhaps wrestling’s most dangerous tyrant Minoru Suzuki. But written into this story is another interesting angle. In order to cement himself as the reigning king of New Japan, Okada first had to dethrone Tanahashi and Nakamura. For the champion, Shibata may represent more than just another strong challenger; he is in a sense, the last of the old guard that stands in his way.
In the semi-main event spot, the eccentric IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi defends his title in a rematch, against the man he took the belt from in the first place – KUSHIDA.
Seen by many as the ace of the juniors division for many years, KUSHIDA is a four-time champion and a mainstay for New Japan while many others cycled in and out of the system. While many in recent memory have used the juniors division to springboard themselves to main event, world class status (Finn Balor, Kota Ibushi and Kenny Omega being the big three), he has remained as a sort of sentinel over the past three to four years. Many have come to view the juniors title as his belt, creating somewhat of a standard bearer against high-flying stars on loan from other promotions.
In 2017 things may be changing. The former Kamaitachi returned in late 2016 as the newly repackaged Hiromu Takahashi, and instantly established himself as a major player in KUSHIDA’s division. He won the title in his first attempt at Wrestle Kingdom 11, and has already defended the belt twice. With the return of Suzuki-Gun, the rise of Los Ingobernables de Japon star BUSHI, and major world traveling stars such as Will Ospreay and Ricochet making frequent visits to Japan, the juniors division has, at long last, become a fresh battleground for new and exciting match-ups.
This collision is also interesting because the winner will enter the 2017 Best of the Super Juniors tournament (the juniors equivalent to the G1 Climax) as champion on May 17th. This tournament is a star-maker, with past winners including Jushin Thunder Liger, Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Koji Kanemoto, Finn Balor, Kota Ibushi, Ricochet, and most recently, Will Ospreay. Much like the G1, the champion will be expected to have an excellent showing in every match, headlining most shows they are featured on. For KUSHIDA this is not a new burden, but it could very well be a career-defining accolade for the rising Takahashi.
Here is the final match card for NJPW Sakura Genesis on Sunday, April 9th:
IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Katsuyori Shibata
IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship
Hiromu Takahashi (c) vs. KUSHIDA
NEVER Openweight Championship
Hirooki Goto (c) vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
IWGP Tag Team Championship
Satoshi Kojima & Hiroyoshi Tenzan (c) vs. War Machine
Hiroshi Tanahashi, Juice Robinson, Ryusuke Taguchi & Ricochet [Taguchi Japan] vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI [Los Ingobernables de Japon]
Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii [Chaos] vs. Bad Luck Fale & Kenny Omega [Bullet Club]
IWGP Jr. Tag Team Championship
Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) [Suzuki-Gun] vs. Jado & Gedo [Chaos]
Trent Beretta, Rocky Romero & Yoshi-Hashi [Chaos] vs. TAKA Michinoku, El Desperado & Minoru Suzuki [Suzuki-Gun]
Tiger Mask, Tiger Mask W, Yuji Nagata & Togi Makabe vs. Chase Owens, Yujiro Takahashi, Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa [Bullet Club]
Pre-Show Match
David Finlay, Jushin Thunder Liger & Manabu Nakanishi vs. Katsuya Kitamura, Tomoyuki Oka & Hirai Kawato
