Tag: njSG

SAKURA GENESIS, New Japan’s traditional April blowout event, is now in the books. 5 title matches headlined the event with New Japan Cup winner SANADA going for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in the main event.

Today’s event was held at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World. The live broadcast was part of WORLD PRO WRESTLING LIVE 2023 on TV Asahi in Japan.

The announced paid attendance was 6510. Depending on the seating configuration for the box and floor stats in the lower half of the venue, that’s between 40-55% of full capacity as they slowly ramp back up to normal. (The box seats normally sit between 2-6 people for sumo tournaments)

Match 1: Great-O-Khan, Toru Yano & Minoru Suzuki beat Yoh, El Desperado & Hiroshi Tanahashi. Yano pinned Tanahashi. This match’s participants were not announced until it began.

Match 2: Francesco Akira, Aaron Henare & Jeff Cobb beat Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL. Cobb pinned Sho after Tour of the Islands. Afterwards, Akira appeared to accept an IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championship challenge from JET SETTERS (KUSHIDA & Kevin Knight).

Match 3: DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Taichi beat BUSHI, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito. Kanemaru beat BUSHI with a Figure 4.

Match 4: El Phantasmo, KENTA & David Finlay beat Master Wato, Hikuleo & Tama Tonga. Phantasmo pinned Wato after CR 2. Afterwards, KENTA, Finlay & Taiji Ishimori suddenly turned on Phantasmo and beat him down. Could Phantasmo now be out of Bullet Club?

Match 5: IWGP Women’s Champion Mercedes Mone beat AZM & Hazuki in a 3-way by pinning AZM to retain the title. V1 for Mone. Next up: Mayu Iwatani. That match will happen at a major Stardom event later this month at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama.

Match 6: NJPW WORLD TV Champion Zack Sabre Jr. beat Shota Umino to retain the title. V4 for Sabre.

Match 7: Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) beat IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto to win the titles. Aussie Open become the 98th IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions. Fletcher pinned Goto after Corealis.

Match 8: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi beat Robbie Eagles to retain the title. V3 for Takahashi.

Main Event: SANADA beat IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okadaa to win the title. SANADA becomes the 7th IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Considering they also announced the 2023 G1 CLIMAX today (more on that below), now the questions are will Okada get another shot before then, and does this mean he is the favorite to 3-peat the G1 and perhaps get the main event and win it back at Tokyo Dome in 2024? SANADA follows up a New Japan Cup triumph by claiming the top prize for the first time in his career. Next up: It could be…Hiromu Takahashi!?! The current IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion made the challenge to his former LIJ stablemate! But not necessarily so fast-Kanemaru stepped in to challenge Hiromu for the Jr. Heavyweight Championship first. To Be Continued…

The next event is CAPITAL COLLISION on 4/15 at Entertainment & Sports Arena in Washington, DC. Live streaming on New Japan World as a separate PPV in Japanese and on FITE as a PPV in English will begin at 7 PM ET/4 PM PT. The event costs about $22 on New Japan World and $19.99 on FITE but you can also get a discount bundle for $29.99 that also includes COLLISION IN PHILADELPHIA on 4/16 which will be a FITE-only PPV, no live broadcast on New Japan World. The events will also be available via STRONG On Demand on New Japan World in the coming months.

In other news, as noted above the 2023 G1 CLIMAX 33 Tournament was announced today, which officially begins the road to Tokyo Dome as the winner traditionally gets the main event spot and an IWGP World Heavyweight Championship match on 1/4. The schedule is as follows:
7/15-Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center Hokkai Kita Yell, Hokkaido
7/16-Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center Hokkai Kita Yell
7/18-Yamagata Sports Center, Yamagata
7/19-Xebio Arena Sendai, Sendai
7/21-Aore Nagaoka, Niigata
7/23-Nagano Big Hat, Nagano
7/25-Korakuen Hall, Tokyo
7/26-Korakuen Hall
7/27-Ota City General Gym, Tokyo
7/30-Aichi Prefectural Gym, Nagoya
8/1-Takamatsu Gym, Takamatsu
8/2-Hiroshima Sun Plaza, Hiroshima
8/5-Osaka Prefectural Gym, Osaka
8/6-Osaka Prefectural Gym
8/8-Yokohama Budokan, Yokohama
8/9-Act City Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
8/10-Funabashi Arena, Chiba
8/12-Ryogoku Kokugikan
8/13-Ryogoku Kokugikan (Finals)

Much more on this to come as the tournament gets closer. I would expect further details and entries to be announced in June.

New Japan wrapped up the Road to SAKURA GENESIS Tour today with the final build to Saturday’s annual April blowout event.

Today’s event was held at Tokorozawa Civic Gym in Saitama. There was no live broadcast and there is no on demand broadcast.

The announced paid attendance was 711.

Match 1: Ryusuke Taguchi, Ren Narita, El Desperado & Minoru Suzuki beat Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL. Narita pinned Togo with a blizzard suplex hold.

Match 2: Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo beat BUSHI & Shingo Takagi. Phantasmo pinned BUSHI after a combined moonsault press.

Match 3: Shota Umino beat Ryohei Oiwa.

Match 4: Zack Sabre Jr. beat Oskar Leube by submission.

Match 5: Aaron Henare, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & Aussie Open beat Tomoaki Honma, Toru Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Henare pinned Hinma after Streets Of Rage.

Match 6: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Kosei Fujita & Robbie Eagles. Naito pinned Fujita.

Main Event: In an Elimination Match, TAKA Michinoku DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi & SANADA beat Madter Wato, Yoh, Tiger Mask, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada. SANADA was the only winning team member left.

The next event is SAKURA GENESIS Saturday at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo. Live streaming on New Japan World outside Japan only will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET. The live broadcast will be only on TV Asahi in Japan (New Japan World will have on demand only). A special press conference and public event with championship match contract signings and more will be held tomorrow. It is open to the public but some events require paid tickets.

New Japan continued the Road to SAKURA GENESIS Tour today with a non-televised house show.

Today’s event was held at Twin Messe Shizuoka North Building in Shizuoka. There was no live broadcast and there is no on demand video available.

The announced paid attendance was 559.

Match 1: Toru Yano & Tonohiro Ishii beat Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima. Ishii pinned Nakashima.

Match 2: Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Ren Narita, El Desperado & Minoru Suzuki beat Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL. Narita pinned Togo with a blizzard suplex hold.

Match 3: Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan beat BUSHI & Shingo Takagi. Khan beat BUSHI with Subaru Sheep Killer.

Match 4: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Gedo & El Phantasmo. Takahashi pinned Gedo after Hero Mirror Special.

Match 5: Jeff Cobb & Aussie Open beat Tomoaki Honma, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Cobb pinned Honma after Your of the Islands.

Match 6: Ryohei Oiwa, Ryusuke Taguchi & Shota Umino beat Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles & Zack Sabre Jr. Umino pinned Fujita with La Magistral.

Main Event: TAKA Michinoku, DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Master Wato, Yoh, Tiger Mask, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada. Taichi pinned Wato after Tonsho Cross Phoenix.

The tour-ender is Thursday at Tokorozawa Civic Gym in Saitama. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.

In other news, Yuji Nagata announced his annual produced “Blue Justice 12” event will be held on 6/18 at Sakura Municipal Gym in Chiba. He also announced on Twitter that the annual Togane Arena event in Chiba will be held this fall.

New Japan ran the halfway point event of the Road to SAKURA GENESIS Tour today with the last televised event of the tour.

Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 902.

Match 1: Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan beat Oskar Leube & Tomohiro Ishii. Khan beat Leube with Subaru Sheep Killer.

Match 2: Master Wato, Yoh & Tiger Mask beat TAKA Michinoku, DOUKI & Yoshinobu Kanemaru. Wato beat TAKA with Vendeval.

Match 3: Ryusuke Taguchi, Toru Yano & Shota Umino beat Gedo, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo. Taguchi beat Gedo with Oh My & Gar Ankle.

Match 4: Jeff Cobb & Aussie Open beat Tomoaki Honma, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Mark Davis pinned Honma after Corealis.

Match 5: Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Tetsuya Naito beat Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles & Zack Sabre Jr. Naito pinned Fujita.

Match 6: Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kazuchika Okada beat Taichi & SANADA. Tanahashi beat Taichi with Samson Clutch.

Main Event: In a No Countouts Match, NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Champions Ren Narita, El Desperado & Minoru Suzuki beat Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL to retain the titles. Desperado pinned Sho after Pinche Loco. V1 for the champs. The match was changed just before the event to be no countouts. The champs undoubtedly sent the crowd home very happy as House Of Torture was vanquished again.

The next event is tomorrow at Twin Messe Shizuoka North Hall in Shizuoka. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.

New Japan continued the Road to SAKURA GENESIS Tour today with an event headlined by a KOPW 2023 Title match. Breaking from tradition, there was no fan vote on a stip, instead it was an Ultimate Triad Match, where one man had to get a pinfall, submission AND KO in the match to win.

Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 1298, a super full house/very near sellout. (It sounds like Korakuen is keeping capacity reduced by designating some seating as social distanced with no vocal cheering allowed)

Match 1: Tomoaki Honma & Togi Makabe beat Oskar Leube & Yuto Nakashima. Makabe pinned Nakashima after a King Kong kneedrop.

Match 2: BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Gedo, Taiji Ishimori & El Phantasmo. BUSHI pinned Gedo after MX.

Match 3: Ryohei Oiwa, Ren Narita, El Despero & Minoru Suzuki vs. Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL went to a double countout. Afterwards, Narita demanded a final match between both sides with no countouts. (That could be tomorrow)

Match 4: Great-O-Khan & Aussie Open beat Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Kyle Fletcher pinned Yano after Corealis.

Match 5: Boltin Oleg Debut Match: Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles & Zack Sabre Jr. beat Boltin Oleg, Ryusuke Taguchi & Shota Umino. Sabre beat Oleg with an armbar.

A video played announcing JET SETTERS-the team name for Kevin Knight & KUSHIDA-challenging IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Francesco Akira & TJP for the titles in Japan.

Match 6: TAKA Michinoku, DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi & SANADA beat Master Wato, Yoh, Tiger Mask, Tomohiro Ishii & Kazuchika Okada. Kanemaru pinned TM 4 after a moonsault press.

Main Event: In an Ultimate Triad Match, where one must get a 3 count pinfall, submission and KO (10 count down) to win, KOPW 2023 Champion Shingo Takagi beat Aaron Henare to retain the title. No post-match promo from Takagi in a break from custom (in Japan, the main event winners just about always cut a post-match promo to end events).

The next event is tomorrow. The main event will be a NEVER 6-Man Tag Team Championship match between champions Ren Narita, El Desperado & MInoru Suzuki and Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 2:30 AM PT/5:30 AM ET. This will be a Samurai! TV broadcast. This is the final televised event of the tour (no live or on demand broadcast for the final two events).

New Japan kicked off the Road to SALURA GENESIS Tour today, usually a quick (less than a week) series that leads into the traditional April blowout event in Tokyo the second weekend of the month.

Today’s event was held at Tokkei Security Hiratsuka General Gym in Kanagawa and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 1260.

Match 1: Dick Togo, Sho, Yujiro Takahashi & EVIL beat Yuto Nakashima, Tomoaki Honma, Ren Narita & El Desperado. Takahashi pinned Nakashima after Pimp Juice.

Match 2: Ryusuke Taguchi, Toru Yano & Tomohiro Ishii beat Gedo, Taiji Ishimori & Rl Phantasmo. Taguchi beat Gedo with Oh My & Gar Ankle.

Match 3: Shota Umino beat Oskar Leube.

Match 4: Zack Sabre Jr. beat Ryohei Oiwa.

Match 5: Hiromu Takahashi & Tetsuya Naito beat Kosei Fujita & Robbie Eagles. Naito pinned Fujita.

Match 6: Aaron Henare & Great-O-Khan beat BUSHI & Shingo Takagi. Khan beat BUSHI with Subaru Sheep Killer.

Main Event: TAKA Michinoku, DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Taichi & SANADA beat Master Wato, Yoh, Tiger Mask, Togi Makabe & Kazuchika Okada. Kanemaru pinned TM 4 after a moonsault press.

The next event is tomorrow at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 2:30 AM PT/5:30 AM ET.