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NJPW SAKURA GENESIS REPORT
APRIL 5, 2025
RYOGOKU SUMO HALL
TOKYO, JAPAN
AIRED LIVE ON NJPW WORLD
Announcers: Walker Stewart and Chris Charlton
(1) YUYA UEMURA vs. SANADA
Uemura worked over Sanada’s arms during the early going. Sanada took control on the floor and tossed Uemura into Milano Collection AT, who was on Japanese commentary, several times. Uemura fired back and suddenly caught Sanada with a cross-arm breaker and Sanada tapped out.
WINNER: Yuya Uemura in 10:26. (**1/2)
(Radican’s Analysis: The match was just getting going when Uemura got the submission win. This was an emphatic win for Uemura given how he submitted Sanada.)
(2) ELP (w/Jedo) vs. THE GREAT-O-KHAN – NJPW World TV Championship match
ELP got off to a hot start snd hit a big suicide dive, but O-Khan cut him off in the floor and slammed him back-first onto the top of the barricade. The match went back and forth at a brisk pace with both men pushing things given the 15 minute time limit.
They built up to a strike exchange and ELP eventually took O-Khan down with a clothesline, but continued to sell his shoulder. ELP hit CR2, but O-Khan kicked out at the last second. He went up top for Thunderkiss ‘86 but O-Khan rolled to the floor.
Gedo took a chair away from O-Khan on the floor and ELP thought about using it, but decided not to. O-Khan then hit a Tombstone slam on ELP through a couple of chairs set up on the floor. He got back into the ring and ELP could not best the 20 count. The NJPW World title does change on a count out, so O-Khan is the new champion.
WINNER: Great-O-Khan via count out in 11:10. (**3/4)
(Radican’s Analysis: I wasn’t a fan of the finish. O-Khan not winning pinfall sets him up for an uphill climb to be a credible champion moving forward. The match itself told a good story with O-Khan going after ELP’s injured shoulder. They kept the action moving at a brisk pace, but it never felt like they got out of second gear.)
Hitoshi Tanahashi made his entrance through the crowd with a Momo Momoto. They were dressed as Fatal Fury video game characters.
(3) HIROSHI TANAHASHI vs. SHOTS UMINO – Tanahashi’s Final Road
Umino targeted Tanahashi’s leg during the early going. Tanahashi finally broke his momentum with a dragon screw. The pace picked up and they had some really good back and forth exchanges. Tanahashi hit a straight jacket German for a near fall. He hit the Sling Blade and then Aces High.
Tanahashi went up top for High Fly Flow, but Umino managed to roll out of the way at the last second. He followed up with a running knee to the back of Tanahashi’s head. The fans chanted for Tanahashi and Umino glared in the corner before hitting another running knee to the front of Tanahashi’s head. Umino eventually hit Second Chapter for the win.
WINNER: Shota Umino in 12:50. (***)
(Radicans Analysis: This was an interesting match. It was good, but it felt incomplete. Umino went after Tanahashi’s leg and just forgot it after the early going. The fans got behind Tanahashi, but he was moving gingerly at times during the match and appears to be unable to maintain his usual peak physical conditioning. Umino looked good here and delivered an intense and believable end to the match.)
Umino got on the mic and said he had one choice. He said it was to lead Hontai.
(4) HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita & Yukiro Takahashi & Sho) vs. WAR DOGS (Gabe Kidd & Drilla Moloney & Taiji Ishimori) – NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship match
The War Dogs sent their opponents to the floor and dominated the action early. The action was chaotic with both teams going back and forth at it inside the ring. At one point Kidd hit a Rainmaker style slap to Narita’s face that got a big reaction from the crowd.
Sho sent Moloney into the ref and the fans booed. Narita got the push up bar on the outside and used it on Kidd. Sanada ran down with a guitar and teased using it on Sho, but he hit Moloney instead to turn on the War Dogs. Moloney came up bleeding. Sho made the cover for the win.
WINNERS: House of Torture in 7:30 to retain the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship. (3/4*)
(Radican’s Analysis: This was dreadful.)
The participants for the Best of the Super Juniors 32 tournament were announced. The field of 20 will include El Desperado, Ryusuke Taguchi, Yoh, Master Wato, Kushida, Kevin Knight, Ninja Mack, Kosei Fujita, Robbie Eagles, Hiroshi Takahashi, Bushi, Francesco Akira, Taiji Ishimori, Clark Connors, Sho, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, a mystery CMLL wrestler, Dragon Dia from Dragon Gate, Mao from DDT, and Nick Wayne from AEW.
The tournament will run from May 5-June 1.
(5) KONOSUKE TAKESHITA vs. RYOHEI OIWA – NEVER Openweight Championship match
These two have never faced off in any kind of match prior to tonight. Takeshita dominated the action on the floor during the early going. Oiwa fired back inside the ring and went after Takeshita’s arm.
Both men were on the turnbuckles and Oiwa was targeting Takeshita’s arm, but Takeshita managed to get him up and land a superplex. Both men no-sold suplexes. Takeshita eventually hit a blue thunder powerbomb for a near fall.
Oiwa came off the top and landed right on Takeshita’s knees. Takeshita rolled him up for a near fall, but Oiwa didn’t sell a thing and ran right up to Takeshita and took him down with a British head scissors.
Oiwa surprised with his power. He hit a big clothesline on Takeshita. He followed up with a Dr. Bomb and transitioned into an arm submission. He tried for a brainbuster and couldn’t get Oiwa up. He went for it again and connected but Oiwa kicked out at two.
They traded blows and Takeshita escaped Oiwa’s grasp. He hit Straight Fire twice a short time later and then finished Oiwa off with Raging Fire.
WINNER: Konosuke Takeshita to retain the NEVER Openweight Championship in 12:55. (****)
(Radican’s Analysis: Takeshita has been bringing out the best of his opponents in NJPW and this was no exception. Oiwa took the fight to Takeshita and showed great fighting spirit, but he couldn’t put him away.
The match got better and better as it wore on. The finishing stretch was really good with both guys showing fighting spirit. I’d love to see these two wrestle again in the future, but I find myself saying that about most Takeshita singles matches.)
Takeshita continued to sell his arm after winning. He showed respect to Oiwa before heading for the back.
(6) LIJ (Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi) vs. United Empire (Callum Newman & Jeff Cobb) – IWGP Hvt. Tag Team Championship match
Naito went for a Destino early, but Cobb blocked it and turned it into a suplex. Naito caught Callum with a clean Destino, but Callum kicked out at two. Naito went got another Destino. Callie blocked it, but Takahashi nailed him with a super kick to finish the Destino. Cobb ended up shoving Takahashi into Naito to break up the pin.
The pace picked up and Cobb caught Hiromu with Tour of the Islands. He went for another on Naito, but he countered it into a Destino. Callum has then hit the Os-Cutter 2.0 on Naito he then hit a Fireball on Naito, but he kicked out at the last second. The announcers hammered on how Newman had never beaten Naito.
Newman countered a Destino and tossed Naito into a Tour of the Islands from Cobb. Cobb told Naito to finish him off and launched Naito into a running knee from Callum. He then hit a double under hook brainbuster for the win. WOW!
WINNERS: The United Empire in 10:45 to become the new IWGP Hvt. Tag Team Champions. (***1/2)
(Radicans Analysis: This was a lot of fun from start to finish. It was all action and this was Newman’s moment to finally pin Naito. The finish with Cobb helping Newman exercise his Naito demon was fantastic.)
-A video package aired for the Yota Tsuji vs. Evil IWGP Global Hvt. championship match.
(7) YOTA TSUJI vs. EVIL – IWGP Global Hvt. Championship match
Evil and Dick Togo jumped Tsuji as he made his entrance. It turned out that it was Tsuji’s twin they attacked, as the real Tsuji entered the turn and wiped out Evil and Togo. Evil appeared dismayed he had been outfoxed. Tsuji poked Evil in the eyes, but Togo cut him off by tripping him on the floor. Togo and Tsuji’s twin brawled to thr back.
Evil began working over Tsuji’s legs. He continued to work them over for a long period of time. Tsuji tried to win a strike exchange, but Evil put him down with a clothesline. He then applied a Scorpion Death Hold. Tsuji screamed and the fans began chanting his name. He eventually got to the ropes.
Tsuji was in control, but he saw Kamemaru with his brother in the crowd. The ref got bumped and HOT ran wild on Tsuji. Togo hit D2D Contact and the fans booed. Togo then choked Tsuji and his brother at the same time. Shingo Takagi ran down to make the save and the fans applauded. Evil hit him with a low blow from behind. Tsuji then hit Evil with a low blow from behind and everyone was down.
Evil got on a roll and turned Rsuji inside out with a clothesline. He hit Darkness Falls and Tsuji kicked out at the last second. They traded counters and Tsuji hit a short Gene Blaster for a near fall. He charged at Evil again, but he got out of the way and Tsuji ran into the corner pad. Evil held up Tsuji for some powder from Togo, but he ducked and be hit Evil instead by accident.
The ref was still down and shot went after Tsuji. Kanemaru tried to spit whisky at Tsuji. He missed and hit Evil. Shingo then wiped out Kanemaru. Tsuji hit the Gene Blaster and it was good for the win.
WINNER: Yota Tsuji in 21:25. (**3/4)
(Radican’s Analysis: I thought it was great that Tsuji outsmarted Evil and House of Torture by using his brother as a decoy at the start of the match. He managed to stay one step ahead of Evil the entire way. The downside here was this match felt like it lasted an eternity with all of the House of Torture interference and shenanigans. It was needlessly long.)
Tsuji called out YUYA Uemura after the match. He challenged him for the title at a later date.
(8) HIROOKI GOTO vs. DAVID FINLAY (w/Gedo) – IWGP World Hvt. Championship match
They showed Goto’s son and daughter at ringside. The fans booed when Finlay unleashed a flurry of punches from the mount on Goto. Finlay tried to make a one foot cover on Goto, but the ref refused to count it. Finlay hit a Cactus clothesline and both men took a nasty spill to the outside.
Finlay set up a couple of tables on the floor. He set up Goto for a powerbomb into the ringpost, but Goto countered with a hurricanrana that sent Finlay into the ringpost! WOW! Goto hit a reverse GTR and they went back and forth. Finally eventually caught Goto with a huge clothesline as he came off the ropes.
Finlay hit a big backbreaker and a dominator for a two count. He toon Goto to the apron near the tables. Goto blocked a powerbomb attempt. Finlay got the upper hand and made a mocking crying motion, but Goto countered him and hit a Ushigoroshi through the table.
Finlay and Goto traded knee lifts and Finlay hit a big knee to Goto’s head for a near fall. Goto charged at Finlay out of the corner a short time later only to take a powerbomb for a two count. They battled up top and Goto hit Kaiten! Finlay then surprised Goto with Oblivion. He went for Overkill, but Goto blocked it. He cracked Finlay with a headbutt and the fans applauded.
Finlay surprised Goto with a Gun-stun. Goto then countered Finlay and hit Shouten Kai for a near fall! Goto hit a GTR. Then he hit a second. Goto then lifted Finlay for a third GTR with the arm trapped. Walker said one for his son, one for his daughter, and one for the world! WOW!!
WINNER: HIROOKI Goto in 24:25 to retain the IWGP World Hvt. Championship. (****1/2)
(Radican’s Analysis: Goto hadn’t exactly rested as champion yet, but this was a tremendous performance on his part turning back David Finlay after he won the NJPW Cup. These two went to war and told a great story with Goto looking to stand up as a man in front of his children and beat Finlay.
The counter wrestling during the match told the story, as it was Goto staying one step ahead of for most of the match. I wasn’t thrilled with Goto being given a run with the title, but he’s done a great job of rallying the fans behind him these last few months. The big spots in the match really made this stand out. The Ushigoroshi through the table was completely insane. I’m excited to see more matches like this from Goto against high quality opponents in the future.)
Goto grabbed the mic and the fans chanted his name. He said this isn’t a fairytale this is rail. He thanked his children for fighting alongside him. Goto said you can take many losses, but if you don’t give up, you haven’t been beaten. He told his children he hopes they never forget this lesson. Goto thanked the fans for coming.
Goto talked about the next show in Chicago and said he knows who he wants to face. He called out Shota Umino’s name and the fans booed. Goto asked where Umino was. Umino came down to the ring in street clothes.
Umino took his hat off and got up on the apron. The he fans booed. Umino went to leave and Goto said he wasn’t done talking to him. He said if you think you see nothing before you, I will put myself before you. He said in Chicago, let’s show the fans NJPW. There was a mix of boos and a small chant for Umino.
Umino congratulated Goto. He looked at Goto’s kids and said their dad is a hell of a father. He said let’s show how great Hontai and NJPW are. He promised to give all he had and that he would take Goto’s title. Umino then left the ring.
Goto said the Goto revolution is not limited to Japan. He said you will see it Friday on Chicago. Goto then posed with his title as gold confetti was shot into the ring. The announcers said it would be Goto vs. Umino on Friday.
Contact Sean at pwtorchsean@gmail.com. Follow him on BlueSky @SeanRadican
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