New Japan Pro Wrestling continued its’ excellent 2017 this morning with another barnstorming show in the shape of Sakura Genesis, with another MOTY-worthy main event and plenty of newsworthy moments on the undercard.
The main event saw Kazuchika Okada defend the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against 2017 New Japan Cup winner Katsuyori Shibata, whilst four other championships were on the line before that. Here are the results and recap of the show at the Ryogoku Kokugian in Tokyo.
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#1 Jushin Thunder Liger, David Finlay & Manabu Nakanishi def. Hirai Kawato, Katsuya Kitamura & Tomoyuki Oka
The new generation of New Japan young lions continue to impress, with each one bringing something different to the table. Kawato and Oka may be a little more seasoned, but it is the hulking Kitamura that continues to stand out.
His charisma is undeniable, and with a little more experience in the ring New Japan could have something special on their hands. It was Kitamura who took the fall however, pinned by Finlay after a Stunner.
#2 Tama Tonga, Tonga Roa, Yujiro Takahashi & Chase Owens def. Togi Makabe, Tiger Mask W, Tiger Mask & Yuji Nagata
Tiger Mask W made his return to New Japan here and looked every bit as sharp as one would expect, but it was the Bullet Club team who eventually picked up the win.
Chase Owens was a late replacement for Hangman Page, but it was Tama Tonga who picked up the win after hitting Tiger Mask with the Gun Stun.
#3 Beretta, Rocky Romero & YOSHI-HASHI def. Minoru Suzuki, TAKA Michinoku & El Desperado
Highlight from 2nd match! Live Now only on @njpwworld #njSG @suzuki_D_minoru @azucarRoc pic.twitter.com/SgOBOyat7F
— njpw_global (@njpwglobal) April 9, 2017
Whilst Suzuki-gun’s antics have grown tired to say the least, the outside palaver was kept to a minimum here. YOSHI-HASHI looked like he was going to fall to Suzuki but the Loose Explosion managed to keep his head above water long enough to hit TAKA with Karma for the win.
#4 IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Taichi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru [c] def. Gedo & Jado
This was every bit as excruciating as many expected it to be. Jado and Taichi are arguably two of the worst major pro wrestlers on the planet today, and when you combine that with the inevitability of Suzuki-gun interference you get a championship match that wasn’t worthy of the name.
Also read: Career Retrospective: Katsuyori Shibata
Kanemaru pinned Jado to retain the titles, and Roppongi Vice challenged the Suzuki-gun duo after the match. The division sorely needs RPG Vice back on top.
#5 Kenny Omega & Bad Luck Fale def. Tomohiro Ishii & Toru Yano
Kenny Omega got his win back over Ishii here, but it is interesting to note how little of a factor The Cleaner has been since his epic Wrestle Kingdom main event with Kazuchika Okada.
In the four months since WK11, Omega has been leapfrogged by Naito, Shibata, Ishii and others in the pecking order, and it is difficult to envisage a way back to the championship picture for Omega in the near future.
This match was a little too comedic for my tastes, but anyone expecting anything else from a Yano match is in the wrong game. Omega pinned Ishii with the One-Winged Angel.
#6 Juice Robinson, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Ryusuke Taguchi & Ricochet def. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA, EVIL & BUSHI
Highlight from 5th match! Live Now only on @njpwworld #njsg #TaguchiJapan @taguchiryusuke pic.twitter.com/w90eIPzcMb
— njpw_global (@njpwglobal) April 9, 2017
A major shock here. Whilst it wasn’t too surprising to see Taguchi Japan pick up the win over Los Ingobernables, what was immensely surprising was that it was Juice Robinson pinning Tetsuya Naito for the victory.
Juice hit Naito with a huge left hand and Pulp Friction for the win before challenging the IWGP Intercontinental Champion after the match. This was by far the biggest win of Juice’s career to-date and continues his incredible 2017.
#7 IWGP Tag Team Championships: War Machine (Hanson & Ray Rowe) def. Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Satoshi Kojima [c]
The traditional gaijin tag team championship win in April happened again this year, although it is fair to say there is more optimism with War Machine on top than in previous years. This was a great match, Tenzan and (in particular) Kojima rolling back the years to put on a classic big man tag battle against the gaijin duo.
The closing stretch was particularly thrilling, both sides coming within a whisker of picking up the win.
It was War Machine who came out on top however, but Tenzan was quick to challenge the new champions to a rematch afterwards. Hanson & Rowe accepted, and we’ll be doing this again sometime in the near future.
#8 NEVER Openweight Championship: Hirooki Goto [c] def. Zack Sabre Jr.
Jr.@zacksabrejr #njSG https://t.co/Tj7UBJ4PjP#njpw #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/V75AOiE9Qf
— njpwworld (@njpwworld) April 9, 2017
A great match was building here between Goto and ZSJ before Minoru Suzuki and El Desperado ran down to ruin that. Zack was in control for the majority of the bout, stretching Goto in all manner of ways, but the distraction by his Suzuki-gun brothers seemed to the turn the tide against ZSJ.
Goto picked up the win after hitting two GTRs, and the champ brawled with Suzuki after the match, signalling the next title bout.
#9 IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: Hiromu Takahashi [c] def. KUSHIDA
Highlight from IWGP Jr Heavyweight Championship! Live Now only on @njpwworld #njsg @TIMEBOMB1105 @KUSHIDA_0904 pic.twitter.com/bof7fJRBDz
— njpw_global (@njpwglobal) April 9, 2017
To call this a shock would be a giant understatement. Hiromu Takahashi was able to withstand an early onslaught from KUSHIDA to put away the former champion in less than two minutes.
This was an extremely rare style of match for NJPW, and whilst it may have immediately left a strange taste in the mouths of fans wanting to see another classic between the two juniors, this could be a great long-term decision.
Takahashi can now move on to new challenges, whereas KUSHIDA’s road to redemption begins right away.
#10 IWGP Heavyweight Championship: Kazuchika Okada [c] def. Katsuyori Shibata
Omega, Naito, Shibata and others may be getting most of the plaudits for the many great New Japan matches already in 2017, but it is almost criminal to overlook the work of Kazuchika Okada so far this year.
Many fans new to New Japan may lament his supposed dominance, but Okada could lay a very strong claim to being the top professional wrestler on the planet today.
This was another incredible exercise in character work blending beautifully with in-ring excellence, as Okada’s desperation to hold on to his champions won out in the end. Shibata put on a great performance in his first major world title match, and the first four months of 2017 have confirmed his top tier status.
Okada won this violent battle with the Rainmaker, but the fans were firmly behind Shibata for the majority of the match. Bad Luck Fale emerged after the match to challenge Okada, hitting him with the Bad Luck Fall to ram home the threat.
This was another excellent show from New Japan Pro Wrestling. Is there a better wrestling promotion on the planet right now?
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