Sakura Genesis (2025)
| Sakura Genesis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Promotional poster of the event | |||
| Promotion | New Japan Pro-Wrestling | ||
| Date | April 5, 2025 | ||
| City | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan | ||
| Attendance | 6,640[1] | ||
| Event chronology | |||
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| Sakura Genesis chronology | |||
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Sakura Genesis was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on April 5, 2025, in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan.[2][3] Previously held under the Invasion Attack name, this was the sixth event to be held under the Sakura Genesis name.
The main event saw Hirooki Goto defend the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against the 2025 New Japan Cup winner David Finlay.
Production
[edit]Storylines
[edit]
Sakura Genesis will feature professional wrestling matches that involve different wrestlers from pre-existing scripted feuds and storylines. Wrestlers portray villains, heroes, or less distinguishable characters in the scripted events that build tension and culminate in a wrestling match or series of matches.[4]
On March 20, 2025, David Finlay would win the New Japan Cup by defeating Shota Umino in the finals, allowing Finlay to challenge Hirooki Goto for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis.[5]
Event
[edit]The event started with the preshow singles confrontation between Daiki Nagai and Katsuya Murashima solded with the victory of the latter.
In the first main card bout, Yuya Uemura defeated Sanada in singles competition. Next up, Great-O-Khan defeated El Phantasmo to win the NJPW World Television Championship, ending the latter's reign at 91 days and four defenses. The third bout saw Shota Umino picking up a victory over Hiroshi Tanahashi in singles competition. Next up, Ren Narita, Sho and Yujiro Takahashi defeated Gabe Kidd, Drilla Moloney and Taiji Ishimori to secure the first successful defense of the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship. Sanada turned on the War Dogs by attacking Moloney mid match and joined House of Torture, thus handing the latter team the win. Next up, Konosuke Takeshita defeated Ryohei Oiwa to secure the fifth cosecutive defense of the NEVER Openweight Championship in that respective reign. The seventh bout saw Jeff Cobb and Callum Newman defeat Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi to win the IWGP Tag Team Championship, ending the latter teams' reign at 53 days and no defenses. In the semi main event, Yota Tsuji defeated Evil to secure the third consecutive defense of the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship in that respective reign. Yuya Uemura stepped up as Tsuji's next challenger after the bout concluded.
In the main event, Hirooki Goto defeated 2025 New Japan Cup winner David Finlay to secure the third consecutive defense of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in that respective reign. After the bout concluded, Shota Umino challenged Goto for a title match which was set to occure at Windy City Riot one week after the event.
Results
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Kreikenbohm, Philip (April 5, 2025). "NJPW Sakura Genesis 2025". cagematch.net. Retrieved April 5, 2025.
- ^ Currier, Joseph (January 13, 2025). "NJPW announces upcoming major event schedule". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ "2025.04.05 SAKURA GENESIS 2025". NJPW. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
- ^ Grabianowski, Ed (13 January 2006). "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks, Inc. Discovery Communications. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
- ^ Vetter, Chris (March 20, 2025). "NJPW "New Japan Cup" results (3/20): Vetter's review of Shota Umino vs. David Finlay in the tournament final, Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Satoshi Kojima". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved March 21, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Lambert, Jeremy (March 21, 2025). "Hirooki Goto vs. David Finlay Headlines NJPW Sakura Genesis, Full Lineup Announced". Fightful. Retrieved March 22, 2025.
- ^ Currier, Joseph (March 20, 2025). "NJPW crowns New Japan Cup winner, Sakura Genesis main event set". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 21, 2025.