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3/30 NJPW ROAD TO SAKURA GENESIS REPORT FROM TOKYO, JAPAN

3/30/21 Results for Road to Sakura Genesis 2021 From Korakuen Hall, Tokyo Japan:

They began the evening by revealing the new IWGP World Heavyweight Title Belt.   The new belt was in the ring on a table covered with a sheet.  Kota Ibushi made his way to the ring with the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Belts.   Ibushi stared at both belts and handing them one at a time to the New Japan officials.    They played a video showing photos of all the men who held both belts, emphasizing the long lineage of both titles.   The officials unveiled the new belt, black leather with large gold side plates and a huge shiny gold front plate.  One side plate was for the Heavyweight Title.  The other side plate represented the Intercontinental belt.   The New Japan Lion Head logo was at the top of the front plate.   It looked awesome. 

 

The New Japan officials presented the new IWGP World Heavyweight Belt to Ibushi.   Ibushi bowed with respect to the officials and held the belt with reverence.   Ibushi posed for photos with the new belt.   Ibushi left the ring and walked around the ringside area to show the belt to fans.   As Ibushi exited the ring, he grasped and hugged the belt as if it was his child.  After once around ringside, Ibushi returned to the locker room.

I was glad there was no angle here with run-ins or shenanigans.  The treatment of the IWGP World Heavyweight Belt was very respectful.

Gabriel Kidd, Yuya Uemura, Yota Tsuji and Tiger Mask vs. BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, SANADA and Tetsuya Naito

The camera focused on Tsuji staring at Naito as he walked to the ring.   Tsuji offered to open the ropes for Naito.  Naito brushed him off and tried to grab his ankle.  As soon as Naito entered the ring, LIJ attacked everyone.  Action was everywhere.  When Tsuji and Naito were paired up, Tsuji hammered Naito with elbows.  Naito hit an Esperanza on Tsuji from the top rope.  Naito locked up Tsuji in a Boston Crab for the submission win.   

Naito refused to let go of the hold.  The referee tried to pull him off but Naito tried to lock him in a Boston Crab.  Yuya Uemura made the save.  Naito was being a smart ass and teased Uemura.  Uemura was annoyed and chopped him in the chest, which Naito laughed off.   LIJ members surrounded their leader as the young lions left the ring.

Naito continued to pester the referee as LIJ returned to the locker room.

Over the last month, Gabriel Kidd looks really good, perhaps ready to leave "young lion" status and move up the card.  He had a solid match with Zack Sabre Jr. in the New Japan Cup and over the last two nights he matched up well with Shingo Takagi.   I feel he is ready to move up.  More on this later.

Since being eliminated from the New Japan Cup in Round One, Tetsuya Naito has been a bully and a pest to whomever he chooses.  Being out of the Title picture for now, it seems Naito is back to his old ways.  When he was Double Champion, he was not as much of annoyance.  Without the burden of being Champion, now Naito is free to behave as he wasnts.   As a faction, with Hiromu Takahashi on the shelf with an injury, Los Ingobernales will have to re-stablish themselves in the coming months.

Ryusuke Taguchi, Master Wato and SHO vs. DOUKI, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado

As the match began, SHO quickly lost his temper and beat down El Desperado in the corner.   SHO pushed the referee and his partners down to attack Desperado.   Desperado rolled to the outside and DOUKI and Wato continued the fight in the ring.   Desperado and SHO continued to battle on the floor.

SHO pins DOUKI with a Shock Arrow.

YOSHI-HASHI, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano and Kazuchika Okada vs. Taiji Ishimori, Yujiro Takahashi, Bad Luck Fale, KENTA and EVIL, with Dick Togo

KENTA still holds YOSHI-HASHI's Bo Staff.   Toru Yano wanted to start the match against EVIL.   As they were about to lock up, the lights in the arena went out.   Probably due to Dick Togo.  The lights pop back on and Yano is surrounded by Bullet Club who beat him down.   CHAOS members jump in the ring to chase everyone out.   Wild match.   KENTA tried to hit YOSHI-HASHI with the Bo Staff but he missed and YOSHI-HASHI hit a super kick.  YOSHI-HASHI gets his Bo Staff back and tries to hit KENTA with it but the referee stops him and takes the weapon away.   Takahashi hits YOSHI-HASHI from behind with his pimp stick.  KENTA traps YOSHI-HASHI in Game Over and he taps out.

KENTA goes to get the  Bo Staff and he hits YOSHI-HASHI.   KENTA hits Goto in the face and Bullet Club lays waste to all CHAOS members.  Bullet Club taunts the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Champions with their belts, perhaps issuing a challenge for the titles.

Tomoaki Honma, Yuji Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Jado, Gedo and Jay White

White applied a Reverse Figure Four Leg Lock on Honma who taps out.

White refuses to release the hold forcing the young lions to jump into the ring to help.  Gedo and Jado fight off the young lions and they mock Honma.   White officially challenges Tanahashi to the NEVER Openweight Title.   Tanahashi tells him "NO".   White attacks Honma with Jado's kendo stick.    White tells Tanahashi to apologize to Honma because the attack was Tanahashi's fault.  

Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Kota Ibushi vs. Great O-Khan, Jeff Cobb and Will Ospreay

United Empire attacks at the bell.   Tenzan and Kojima held their own against O-Khan and Cobb.   At one point, Ibushi and Ospreay faced off and reversed out of each other's finishing moves, giving everyone a taste of what is to come.   Ibushi avoided a Tour of the Islands and dropped Cobb with a flipping back kick to the head.   O-Khan attempted an Eliminator on Ibushi but Tenzan saved him.  Tenzan and Kojima hit a 3D on O-Khan.   Ospreay hit a double dropkick on Tenzan and Kojima who were sent flying from the ring.   Ospreay went for an aerial attack on Ibushi who tripped him up on the top rope into a Tree of Woe.   Ibushi hammered vicious kicks into the body of Ospreay.  Cobb makes the save and tries for another Tour of the Islands but Ibushi escapes and hits a high kick to Cobb's face.   Kojima and Tenzan trap Ospreay in the Tree of Woe, holding him in place.   Ibushi grabs the arms of Cobb and drills him with a Kamagoye.   Ibushi pins Cobb.

Good match.  Ibushi stares into the eyes of Ospreay as Ibushi holds his new World Title.   Ospreay tells Ibushi that he is not God.  Ospreay says he will be beat Ibushi with his first shot, because Will Ospreay is New Japan.

the next event on New Japan World is Sakura Genesis 2021 on April 4, 2021.

The top matches and my predictions are as follows:

IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships:  SHO and YOH vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru and El Desperado

Prediction:  This should be a good match.  SHO and YOH never lost the tag titles last year, but had to vacate the title in August 2020 when YOH tore his ACL.    Since then Suzuki-Gun has controlled the Jr. Tag Division.   The big question:  is YOH ready to go?   I think New Japan protects their wrestlers and would not put them out there if they were not sure if YOH could perform.  I think SHO and YOH will regain their Titles, which they never lost.   

Also, El Desperado holds the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship.  Holding two belts puts stress on the champion and increase chances for injury (see Hiromu Takahashi). 

IWGP World Heavyweight Championship:  Will Ospreay  vs. Kota Ibushi

Prediction:   I am picking Ospreay to win here.   Last year, when EVIL won the New Japan Cup 2020, he went on to defeat Tetsuya Naito for the Double Championship.  No one expected that to happen, especially when Naito was on the top of the world.   United Empire have yet to win big matches for Championship gold.   This would be the signature win which would establish their faction as a powerful one in New Japan.

Also, on the undercard at Sakura Genesis, Shingo Takagi, SANADA and Tetsuya Naito will be facing Great O-Khan, Jeff Cobb and a new member of United Empire.

When thinking a new member for United Empire, I think of the young lions.  Yota Tsuji could be a possibility since he was fighting with Naito over the past two nights.   Another choice would be Gabriel Kidd.  He is from England and would fit well.  Kidd had a great match with Zack Sabre Jr. in the New Japan Cup, so he can fight and take a beating.

I can see the new member being introduced in the Tag Match against Los Ingobernales de Japon, which could lead to Ospreay winning the IWGP World Title.   This would be an impactful storyline for New Japan, similar to EVIL winning the New Japan Cup last year and joining Bullet Club.

Thanks for reading.

 

 

 

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