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New Japan’s Sakura Genesis 2023 - Ryogoku, Tokyo Japan:
1 - Special 6 man match: Toru Yano, Great O-Khan and Minoru Suzuki vs. El Desperado, YOH and Hiroshi Tanahashi
Lots of arguing between partners who could not get along.
Yano pins Tanahashi with a school boy roll up.
2 - SHO, Yujiro Takahashi and EVIL, with Dick Togo vs. Aaron Henare, Jeff Cobb, and Francesco Akira
Togo jumps on Cobb’s back for a sleeper. Akira throws SHO into Cobb who hits Tour of the Islands with Togo on his back. Crazy.
Cobb pins SHO.
After the match, Akira takes the mic and accepts the recent challenge by KUSHIDA and Kevin Knight for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Titles
3 - Yoshinobu Kanemaru, DOUKI and Taichi, with TAKA Michinoku vs. BUSHI, Shingo Takagi and Tetsuya Naito
Kanemaru trapped BUSHI in a figure four.
BUSHI taps out.
After the match, DOUKI caught Naito in an Italian Stretch 32 and would not let go. Naito sold it like he was being strangled. Taichi, Kanemaru and TAKA fought off everyone trying to help.
They are trying to establish Just 5 Guys faction as a threat. Dominating Los Ingobernales de Japon is a good start.
This is a tease for the IWGP World Title later. SANADA needs to win to justify Just 5 Guys.
4 - El Phantasmo, KENTA and David Finlay with Gedo vs. Master Wato, Hikuleo and Tama Tonga, with Jado
ELP hits Sudden Death on Wato and finishes him with CR2.
ELP pins Wato.
After the match, Finlay hits Tama Tonga with the NEVER Title belt and beats down Tama. KENTA blasts Hikuleo with the New Japan Strong belt and beats on him. ELP tries to break up Finlay and Finlay hits ELP with a elbow strike. Both men begin brawling and Gedo and KENTA struggle to break them up.
KENTA picks up ELP and hits a GTS. Finlay is about to hit ELP when Taiji Ishimori stops him. Ishimori hits a low blow on ELP. Finlay hits ELP with his shillelagh.
They pose over ELP with the Two Sweet Salute.
They made an announcement for the dates and locations in July and August for the G1 Climax 33.
5 - IWGP Women Championship: 3-way Match: Mercedes Mone vs. Hazuki vs. AZM (pronounced “Azumi”)
Mercedes looks like a star. Hazuki and AZM are small compared to the champion. Not a big pop from the crowd. Which tells me New Japan fans are different from Stardom fans, at least in the Japanese crowd.
That changed when the match began. Fast paced Lucha style match. The crowd started popping for all three ladies. Too much to recap.
Mercedes hits a back cracker on each. She follows with a Meteora on AZM. Two count. AZM avoids another back cracker and rolls up Mercedes. Two count. Hazuki hits a dropkick off the top rope on both women. Hazuki hits a running high kick to Mercedes’ head. Two count. Hazuki hammers Mercedes with vicious elbows and one to her throat. Hazuki hits a Codebreaker on Mercedes off the middle rope. Hazuki hits another Codebreaker off the top rope on Mercedes but AZM breaks the count.
AZM is tossed to the floor. They exchange reversals. Mercedes hits the Mone Maker on AZM who lands on top of Hazuki.
Mercedes pins AZM
Mercedes Mone retains the IWGP Womens Championship.
Good match. All three ladies worked hard and stiff. Mercedes has adapted to the Stardom style of matches.
Mayu Iwatani came to the ring to challenge Mercedes at the next Stardom PPV. Mercedes slaps her and walks off.
6 - New Japan World Television Championship match: Shota Umino vs. Zack Sabre Jr.
This was a back and forth match. The traded strikes and submissions. Umino hit a neck breaker and a Death Rider. ZSJ kicks out. ZSJ attacks Union’s right arm with submissions but does not tap out. They trade near falls. Umino hits a delayed DDT and goes for Death Rider. ZSJ rolls him up with a cradle pin.
ZSJ pins Umino.
Zack Sabre Jr retains the New Japan World Television Championship.
Good match. Both know each other well. I think it is smart to keep the title on Zack for a bit longer. Umino needs a title at some point, but Zack has beaten him several times already when the title is on the line. We shall see where this goes.
7 - IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship Match: Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis vs. Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI
They took the match to the floor. Davis hits a tope suicida on YOSHI-HASHI. Fletcher hits an Asai Moonsault on Goto. Fletcher hits the back of his head on the guardrail which sliced him above the ear. He was bleeding heavily. Henare, O-Khan, Cobb and Akira were at ringside and taped up Fletcher’s head. Match continues.
They trade double team moves. The crowd is cheering both teams. Goto hits a GTR off the ropes on Fletcher. Goto with a GYW on Fletcher. They exchange double team moves. Crazy awesome match. Aussie Open hit a double lariat on Bishomon and toss YOSHI-HASHI to the floor. They hit a double lariat on Goto and dropped him with Corealis.
Fletcher pins Goto.
Aussie Open wins the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.
Great match. The crowd seemed to get behind Aussie Open when they saw Fletcher keep fighting. Massive pop when Fletcher got the pin. Great effort by Fletcher to finish the match.
United Empire quickly run in the ring to check on Fletcher, who was bleeding still.
8 - IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship: Robbie Eagles vs. Hiromu Takahashi
The match goes to the floor and Eagles puts the Ron Miller Special on Hiromu around the guardrails. Eagles kept attacking Hiromu’s leg with strikes and kicks. They exchange counters and Eagles kept attacking the leg. Hiromu hits a Time Bomb. Two count. Eagles hits a Poisonrana off the top rope. Eagles follows with a 450 on the leg. Eagles applies the Ron Miller Special. Hiromu counters into a cradle. Two count. Hiromu with a Dynamite Plunger. Two count. Hiromu hits Time Bomb II.
Hiromu pins Eagles.
Hiromu Takahashi retains the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship.
9 - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: SANADA vs. Kazuchika Okada
Both men were even until the match goes to the floor. SANADA hits a Magic Screw on the floor. SANADA kept focusing on wearing down Okada’s neck. Okada dropkicks SANADA off the top rope. Okada DDT’s SANADA on the floor. They keep attacking each other’s necks for their finishers. SANADA his another Magic Screw in the ring. Okada applies the Money Clip. SANADA with a TKO and locks in Skull End.
They exchange their signature moves and begin striking. Okada hits a dropkick. SANADA with a pop up Cutter. SANADA with an O’Conner Roll. Two count. SANADA hits a Shining Wizard. Okada goes for a Rainmaker but SANADA reverses into Dead Fall.
SANADA pins Okada.
SANADA wins the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
Good match. Just 5 Guys celebrate in the ring and they put the belt on SANADA.
Hiromu comes to the ring to challenge SANADA. Kanemaru takes the mic and says he wants a shot at Hiromu’s Title. If Hiromu wins then he can have a shot at SANADA.
Hiromu leaves and they drop golden confetti.
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