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New Japan Pro Wrestling announced:
Top bouts lined up for Ryogoku April 4
On April 4, NJPW returns to the historic home of sumo wrestling, Ryogoku Sumo Hall for Sakura Genesis 2026. Traditionally the biggest event of the spring, the New Japan Cup winner faces the IWGP Heavyweight Champion in the main event, and plenty more big money matches are in store. With the full card still in the works, four title matches have been made official for the evening:
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Top of the billing in Ryogoku will be the IWGP Heavyweight Championship as Yota Tsuji defends against Callum Newman. The Prince's rapid ascent saw him defeat Tsuji's career rival Yuya Uemura in the New Japan Cup final on March 21 to become the youngest ever to lift the trophy, and now he seeks to break Shinsuke Nakamura's record at 23 years and seven months to become the youngest ever IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
Yet Tsuji, victorious over Konosuke Takeshita to become a double IWGP Champion at Wrestle Kingdom, is at the height of his powers. Having already put away United Empire members Jake Lee to defend heavyweight gold, and Andrade El Idolo to retain the Global title, the champion looks to do the same to the history making Newman. Will it be a new man at the top April 4?
In a rematch from New Year Dash, Ryohei Oiwa and Zack Sabre Jr. challenge IWGP Tag Team Champions the Knockout Bros. KOB captured the IWGP Tag Team Championships back in September on their first attempt at the gold, and through a six month plus and V4 reign to date, have brought considerable stability and prestige to the tag title scene in NJPW. A standout moment in their reign to date was at New Year Dash on January 5, where in the first main event of the post Tanahashi era in NJPW, the champions retained against World Tag League winners Sabre and Oiwa in an early tag team match of the year contender.
Yet the TMDK duo have not given in, and are driven for another shot at the gold. Oiwa in particular was fired up to stake a claim to the tag belts after defeating Ice in singles action during the New Japan Cup. With a passionate appeal to his classical professional wrestling over Ice's hard hitting strikes and streetfight tactics, the two men butted heads in Nagaoka at the New Japan Cup final, leading to this match getting made. Can Oiwa earn his first career championship, and can TMDK put a stop to KOB? And if not, then who can?
Konosuke Takeshita will put the World TV Championship on the line against Shota Umino in Ryogoku. After capturing the TV gold in Trenton back in February, Takeshita returned to Japan at the New Japan Cup finals on March 21, retaining in an open challenge match against Yujiro Takahashi. Post match, the Alpha took to the mic to request a battle against the one man with whom he has yet to avenge G1 Climax 35 defeat against in Shota Umino.
A gutsy run int he New Japan Cup for Umino ultimately led to hard fought defeat in the semifinals against eventual winner Callum Newman. Eager to bounce back after tournament heartbreak, Umino sees a huge opportunity against Takeshita, but can he depose the immensely tough champion under the 15 minute time limit?
Plus, the 'Bishamontin' team of Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI and Boltin Oleg will defend the NEVER Openweight 6 Man Tag Championships against HOUSE OF TORTURE's Ren Narita, Chase Owens and Yujiro Takahashi. During the New Japan Cup, Boltin Oleg defeated Ren Narita to put the HOT leader out of the tournament, and to assert a claim to Narita's NEVER Openweight singles title. Yet Narita would flatly refuse Boltin's request, unless the six man titles were put up for grabs first.
With a pair of gripping encounters over the NEVER gold already in 2026, Bishamontin have already done much to re-establish the trios titles that had been mired in successive House challenges and reigns in 2025. Still, as a man of honour, Boltin has acquiesced to Narita's demands and his teammates are up to the challenge. Can they protect that honour as six man champions, and will Narita be made to be true to his word and put the singles belt on the line afterward?
With the full card and match order still TBA there's a lot to look forward to in the biggest event of the spring April 4!
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