Friday, April 4, 2025

NJPW Sakura Genesis 2025 Preview & Predictions

I totally forgot there was also a NJPW show this weekend, Sakura Genesis!


Haven't kept up that well with New Japan since January/February, but this lineup looks pretty decent.  Most of the new guard are represented on this card, although I can't for the life of me figure out why Gabe Kidd is stuck going after the Trios titles instead of being featured in a major singles match.

Anyway let's look at the lineup....




Yuya Uemura vs. Sanada


Like several of the singles matches, this one has a future vs. present/past kinda vibe.  Uemura is on the cusp of being one of the company's new Big Four or Five and a win over the compromised Sanada would help.  The match should be ok, but Sanada really needs to get surgery for that arm.

Pick: Uemura




NJPW TV Championship: El Phantasmo vs. Great O-Khan


Another match that should be solid.  ELP seems to be doing well as TV champ, and O-Khan has become a very reliable hand.  I don't see a title change here.

Pick: ELP retains




Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Shota Umino


Man, if prime-era Tanahashi faced current Umino that would be a helluva contest.  In this form it's likely a short special attraction.  Umino beating the legend will be a nice feather in his cap.

Pick: Umino




NEVER Openweight Six-Man Championship: House of Torture vs. Bullet Club War Dogs


Yeah so, kind of a waste of the breakout future star that is Gabe Kidd.  I guess maybe this is just to put a belt on him?  No idea if this match will be any good; it is HoT after all.

Pick: I guess the War Dogs?




NEVER Openweight Championship: Konosuke Takeshita vs. Ryohei Oiwa


This match should steal the show.  Takeshita fucking rules.  Give him all the belts and all the money.

Pick: Takeshita retains




IWGP Tag Team Championship: Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi vs. Jeff Cobb & Callum Newman


I like that Naito is a tag guy now, as it conceals his myriad shortcomings in the ring.  This should be a fun tag match.  I don't see the champs losing yet.

Pick: LIJ retain




IWGP Global Championship: Yota Tsuji vs. Evil


Oh for fuck's sake, we really gotta waste a Global Title match on Evil?  I assume this is just a one-off because Evil beat Tsuji in the New Japan Cup, right?  Just a way to set up a challenger for him to beat?  Please tell me this is so.

Pick: Tsuji retains




IWGP World Championship: Hirooki Goto vs. David Finlay


Sooo, what exactly is the difference between a World Championship and a Global Championship?  Seems a lot like WWE's pointless practice of having two top belts, no?  Can we just bring back the Intercontinental Title?  Anyway, Goto's unlikely Cinderella story continues, against a guy who's been finding his stride as a top heel.  Finlay is still no Jay White, but he keeps getting better and that's a good thing.  The match should be very solid and I think the champ retains for a while.

Pick: Goto retains


So yeah, not a bad lineup.  Not anywhere near the 2015-2018 glory days, but such is life when you're rebuilding.  


Thanks for reading - follow us on Twitter, BlueSky, MeWe, Facebook and YouTube!







No comments:

Post a Comment