Sakura Genesis 2021
Sakura Genesis was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on April 4, 2021 in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan. Previously held under the Invasion Attack name, this was the third event to be held under the Sakura Genesis name.
| Sakura Genesis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Promotion | New Japan Pro-Wrestling | ||
| Date | April 4, 2021 | ||
| City | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan | ||
| Attendance | 4,484[1] | ||
| Event chronology | |||
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| Sakura Genesis chronology | |||
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Six matches were contested at the event. In the main event, Will Ospreay defeated Kota Ibushi to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. In another prominent match, Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) defeated El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship for the fifth time.
Production
| Role: | Name: |
|---|---|
| English Commentators | Kevin Kelly |
| Chris Charlton | |
| Gino Gambino | |
| Japanese Commentators | Shinpei Nogami |
| Milano Collection A.T. | |
| Katsuhiko Kanazawa | |
| Kazuyoshi Sakai | |
| Togi Makabe | |
| Miki Motoi | |
| Jushin Thunder Liger | |
| Masahiro Chono | |
| Ring announcers | Makoto Abe |
| Kimihiko Ozaki | |
| Referees | Kenta Sato |
| Marty Asami | |
| Red Shoes Unno | |
Background
Since 2020, NJPW has unable to run events with a full arena capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions.[2] On January 22, NJPW announced Sakura Genesis for April 4, 2021, making it the first time the event will held since 2018 due to the G1 Supercard taking place instead in 2019 and the 2020 event being cancelled due the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
Storylines
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 1, NJPW announced that the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships would be unified to create the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship with the inaugural champion being decided at 49th Anniversary Show, following the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Champion Kota Ibushi defending the titles for the final time against El Desperado in the main event.[5][6] At the anniversary event Ibushi defeated El Desperado to become the inaugural champion.[7] Ibushi will make his first title defense of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis against the New Japan Cup winner.[8] On March 21, Will Ospreay defeated Shingo Takagi in the New Japan Cup final to face Ibushi at Sakura Genesis.[9]
Results
| No. | Results[1] | Stipulations | Times | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suzuki-gun (Douki, Zack Sabre Jr. and Taichi) defeated Bullet Club (Jado, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa) | Six-man tag team match | 10:10 | ||
| 2 | Chaos (Yoshi-Hashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto, Toru Yano and Kazuchika Okada) defeated Bullet Club (Dick Togo, Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori, Kenta and Evil) | Ten-man tag team match | 11:37 | ||
| 3 | United Empire (Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb and Aaron Henare) defeated Los Ingobernables de Japón (Tetsuya Naito, Sanada and Shingo Takagi) | Six-man tag team match | 9:51 | ||
| 4 | Satoshi Kojima and Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Bullet Club (Jay White and Bad Luck Fale) | Tag team match | 10:05 | ||
| 5 | Roppongi 3K (Sho and Yoh) defeated Suzuki-gun (El Desperado and Yoshinobu Kanemaru) (c) | Tag team match for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship | 20:48 | ||
| 6 | Will Ospreay defeated Kota Ibushi (c) | Singles match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship | 30:13 | ||
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References
- "2021.04.04 SAKURA GENESIS 2021". NJPW. April 4, 2021. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
- Satin, Ryan (June 8, 2020). "NJPW To Resume Operations This Month, First Show With Fans Again Announced". Pro Wrestling Sheet. Retrieved January 31, 2021.
- Rose, Bryan (January 22, 2020). "NJPW Announces Sakura Genesis For April 4". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- Grabianowski, Ed (13 January 2006). "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks, Inc. Discovery Communications. Retrieved September 13, 2014.
- Renner, Ethan (February 28, 2020). "NJPW To Unify IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Titles". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- NJPW (March 1, 2021). "Final double IWGP defence to take place Thursday in Budokan Hall". NJPW. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- "411Mania".
- Rose, Bryan (February 28, 2021). "New Japan Cup Participates, First Round Matchups Revealed". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- Renner, Ethan (March 21, 2021). "New Japan Cup Finals Live Results: Will Ospreay vs. Shingo Takagi". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved March 21, 2021.