Sakura Genesis (2026)
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| Sakura Genesis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Promotional poster of the event | |||
| Promotion | New Japan Pro-Wrestling | ||
| Date | April 4, 2026 | ||
| City | Tokyo, Japan | ||
| Venue | Ryōgoku Kokugikan | ||
| Attendance | 6,009[1] | ||
| Event chronology | |||
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| Sakura Genesis chronology | |||
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Sakura Genesis was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on April 4, 2026, in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan. Previously held under the Invasion Attack name, this was the seventh event to be held under the Sakura Genesis name.[2]
Storylines
Sakura Genesis featured 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.[3]
Event
The event started with the tag team confrontation between Tatsuya Matsumoto and Taisei Nakahara, and Kushida and Masatora Yasuda, scored with the victory of the latter.
Next up, Hartley Jackson and Kosei Fujita picked up a victory over Togi Makabe and Master Wato in tag team competition.
The third bout saw Shingo Takagi Taiji Ishimori, and Robbie X outmatch Jake Lee, Francesco Akira, and Jakob Austin Young in six-man tag team competition.
Next up, Aaron Wolf, Tiger Mask, Toru Yano, and Yoh defeated Don Fale, Douki, Sho, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru in eight-man tag team competition.
In the sixth bout, Boltin Oleg, Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi defeated Ren Narita, Yujiro Takahashi, and Chase Owens to secure the second consecutive defense of the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship in that respective reign.
Next up, Konosuke Takeshita wrestled Shota Umino into a time-limit draw in a bout disputed for the NJPW World Television Championship, rendering Takeshita as retaining the title for the second time successfully in that respective reign. After the bout concluded, the latter was attacked by Chase Owens who declared a challenge for the title.[4][5]
In the semi-main event, Oskar and Yuto-Ice defeated Zack Sabre Jr. and Ryohei Oiwa to secure the fifth consecutive defense of the IWGP Tag Team Championship in that respective reign. After the bout concluded, Great-O-Khan and Henare stepped up to challenge Ice and Oskar, only for the champion team to furtherly nominate former multi-time champions Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi. A number one contender's match between the two teams was scheduled to take part on further notice.[6]
In the main event, 2026 New Japan Cup winner Callum Newman defeated Yota Tsuji to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, ending the latter's reign at 90 days and one defense. Over this, Newman became the youngest IWGP Heavyweight Champion at 23 years, 7 months and 4 days, beating the previous record held by Shinsuke Nakamura at the time of his win. After the bout concluded, Tsuji, who was also the IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion, was attacked by a masked figure who was instantly revealed to be Gabe Kidd, thus cementing the latter's challenge for Tsuji's title. Newman was challenged by Shingo Takagi who unsuccessfully tried to help Unbound Co. stablemate Tsuji to fight Kidd off.[7]