NJPW Sakura Genesis 2023 Results

New Japan Pro-Wrestling held their latest major show on Saturday, April 8 as Sakura Genesis aired from the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan. 

The main event saw Kazuchika Okada defend the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against SANADA, who won the 2023 New Japan Cup to earn the title shot. Okada's latest reign at the top of NJPW came to an end as SANADA blocked a Rainmaker before he followed up with his new Deadfall finisher to score the victory and win the IWGP World Heavyweight Title for the first time. 

SANADA's first challenger was also revealed following the contest as Hiromu Takahashi entered the ring following his own successful defence of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title against TMDK's Robbie Eagles earlier in the night. Hiromu then challenged his former LIJ stablemate to a title match but Takahashi must first put the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title on the line against Yoshinobu Kanemaru.

SANADA wasn't the only new champion crowned at Sakura Genesis as Aussie Open defeated Bishamon to win the IWGP Tag Team Titles, with Mark Davis and Kyle Fletcher picking up the win after they decked Hirooki Goto with Coriolis. 

El Phantasmo also found himself without a faction after Sakura Genesis. ELP had never accepted David Finlay as the new leader of Bullet Club and their issues came to a head following Phantasmo, Finlay, and KENTA's win over Tama Tonga, Hikuleo, and Master Wato.

Finlay levelled Tama Tonga with the NEVER Openweight Championship after the win and he proceeded to beat down Tama, only for ELP to pull Finlay off Tonga. This caused a strike exchange and after they were pulled apart, ELP removed his Bullet Club gear which prompted KENTA to drop Phantasmo with the Go To Sleep. Taiji Ishimori then looked to make the save for his tag team partner but Ishimori also took out ELP with a Low Blow. Phantasmo was then left lying following a shillelagh strike, officially kicking ELP out of Bullet Club. 

Phantasmo might not find himself without a faction for very long as he has teased joining Jay White's Bullet Club Black 'n Gold group in AEW. 

Elsewhere at Sakura Genesis, Mercedes Moné successfully defended the IWGP Women's Championship against AZM & Hazuki in a Three-Way, while Zack Sabre Jr. scored his own successful defence of the NJPW World TV Championship against Shota Umino.

Check out the full results from NJPW Sakura Genesis below:

• Toru Yano, Great-O-Khan, & Minoru Suzuki def. Hiroshi Tanahashi, YOH, & El Desperado - Shinnichi Champion Grand Prix Celebration
• Aaron Henare, Francesco Akira, & Jeff Cobb def. EVIL, SHO, & Yujiro Takahashi
• Taichi, DOUKI, & Yoshinobu Kanemaru def. BUSHI, Shingo Takagi, & Tetsuya Naito
• David Finlay, El Phantasmo, & KENTA def. Master Wato, Tama Tonga, & Hikuleo
• Mercedes Mone (c) def. AZM and Hazuki - Three-Way for the IWGP Women's Championship
• Zack Sabre Jr. (c) def. Shota Umino - NJPW World Television Championship
• Aussie Open def. Bishamon (c) - IWGP Tag Team Championships
• Hiromu Takahashi (c) def. Robbie Eagles - IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
• SANADA def. Kazuchika Okada - IWGP World Heavyweight Championship