NJPW Sakura Genesis - April 4, 2026

[Chris]

Four title matches made for Sakura Genesis!​

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!​

 

[Chris]

Road to Sakura Genesis night 1 (March 28) preview​

Ibaraki sees tour kickoff

As sakura start to blossom across Japan, the Road to Sakura Genesis gets underway Saturday March 28 in Ibaraki. The short, intense tour sees fallout from the New Japan Cup, and a quick build to Aprril 4's showdown in the historic home of sumo in Ryogoku.

Watch live on NJPW World (English to follow on demand)

Main event: Unbound Co. (Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi, Taiji Ishimori, Robbie X & Daiki Nagai) vs United Empire (Callum Newman, Jake Lee, Francesco Akira, Jakob Austin Young & Zane Jay)

Our main event on night one of the Road to Sakura Genesis sees Unbound Co. and United Empire's aggressions turned up yet another level. Ten man tag team action will see the two factions collide one week on from Callum Newman becoming the youngest ever to seize the New Japan Cup trophy, and a week before he looks to convert that trophy into the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Yota Tsuji has other plans, and looks to retain alongside Robbie X and Taiji Ishimori, who are seeking their first defence of the IWGP Junior Tag titles on April 2 over Francesco Akira and Jakob Austin Young. With Shingo Takagi and Jake Lee, as well as Daiki Nagai and Zane Jay also with their own agendas to push, it's a heated all star main event on deck.

6th Match: Unbound Co. (Yuto-Ice, OSKAR & Gedo) vs TMDK (Ryohei Oiwa, Zack Sabre Jr. & Hartley Jackson)

With the countdown on to KOB's next tag team title defence the following week in Ryogoku, it's a six man tag team preview that's our semi main event tonight in Ibaraki. Ryohei Oiwa and Zack Sabre Jr.'s continued clashes with OSKAR and Yuto-Ice are sure to light up the crowd, but Gedo's disposition is likely to be a good bit gloomier when he realises his opposite number is the human refrigerator that is Hartley Jackson.

5th Match: Boltin Oleg, Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI & Shota Umino vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita, Yujiro Takahashi, Chase Owens & Dick Togo)

As Boltin Oleg looks to convince Ren Narita to put the NEVER Openweight Championship on the line at a future date after a convincing win for the Kazakh Beat during New Japan Cup, the NEVER 6 man titles are at stake on April 4 at Sakura Genesis. A preview of that bout sees eight man action here in Ibaraki, with Shota Umino more than happy to join Bishamontin for a chance to push back the House as he did twice during his own Cup campaign.

4th Match: Aaron Wolf, YOH, Toru Yano & Master Wato vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (Don Fale, DOUKI, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

Hontai and HOUSE OF TORTURE continue to battle in more eight man tag team action on the night. Five days before YOH challenges DOUKI for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, this marks the final televised preview for the two. Meanwhile, Aaron Wolf continues to battle Don Fale as the Olympic gold medalist looks to show his might against the super heavyweight.

3rd Match: Yuya Uemura, Taichi & El Desperado vs Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Tiger Mask

The New Japan Cup finals back on March 21 saw a reunion of sorts for El Desperado and Taichi. The two former Suzuki-Gun running buddies would be on the same side of a tag team ledger in Nagaoka for the first time since their faction alma mater ceased operations back at the end of 2022. Now in the Hontai fold, Desperado and Taichi team again tonight, and are joined by Taichi's one time protege in Yuya Uemura. As Uemura seeks to bounce back from New Japan Cup final defeat he joins an impressive looking Hontai trio against a group of double tough veterans in Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma and Tiger Mask.

2nd Match: KUSHIDA vs Taisei Nakahara

New Young Lion Taisei Nakahara has a huge learning opportunity ahead of him tonight in what will be only his third career singles matchup. Ibaraki sees him take on a former six time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and a two time Best of the Super Jr winner in KUSHIDA. Well accustomed to nurturing future prospects, KUSHIDA has a key coaching role in the NJPW Academy as well as in seminars worldwide, but this matchup is about whether Nakahara can apply knowledge under pressure against one of the all-time greats of the junior heavyweight division.

1st Match: Masatora Yasuda vs Tatsuya Matsumoto
Singles record: 2-0 Yasuda

We get the action started on the Road to Sakura Genesis with a Young Lion battle for Masatora Yasuda and Tatsuya Matsumoto. While Yasuda has Dojo and career seniority over Matsumoto, the Goto Revolutionary Aermy member has been eager to improve his position in the NJPW ranks, something that saw him with renewed aggression during tag belts over the New Japan Cup finals weekend toward Yasuda specifically. Can Matsumoto overcome an 0-2 deficit and topple his senior tonight?​

 

[Chris]

Road to Sakura Genesis night 4 (April 2) preview​

Two junior heavyweight titles headline last night on road to Ryogoku

April 2 will see the short road to Sakura Genesis 2026 April 4 come to a close. 48 hours before the big Sumo Hall event, Korakuen Hall sees two junior heavyweight championship matches atop a loaded card.

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Tickets available worldwide in English!

Main event: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship- DOUKI vs YOH
Singles record: 1-1

DOUKI puts the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on the line against YOH in our main event. HOUSE OF TORTURE's self proclaimed 'junior heavyweight god' doesn't grace the 'mortal plane' of the cerulean every night. Far less of a fighting champion than in his first reign, DOUKI has chosen his spots carefully since his October title victory. Forgoing the bright lights of the Tokyo Dome and Wrestle Kingdom, DOUKI instead left his first defence to Korakuen Hall and a set of circumstances most conducive to HOT aid; when pinned by Master Wato, there still needed some convincing for DOUKI to even defend at Anniversary March 6
After DOUKI got away with the gold by the skin of his teeth against master Wato in Ota, it seemed as if he might avoid all challengers until Best of the Super Jr. at the earliest. Yet YOH would hit the ring and as he ruined DOUKI's pompous title celebration and laid out the champion with a dose of EVIL offense, DOUKI has now vowed to put YOH in his place. In 2024, the spring season was a sour one when YOH's challenge to then champion SHO ended in two minutes after a dislocated shoulder. Two years on, could this finally be the night YOH completes a long and grueling climb to the title on his sixth attempt at the gold?

7th Match: IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships- Unbound Co. (Robbie X & Taiji Ishimori) vs United Empire (Francesco Akira & Jakob Austin Young)

One year ago, Robbie X and Taiji Ishimori were challenging for IWGP junior tag gold ahead of Sakura Genesis, and after an impactful victory at 54th Anniversary, April 2 sees their first defence.

X and Ishimori were stunning in Ota, the third chapter in an increasingly spectacular rivalry with Robbie Eagles and Taiji Ishimori seeing the Unbound Co. side lift the gold after X landed the X Express on last year's Best of the Super Jr. winner Kosei Fujita. Yet it was the post match that was just as impactful in Ota; Francesco Akira and Jakob Austin Young attacked the new champions and brutalised X's neck between steel chairs.

Akira was the mastermind of the attack, motivated by X making the save for the departing Hiromu Takahashi at New Beginning in Osaka when the Italian was hell bent on making sure Hiromu left NJPW on a stretcher. Miraculouysly, X didn't need to be stretchered out of Ota at Anniversary, but he was laid low with his neck injury for the remainder of the New Japan Cup tour, and has to be a major question mark this evening. Will the champions get their revenge, or will more gold work its way to the United Empire?

6th Match: Unbound Co. (Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi & Daiki Nagai) vs United Empire (Callum Newman, Jake Lee & Zane Jay)

Our final preview of the Sakura Genesis main event will have Callum Newman looking to make his final physical statements to IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji tonight. With the grand prize on the line just 48 hours later, who will have the upper hand tonight? Plus, Jake Lee's ongoing issues with Shingo Takagi are worthy of attention, as is the (decidedly not depending on who you listen to) Young Lion feud for Daiki Nagai and Zane Jay.

5th Match: Unbound Co. (Yuto-Ice, OSKAR & Gedo) vs TMDK (Ryohei Oiwa, Zack Sabre Jr. & Hartley Jackson)

One last look ahead to the IWGP Tag Team Championships on the line at Sakura Genesis will pit champs OSKAR and Yuto-Ice alongside Gedo to face challengers Ryohei Oiwa and Zack Sabre Jr., together with Hartley Jackson. What is likely a nightmare scenario for Gedo opposite the powerful and the punishing will nonetheless have him looking to support the tag champs in their bid to set a winning pace.

4th Match: Boltin Oleg, Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Aaron Wolf & Toru Yano vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita, Chase Owens, Yujiro Takahashi, Don Fale & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

With Ren Narita having flatly refused Boltin Oleg's challenge for the NEVER Openweight Championship unless the Big Man From Kazakhstan joins Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI in puttiong the NEVER 6 Man titles on the line at Sakura Genesis first, a final preview for trios title action takes to the ring in Korakuen Hall. Having beaten Narita in the New Japan Cup, Boltin needs to keep his claim to the NEVER singles Champion strong tonight, and Hontai will want to set a strong pace ahead of YOH's main event with DOUKI. Don't be surprised if this match isn't the last we see of the HOT members on the evening.

3rd Match: Yuya Uemura, Taichi & El Desperado vs Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Master Wato

Six man tag team action pits two Hontai trios against one another tonight. While Taichi remarked in post match comments after Nagaoka that he, El Desperado and Tomohiro Ishii would make for an impressive team of NEVER Openweight 6 man Champions some day, Uemura makes perhaps for an arguably even more impressive partner as Tomohiro Ishii continues to recover from injury. Teaming several times on events through the Road to Sakura Genesis, what will this trio have in store for Honma, Makabe and their junior heavyweight partner Master Wato?

2nd Match: Konosuke Takeshita vs Tatsuya Matsumoto

A unique singles matchup in Korakuen sees Young Lion Tatsuya Matsumoto taking on the NJPW World TV Champion Konosuke Takeshita in non-title action. Ever since scoring his first career singles win a month ago against the debuting Taisei Nakahara, and having seen contemporary Zane Jay take an unconventional route to greater exposure, Matsumoto has felt the need to take matters into his own hands to further advance his career. Tonight he gets a major opportunity against the triple contracted global star, but can he survive the Alpha?

1st match: Shota Umino & Tiger Mask vs KUSHIDA & Masatora Yasuda

Tiger Mask's impending retirement is starting to feel all the more real with each passing match, and the iconic veteran will take to the ring for tag team action to start us off in Korakuen. Tonight, he joins Shota Umino against another junior heavyweight icon in KUSHIDA and Young Lion Masatora Yasuda. A man with the Japanese for 'tiger' in his name, Masatora has long felt eager to earn Tiger Mask's respect; can he do so tonight?​

 

[Hoss]

They need to let me make their match graphics

 

[Chris]

Sakura Genesis (April 4) Full card, Preview​

Four title matches and a massive return highlight Sumo Hall card

The full card is now set for Sakura Genesis. The biggest event of the spring sees four title matches, a massive return, and much more!
Watch live in English on NJPW World!
Tickets available worldwide in English!

Main event: IWGP Heavyweight Championship- Yota Tsuji vs Callum Newman
Singles record: 1-0 Tsuji

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. Their only prior singles meeting during G1 Climax 35 saw Tsuji victorious, though as the likes of Yuya Uemura and Hirooki Goto have discovered through the New Japan Cup, Callum Newman in 2026 is a very different prospect to the Callum Newman of 2025. Will it indeed be a new man at the top April 4?

7th Match: IWGP Tag Team Championships- Knockout Brothers (OSKAR & Yuto-Ice) vs TMDK (Ryohei Oiwa & Zack Sabre Jr.)
Direct tag record: 2-0 KOB

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?

6th Match: NJPW World TV Championship- Konosuke Takeshita vs Shota Umino
Singles record: 1-0 Umino

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?

5th Match: NEVER Openweight 6 Man tag team Championships- Boltin Oleg, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita, Chase Owens & Yujiro Takahashi)

Tthe '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?

4th Match: Yuya Uemura, Taichi & El Desperado vs United Empire (Will Ospreay, Great-O-Khan & HENARE)

For the first time in over two years, Will Ospreay takes to the cerulean blue for his Japanese comeback match at Sakura Genesis. Appearing at New Year Dash in January, Ospreay addressed Callum Newman, saying that he wanted to return in support of the Prince and 'do things your way'. Now, on a night where Newman faces Yota Tsuji for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the main event, Ospreay meets the man Callum beat in the New Japan Cup final in Yuya Uemura alongside two members with long histories in United Empire: HENARE and co-founder Great-O-Khan.

3rd Match: Aaron Wolf, YOH, Toru Yano & Master Wato vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (DOUKI, Don Fale, SHO & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)

In the aftermath of YOH and DOUKI's battle over the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship in Korakuen, eight man action will see a new chapter in the long saga between Hontai and HOUSE OF TORTURE. Fallout from the junior heavyweight title match is joined by Aaron Wolf continuing to pursue revenge against Don Fale, and the Hontai side will also be eager to ensure HOT are not in a position to interfere in our NEVER 6 Man Tag title match to come.

2nd Match: Unbound Co. (Shingo Takagi, Taiji Ishimori & Robbie X) vs United Empire (Jake Lee, Francesco Akira & Jakob Austin Young)

United Empire and Unbound Co.'s ongoing faction warfare sees six man action in Ryogoku. Two days after Robbie X and Taiji Ishimori defend the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships in Korakuen Hall, they will either be out for revenge, or to reassert theirsuperiority over Francesco Akira and Jakob Austin Young. Jake Lee has been decidedly drawn by Shingo Takagi of late meanwhile, and as the two provide heavyweight punch to this trios clash, what happens next in their growing feud?

1st Match: Tiger Mask & Togi Makabe vs TMDK (Kosei Fujita & Hartley Jackson)

As Tiger Mask counts down to his July retirement, Sakura Genesis marks what is likely his final appearance in Ryogoku. Having scored key victories in his career here over the likes of Jyushin Thunder Liger, Rocky Romero as Black Tiger, and Mistico, he faces a new and growing icon of the junior division in Kosei Fujita tonight.

Fujita will have no love lost for Tiger Mask, as he looks to prove himself ahead of Best of the Super Jr. 33; his partner tonight is the considerably larger Hartley Jackson, who will try to leverage his veteran instincts and considerable force opposite legendary bruiser Togi Makabe.

Kickoff Match: KUSHIDA & Masatora Yasuda vs Tatsuya Matsumoto & Taisei Nakahara

A firm and wise hand in NJPW's LA Academy, KUSHIDA will be imparting wisdom and knowledge to Young Lions throughout the Road to Sakura Genesis. Tonight, it's tag team action that sees him with senior Young Lion Masatora Yasuda against the aggressive Tatsuya Matsumoto and Taisei Nakahara who made his debut on the New Japan Cup series.​

 

[Kairi HoHo]

They need to let me make their match graphics

Please do because it's WCW 2000s bad with their graphics at times.

The Main Event doesn't exist on my mind between a guy I didn't want to see win the NJ Cup and a Champion who hasn't been acting like a World Champion of the Company to me more so playing like one for a Kiddie party imo. Still the Tag Title and TV Title are glorious Matches people need to watch on this Tour.

 

[Chris]

From today's show:

Tiger Mask IV Announces Retirement, Will Challenge for IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title One Last Time - Monthly Puroresu

Tiger Mask IV has announced that he is set to retire later this year. However, he is not riding off into the sunset just yet, declaring his intention to challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship one more time. By Noah Leatherland Tiger Mask IV has announced that he is set to retire...

monthlypuroresu.com

Tiger Mask IV has announced that he is set to retire later this year. However, he is not riding off into the sunset just yet, declaring his intention to challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship one more time.

The man behind the mask made his debut 1995 and made the jump to NJPW in 2002. Since then, Tiger Mask has held the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title six times, the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Titles twice, the GHC Jr, Heavyweight Tag Titles twice, and most recently held the AJPW World Jr. Heavyweight Title in 2022.

Tiger Mask teamed with Shota Umino on the Road to Sakura Genesis in Korakuen Hall, and made the announcement of his retirement after the match:

The date of my retirement has been set. On July 7th, right here at Korakuen Hall—the venue where I made my debut—I will be retiring! That leaves me with just three months, really. Three months—I intend to stay injury-free and put on some brilliant fights for all of you. Please do give me your support!

Later on in that show, DOUKI retained the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship, and Tiger Mask confronted him in the aftermath. DOUKI scurried away, but Tiger Mask addressed the crowd one more time:

Hey! You! Do you really think the fans will be satisfied with a match like this, you bastard! Open your ears and listen carefully. Next time, I’ll be the one to do it! Listen up, you. I didn’t grow up in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, but I’ll crush you with Satoru Sayama’s Strong Style, you bastard! And then! I’ll crush this guy and retire as champion!

Speaking backstage, DOUKI commented on his legendary challenger:

Tiger Mask, are you still at it? Hey, you—weren’t you supposed to be retiring? Fine then, I’ll put an end to Tiger Mask before your retirement match.

(Quotes translated via DeepL)

 

[Hoss]

Future TNA Hall of Famer imo

 

[Kairi HoHo]

Once Douki beats YOH surely Tiger Mask can get his wish for one more Junior Title shot before he hangs it up

 

[Chris]

Ryogoku card changes made in wake of Tiger Mask challenge!​

DOUKI to face off with retiring legend

Watch live in English on NJPW World!
Tickets available worldwide in English!
On the Road to Sakura Genesis in Korakuen Hall on April 2, it was another junior heavyweight main event, and another sour note that ended the evening as DOUKI once again survived with the aid of HOUSE OF TORTURE to retain. Yet just as the maniacal junior monster was preparing to have Hiroshi Tanahashi wrap the belt around his waist, Japones Del Mal was confronted by Tiger Mask.

The legend, who had earlier in the night announced he would be retiring on July 7, declared that he wanted to retire as a champion, and promised to give some original Tiger Mask, Satoru Sayama style discipline to the ill mannered champion. In response, DOUKI vowed that he would end Tiger Mask's career early, and accepted the challenge for before July 7. No date or venue is set for the title fight as of yet, but with the challenge made and accepted, we will have a preview in store for us at Sakura Genesis, as Tiger Mask and Master Wato have swapped places on the card! Will Tiger be able to deliver a strong message with Hontai cohorts to the evil junior champ?​

 

[Chris]

Some wild developments happened today I see

 

[Kairi HoHo]

Some wild developments happened today I see

And I was spoiled on it on Twitter and I'm about to watch the Show. All I know is I'm going to have loads to say as New Japan continues to throw shit at the Wall hoping it sticks.

 

[Kairi HoHo]

If Jackson can smack around Wato enough in this Tag Team Match he just gain some personality within himself

 

[Kairi HoHo]

Akira you look mad stupid with that Mask on man. You don't look intimidating or tough to anyone and yet you're being forced to because of the new direction of United Empire.

 

[Kairi HoHo]

The things Robbie X does are amazing. It would be smart of New Japan to put that man in the BOSJ Final with Akira but knowing them they won't give me that.