Sakura Genesis 2025 was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). It took on April 5, 2024, in Tokyo at Ryōgoku Kokugikan. The main event saw Hirooki Goto defend the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against the 2025 New Japan Cup winner David Finlay. This was the sixth event under the Sakura Genesis name.
Production[]
Storylines[]
Sakura Genesis 2025 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.
Hirooki Goto, who defended the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against David Finlay in the main event
Sakura Genesis 2025 is the first major NJPW show following the 2025 New Japan Cup. The New Japan Cup is an annual single-elimination tournament, where the winner gets to choose whether to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Traditionally, the title match has taken place at the April Ryōgoku Kokugikan show, previously known as Invasion Attack and now as Sakura Genesis. In March, David Finlay made it to the finals of the 2025 New Japan Cup, which he eventually won, defeating Shota Umino in the finals on March 20, earning a title match against Hirooki Goto for his title. Both were supposed to face each other in the quarter-finals of the previous edition of the New Japan Cup, but Finlay was forced to forfeit the match, due to a swelling in his neck. To Finlay, every loss represents a 'moment of weakness', and that meant the he was eager to make sure he got his win back in the most definitive form possible, leading to a match at King of Pro-Wrestling, where Finlay retained the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship against Goto with his children sitting ringside.
Shota Umino, who face Hiroshi Tanahashi in his retirement tour
After being defeaten by Finlay stated to Umino that his "way is the only way", indicating the success Umino could be different. At the backstage interview, Umino was confronted by NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi, who challenged Umino to face him on his Final Road retirement tour, which he accepted.
At the 2025 New Japan Cup finals, Yota Tsuji was attacked by House of Torture with EVIL holding the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, presenting himself as Tsuji's next challenger. Tsuji responded to the attack in his backstage comments by saying he 'saw no value' in facing EVIL for the Global title in his current form, but that there was value in facing the 'old' EVIL, when he was part of Los Ingobernables de Japon. Both faced each other in the semifinals of the 2024 New Japan Cup, which Tsuji won, despite the interference of House of Torture. In February 2025, EVIL began targetting Tsuji aiming to face him in a match for his title.
Konosuke Takeshita, who defended the NEVER Openweight Championship
During the New Japan Cup, Tetsuya Naito defeated Callum Newman in the first round, but lost to Jeff Cobb in the second rounf of the tournament. Afterwards, Cobb began would pressuring Naito to give him a title match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship, citing him and Great-O-Khan, were never defeated for the titles, as both reigns had ended in three way matches. At the March 20 event, Newman and Cobb challenged Naito to a title match, with his partner Hiromu Takahashi accepting.
On February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka, after Konosuke Takeshita successfully defended the NEVER Openweight Championship, he was challenged to a title match by Ryohei Oiwa. Takeshita, who took an interest in him, due to taking an alternate path to the traditional Young Lion route in NJPW, led to him accepting the challenge.
Gabe Kidd, who took part in the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship title match
The New Beginning in Osaka, saw EVIL and Dick Togo, who had previously suggested their potential departure from NJPW, entered the ring and initially implied that they were severing ties with the House of Torture. However, this was revealed to be a deceptive tactic, subsequently, the House of Torture turned against Gabe Kidd, attacking him. Following these events, EVIL declared that War Dogs would no longer be associated with the Bullet Club, leading to a feud between both sides. During the 2025 New Japan Cup, undercard matches saw the two groups fight to a streak of countouts and disqualifications, much to the rage of the War Dogs. The finals of the tournament, Drilla Moloney laughed at House of Torture kicking the War Dogs out of Bullet Club. He then on behalf of Taiji Ishimori and Gabe Kidd challenged for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.
El Phantasmo, who defended the NJPW World Television Championship
Also at the event, El Phantasmo successfully defended the NJPW World Television Championship against TJP. Both shook hands and Great-O-Khan, who watched the sportsmanship from the outside, greeted TJP before attacking Phantasmo. He declared himself next to challenge for the title, before attacking him again.
On November 4, 2024, at Power Struggle, SANADA turned on Just 5 Guys and jumped to War Dogs by helping David Finlay defeat Taichi to retain the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. At The New Beginning in Osaka, Uemura made his return from his injury, by intervening to assist Taichi, who was under attack by the War Dogs. He subsequently issued a challenge to SANADA, declaring that he would serve as his stepping stone in his goal of becoming the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Their feud continued over the following months, leading to a match in the first round of the 2025 New Japan Cup. On March 20, Uemura, Taichi, and Taka Michinoku were attacked by SANADA and Bullet Club, before being saved by Hiroshi Tanahashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Yoshi-Hashi, and El Desperado, leading them to form an alliance with NJPW Seikigun against Bullet Club, setting up a match between Uemura and SANADA.
Matches[]
Kickoff[]
| # | Results | Stipulations | Times |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1P | Katsuya Murashima defeated Daiki Nagai | Singles Match | 8:13 |
| |||
