New champion crowned at NJPW Sakura Genesis
History was made at Sakura Genesis.
Callum Newman, 23, defeated Yota Tsuji to become the youngest IWGP Champion of all time Saturday at Sumo Hall, scoring the pinfall after connecting with the Prince’s Curse and the make way. The shock win ends Tsuji’s reign with the championship, which he won back at Wrestle Kingdom 20 in January.
Will Ospreay, who wrestled earlier in the show, was the first to embrace Newman following his title win and put the IWGP Championship around Newman’s waist. Newman cut a short promo telling the crowd that there was no doubt about him anymore and to kiss the crown. The show closed with all members of United Empire, including Ospreay, posing with the new champion.
Later, during backstage comments, Ospreay asked Newman if they could talk privately, seemingly hinting that he may need help in AEW where the Death Riders and Jon Moxley have been playing the numbers game against him.
After the match, a hooded figure arrived and laid out Tsuji with a piledriver, later revealing himself to be Gabe Kidd. Shingo Takagi came out for the save, but Kidd landed in a punch before exiting the area. Takagi recovered and eventually crossed paths with Newman, issuing the first challenge for the title.
Bryan Rose is an editor from California that has been covering professional wrestling for well over a decade. He officially joined F4WOnline as an editor in 2017.