r/PuroresuRevolution

Just wanted to shout out Konosuke Takeshita — his matches with the NJPW World TV Championship have been quietly some of the best stuff in NJPW lately. Whether he’s defending it or going to time-limit draws, he brings that hard-hitting international style that elevates everyone around him. Combined with Callum Newman’s IWGP Heavyweight Title win, NJPW’s title scene has a nice mix of experience and fresh energy. Anyone else think Takeshita deserves a shot at one of the bigger singles belts soon?

I’m still trying to process the main event of Sakura Genesis. Seeing Callum Newman—the "Prince" himself—capture the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from Yota Tsuji at such a young age felt like a genuine shock to the system.

The match had its critics (I know, I know, the first half was a bit slow), but that closing stretch was pure adrenaline. It felt like NJPW finally pulled the trigger on the youth movement we've been begging for since Tanahashi's retirement at the Dome.

My question for you all: Is Newman ready to be the face of the United Empire and the company? Or did Tsuji lose the belt too early? I can’t help but feel like Shingo Takagi is going to be the ultimate test for Newman’s first defense. Shingo doesn't "pass torches"—you have to take them from his cold, dead hands.