New Japan Pro Wrestling is going to reveal the brand new belt for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship before champion Kota Ibushi defends it at Sakura Genesis in April. The company announced that the belt will be witnessed by fans during the Road to Sakura Genesis event on March 30 where Ibushi is set to team with Satoshi Kojima and Hiroyoshi Tenzan in the main event against Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan. The announcement reads, “At Sakura Genesis on April 4, IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Kota Ibushi will defend his brand new title for the very first time against Will Ospreay in our main event. Days before this huge kard (sic) in Ryogoku, fans can witness the future of NJPW competition in Korakuen Hall. On March 30’s Road to Sakura Genesis event, the brand new championship belt will see its first public reveal!”
NJPW decided to unify the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship belts, both of which were held by Kota Ibushi. He defended both the titles successfully against El Desperado at the NJPW 49th Anniversary Show in Tokyo on March 4, 2021 which marked the final defense of the titles. Will Ospreay then won the 2021 New Japan Cup earning a title shot against Ibushi at Sakura Genesis.
Here is the full line-up for NJPW Sakura Genesis which will take place on April 4:
- IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
Kota Ibushi (c) vs Will Ospreay - IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Championships
El Desperado & Yoshinobu Kanemaru (c) vs. SHO & YOH - Hiroshi Tanahashi & Satoshi Kojima vs. Jay White & Bad Luck FaleÂ
- Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & Shingo Takagi vs. The Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb & a mystery partner
- Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano, Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI vs. EVIL, KENTA, Yujiro Takahashi, Taiji Ishimori & Dick Togo
- Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr. & DOUKI vs. Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa & Jado
