Callum Newman Captures IWGP Heavyweight Championship At NJPW Sakura Genesis

Newman captures the gold.

The main event of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Sakura Genesis show was Yota Tsuji defending the IWGP Heavyweight Championship against the 2026 New Japan Cup winner Callum Newman.

All of United Empire (Will Ospreay, Jakob Austin Young, Jake Lee, Francesco Akira, HENARE & Great-O-Khan) accompanied Newman to the ring, and all group members were sporting suits. Ospreay flanked Newman while the other group members lined up along the aisleway for the entrance.

There was a point in the bout when Newman was about to use a steel chair on Tsuji, but Ospreay stopped him from doing that. Newman then blasted Tsuji with a ‘Hidden Blade.’ Newman would go on to dethrone Tsuji to become the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

Callum Newman is the youngest-ever IWGP Heavyweight Champion in history.

Post-match, Ospreay put the belt around him and embraced Newman. Shingo Takagi would make his way out to the ring to step up as the first challenger to Newman’s belt.