“If I stay in LIJ, nothing new will come of it.”
That’s what Sanada said March 17 when he punctuated his New Japan Cup quarterfinal victory over Tetsuya Naito by revealing that he was leaving Los Ingobernables de Japón and joining Taichi’s Just 4 Guys stable.
(Which, naturally, is now Just 5 Guys.)
But he didn’t stop there. Along with the new allegiance, Sanada has unveiled a new look (clean-shaven with a more normal hair color) and a new finishing move, a modified DDT. As far as turning the page goes, this was as definitive as it gets.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling obviously believes in the “new” Sanada, having him win the New Japan Cup tournament for the first time. He defeated David Finlay in the final — another NJPW wrestler whose profile is on the rise — and now has the opportunity to battle Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Sakura Genesis in Ryogoku on April 8.
Sanada has been here before, not just competing for NJPW’s top prize, but against the same man. His title bout against Okada at Wrestling Dontaku 2019 earned five stars from Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, and his rematch at King of Pro-Wrestling later that year won Tokyo Sports’ Best Bout Award 2019.
The common thread between both of them? Sanada lost.
There’s reason to think this time might be different. Okada is, of course, a generational talent, but we’ve seen him hold the top title for lengthy periods before. He’s had high profile matches against just about everyone NJPW can put forward as a contender. Okada always delivers, it’s just that he’s been doing that for so long that he’s already delivered against the field.
Putting the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on Sanada would be different. It would be fresh, like his presentation. It would give Just 5 Guys, despite a horrible name, real status as a top stable. There’s plenty that could be done with the jilted members of LIJ, especially Naito, looking for some payback.
Sanada is also 35. He’s not old, but he’s no up and comer either. If there was ever a time to see what he can do as New Japan’s top champion, this is it.
There’s one caveat. Forbidden Door, NJPW’s joint PPV card with AEW, is returning again this June. As Wrestling Observer Live hosts Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive pointed out this week, Sanada is better known in Japan than he is internationally. Maybe New Japan gets skittish about having someone untested as the top dog head into that event with the title. Perhaps Sanada wins in Ryogoku but loses it back to Okada before Toronto.
But as Alvarez and Sempervive also expressed, what would be the point? Hardcore fans already admire Sanada for his skill and style. He’s never been given the ball and been allowed to run with it to see how he’d do. Hopefully, NJPW is going to give him an honest chance to find out.