Kazuchika Okada made the 11th defense of his IWGP heavyweight title on Sunday, defeating Zack Sabre Jr. after 35 minutes in their main event match at Sakura Genesis.
Okada required two Rainmakers before pinning Sabre Jr. with a tombstone leading to the second and final Rainmaker of the match.
The story of the match was Sabre Jr’s ability to counter all of Okada’s offensive maneuvers, including the belly-to-back neck breaker, top rope elbow, and Rainmaker with submission holds.
After the match, Hiroshi Tanahashi came out to set up Okada’s record-breaking title defense, a record which the two share after Okada’s win on Sunday. It would be their first singles match since the G-1 Climax in August 2016, which ended in a 30:00 draw.
Okada’s current run as IWGP heavyweight champion dates back to June 2016.
