NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo 2023 - Night 1 was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on February 4, 2023 in Sapporo, Japan at the Hokkaido Prefectural Sports Center. It was broadcast on NJPW World.
Production[]
Background[]
NJPW held the inaugural New Beginning event on February 15, 2011, with future events going on to take place annually in January and/or February. In 2022, New Beginning events were absent, aside from The New Beginning USA. With the return of the New Beginning in January 2023, NJPW announced that The New Beginning In Sapporo would take place on February 4 and 5.
Storylines[]
During the 2022 Super Junior Tag League, DOUKI and Yoshinobu Kanemaru scored a win over IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Catch 22 (Francesco Akira and TJP). Then, at New Year Dash on January 5, 2023, DOUKI pinned Akira in a Six Man Tag Team Match, earning him and Kanemaru an IWGP Junior Tag Team Championship opportunity at The New Beginning In Sapporo.
After losing the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship to Kenny Omega on January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom 17, Will Ospreay declared he would pick the biggest fights in order to reach the top again. At New Year Dash on January 5, Ospreay and Catch 22 (Francesco Akira and TJP) lost a bout to Just Four Guys (DOUKI, Taichi, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru). Ospreay and Catch 22 would attack Just Four Guys after the match, with Ospreay setting his sights on Taichi. As a result, it was revealed that Taichi would face Ospreay at The New Beginning In Sapporo.
At Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 5, Shota Umino partnered up with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Keiji Muto to defeat BUSHI, SANADA, and Tetsuya Naito of Los Ingobernables de Japón. With Umino setting his sights on Naito, it was announced that the pair would face off at The New Beginning In Sapporo.
Results[]
- Numbers in parentheses indicate the length of the match.
- (c) refers to the champion(s) heading into the match.
- Great-O-Khan defeated Oskar Leube (7:25)
- El Desperado, Minoru Suzuki, Ren Narita & Ryohei Oiwa defeated House Of Torture (Dick Togo, EVIL, SHO & Yujiro Takahashi) in an Eight Man Tag Team Match (9:36)
- TMDK (Kosei Fujita, Mikey Nicholls, Shane Haste & Zack Sabre Jr.) defeated Yuto Nakashima & CHAOS (Hirooki Goto, Tomohiro Ishii & YOSHI-HASHI) in an Eight Man Tag Team Match (11:28)
- Hiroshi Tanahashi, Master Wato & Guerrillas Of Destiny (Hikuleo & Tama Tonga) (w/Jado) defeated BULLET CLUB (El Phantasmo, Jay White, KENTA & Taiji Ishimori) (w/Gedo) in an Eight Man Tag Team Match (12:48)
- Los Ingobernables de Japón (BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, SANADA, Shingo Takagi) defeated Ryusuke Taguchi & CHAOS (Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano & YOH) in an Eight Man Tag Team Match (11:02)
- Catch 22 (Francesco Akira & TJP) (c) (w/Great-O-Khan) defeated Just Four Guys (DOUKI & Yoshinobu Kanemaru) (w/TAKA Michinoku) to retain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (18:24)
- Will Ospreay (w/Great-O-Khan) defeated Taichi (w/TAKA Michinoku) (22:47)
- Tetsuya Naito defeated Shota Umino (32:11)
