IWGP Champion SANADA Wants To Show Why Heavyweights Are 'A Cut Above' Juniors In NJPW

SANADA has had an eventful 2023 thus far. After leaving Los Ingobernables de Japon to join Just 5 Guys, he defeated Kazuchika Okada at NJPW Sakura Genesis to win his first IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. SANADA's first defense is now set for May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku, where he will face-off against former LIJ stablemate and reigning IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi.

When asked during a recent interview on NJPW's official website if he feels like he can't be beaten by a junior heavyweight, the new World Heavyweight Champion replied, "Well, maybe. I think if juniors can beat heavyweights in a spot like this, it's time to talk about not needing weight classes. So I do think I need to establish a certain difference, a cut above." He then added, "Well, I think they're separate things, and I want to show why they're separate, for sure."

The 35-year-old then noted that he's not particularly interested in openweight competition either. "No, not really," SANADA said. "I've always liked heavyweight wrestling, and I've never been in any junior heavyweight leagues or anything like that either."

While Impact Wrestling's X-Division was founded on the mantra of, "it's not about weight limits, it's about no limits," SANADA did hold the X-Division Championship for over 100 days in 2014. He later made his NJPW debut in 2016 as a member of LIJ, which resulted in him winning the IWGP Tag Team Championship and NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship three times each. Prior to his world title win, SANADA experienced singles success as a one-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.