Full card announced for NJPW 53rd Anniversary show

New IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Hirooki Goto officially has a date and an opponent for his first title defense.

The main event of NJPW’s 53rd Anniversary show on Thursday, March 6 will officially be Goto vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Now confirmed by NJPW, the matchup was proposed by Goto in a backstage promo after his title win at the New Beginning in Osaka. Goto said he wanted to give Tanahashi a shot at the IWGP World title before Tanahashi retires from the ring in January 2026.

More than 20 years into his NJPW career, Goto finally became World Champion by dethroning Zack Sabre Jr. at Tuesday’s New Beginning in Osaka event.

The winner of Goto vs. Tanahashi will defend the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of NJPW Sakura Genesis on Saturday, April 5, facing the winner of New Japan Cup 2025.

NJPW’s 53rd Anniversary show is taking place from Ota City Gym in Tokyo and will air live on NJPW World. Here is the full lineup:

• IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Hirooki Goto defends against Hiroshi Tanahashi
• IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado defends against Francesco Akira
• Tetsuya Naito, Hiromu Takahashi, Shingo Takagi & Yota Tsuji vs. EVIL, Dick Togo, Yujiro Takahashi & SHO
• Gabe Kidd & Drilla Moloney vs. Ren Narita & Yoshinobu Kanemaru
• Taichi, Yuya Uemura & TAKA Michinoku vs. SANADA, Taichi Ishimori & Gedo
• Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson vs. Bad Luck Fale & Chase Owens
• NJPW World TV Championship open challenge: El Phantasmo defends against a mystery opponent

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