Heading into this match, Jay White repeatedly stated that SANADA wasn't on his level, and the brash Bullet Club member backed up his words at NJPW's New Beginning in Osaka.
SANADA really needed the victory here (he hasn't won a singles match in almost a year, according to Kevin Kelly), but the combo of Switchblade's evasive skill and Gedo's shenanigans on the outside was simply too much for him to overcome.
At one point, SANADA did manage to lock in the Skull End for quite a long time and it looked like a submission win was moments away. However, White was able to get a foot in the ropes and after another brief exchange - and more of Gedo's interference - the Kiwi hit his Blade Runner finisher for the 1,2,3.
Where does SANADA go from here?Re-teaming with EVIL seems likely, but this guy really deserves a strong singles push.