IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
| IWGP World Heavyweight Championship | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Details | |||||||||||||||||||
| Promotion | New Japan Pro-Wrestling | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date established | March 1, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Current champion(s) | Tetsuya Naito | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date won | January 4, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (IWGP世界ヘビー級王座, IWGP Sekai hebī-kyū ōza) is a professional wrestling championship in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). It is the top men's championship and the most important championship in NJPW.
The "IWGP" part is an acronym of International Wrestling Grand Prix, which is New Japan Pro-Wrestling's governing body.
History[change | change source]
At Wrestle Kingdom 14, Tetsuya Naito became a double champion. He won the IWGP Intercontinental Championship from Jay White on Night 1 and then won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from Kazuchika Okada in a Double Gold Dash match on Night 2.[1][2]
At Wrestle Kingdom 15, Kota Ibushi would defeat Naito for both of the championships.[3] On March 1, 2021, it was announced that the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship would be unified and the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship would replace them.[4]
The official title unification took place after Ibushi defeated El Desperado in a match at the NJPW 49th Anniversary Show.[5]
Tetsuya Naito is the current champion. He is in his first reign as champion. He defeated Sanada at Wrestle Kingdom 18.
Title history[change | change source]
| No. | Overall reign number |
|---|---|
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| + | Current reign is changing daily |
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | ||||
| 1 | Kota Ibushi | March 4, 2021 | 49th Anniversary Show | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 31 | Ibushi was already both the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Champion. After he defended them both against El Desperado, the titles were then both unified to make the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship and Ibushi became the first champion. | [6] |
| 2 | Will Ospreay | April 4, 2021 | Sakura Genesis | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 46 | [7] | |
| — | Vacated | May 20, 2021 | — | — | — | — | The championship was vacated because Will Ospreay ended up suffering a neck injury. | [8] |
| 3 | Shingo Takagi | June 7, 2021 | Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall | Osaka, Japan | 1 | 211 | Defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the vacated championship. | [9] |
| 4 | Kazuchika Okada | January 4, 2022 | Wrestle Kingdom 16 (Night 1) | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 159 | [10] | |
| 5 | Jay White | June 12, 2022 | Dominion 6.12 in Osaka-jo Hall | Osaka, Japan | 1 | 206 | [11] | |
| 6 | Kazuchika Okada | January 4, 2023 | Wrestle Kingdom 17 | Tokyo, Japan | 2 | 94 | [12] | |
| 7 | Sanada | April 8, 2023 | Sakura Genesis | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 387+ | [13] | |
| 8 | Tetsuya Naito | January 4, 2024 | Wrestle Kingdom 18 | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 116+ | [14] | |
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "2020.01.04 WRESTLE KINGDOM in TOKYO DOME night 1". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "2020.01.05 WRESTLE KINGDOM in TOKYO DOME night 2". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "2021.01.04 WRESTLE KINGDOM in TOKYO DOME night 1". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "菅林会長が、IWGPヘビー＆IWGPインターコンチネンタル王座を統一した、"IWGP世界ヘビー級王座"の新設を発表！ 王者・飯伏はデスペラードとの"二冠王座戦"を要求！【3.1一夜明け会見】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "2021.03.04 Anniversary Event - NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "NJPW 49th Anniversary show live results: Ibushi vs. El Desperado". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "NJPW Sakura Genesis Results (4/4): Will Ospreay Battles Kota Ibushi". Fightful. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "Will Ospreay injured; vacates world title". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "2021.06.07 Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night One Live Results: Shingo Vs. Okada". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "NJPW Dominion live results: Six title matches, AEW interim World title eliminator Kazuchika Okada defends the IWGP title against Jay White in the main event, plus the AEW interim World title eliminator continues". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 results: Powell's live report on Jay White vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, Will Ospreay vs. Kenny Omega for the IWGP U.S. Championship, Kairi vs. Tam Nakano for the IWGP Women's Title, Taiji Ishimori vs. Hiromu Takahashi vs. El Desperado vs. Master Wato for the IWGP Jr. Hvt. Title". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "2023.04.08 SAKURA GENESIS 2023". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved October 31, 2023.
- ↑ "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18 results: Powell's live review of Sanada vs. Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP World Hvt. Championship, Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson, Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley vs. David Finlay for the IWGP Global Title". ProWrestling.net. Retrieved January 16, 2024.