IWGP World Heavyweight Championship
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship | |||||||||||||||||||
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Details | |||||||||||||||||||
Promotion | New Japan Pro-Wrestling | ||||||||||||||||||
Date established | March 1, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||
Current champion(s) | Tetsuya Naito | ||||||||||||||||||
Date won | June 30, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
Other name(s) | |||||||||||||||||||
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The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship (IWGP
History
[edit]In 2019, when he was IWGP Intercontinental Champion, Tetsuya Naito declared his intention of making history by becoming the first to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the Intercontinental Championship at the same time.[2] By the end of the year, Jay White, who had won the Intercontinental Championship from Naito, and Kota Ibushi, who was the next challenger for the Heavyweight Championship, also expressed the same desire. After a fan vote, it was decided that Naito, White, Ibushi, and Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada would compete at Wrestle Kingdom 14 on January 4–5, 2020, where one would end up with both titles.[3] Naito achieved the feat to become the first "Double Champion" and the two titles were defended together since (apart from one time). During 2020, Naito said his original intention was for the titles to be defended separately. He requested for this, or otherwise for the titles to be unified, but no change happened.[4]
After Ibushi won the titles from Naito at Wrestle Kingdom 15 on January 4, 2021, he expressed his desire for the titles to be unified.[5] On March 1, 2021, with Ibushi still champion, the unification of the titles to create the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship was officially announced, with Ibushi as the inaugural World Heavyweight Champion. After the announcement, Ibushi, who was scheduled to face El Desperado at the NJPW 49th Anniversary Show on March 4, 2021 in a non-title match, requested for the match to be for the Double Championship.[6] His request was granted with the title unification delayed until after the match, of which the winner would be final Double Champion and, therefore, the inaugural World Heavyweight Champion.[7] Ibushi won the match.[8]
With the announcement of the new championship was the announcement of a new championship belt.[5] Until the new belt was ready, Ibushi continued to hold the old IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championship belts. The new belt was eventually revealed and presented to the champion Ibushi in a presentation ceremony on March 30, 2021.[9] Its design incorporated the past belt designs of the two old titles.[10]
Reigns
[edit]As of October 6, 2024, there have been ten reigns shared among eight wrestlers with one vacancy. Kota Ibushi was the inaugural champion. Sanada's singular reign is the longest at 271 days, while Ibushi's reign is the shortest at 31 days. Tetsuya Naito is the oldest champion when he won it at 41 years old, while Will Ospreay is the youngest, winning it at 27 years old. Naito and Kazuchika Okada are tied with the most reigns at two.
Tetsuya Naito is the current champion in his second reign. He defeated previous champion Jon Moxley for the title at Forbidden Door in Elmont, New York on June 30, 2024.
No. | Overall reign number |
---|---|
Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
Days | Number of days held |
Defenses | Number of successful defenses |
+ | Current reign is changing daily |
No. | Champion | Championship change | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | Defenses | ||||
1 | Kota Ibushi | March 4, 2021 | 49th Anniversary Show | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 31 | 0 | After Ibushi, who was the reigning IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Champion, successfully defended both titles against El Desperado at the event, they were unified into the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, with Ibushi as the inaugural champion. | [8] |
2 | Will Ospreay | April 4, 2021 | Sakura Genesis | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 46 | 1 | [11] | |
— | Vacated | May 20, 2021 | — | — | — | — | — | The championship was vacated due to Will Ospreay sustaining a neck injury. | [12] |
3 | Shingo Takagi | June 7, 2021 | Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall | Osaka, Japan | 1 | 211 | 3 | Defeated Kazuchika Okada to win the vacant championship. | [13] |
4 | Kazuchika Okada | January 4, 2022 | Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night 1 |
Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 159 | 4 | [14] | |
5 | Jay White | June 12, 2022 | Dominion 6.12 in Osaka-jo Hall | Osaka, Japan | 1 | 206 | 2 | [15] | |
6 | Kazuchika Okada | January 4, 2023 | Wrestle Kingdom 17 | Tokyo, Japan | 2 | 94 | 2 | [16] | |
7 | Sanada | April 8, 2023 | Sakura Genesis | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 271 | 4 | [17] | |
8 | Tetsuya Naito | January 4, 2024 | Wrestle Kingdom 18 | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 99 | 2 | [18] | |
9 | Jon Moxley | April 12, 2024 | Windy City Riot | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | 1 | 79 | 4 | [19] | |
10 | Tetsuya Naito | June 30, 2024 | AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door | Elmont, New York, U.S. | 2 | 98+ | 1 | [20] |
Combined reigns
[edit]As of October 6, 2024.
† | Indicates the current champion |
---|
Rank | Wrestler | No. of reigns |
Combined defenses |
Combined days |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Sanada | 1 | 4 | 271 |
2 | Kazuchika Okada | 2 | 6 | 253 |
3 | Shingo Takagi | 1 | 3 | 211 |
4 | Jay White | 1 | 2 | 206 |
5 | Tetsuya Naito † | 2 | 3 | 197+ |
6 | Jon Moxley | 1 | 4 | 79 |
7 | Will Ospreay | 1 | 1 | 46 |
8 | Kota Ibushi | 1 | 0 | 31 |
References
[edit]- ^ "WK9 101: The Intro". Global Force Wrestling. Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
- ^ なんと
挑戦 者 が握手 を要求 !?内藤 vsタイチのインターコンチネンタル王座 調印 式 は、不気味 な静 けさの“挑発 ”合戦 !【公開 調印 式 】 (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling. February 1, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2021. - ^ 【WK14】“ダブル
選手権 ”が正式 決定 !「史上 初 の男 になってみせますよ」内藤 が“二 冠 ”獲得 に自信 !「おまえのアイディアは俺 が成 し遂 げる」王者 ・ジェイは不敵 に挑発 三昧 !【東京 ドーム会見 (1)】 (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling. November 5, 2019. Retrieved March 31, 2021. - ^ 「タイトルマッチは
別々 に行 った方 がいい」内藤 が今後 の“二 冠 問題 ”に言及 !真夏 の野外 ビッグマッチ恒例 化 も熱望 !SHOがジュニアタッグ王座 返上 に関 してコメント!【8.31二 夜明 け会見 】 (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling. August 31, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2021. - ^ a b 「この
二 つのベルトを一 つにしたら、もっと凄 いことが生 まれるんじゃないかなと。絶対 おもしろいことになる」“二 冠 王者 ”飯 伏 幸 太 がベルト統一 を再 提案 !【1.12会見 】 (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling. January 12, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021. - ^
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 】 (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021. - ^ 【3
月 4日 (木 )日本武道館 、メインはタイトル戦 に変更 !】飯 伏 とデスペラードが二 冠 王座 戦 で激突 ! 『NJC』1回戦 で内藤 とオーカーンが注目 の初 対決 !因縁 勃発 の小島 とコブが激突 ! (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling. March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021. - ^ a b Elizabeth, Claire (March 4, 2021). "NJPW 49th Anniversary Show results for Thursday, March 4: Desperado vs. Ibushi, Naito vs. O-Khan, and more". cagesideseats.com. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
- ^ "【
注目 !】"IWGP世界 ヘビー級 ベルト"がついにお披露目 ! 3月30日 (火 )後楽園 ホール大会 の試合 前 、飯 伏 幸 太 選手 への"贈呈 式 "を実施 !" (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling. March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2021. - ^ "IWGP World Heavyweight Championship revealed in Korakuen Hall". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. March 30, 2021. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ Lambert, Jeremy (April 4, 2021). "NJPW Sakura Genesis Results (4/4): Will Ospreay Battles Kota Ibushi". Fightful. Retrieved April 4, 2021.
- ^ "Will Ospreay injured; vacates world title". njpw1972.com. May 20, 2021. Archived from the original on January 12, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2021.
- ^ "2021.06.07 Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Archived from the original on October 1, 2023. Retrieved June 2, 2021.
- ^ Fritts, Chick (January 4, 2022). "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 16 Night One Live Results: Shingo Vs. Okada". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ Fritts, Chick (June 12, 2022). "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 Figure Four Online. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
- ^ Powell, Jason (January 4, 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". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
- ^ "2023.04.08 SAKURA GENESIS 2023". NJPW. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2023.
- ^ Powell, Jason (January 4, 2024). "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". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
- ^ Defelice, Robert (April 12, 2024). "Jon Moxley Wins IWGP World Title At NJPW Windy City Riot, Gets Attacked And Challenged By Ren Narita". Fightful. Retrieved April 13, 2024.
- ^ Powell, Jason (June 30, 2024). "AEW Forbidden Door results: Powell's live review of Swerve Strickland vs. Will Ospreay for the AEW World Championship, Jon Moxley vs. Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Championship history on official website (in Japanese)
- Championship history on official website Archived 2024-02-27 at the Wayback Machine (in English)