IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
The IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship belt
Details
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)
Date establishedDecember 11, 2023[1]
Current champion(s)David Finlay
Date wonJanuary 4, 2024
Other name(s)
  • IWGP Global Championship
Statistics
First champion(s)David Finlay

The IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship (IWGP GLOBALヘビー級王座, IWGP GLOBAL hebī-kyū ōza) is a professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" are the initials of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix (インターナショナル・レスリング・グラン・プリ, intānashonaru resuringu guran puri).[2] The current and inaugural champion is David Finlay.

History

Background

At the 2023 Power Struggle, after Will Ospreay had defended the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship against Shota Umino in the main event, Bullet Club leader David Finlay destroyed both the U.S. belt and Ospreay's custom IWGP United Kingdom Heavyweight Championship belt with a mallet after attacking Ospreay and Umino's former mentor, AEW's Jon Moxley, and a three-way match was scheduled for three men at Wrestle Kingdom 18.[3]

At a press conference on November 6, 2023, NJPW chairman Naoki Sugabayashi announced that a new championship would replace the United States Heavyweight Championship for the bout.[4] On December 11, at another press conference, he announced the name of the new championship, the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship.[1][5]

Belt design

The new championship belt was revealed on January 3, 2024. It is set on a white strap, similar to the now-retired IWGP Intercontinental Championship, and features three plates: one center and one set of side plates. The center plate features the "IWGP" letters in the center, the word "Global" on top, and the word "Champion" on the bottom, all in capital letters. Four gold circles with a ruby in the center are vertically set, two on each side, next to the center plate. The one set of side plates feature half the world globe on one and the other half on the other.[6]

Reigns

As of January 31, 2024, there has been only one active reign. David Finlay is the current and inaugural champion.

Current and inaugural champion David Finlay
Key
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 David Finlay January 4, 2024 Wrestle Kingdom 18 Tokyo, Japan 1 27+ 0 Defeated Will Ospreay and Jon Moxley in a three-way match to become the inaugural champion. [7]

References

  1. ^ a b Renner, Ethan (December 11, 2023). "NJPW introducing IWGP Global Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 18". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  2. ^ Fiorvanti, Tim (January 2, 2017). "What to watch for at New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 11". ESPN. Archived from the original on January 3, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  3. ^ https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/david-finlay-smashes-both-iwgp-uk-and-us-championships-attacks-ospreay-and-moxley-njpw-power?amp
  4. ^ Brennan, Corey (November 4, 2023). "NJPW Creating New Title To Replace IWGP US And UK Championship". Fightful. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  5. ^ "菅林会長が、"IWGP US ヘビー級王座に変わる新王座"に言及。1.4東京ドーム大会のオスプレイvsモクスリーvsフィンレー 3WAYマッチは、「IWGP GLOBAL ヘビー級選手権 初代王者決定戦」に正式変更へ【WK18】". www.njpw.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-12-11.
  6. ^ https://www.postwrestling.com/2024/01/03/njpw-unveils-iwgp-global-heavyweight-championship/
  7. ^ 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.

External links

Sporting positions Preceded byIWGP Intercontinental ChampionshipIWGP United States Heavyweight Championship New Japan Pro-Wrestling's secondary heavyweight championship 2023–present Succeeded byCurrent
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
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