IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship

The IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship (IWGP GLOBALヘビー級王座, IWGP GLOBAL hebī-kyū ōza) is a professional wrestling championship in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
Details
Promotion	New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)
Date established	December 11, 2023
Current champion(s)	Yota Tsuji
Date won	January 4, 2025
Statistics First champion(s) David Finlay Most reigns David Finlay (2 reigns) Longest reign David Finlay (2nd reign, 254 days) Shortest reign David Finlay (1st reign, 50 days) Oldest winner Nic Nemeth (43 years, 6 months and 27 days) Youngest winner David Finlay (30 years, 9 months and 7 days) Heaviest champion Nic Nemeth (220 lb (100 kg)) Lightest champion David Finlay (209 lb (95 kg))

The "IWGP" part is an acronym of International Wrestling Grand Prix, which is New Japan Pro-Wrestling's governing body.

History

On November 4, 2023 at Power Struggle, Will Ospreay defeated Shota Umino to successfully defend his IWGP United Kingdom Heavyweight Championship. After the match, David Finlay ran out attacked both Ospreay and Jon Moxley. He then used a hammer to destroy Ospreay's United Kingdom Heavyweight Championship along with the United States Heavyweight Championship which Ospreay also carried with him.^[1]

On December 11, 2023, the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship was officially revealed as the name of the company's new championship.^[2]

At Wrestle Kingdom 18, David Finlay defeated Will Ospreay and Jon Moxley in a three-way match to become the first ever NJPW World Television Champion.

Yota Tsuji is the current champion. He is in his second reign as champion. He defeated Nic Nemeth at Night 2 of Wrestle Kingdom 19.

Title history

Key

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	David Finlay	January 4, 2024	Wrestle Kingdom 18	Tokyo, Japan	1	50	0	Defeated Will Ospreay and Jon Moxley in a three-way match to become the first champion.	[3]
2	Nic Nemeth	February 23, 2024	The New Beginning in Sapporo: Night 1	Sapporo, Japan	1	71	1		[4]
3	David Finlay	May 4, 2024	Wrestling Dontaku: Night 2	Fukuoka, Japan	2	245	2		[5]
4	Yota Tsuji	January 4, 2025	Wrestle Kingdom 19	Tokyo, Japan	1	9+	1		[6]

References

1. "David Finlay Smashes Both IWGP UK and US Championships, Attacks Ospreay and Moxley at NJPW Power Struggle". Fightful. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
2. "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】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved October 13, 2024.
3. "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 October 13, 2024.
4. "NJPW The New Beginning live results: Finlay vs. Nemeth Global title match". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
5. "NJPW Wrestling Dontaku night two live results: Moxley vs. Narita IWGP title match". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved October 13, 2024.
6. "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19 live results: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shota Umino". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 13, 2025.

Other websites

• Official Japanese website
• Official English website (Archive)