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IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
Professional wrestling championship From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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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 title was created when the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship was retired. The reigning champion is Gabe Kidd, who is in his first reign.
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History
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Background
At 2023's 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 attacked Umino's former mentor, AEW's Jon Moxley, and Ospreay, and proceeded to destroy both the U.S. belt and Ospreay's custom IWGP United Kingdom Heavyweight Championship belt with a mallet, saying he felt spurned by both lands the belts represented. Finlay's manager, Gedo, stated that Finlay deserved a championship of his own.[3]
At the Power Struggle post media scrum, Ospreay declared that if the IWGP Intercontinental Championship could not be brought back, then he, Moxley, and Finlay should wrestle for a new title at Wrestle Kingdom 18.[4] At a press conference on November 6, 2023, NJPW chairman Naoki Sugabayashi effectively announced the retirement of the United States title, and that the three-way match would indeed be for a brand new championship.[5] On December 11, at another press conference, he announced the name of the new championship, the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship.[1][6]
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 five plates: one center and two sets of side plates. The center plate features depictions of lions on each side, the "IWGP" letters in the center, and the words (all in capital letters) "Global" and "Champion" on the top and bottom, respectively; the New Japan logo is also featured on the top. Four gold circles with a ruby in the center are vertically set, two on each side, next to the center plate. The two sets of side plates each feature different parts of the world globe.[7]
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Reigns
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As of August 17, 2025, there have been five reigns shared among four wrestlers. David Finlay was the inaugural champion, has the most reigns at two, with his second reign being the longest at 245 days (and combined days at 295) with four successful defenses, and his inaugural reign is the shortest at 50 days. Nic Nemeth was the oldest champion when he won it at 43 years old. Gabe Kidd is the youngest champion, winning it at 28 years old. Yota Tsuji was the first Japanese wrestler to have won the championship, and is tied with Finlay in successful title defenses.
Gabe Kidd is the reigning champion in his first reign. He defeated previous champion Yota Tsuji for the title at Dominion 6.15 in Osaka-jo Hall in Osaka, Japan on June 15, 2025.[8]
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Combined reigns
As of August 17, 2025.
References
External links
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