IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship

IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
Current title design (2023–present)
Details
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)
Date establishedDecember 11, 2023[1]
Current championGabe Kidd
Date wonJune 15, 2025
Other names
  • IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
    (2023–present)
  • IWGP Global Championship
Statistics
First championDavid Finlay
Most reignsDavid Finlay
(2 reigns)
Longest reignDavid Finlay
(2nd reign, 245 days)
Shortest reignDavid Finlay
(1st reign, 50 days)
Oldest championNic Nemeth
(43 years, 6 months and 27 days)
Youngest championGabe Kidd
(28 years, 1 month and 22 days)
Heaviest championGabe Kidd
(235 lb (107 kg))
Lightest championDavid Finlay
(209 lb (95 kg))

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.

History

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]

Reigns

As of July 14, 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 Yota Tsuji at Dominion 6.15 in Osaka-jo Hall in Osaka, Japan on June 15, 2025.[8]

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
New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW)
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 inaugural champion. [9]
2 Nic Nemeth February 23, 2024 The New Beginning in Sapporo: Night 1 Sapporo, Japan 1 71 1 [10]
3 David Finlay May 4, 2024 Wrestling Dontaku: Night 2 Fukuoka, Japan 2 245 4 [11]
4 Yota Tsuji January 4, 2025 Wrestle Kingdom 19 Tokyo, Japan 1 162 4 [12]
5 Gabe Kidd June 15, 2025 Dominion 6.15 in Osaka-jo Hall Osaka, Japan 1 29+ 1 [13]

Combined reigns

As of July 14, 2025.

† Indicates the current champion
Rank Wrestler No. of
reigns 		Combinded
defenses 		Combined
days
1 David Finlay 2 4 295
2 Yota Tsuji 1 4 162
3 Nic Nemeth 1 1 71
4 Gabe Kidd † 1 1 29+

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. ^ "David Finlay Smashes Both IWGP UK And US Championships, Attacks Ospreay And Moxley At NJPW Power Struggle | Fightful News". www.fightful.com.
  4. ^ https://www.postwrestling.com/2023/11/04/will-ospreay-calls-out-david-finlay-jon-moxley-for-njpw-wrestle-kingdom-18-three-way-for-a-new-championship-belt/
  5. ^ Brennan, Corey (November 4, 2023). "NJPW Creating New Title To Replace IWGP US And UK Championship". Fightful. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ Thompson, Andrew (January 3, 2024). "NJPW unveils IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship".
  8. ^ Lambert, Jeremy (June 15, 2025). "Gabe Kidd Wins IWGP Global Championship At NJPW Dominion". fightful.com. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ "2024.02.23 THE NEW BEGINNING in SAPPORO | NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING". NJPW. Archived from the original on 2024-02-04. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  11. ^ Fritts, Chick (May 4, 2024). "NJPW Wrestling Dontaku night two live results: Moxley vs. Narita IWGP title match". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved May 4, 2024.
  12. ^ Michaels, Corey (January 3, 2025). "NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19 live results: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Shota Umino". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 4, 2025.
  13. ^ Michaels, Corey (June 15, 2025). "NJPW Dominion live results: Goto vs. Shingo IWGP title match". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved June 15, 2025.
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