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"IWGP" is the acronym 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). [1] The championship was created on March 1, 2021, by the unification of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.
Since then, the championship was defended annually against the winner of the IWGP League of the year. A new IWGP Heavyweight Championship arrived only in 1987, replacing the old version. [7] The 1987 version was defended regularly and was the top championship of NJPW until the introduction of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in 2021.
"IWGP" are the initials of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was introduced on December 12, 1985, at a NJPW live event. [1] The IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is not the only tag team title contested for in NJPW; the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is also sanctioned by NJPW. [2]
The championship was unified with the IWGP Intercontinental Championship to create the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. An official title unification match was held between defending champion Kota Ibushi and El Desperado at NJPW's 49th Anniversary Show on March 4.
While the Anniversary Show traditionally features a non-title match between the IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, it was announced that Kota Ibushi vs. El Desperado will be a title match for Ibushi's IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships while also crowning the first IWGP World ...
In 1987, the title was deactivated and replaced by a new version of IWGP Heavyweight Championship (active between 1987 and 2021), which was awarded to the winner of the IWGP League 1987. [2] The new championship was defended regularly, rather than as part of a tournament. Its lineage does not acknowledge the champions of the original title.
On October 18, 2020, Kota Ibushi won the G1 Climax 30 by defeating Sanada in the finals, entitling him to a match for both the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 15. [10] Ibushi unsuccessfully defended his Right to Challenge contract at Power Struggle on November 7, losing the contract to Jay ...
On March 4, 2021, the championship was retired by NJPW after being unified with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to form the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. [7] The final champion was Kota Ibushi, who was in his second reign at the time of the title's retirement. [8]