NJPW introducing IWGP Global Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 18
NJPW is introducing a Global Championship, with the first title holder set to be crowned at Wrestle Kingdom 18.
The promotion revealed in a press conference Monday that the three-way between Jon Moxley, Will Ospreay, & David Finlay set to take place at Wrestle Kingdom will decide the inaugural IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion.
The new title takes the place of the now-defunct IWGP United States/United Kingdom Heavyweight Championship that was abolished following Power Struggle in November when Finlay destroyed the title belts held by Ospreay as Moxley stepped forward to challenge Ospreay for Wrestle Kingdom.
NJPW released a statement attributed to NJPW chairman Naoki Sugabayashi explaining the decision to name the new title:
The IWGP US Heavyweight Championship came into being in July 2017 to mark NJPW’s first major event in the United States of America in Long Beach. After its introduction, it became the symbol of NJPW competition in the USA.
In the years that followed, the title would be defended in Japan, becoming familiar to Japanese fans as well. However, with the introduction of the IWGP UK Championship this summer, there was confusion among fans as to the status of the title.
With that in mind, this new championship combines and adds to the US and UK Championship roles, and will be called the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. As has already been discussed in a recent business strategy presentation, NJPW is working to ensure that 2024 sees our presence grow not just in the UK and the US, but throughout all of Europe, the rest of Asia and Oceania.
With a mindfulness on the international space, there was discussion of renewing the defunct IWGP Intercontinental Championship, but as we see an entirely new level of international involvement, the IWGP Global Heavyweight name was decided to be the most fitting. We hope fans look forward to seeing the brand new title and the matches contested for it.
As a result, January 4’s three way at Wrestle Kingdom between Will Ospreay, Jon Moxley and David Finlay will officially determine the first IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion. Thank you
Wrestle Kingdom 18 airs on NJPW World on January 4, 2024 at 2:30 a.m. Eastern time. The card for the event:
- IWGP World Heavyweight Champion SANADA defends against Tetsuya Naito
- Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson
- Inaugural IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship match: Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley vs. David Finlay
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi defends against El Desperado
- IWGP Tag Team Champions Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs. NJPW Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions Hikuleo & El Phantasmo for both titles
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Clark Connors & Drilla Moloney defend against TJP & Francesco Akira
- NJPW World Television Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defends against Hiroshi Tanahashi
- NEVER Openweight Champion Shingo Takagi defends against Tama Tonga
