NJPW replacing KOPW trophy with new title belt

  • Ian Carey
  • By 

The KOPW trophy in NJPW is being replaced with a title belt. 

New Japan unveiled the new belt at Friday’s Road to Tokyo Dome event. The winner of the 2023 New Japan Ranbo at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4 will be the first to hold the KOPW title belt rather than a KOPW trophy. The unique rules the title is defended under will stay the same.  

“First established in 2020 by Kazuchika Okada, the KOPW title has seen its holders defend their status through the year before the new calendar sees a new champion contested for. From Toru Yano in 2020 and 2021, to Shingo Takagi in 2022, its holders have seen fans vote on stipulations never before seen in NJPW, and often never anywhere else either!”

“Yet the trophy that represents the KOPW holder status has not always been treated with prestige an respect! From spray paintings to utter demolition and DIY recreation, it’s fair to say that the KOPW holder was in need of something longer lasting. From 2023, the holder will have the KOPW Championship belt!” 

Shingo Takagi defeated Taichi in a Last Man Standing Lumberjack match on December 19 to be crowned the official 2022 champion. He becomes just the second wrestler to close out a calendar year with the title after Toru Yano did so in 2020 and 2021. Minoru Suzuki, Chase Owens, and Taichi have all held the provisional KOPW trophy but never closed out a year as champion.