NJPW IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

Years Active 2021 — 2026

Promotion NJPW

Brand N/A

Total Reigns 12

Total Champions 9

Last Champion Konosuke Takeshita

Longest Reign

SANADA

271 days as the NJPW IWGP World Heavyweight Champion

Won at Sakura Genesis against Kazuchika Okada on April 8, 2023 and held title until January 4, 2024.

Most Reigns

Longest Reigns

SANADA (271 days)
Shingo Takagi (211 days)
Jay White (206 days)

Championship Name History

NJPW IWGP Heavyweight Championship 1987 – 2021

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NJPW IWGP World Heavyweight Championship 2021 – 2026

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NJPW IWGP Heavyweight Championship 2026 – Present

NJPW IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Complete Reign History

= Reign Distinction = Includes Reign Notes

# Click to sort	Wrestler Click to sort	Date Won Click to sort	Opponent(s) Click to sort	Event Click to sort	Match Type Click to sort	Partner(s) Click to sort
86	Konosuke Takeshita	Oct 13, 2025	Zack Sabre Jr.	King of Pro-Wrestling	Singles Match	83
85	Zack Sabre Jr.	Jun 29, 2025	Hirooki Goto	Tanahashi Jam	Singles Match	106
84	Hirooki Goto	Feb 11, 2025	Zack Sabre Jr.	The New Beginning in Osaka	Singles Match	138
83	Zack Sabre Jr.	Oct 14, 2024	Tetsuya Naito	King of Pro-Wrestling 2024	Singles Match	120
82	Tetsuya Naito	Jun 30, 2024	Jon Moxley	AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door	Singles Match	106
81	Jon Moxley	Apr 12, 2024	Tetsuya Naito	Windy City Riot	Singles Match	79
80	Tetsuya Naito	Jan 4, 2024	SANADA	Wrestle Kingdom 18	Singles Match	99
79	SANADA	Apr 8, 2023	Kazuchika Okada	Sakura Genesis	Singles Match	271
78	Kazuchika Okada	Jan 4, 2023	Jay White	Wrestle Kingdom 17	Singles Match	94
77	Jay White	Jun 12, 2022	Kazuchika Okada	Dominion 6.12 in Osaka-jo Hall	Singles Match	206
76	Kazuchika Okada	Jan 4, 2022	Shingo Takagi	Wrestle Kingdom 16	Singles Match	159
75	Shingo Takagi	Jun 7, 2021	Kazuchika Okada	Dominion 6.6 in Osaka-jo Hall	Vacant Title Match	211
—	Title Vacated from May 20, 2021 to June 7, 2021 (18 days)
74	Will Ospreay	Apr 4, 2021	Kota Ibushi	Sakura Genesis 2021	Singles Match	46
Will Ospreay would vacate the title on 5/20/2021 due to a neck injury
Championship renamed to NJPW IWGP World Heavyweight Championship on March 4, 2021
73	Kota Ibushi	Jan 4, 2021	Tetsuya Naito	Wrestle Kingdom 15 in Tokyo Dome	Singles Match	90
72	Tetsuya Naito	Aug 29, 2020	EVIL	Summer Struggle in Jingu	Singles Match	128
71	EVIL	Jul 12, 2020	Tetsuya Naito	Dominion 7.12 in Osaka-jo Hall	Singles Match	48
70	Tetsuya Naito	Jan 5, 2020	Kazuchika Okada	Wrestle Kingdom 14 in Tokyo Dome	Singles Match	189
69	Kazuchika Okada	Apr 6, 2019	Jay White	G1 Supercard	Singles Match	274
68	Jay White	Feb 11, 2019	Hiroshi Tanahashi	The New Beginning in Osaka	Singles Match	54
67	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Jan 4, 2019	Kenny Omega	Wrestle Kingdom 13 in Tokyo Dome	Singles Match	38
66	Kenny Omega	Jun 9, 2018	Kazuchika Okada	Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall	Two Out of Three Falls	209
65	Kazuchika Okada	Jun 19, 2016	Tetsuya Naito	Dominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall	Singles Match	720
64	Tetsuya Naito	Apr 10, 2016	Kazuchika Okada	Invasion Attack 2016	Singles Match	70
63	Kazuchika Okada	Jul 5, 2015	AJ Styles	Dominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hall	Singles Match	280
62	AJ Styles	Feb 11, 2015	Hiroshi Tanahashi	The New Beginning in Osaka 2015	Singles Match	144
61	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Oct 13, 2014	AJ Styles	King of Pro-Wrestling 2014	Singles Match	121
60	AJ Styles	May 3, 2014	Kazuchika Okada	Wrestling Dontaku 2014	Singles Match	163
59	Kazuchika Okada	Apr 7, 2013	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Invasion Attack 2013	Singles Match	391
58	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Jun 16, 2012	Kazuchika Okada	Dominion 6.16	Singles Match	295
57	Kazuchika Okada	Feb 12, 2012	Hiroshi Tanahashi	The New Beginning 2012	Singles Match	125
56	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Jan 4, 2011	Satoshi Kojima	Wrestle Kingdom V in Tokyo Dome	Singles Match	404
55	Satoshi Kojima	Oct 11, 2010	Togi Makabe	Destruction '10	Singles Match	85
54	Togi Makabe	May 3, 2010	Shinsuke Nakamura	Wrestling Dontaku 2010	Singles Match	161
53	Shinsuke Nakamura	Sep 27, 2009	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Circuit2009 New Japan Generation tour	Vacant Title Match	218
—	Title Vacated from August 17, 2009 to September 27, 2009 (41 days)
52	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Jun 20, 2009	Manabu Nakanishi	Dominion 6.20	Singles Match	58
51	Manabu Nakanishi	May 6, 2009	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Dissidence	Singles Match	45
50	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Jan 4, 2009	Keiji Muto	Wrestle Kingdom III in Tokyo Dome	Singles Match	122
49	Keiji Muto	Apr 27, 2008	Shinsuke Nakamura	Circuit2008 New Japan Brave tour	Singles Match	252
48	Shinsuke Nakamura	Jan 4, 2008	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Wrestle Kingdom II in Tokyo Dome	Singles Match	114
47	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Oct 8, 2007	Yuji Nagata	Explosion '07	Singles Match	88
46	Yuji Nagata	Apr 13, 2007	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Circuit2007 New Japan Brave tour	Singles Match	178
45	Hiroshi Tanahashi	Jul 17, 2006	Brock Lesnar	Circuit2006 Turbulence	Tournament Final Match	270
—	Title Vacated from July 15, 2006 to July 17, 2006 (2 days)
44	Brock Lesnar	Oct 8, 2005	Kazuyuki Fujita & Masahiro Chono	Toukon Souzou New Chapter	Three-Way Dance Match	280
43	Kazuyuki Fujita	Jul 18, 2005	Hiroyoshi Tenzan	Summer Fight Series 2005	Singles Match	82
42	Hiroyoshi Tenzan	May 14, 2005	Satoshi Kojima	Nexess VI	Singles Match	65
41	Satoshi Kojima	Feb 20, 2005	Hiroyoshi Tenzan	New Year Gold Series	Singles Match	83
40	Hiroyoshi Tenzan	Dec 12, 2004	Kensuke Sasaki	Battle Final 2004	Singles Match	70
39	Kensuke Sasaki	Oct 9, 2004	Kazuyuki Fujita	Pro-Wrestlers Be Strongest	Singles Match	64
38	Kazuyuki Fujita	Jun 5, 2004	Bob Sapp	The Crush II	Vacant Title Match	126
—	Title Vacated from June 2, 2004 to June 5, 2004 (3 days)
37	Bob Sapp	Mar 28, 2004	Kensuke Sasaki	King of Sports	Singles Match	66
36	Kensuke Sasaki	Mar 12, 2004	Hiroyoshi Tenzan	Hyper Battle 2004	Singles Match	16
35	Hiroyoshi Tenzan	Feb 15, 2004	Shinsuke Nakamura	Fighting Spirit 2004	Tournament Final Match	26
—	Title Vacated from February 5, 2004 to February 15, 2004 (10 days)
34	Shinsuke Nakamura	Dec 9, 2003	Hiroyoshi Tenzan	Battle Final 2003	Singles Match	58
33	Hiroyoshi Tenzan	Nov 3, 2003	Yoshihiro Takayama	Yokohama Dead Out	Singles Match	36
32	Yoshihiro Takayama	May 2, 2003	Yuji Nagata	Ultimate Crush	Singles Match	185
31	Yuji Nagata	Apr 5, 2002	Tadao Yasuda	Toukon Special	Singles Match	392
30	Tadao Yasuda	Feb 16, 2002	Yuji Nagata	Fighting Spirit 2002	Tournament Final Match	48
—	Title Vacated from January 4, 2002 to February 16, 2002 (43 days)
29	Kazuyuki Fujita	Apr 9, 2001	Scott Norton	Strong Style 2001	Singles Match	270
28	Scott Norton	Mar 17, 2001	Kensuke Sasaki	Hyper Battle 2001	Singles Match	23
27	Kensuke Sasaki	Jan 4, 2001	Toshiaki Kawada	Wrestling World 2001	Tournament Final Match	72
—	Title Vacated from October 9, 2000 to January 4, 2001 (87 days)
26	Kensuke Sasaki	Jan 4, 2000	Genichiro Tenryu	Wrestling World 2000	Singles Match	279
25	Genichiro Tenryu	Dec 10, 1999	Keiji Muto	Battle Final 1999	Singles Match	25
24	Keiji Muto	Jan 4, 1999	Scott Norton	Wrestling World 1999	Singles Match	340
23	Scott Norton	Sep 23, 1998	Yuji Nagata	Big Wednesday	Vacant Title Match	103
—	Title Vacated from September 21, 1998 to September 23, 1998 (2 days)
22	Masahiro Chono	Aug 8, 1998	Tatsumi Fujinami	Rising the Next Generation in Osaka Dome	Singles Match	44
21	Tatsumi Fujinami	Apr 4, 1998	Kensuke Sasaki	Antonio Inoki Retirement Show	Singles Match	126
20	Kensuke Sasaki	Aug 31, 1997	Shinya Hashimoto	Final Power Hall in Yokohama	Singles Match	216
19	Shinya Hashimoto	Apr 29, 1996	Nobuhiko Takada	Battle Formation	Singles Match	489
18	Nobuhiko Takada	Jan 4, 1996	Keiji Muto	Wrestling World 1996	Singles Match	116
17	Keiji Muto	May 3, 1995	Shinya Hashimoto	Wrestling Dontaku 1995	Singles Match	246
16	Shinya Hashimoto	May 1, 1994	Tatsumi Fujinami	Wrestling Dontaku 1994	Singles Match	367
15	Tatsumi Fujinami	Apr 4, 1994	Shinya Hashimoto	Battle Line Kyushu	Singles Match	27
14	Shinya Hashimoto	Sep 20, 1993	The Great Muta	G1 Climax Special 1993	Singles Match	196
13	The Great Muta	Aug 16, 1992	Riki Choshu	G1 Climax Special 1992	Singles Match	400
12	Riki Choshu	Jan 4, 1992	Tatsumi Fujinami	Super Warriors in Tokyo Dome	Singles Match	225
11	Tatsumi Fujinami	Mar 4, 1991	Big Van Vader	Big Fight Series 1991	Singles Match	306
10	Big Van Vader	Jan 17, 1991	Tatsumi Fujinami	New Year Dash 1991	Singles Match	46
9	Tatsumi Fujinami	Dec 26, 1990	Riki Choshu	King of Kings	Singles Match	22
8	Riki Choshu	Aug 19, 1990	Big Van Vader	Summer Night Fever II	Singles Match	129
7	Big Van Vader	Aug 10, 1989	Riki Choshu	Fighting Satellite of 1989	Singles Match	374
6	Riki Choshu	Jul 12, 1989	Salman Hashimikov	Summer Fight Series 1989	Singles Match	29
5	Salman Hashimikov	May 25, 1989	Big Van Vader	Battle Satellite 1989 in Osaka Dome	Singles Match	48
4	Big Van Vader	Apr 24, 1989	Shinya Hashimoto	Battle Satellite in Tokyo Dome	Tournament Final Match	31
—	Title Vacated from April 5, 1989 to April 24, 1989 (19 days)
3	Tatsumi Fujinami	Jun 24, 1988	Tatsumi Fujinami	IWGP Champion Series 1988	Vacant Title Match	285
—	Title Vacated from May 27, 1988 to June 24, 1988 (28 days)
2	Tatsumi Fujinami	May 8, 1988	Big Van Vader	Super Fight Series 1988	Singles Match	19
—	Title Vacated from May 2, 1988 to May 8, 1988 (6 days)
1	Antonio Inoki	Jun 12, 1987		IWGP Champion Series 1987	Tournament Final Match	325

NJPW IWGP World Heavyweight Championship Historical Reign Leaders

#	Champion	Reigns	Total Days Held	Longest Reign (Days)	Avg. Reign (Days)	% of Career Title Held
1	Kazuchika Okada	2	253	159	127	3.1%
1	Zack Sabre Jr.	2	226	120	113	2.8%
1	Tetsuya Naito	2	205	106	103	2.7%
4	SANADA	1	271	271	271	3.8%
4	Shingo Takagi	1	211	211	211	2.6%
4	Jay White	1	206	206	206	4.2%
4	Hirooki Goto	1	138	138	138	1.6%
4	Konosuke Takeshita	1	83	83	83	1.6%
4	Jon Moxley	1	79	79	79	0.96%

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