{"id":12976,"date":"2019-07-10T22:05:39","date_gmt":"2019-07-10T21:05:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/prowrestlingjournal.com\/?p=12976"},"modified":"2019-07-10T22:05:54","modified_gmt":"2019-07-10T21:05:54","slug":"the-iwgp-heavyweight-champions-discussion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prowrestlingjournal.com\/index.php\/2019\/07\/10\/the-iwgp-heavyweight-champions-discussion\/","title":{"rendered":"The IWGP Heavyweight Champions Discussion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: Super Mastodon<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Champions. They symbolized greatness and leadership.\nThe ones at the top representing the company or league they compete in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 1987, that has been represented in New Japan\nPro Wrestling by one of the most prestigious titles in all of wrestling: the\nIWGP Heavyweight Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A little bit of background before we get things\nofficially started. IWGP stands for “International Wrestling Grand\nPrix” which was a yearly traditional tournament for NJPW, a predecessor to\nwhat we now know today as the “G1 Climax.” Back then instead of\ntrophies, the winner of the tournament was awarded a championship belt and that\nwas the purpose of the IWGP Title at the time because the NWF Heavyweight Championship\nwas still the top prize for NJPW during that timeframe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The IWGP Tournament ran from 1983 to 1988, Hulk\nHogan and Andre the Giant won twice, while the rest were won by Antonio Inoki.\nWhen the NWF Heavyweight Championship was retired, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship\nreplaced it as the top belt for the promotion and has remained that ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today we will be taking a look at all the wrestlers\nwho have held the championship since its official inception as a wrestling belt\nup until the present day!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So without further ado, let’s get straight to action\nand meet the roster of champions for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.)\nAntonio Inoki<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 325<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inaugural IWGP Heavyweight Champion is none\nother than the founder of NJPW himself, Antonio Inoki! Can’t think of any\nbetter wrestler for NJPW at the time to become the new champion, Inoki was and\nstill is a megastar in Japan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Along with Shohei “Giant” Baba, Inoki is a\nstudent of the legendary Rikidozan. They were the up and coming stars of JWA,\nRikidozan’s promotion but when their master passed away, the two split off to\nrun their own promotions, Baba would create AJPW, while Inoki made NJPW, as\nthey say the rest is history. At the International Wrestling Grand Prix finals\ntournament on June 12, 1987 Antonio Inoki defeated the late Masa Saito to\nbecome the first ever IWGP Heavyweight Champion! The belt would then later\nbecome the top championship of the promotion, replacing the NWF Heavyweight\nChampionship. Inoki was already a bonafied star at this point and with him\nstill leading the way, NJPW just grew bigger and bigger! The fans adored his\nbadass yet underdog style of wrestling and his sole run with the belt was a\ngreat one for 325 days! He had numerous bouts for the belt most notably against\nRiki Choshu. Other gaijins also competed against Inoki during his time as\nchampion such as Bam Bam Bigelow, Dick Murdoch, and Dr. Death. Because of a\nfoot injury he suffered though, Inoki was forced to vacate the title. He never\nwon the belt ever again in his career, but I think he never had to anyway.\nInoki is a legend already and with him being the foundation of the IWGP\nHeavyweight Championship, it was a solid start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inoki almost killed the very company he created due\nto his obessesion with MMA. His integration of MMA to NJPW was the darkest\npoint in the company’s history. After he left NJPW, he created a new MMA\/Wrestling\nbased promotion: IGF and later on would run another company of his own\n“INOKI ISM” with similar roots. Oh and he entered politics too. What\na life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.)\nTatsumi Fujinami<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 785<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 6<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When Inoki was going in to the “decline”\neven though he is actually still a formidable wrestler, one of the men who\nwould eventually replace him as the top star of NJPW is Tatsumi Fujinami. He\nbegan his career as a young upstart under Inoki’s wing in JWA. When that\npromotion folded, he joined his sensei at NJPW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 70’s, Fujinami competed across the border to\ngain experience. This is a frequent practice in Japanese wrestling in general\ncalled “excursion” so there wrestlers hone their craft as much as\npossible. After making waves in Mexico and the US, even winning the WWF Junior\nHeavyweight Championship, he would return as a big deal in the 80s for New\nJapan!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fujinami’s 6 reigns with the title spanned for at\nleast two decades. After Inoki vacated the belt, he was the second overall\nchampion, beating Big Van Vader to hold the belt but his first run only lasted\nfor 19 days as it was soon vacated after a bout against Riki Choshu ending in a\nno contest. On June 24, 1988 Fujinami would begin a solid run as the Ace of New\nJapan by beating once again his rival Choshu and would hold the belt for 285\ndays! He would not only defend the belt against national talent but also\ninternational ones against the likes of Kerry von Erich, Sid Vicious, and Jerry\nLawler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The third reign wasn’t that much different from his\nfirst. Another winning battle against Choshu but only ran for 22 days. His\nfourth one however would be his longest at 306 days! This is probably\nFujinami’s most notable World Title run of his career as in 1991 he made\nhistory by being the only wrestler in history to become IWGP and NWA World Champion\nat the same time defeating Ric Flair at Starrcade in the Tokyo Dome! Definitely\na match one for the ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His two final runs with the belt, Fujinami was no\nlonger the “top dog” he once was but more of a grizzled veteran role\ngoing up against the younger guys. He defeated Shinya Hashimoto in 1994 but\nwould only last for 27 days until losing the belt right back at him. Then in\n1998 he would have his final run with the belt that lasted for 196 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people often call themselves “The\nDragon” but only few get to deserve that recognition, Tatsumi Fujinami is\none of those. He is one of the greatest technicians wrestling has ever seen!\nHis rivalry with Riki Choshu is still highly revered by many fans to this day.\nIf there was a wrestler to follow after Inoki’s footsteps, he was the right\nchoice for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the age of 65, Fujinami is still going strong in\nthe wrestling scene! Often competing for his own promotion: Dradition. He was\ninducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.)\nBig Van Vader<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 451<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 3<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nowadays due to how global wrestling has become, we\nget many great gaijins wrestling for NJPW. But before Bullet Club became the\nmassive entity it is now, the first true gaijin who terrorized New Japan was\nthe late great Leon White aka Big Van Vader!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vader was unlike most big men in his time. He was\nathletic while at the same time being a strong and tough wrestler. His first\nappearance with NJPW literally caused a riot that got the company banned from\nthe arena at the time, where he defeated Inoki in mere seconds! The fans did\nnot take kindly of this and at the time, wrestling still has that\n“realness” bubble attached to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had three reigns with the IWGP Title across the\nsame amount of years. Vader was the big villain of New Japan at the time, often\ntaking on fan favorites such as Fujinami and Choshu. Played his role well and\nwhich is why he was a top legend in Japan wherever promotion he competed in!\nHis career in the US was still good, primarily in WCW, he really got misused in\nthe WWF, but he already had a solid resume in Japan that only few could hope\nthey have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vader continued wrestling until in his final years,\nmainly working for small indies in the US and Japan. He would sadly passed away\nin 2018. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4.)\nSalman Hashimikov<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 48<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Probably the most forgotten IWGP Heavyweight\nChampion, its Salman Hashimikov. The only comparison I think that could give\nhim justice is that if the US has Kurt Angle, then Russia had Salman\nHashimikov. He had a fantastic career in Freestyle Wrestling, obtaining\nmultiple Gold and Silver Medals in World and European Championships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After ending his amateur run, Hashimikov would train\nin the New Japan Dojo led at the time by Inoki along with his fellow Russian\nVictor Zangiev. In 1989 he defeated Vader to have his first and only run with\nthe IWGP Heavyweight Championship, it would only last for 48 days before he\ndropped the belt to Choshu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He competed in UWF International in 1993 and 1994\nafter his New Japan career ended. Not much in known what he is up to these\ndays, but hopefully he is doing well for himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5.)\nRiki Choshu<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 383<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 3<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

We’ve already talked about Fujinami and you might\nhave read Choshu’s name a lot during that, well it is because their careers are\npretty much intertwined with one another. These two are Yin to the other’s\nYang. Like I’ve said, the rivalry between Choshu and Fujinami helped shape not\nonly the way New Japan is today, but Puroresu in general!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choshu only had three runs with the IWGP Title.\nFirst in 1989 beating Hashimikov which only lasted for 29 days before dropping\nthe belt to another gaijin in Vader. He would reclaim the belt from Vader the\nnext year and had a solid 129 days as champion. Lastly his third one is his\ngreatest at 225 Days beating Tatsumi Fujinami in an NJPW\/WCW Collaboration\nevent. He defeated the likes of Scott Norton, Masahiro Chono, and Super Strong\nMachine during that run before losing the belt to a man you might know as The\nGreat Muta.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his half a century career in professional\nwrestling, Riki Choshu has done it all: wrestle, book, promote, and train. He\nis one of the most respected legends in all of Japan, mentored many of our favorite\nJapanese wrestlers today, notably Tomohiro Ishii and Togi Makabe in NJPW who\nboth citied Choshu as their idols. He is the innovator of the Sasori-Gatame\nsubmission hold, now popularly known as the Scorpion Deathlock or Sharpshooter\nas used by Sting and Bret Hart respectively throughout their own careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Choshu just wrestled his final match last month on\nJune 26, 2019 in his Power Hall events. He faced his long time rival Tatsumi\nFujinami for the last time in a 6 man tag match that also involved other\nwrestlers that have a connection with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6.)\nGreat Muta\/Keiji Mutoh<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 1,238<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 4<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 90’s, NJPW began another transitional period.\nFujinami and Choshu are beginning to wane down in their careers as the top\nstars for the company, luckily with their dojo system, New Japan has found\nthree new wrestlers that could lead them into the future, dubbed as “The\nThree Musketeers” one of those men is Keiji Mutoh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After being trained by the legendary Hiro Matsuda in\nthe dojo, Mutoh would wrestle as a young rookie in NJPW before being sent\noverseas. He would compete in Puerto Rico before finding his way into the NWA\nwhere he created “The Great Muta” persona. An evil mist-spitting,\nninja-esque character that would terrorize his opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1992 saw The Great Muta capture the IWGP Heavyweight\nChampionship against the aforementioned Riki Choshu. It really did mark a new\nera for where the company is going forward, and it is an impressive first title\nreign at that, lasting for 400 days! In 1993 IWGP Champion Muta would face NWA\nChampion and by this point his greatest rival: Masahiro Chono, in what was one\nof the highest profile matches in New Japan history! The run would end however\nat the hands of another one of Mutoh’s rivals: Shinya Hashimoto.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He wouldn’t win the belt again until three years\nlater, this time he won against Hashimoto. Around these years, the NJPW vs. UWF\nrivalry was brewing, which we will get more into later. Mutoh’s second run\nlasted for 246 days, shorter than his first one, but still impressive\nnonetheless. In 1999 for his third run, Keiji Mutoh was a completely different\nathlete! He had more swag than ever before, the nWo Japan was at their peak,\nfaction wars are heavily implemented in storylines. For 340 days he\nsuccessfully defended the belt against the likes of Manabu Nakanishi and\nSatoshi Kojima, and even PRIDE superstar Don Frye! His fourth and final run\nwould come many years later in 2008, at this point Keiji Mutoh is already a\nlegend. He headlined the first ever Wrestle Kingdom with Chono as they faced\nTenCozy in a tag-team match dedicated to their late friend Hashimoto. Mutoh\ndefeated Shinsuke Nakamura and had a run that lasted for 252 days, at this\npoint though he is already at a late age, Mutoh still impressively held his own\nagainst the younger guys! He would lose the belt in the main event of Wrestle\nKingdom 3 to Hiroshi Tanahashi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite being 56 years old, Mutoh is still going\nstrong in the wrestling scene whether in Japan or the US, competing whether as\nhimself or Great Muta. Obviously he couldn’t go at it the way he used to, but\nhe is still a fan favorite and the Shining Wizard still manages to pop the\ncrowd! He is also still actively running his own promotion: Wrestle-1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.)\nShinya Hashimoto<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 1,052<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 3<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another member of the aforementioned Three\nMusketeers is the late great Shinya Hashimoto. While Mutoh wrestled a colorful\nstyle, Hashimoto was all business. No nonsense type of competitor that’s sole\npurpose is to kick his opponent’s ass! He did that well, very well actually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lot of old school fans consider Hashimoto as the\ngreatest IWGP Heavyweight Champion of all time. His contemporaries were out and\nmaking name for themselves elsewhere, he stayed in New Japan and became the top\nstar there after the days of Fujinami and Choshu. The 90’s were some of the\nhottest years of pro wrestling in terms of business, Hashimoto was leading that\nwave for NJPW! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

His first run he defeated The Great Muta. But what\nreally solidified Hashimoto as a top contender is his rivalry with Tatsumi\nFujinami, in many ways can be seen as a “passing of the torch.” He\nhad a back-and-forth affair with The Dragon for the belt. Second run lasted for\n367 days and his third at 489. For the longest time, Shinya Hashimoto was the\nlongest reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion in history! He had many classic\nbouts against pretty much every wrestler that competed in New Japan during that\ntime, most notably and controversially also against Naoya Ogawa. He personified\nwhat a true champion is and to this day I still consider him as the\n“bar” for all those that came after him who held the same gold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Due to his untimely passing, I think Hashimoto does\nnot get enough the recognition he deserves. Plus him mainly staying in Japan\nand not making a name in the States probably hurt his chances of being a\nhousehold name but at the end of the day, it does not matter. He was still one\nof the best and treated as such wherever promotions he competed till his final\nyears. A legend in every sense of the word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8.)\nNobuhiko Takada<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 116<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have briefly mentioned about the UWFI rivalry with\nNJPW earlier on. For the unaware, UWF International was a revival of the\noriginal UWF promotion that focused on “shoot-based” work style\nmatches. With the rise in popularity of MMA in Japan, professional wrestling\ntook notice and UWF-I was born, in a way blazing the trail for actual\nsuccessful MMA promotions in the country such as PRIDE.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the 80’s the original UWF had a rivalry with\nInoki’s NJPW. The same storyline was revived in the 90’s but this time,\nNobuhiko Takada was leading the charge. Takada is famous for his serious style\nof technical in-ring way of wrestling. Very martial arts oriented and\nappropriately so, considering the promotion he represented. He had a great\nmatch with Keiji Mutoh for the title in 1996 which he won, making him the first\nformer IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion to hold the Heavyweight title later on in\nhis career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The run with the belt itself wasn’t much, it was\njust a continuation of the NJPW vs. UWFI rivalry. He defended the belt once in\nUWFI against Shiro Koshinaka before dropping it to Hashimoto after 116 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After his career with NJPW and UWFI, Takada founded\nthe HUSTLE promotion which ran for 6 years. In 2015 he co-founded another\ncompany, this time an MMA based one in RIZIN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9.)\nKensuke Sasaki<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 647<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 5<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If AJPW had the Four Pillars, then NJPW had the\nThree Musketeers. Jun Akiyama, while a great wrestler in his own right, never\nreally got credited officially at least as a “5th Pillar.” Kensuke\nSasaki is in the same situation, that he was still a top star during the same\ntimeframe but never really became an official member of the Musketeers.\nNevertheless though, it wouldn’t take away from his years of success,\nespecially as IWGP Heavyweight Champion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sasaki first got hold of the belt in 1997 defeating\nShinya Hashimoto. He would have four more reigns with the belt later on in his\ncareer. Unlike most wrestlers in this list so far though, Sasaki did not\nactually graduate from the New Japan Dojo and was trained by Choshu in his\nJapan Pro Wrestling company, a satellite of AJPW. But he would eventually make\nhis way into NJPW later on. Just like Mutoh and Chono, Sasaki would also find\nsuccess in the US mainly for WCW. He was also an honorary member of The Road\nWarriors whenever they went to Japan as “The Power Harrior” and even\nheld the IWGP Title as that persona. In the 2000-2001 era, Sasaki was arguably\nthe Ace of New Japan, headlining many of their events and facing top stars even\noutsiders like Toshiaki Kawada. His second run with the belt was his longest at\n279 days!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Afterwards he would go on to become a freelancer and\neven created his own promotion “Kensuke Office\/Diamond Ring.” Sasaki\nis one of only two wrestlers who held “Japan’s Big 3 Gold” NJPW’s\nIWGP Heavyweight, AJPW’s Triple Crown, and NOAH’s GHC Heavyweight. Calling it\nan impressive feat is a massive understatement!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

After retiring from in-ring competition in 2014, he\nis still an active participant in the wrestling business whether as a guest\ncommentator or mentor to other young wrestlers. He is married to Joshi legend\nAkira Hokuto as well, that right there is a true power couple!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10.)\nMasahiro Chono<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 44<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The last member of The Three Musketeers we have yet\nto talk about until now, is the great Masahiro Chono! Similar paths with his\npeers Mutoh and Hashimoto earlier on, trained in the dojo and went\ninternational for their excursions. Chono though had an interesting career to\nsay the least. In his initial years, he mainly wrestled as an underdog scrappy\nbabyface, but that was the extent of his character. He did successfully become\nthe NWA World Heavyweight Champion but would always fall short with his IWGP\nTitle chases. On September 1992, things changed altogether for Chono. He\nsuffered a neck injury from a botched piledriver while defending his NWA Title\nto Steve Austin. Oddly enough, this very injury would be a blessing in this\ndisguise, as years later after winning his third G1 Climax, Chono underwent a\nwhole personality change!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was done being the “mr. nice guy”\nattempting to become a fan favorite, he went to business for himself and\nadopted a “yakuza leader” gimmick which he is best known for nowadays\nand would lead a faction called “Team Wolf” initially with Hiroyoshi\nTenzan and Hiro Saito, which inspired Eric Bischoff to create the New World\nOrder (nWo) in WCW!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Due to this change of attitude, Chono would have his\nfirst and only run with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. He defeated the\nlegendary Tatsumi Fujinami in 1998 but would quickly vacate the belt just 44\ndays in due to neck injuries. Surprisingly enough, he never held the belt again\never since. But despite that, Chono still remained one of New Japan’s top draws\nuntil the mid 2000’s. Who could forget one of the most iconic matches in\ncompany history in a barbed wire death match with him and Atsushi Onita? Plus\nhe has arguably the greatest theme song in all of wrestling!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chono’s last match was in 2014 for Dotonbori Pro Wrestling. He is still active with his appearances, mainly for his pal Mutoh’s produced shows: Pro Wrestling Masters. Also a frequent guest commentator in big events for New Japan<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

11.)\nScott Norton<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 126<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 2<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the States, Scott Norton was just “another\nmember of the nWo” but in Japan, at his prime was one of the top foreign\nwrestlers in the country! Obviously not in the same heights as Vader or Stan\nHansen, but still pretty solid for his time. Norton was an arm wrestling\nchampion before transitioning into pro wrestling. He mainly wrestled for both\nWCW and NJPW throughout the 90’s but had more success with the latter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norton held the IWGP Title for the first time in\n1998 and would hold on to it for 103 days. During that run, he made history by\ndefending the belt for the first time in WCW Nitro defeating Lodi of all people!\nYes folks, Lodi is officially a part of history as one of the men who\nchallenged for such prestigious gold. His second run was in 2001 defeating\nSasaki but only lasted for 23 days before he dropped it to Kazuyuki Fujita.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my opinion, Norton was far from the greatest IWGP\nChampion but not the worst either. He is in the “middle of the pack”\nif you will. Things are about to get worse however as we slowly enter the\n“Inokism Era” after the nWo fame died off shortly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He still wrestles sporadically in various promotions\nin Japan or the US while also making appearances in conventions. He made his\nreturn to New Japan in Wrestle Kingdom 11 during the pre-show entering in the\nNew Japan Rumble in 2017 and also wrestled the day after for the New Beginning\nshow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12.)\nGenichiro Tenryu<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 25<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without a doubt, Genichiro Tenryu is one of the\ngreatest professional wrestlers that ever lived! After all, you wouldn’t gain\nthe nickname “Mr. Pro Wrestling” for nothing. But with that said, his\nrun as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, in hindsight, was one of the most pointless\nones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the time he won the title, Tenryu was already a\nrespected veteran. He made his name in rival promotion of AJPW, becoming a\nmulti time champion there and became one of the top draws with Jumbo Tsuruta\nafter Giant Baba’s health started to decline. Around that time he also briefly\nwrestled for the WWF, most notably in WrestleMania 7 teaming up with Koji Kitao\nbeating Demolition, and entering two Royal Rumbles in ’93 and ’94. He would\nalso run his own promotions: Super World of Sports, and later on: WAR.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When WAR was on the decline, Tenryu joined NJPW and\nKoshinaka’s stable Heisei Ishigun. He defeated Keiji Mutoh in 1999 for the IWGP\nHeavyweight title, but 25 days later in Wrestling World 2000 (predecessor to\nwhat we now know today as Wrestle Kingdom) would lose the belt in the main\nevent to Kensuke Sasaki. A mere 25 days for the great Tenryu. Granted his glory\ndays were way past him, but it’s funny to see how one of the best was relegated\nto a mere transitional champion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the 2000’s until his retirement in 2015\nagainst Kazuchika Okada, Tenryu wrestled as a freelancer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13.)\nKazuyuki Fujita<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 478<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 3<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Put on your lights boys and girls as we enter the\ndark ages of “Inokism.” In the 2000’s MMA was at the peak of its\npopularity. PRIDE is still going strong and the UFC is slowly making waves in\nthe US. Antonio Inoki as we all know is very fascinated with MMA. This is the\nsame man who had “hybrid matches” with judokas and boxers in his\nmatches. One of the men who held the IWGP Title during these twilight years is\nKazuyuki Fujita.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another product of the New Japan Dojo, Fujita\ntransitioned from amateur to pro wrestling under the guidance of Inoki himself.\nFujita then competed in MMA and had a series of wins at the start of his career\nwhich quickly shot him at the top of the New Japan rankings, eventually beating\nScott Norton for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his first reign in 2001.\nHe would hold onto the belt for 270 days before forcing to vacate it due to\ninjury.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fujita held the belt two more times later on, one in\nan infamous match against Hiroshi Tanahashi where he looked really stiff than\nusual. But that was Fujita’s style, and he wouldn’t be the worst champion\noverall during this time, while some fans despised him, he was still a credible\nwrestler due to his background and could give you a serviceable match if need\nbe. Still, it was a sign of bad things to come eventually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fujita is still semi-active as a competitor in MMA,\nhis last two matches happened in Road FC in South Korea receiving wins at the\nage of 48.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14.)\nTadao Yasuda<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 48<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tadao Yasuda was the perfect personification of the\nInokism era. An undeserving “pseudo MMA fighter” holding the top gold\nof a professional wrestling promotion. He is arguably the worst to ever hold\nthe championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before becoming a pro wrestler in the 90’s, Yasuda\nwas a sumo wrestler. He would incorporate this style later on in his wrestling\ncareer in NJPW, but boy was he bad. Very slow performances, uninspiring paces\nduring his matches, and honestly he is just a bore to watch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many wrestlers during this era, they competed\nin MMA bouts, most of the time wrestlers would wind up losing to highly skilled\ntrained fighters. But once in a blue moon, you get someone like Yasuda getting\na fluke win by choking veteran Jerome Le Benner! Inoki was so impressed by this\nthat he gave Yasuda the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, beating Yuji Nagata in a\ntournament for the vacant belt! But that win would prove to be indeed a fluke\nas Yasuda would go on to have a string of losses throughout his MMA career,\nlosing every ounce of credibility he had. 48 days in, he dropped the belt to\nYuji Nagata and never got hold of the belt since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’m sorry for totally burying Yasuda, but he did not\nhave any business winning the IWGP Title. Inoki thought he had his cash cow\nafter that MMA win but a draw Yasuda wasn’t due to his poor wrestling skills\nand lack of charisma. The only positive thing we can take from this is a lesson\nto be learned that hopefully will never be replicated in the future by any\nwrestling promotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yasuda retired from wrestling in 2011 losing to\nGenichiro Tenryu. Not much is known about him since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15.)\nYuji Nagata<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 570<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 2<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While he maybe a well respected veteran nowadays and\ndeservingly so, Yuji Nagata had it rough during the prime of his wrestling\ncareer. He was groomed to be the next top star after the days of\nHashimoto\/Chono\/Mutoh. But he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. While\nPro Wrestling NOAH dedicated their promotion to pure professional wrestling and\nAll Japan are trying to stay afloat after the mass exodus, New Japan was\nmeddling with Inoki’s MMA obsession. Nagata happened to be in the middle of all\nthese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looking at it on paper, Nagata had a solid run of\n392 days as IWGP Heavyweight Champion from 2002 to 2003. Sadly though the run\nitself is filled with embarrassment, thanks to NJPW doing awful business due to\ntheir lack of true star power and fan favorites losing to MMA fighters. Nagata\nas IWGP Champion competed in MMA, Inoki thought this would make Nagata the\nbiggest star in the world, but it turns out would only lose his credibility.\nHis first MMA fight was a depressing sight, the infamous 21 second loss to\nMirko Cro Cop. Then he got TKO’d by Fedor Emelianenko. While Nagata is a great\ntechnical wrestler, he had absolutely no chance against two of the best\nheavyweight fighters in their primes!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During his 392 day reign he would face a who’s who\nof wrestlers. Such as Bas Rutten and even main evented Wrestling World 2002\nagainst Josh Barnett. Nagata’s first run ended to one of his rivals Yoshihiro\nTakayama. His second run wouldn’t come until years later in 2007, lasted for\n178 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many wrestlers would’ve quit with the things they’ve\nsuffered, but props to Nagata for staying strong with NJPW and later on to\nTenzan as well for being the highlights during the company’s lowest and darkest\nyears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nagata is still an active competitor for NJPW as\nwell as other promotions. Two years ago he retired from the G1 Climax\nTournament and gave some of the best matches in his entire career!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16.)\nYoshihiro Takayama<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 185<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1992 a 6’5” wrestler would join UWFI and become\nliterally and figuratively, one of wrestling’s biggest names in Japan! After\nUWFI closed, Takayama wrestled for AJPW and later on join NOAH before becoming\na free agent to pursue a career in MMA, we would wind up getting quite possibly\none of, if not, the greatest MMA fight of all time between him and Don Frye at\nPride 21 in 2002! The same year, Kazuyuki Fujita would revive the NWF\nHeavyweight Championship, the past top belt of NJPW, wherein wrestlers with MMA\nbackgrounds are able to compete in a tournament which Takayama ended up\nwinning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2003, Takayama held both the NWF and IWGP\nHeavyweight Championships defeating Yuji Nagata. He would hold on to the belt\nfor 185 days competing mainly against his rival at the time Hiroyoshi Tenzan,\nwhom he would lose the belt to. After a whole year as NWF Heavyweight\nChampionship, he lost the belt to a title unification match against IWGP\nHeavyweight Champion; Shinsuke Nakamura in the main event of Wrestling World\n2004.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He joins Sasaki as one of only two men to hold the\n“Big 3 Gold” of Japan: the IWGP, Triple Crown, and GHC Heavyweight\nChampionships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

On May 4, 2017 Takayama suffered a career ending\nneck injury in DDT Wrestling. He is paralyzed from the neck down and a\nfundraising event was held for him by his close friends and peers called\n“TakayaMania” for his medical needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17.)\nHiroyoshi Tenzan<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 197<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 4<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While nowadays Hiroyoshi Tenzan is a shell of his\nformer self and is constantly the brunt of “ankle jokes” there was a\npoint in time where he was one of the most captivating wrestlers, especially\nduring a time where New Japan faced its dark years with the Inokism running\nrampant. He is perhaps best known for his tag-team work, after all he is a\nrecord holder 11x IWGP Heavyweight Tag-Team Champion, primarily with his long\ntime tag partner: Satoshi Kojima as “TenCozy” and being a part of\nmany stables over the years most notably of course the nWo. But Tenzan would\ndabble into a singles run as well and found success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had four reigns with the belt, they’re not really\n“standout” runs with the belt, but he did give back prestige to it\nwhen things were looking pretty grim. Remained loyal with the company at a time\nwhere he wasn’t used to his fullest potential. Later on in his career he would\nalso hold the NWA World Heavyweight Championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All I can say is that while Tenzan was not the de\nfacto ace in the early 2000’s as I give that recognition to Nagata, he was\nstill one of the top stars and draws, helping in New Japan to stay afloat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tenzan is still an active competitor for New Japan.\nNot as mobile as he used to be, but still receives cheers from the crowd thanks\nto his years of dedication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18.)\nShinsuke Nakamura<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 390<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 3<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Nagata and Tenzan were the veteran aces of the\nInokism era, Shinsuke Nakamura was one of the up and coming young stars. Around\nthis time a trio of wrestlers decided to dubbed themselves as “The New\nThree Musketeers” in tribute to the original incarnation of the group.\nNakamura was one of its members along with Katsuyori Shibata and Hiroshi\nTanahashi. Shibata would leave New Japan to become a freelancer when things\nstarted becoming bad, while the remaining two stayed through the dark times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tanahashi was clearly the next top prospect and\nremained in that position, but Nakamura was the cornerstone of that era. I hate\ndoing many comparisons especially to the WWE but for other people to understand\nthe point better: Tana is Cena, while Nakamura is Orton, at least from a\nbooking perspective. Nakamura had three reigns with the belt, the first time he\ndefeated Hiroyoshi Tenzan in 2003 and would also defeat Takayama in Wrestling\nWorld 2004 to unify the IWGP and NWF Titles. He wouldn’t win the belt again\nuntil 5 years later in 2008 beating Tanahashi in the main event of Wrestle\nKingdom 2! Nakamura would also unify another set of titles, this time the other\nversion of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship which we will get more to later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2009 we saw his most successful run at 218 days,\ngiving birth to what most fans best know him as today “The King of Strong\nStyle.” To newer fans however, Nakamura might be more synonymous with the\nIWGP Intercontinental Championship than the Heavyweight, and there isn’t\nanything wrong with that as he truly solidified and legitimized that belt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He may be gone from the company now, but his legacy\nwill always remain intact. At his peak, Nakamura was one of the greatest\nwrestlers ever, a key reason for the survival of New Japan to reach its newest\nform of glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Been with the WWE now since 2016. Could very well\nretire there too but I wouldn’t mind another “one last run” with New\nJapan in the future if that’s possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19.)\nBob Sapp<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 66<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve deemed Tadao Yasuda as the worst IWGP Champion\never, but perhaps the most infamous one for many fans is Bob Sapp. This may shock\nyou though, but I’ll actually defend this one as to why Sapp was given the\nbelt. Did he deserve it? Probably not, especially with the power of hindsight\nbut there was a point in time wherein Bob Sapp was the most popular foreigner\nin Japan! Sapp for all the flack he gets, was a charismatic individual, plus\nwith his enormous size helps in at the very least, looking like a legitimate\nthreat. He appeared on many commercials and shows in the country and was a\ndraw. Partnered with Inoki’s lust with MMA and only losing once so far in his\nMMA career, it seemed like he was destined to be New Japan’s biggest star!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in 2004\nbeating Kensuke Sasaki, clearly on track for some more greatness but nope. It\nwas quickly proven that Sapp, like Yasuda, was a fluke in MMA. After suffering\nan embarrassing submission loss to Kazuyuki Fujita, Inoki stripped Sapp off the\ntitle, only defending it once against Nakamura. Since 2011, Bob Sapp would go\non to have a 14 fight losing streak in his MMA career until finally scoring a\nwin 2018 over retired Egyptian sumo Osunaarashi, in his first and possibly only\nMMA bout. After that run, Sapp would wrestle sporadically in many Japanese\npromotions and even landing back in NJPW for a brief time in 2012 and 2013. If\nthere is one thing to describe this whole thing fittingly it would be\n“failed experiment.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sapp is still active within combat sports. Whether\nin professional wrestling, MMA, or kickboxing but mainly on the losing end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20.)\nSatoshi Kojima<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total Combined Days: 168<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number of Reigns: 2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1991, a 21 year old Satoshi Kojima fought his\nvery first match against Hiroyoshi Tenzan, a man who would become his greatest\nrival and friend. Many years later the two of them would carve their own paths\nto success, with Kojima finding it in many forms. From 2002 to 2010, Kojima\nmainly competed for AJPW, becoming one of the top talents they desperately\nneeded when Misawa and many other wrestlers left to form Pro Wrestling NOAH. He\nwould hold AJPW’s Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship two times and later on\nwhen he went to New Japan in 2005 became the first and to this day only\nwrestler to hold the IWGP and Triple Crown Championships at the same time! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kojima’s first run with the belt was pretty\nlackluster though, only 83 days and 1 defense before dropping the belt back to\nTenzan. He wouldn’t win the belt again until years later at an older age in\n2010 beating Togi Makabe, this time around he would go 2 days more than his\nfirst one before dropping it to Tanahashi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is one of the most respected veterans today in\nPuro, but he certainly wouldn’t be reaching the top rankings of greatest IWGP\nHeavyweight Champions lists anytime soon, but he did have a better tag-team\ncareer as a 7x IWGP Tag-Team Champion. But only few wrestlers can have the\ndistinction in pulling off solid runs with both NJPW and AJPW, Kojima is one of\nthose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like many of his peers, Kojima is still an active competitor and can still bring out a great match if need be! Still chopping and hitting lariats towards his opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

21.)\nBrock Lesnar<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 280<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fans often proclaim Bob Sapp as the most infamous\nchampion but that should clearly go to Brock Lesnar. He could very well rival\nTadao Yasuda as the worst champion but the only thing that’s keeping me from\ncommitting to that is Brock’s worst matches are still more entertaining than\nYasuda’s best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After his initial run with the WWE, Brock would\nwrestle for various promotions, most notably in New Japan. Again, Inoki thought\nhe found his new golden goose! Brock is indeed one of the most recognizable\nnames in all of wrestling and while he did not have any history in the Japanese\nwrestling scene beforehand, him being one of the top main eventers of the WWE\nwas enough to put him straight at the top of the NJPW food chain! However, they\nwould end up regretting that quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brock won the belt in a rare three way match against\nFujita and Chono in 2005. He would defend the belt three times against Nakamura,\nAkebono, and Giant Benard. After that, he kept the belt hostage. Lesnar jumped\nship from NJPW to Inoki’s new promotion: Inoki Genome Federation after he sold\nmajority of his shares to video game company: Yukes. It wasn’t only Lesnar\nhimself that moved companies though, but the IWGP Heavyweight Championship\nitself as it belonged to him at the time, so New Japan were forced to have a\nnew interim belt at the moment. Lesnar would lose the belt to Kurt Angle and\nlater on drop it to Shinsuke Nakamura so the company would regain of its title.\nThat specific line of champions is not considered official however of the IWGP\nHeavyweight title lineage so Kurt Angle wouldn’t be appearing on this list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This awful title run with the belt barely, if at\nall, gets mentioned in New Japan history and rightfully so. However, things\nwould pick up from here on out and the resurgence to glory is possible thanks\nto the one true Ace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Come on, you know where Brock is. Whether hunting in\nCanada or F5’ing wrestlers in the WWE for that quick sweet paycheck. Living the\nlife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

22.)\nHiroshi Tanahashi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 1,396<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 8<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ll go right ahead and say it, without a shadow of\na doubt, the greatest IWGP Heavyweight Champion of all time; Hiroshi Tanahashi!\nNo other man ever had the biggest chip on their shoulder quite like Tanahashi.\nNew Japan was on the brink of closure, attendance were running low, MMA was the\nmain focus of the company rather than the last two letters of its name: Pro Wrestling.\nYet through it all, Tanahashi persevered, he helped NJPW rose from the ashes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of his inspiring story where he almost got\nkilled from a knife stab, fans flocked all over him and showed him tremendous\namount of love! The fans did not need a meathead jock or some knockout artist\nas their champion, they needed someone they can relate to, someone who’s been\nthrough the lowest of lows. Tanahashi really brought back the Pro Wrestling in\nNew Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I could go on about many factoids such as him having\nthe record for most reigns as IWGP Heavyweight Champion at 8, then had the\nlongest total combined days as champion and most number of title defenses\nbefore eventually being broken by Kazuchika Okada, but you already know all of\nthat. After winning the title for the first time against Giant Bernard in 2007,\nthat was the signal for New Japan to reach the new and better heights it has\ntoday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obviously Tana was not alone as Nakamura, Tenzan,\nand Nagata all helped in the process too, but he was the one leading the charge\nand the fans all had his back. To this day, that’s why so many fans still have\ntheir undying support for Tanahashi, it’s because he saved New Japan and\npossibly the whole balance of the Puroresu scene as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Charisma wasn’t all he had, Tanahashi is one of the\ngreatest wrestlers of ALL TIME. He can wrestle any style against any opponent,\nplus even nowadays where his body has pretty much taken a toll due to the\nnumerous injuries through the years, he can still go strong in the ring! The\ntitle Ace fits no one better perfectly than him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still one of New Japan’s top stars, Tanahashi is\nclose to having a three decade active career in wrestling comes October!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

23.)\nManabu Nakanishi<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 45<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feel good moments are always a surprise, but welcome\nin wrestling. This is exactly why Manabu Nakanishi became the IWGP Heavyweight\nChampion in 2009. Was he an excellent wrestler? In comparison to his peers of\nthe same generation, not really. But Nakanishi had something that was still\npivotal for success: charisma. He was just an overall endearing personality,\nrespectful to children and elderly, a hard worker performing over 100+ matches\nfor a decade, and having a tremendous amount of diet which is why he is often dubbed\nas “Monster Morning.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nakanishi would always come up short in his exploits\nas IWGP Champion but that all changed at one faithful night in Tokyo, Nakanishi\ndefeated Tanahashi to finally become IWGP Heavyweight Champion for the first\ntime in his career! The crowd popped massive and his longtime friend Yuji\nNagata was there to celebrate with him! You can just feel the genuine emotion\nfrom both him and the fans, after years of dedication he has reached the top!\nAlbeit, only for a short moment but sometimes you don’t need long expositions\nto tell a great story, a simple moment would last for a long time in the\nmemories of the fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wrestles sporadically in New Japan mainly at opening\nand multi-men tag matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

24.)\nTogi Makabe<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 161<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wrestling fans especially those in the West may not\nfathom on how big of a deal Togi Makabe actually is in NJPW! Thanks to his\nappearances outside of wrestling media, Makabe is one of the most recognizable\nnames in the country. He would often make the posters even if sometimes he’s\nnot even on the card just to draw in some fans! At his peak, Makabe is a\npopular figure amongst the wrestling scene in Japan. The stable he started:\nGreat Bash Heel (GBH) would later on become a predecessor to CHAOS after Nakamura\nand Yano turned on the group and a slew of other wrestlers joined them or left\nGBH altogether, with only Tomoaki Honma being the last to stay with Makabe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Makabe won his first and only run with the IWGP\nHeavyweight Championship in 2010 defeating Nakamura as a part of the\naforementioned CHAOS-GBH storyline. He defended the belt successfully three\ntimes, one of his defenses was even against Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Go Shiozaki.\nThe same year, Makabe dropped the belt to Kojima.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After that Makabe never really got back to the World\nTitle picture. He is still a solid midcarder, mainly for the tag-team division.\nHe works a slower pace style so he couldn’t keep up with the new generation,\nbut his presence is still beloved by the majority of NJPW fans!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For 15 straight years, Togi Makabe has appeared in\nthe G1 Climax until this year where he was left off. The current holders of the\nNEVER Openweight 6 Man Belts for whatever that’s worth with Yano and Taguchi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

25.)\nKazuchika Okada<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 1,611 (ongoing)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 5<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I’ve said Tanahashi is the greatest IWGP Heavyweight\nChampion and the only other man who could rival him for that position is\nappropriately enough, one of his greatest foes ever: “The Rainmaker”\nKazuchika Okada!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For many fans, Okada IS the IWGP Champion. He is\npretty much synonymous with the belt at this point as in his 14 year career, it\nis the only belt he’s ever held. Nothing else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okada broke all kinds of records as IWGP Champion.\nHe became the youngest to ever hold it when he first beat Tanahashi in 2012.\nHis 4th reign with the belt is the longest championship run in New Japan\nhistory at an astounding 720 days with also another record of 13 title defenses\nin a single reign! Now with him holding the belt for the 5th time, Okada also\nhas the most total combined days as champion. If Bill Russell is Tanahashi in\nterms of “amount of rings” in this case championship belts, then\nOkada is the Wilt Chamberlain with all the record book work he has\naccomplished, in such a short span of time too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since the start even as a young lion, NJPW had high\nhopes for Okada. It did not resonate quickly when he returned as the Rainmaker,\nbut slowly but surely he became the big star they aimed him to be and had this\naura of a champion only a few can match these days. Constant high quality\nmatches and what’s great, he is still very much in his prime and the best is\nstill to come!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He has faced many of the best the world has to offer\nfor that belt, he has faced many downs throughout his career, but The Rainmaker\nheld his own and made the IWGP Heavyweight Championship truly his. That’s what\na champion is all about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of the writing of this article, he is the\nreigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion and on his way to possibly main event Wrestle\nKingdom for the fourth time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

26.)\nAJ Styles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nCombined Days: 307<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 2<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

How big of a deal AJ Styles was in New Japan? Well\nin his first match ever with the company, he just defeated Kazuchika Okada to\nbecome IWGP Heavyweight Champion, oh and he also became the new leader of\nBullet Club at the time, taking the faction at its peak popularity wise!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When AJ left TNA after 12 long years, he went to\nJapan and honed his craft. By this point he is already known as one of the best\nwrestlers ever of his generation and he was treated as such in the company,\nbeing immediately put in the main event scene without hesitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the first time in 2014, the IWGP Heavyweight\nChampionship was defended in ROH when Styles defeated both Okada and Michael\nElgin in a three way match in his first defense. He defeated Okada once more\nuntil dropping the belt to Tanahashi. AJ regained the belt the following year,\nbeating Ibushi once in an amazing match full of interwoven storylines, before\nlosing it to Okada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prince Devitt may have created the Bullet Club and\nKenny Omega brought a lot of monetary success to the faction, but the AJ Styles\nled BC really brought them on the map! Not a lot of stables make you feel they\nare the true spiritual successor of the nWo, but the Bullet Club of 2014-15\nreally was that! In a short span of time, Styles became one of the greatest\ngaijins ever in New Japan history. As he said himself, if it wasn’t for his run\nin New Japan, he may not have the success he is currently having in the WWE. His\nfinal match at Wrestle Kingdom against Nakamura is still one of my all time\nfavorite matches. Truly Phenomenal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AJ Styles made his WWE debut as a surprise entrant\nin the Royal Rumble 2016. Since then he has held the WWE Championship, two\ntimes already! Which all still feels surreal as I saw his run from TNA almost\nfrom the beginning. To see him where he’s at today, it’s just amazing and well\ndeserved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

27.)\nTetsuya Naito<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 70<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Okada wasn’t the only one being groomed to become\nthe next main eventer of NJPW but also Tetsuya Naito. Initially however, the\nfans did not take him in kindly. The cookie cutter “Stardust Genius”\npersona did not just resonate well with the fans, despite all the achievements\nhe has received. It all came crashing down when he won the G1 Climax but did\nnot get to main event Wrestle Kingdom as his IWGP Heavyweight Championship\nmatch against Okada did not win the polls and instead Nakamura vs. Tanahashi\nfor the IC Belt was chosen as the main event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn’t until a second trip back to Mexico where\nNaito discovered “Los Ingobernables” a stable led by La Sombra, or\nbetter known today by WWE fans as Andrade. Naito learned the ways of being Tranquilo<\/em>, just take it easy, don’t care\nabout the world around you, one who has this mindset shall not be governed by\nanyone and won’t play by anyone else’s rules. When he returned to New Japan\nwith this whole new persona, the crowd who once despised him or sometimes not\nreact to him at all, became enamored and wouldn’t you know, in such a short\ntime became the leading merch seller in the whole company and officially\nrecognized as one of its top stars!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Naito had his first and only run so far with the\nIWGP Heavyweight Championship in 2016 with help from his faction mates in Los\nIngobernables de Japon. It was only a short run however as he dropped the belt\nback to Okada. He finally main evented the Tokyo Dome two years ago, this time\nhim and The Rainmaker are in the final match, but Naito was unable to take back\nthe title that he’s been chasing ever since he lost it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From someone that nobody cared about, to becoming a\nwrestler that trashes the IC Title yet still gets cheers, Tetsuya Naito has\nbeen one of the best reinventions in modern wrestling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

28.)\nKenny Omega<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 209<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another man who has chased the IWGP Heavyweight\nChampionship in his career, its Kenny Omega. A young kid from Canada would end\nup getting into pro wrestling and later on took off in Japan as one of the best\nperformers ever, mainly thanks to his standout matches against Kota Ibushi in\nDDT! For the longest time Kenny was a household name across the independent\ncircuit in the world, until 2014 where he joined New Japan for good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Match wise, Kenny is best known for his amazing set\nof matches against Kazuchika Okada! The two were like perfectly made for one\nanother as opponents as they had chemistry that worked perfectly in the ring.\nTheir four series match are still some of the best in this entire decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally in Dominion of 2018, Kenny Omega finally\ndefeated Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship! Another\nwrestler who won the Jr. Title previously, ending up with the Heavyweight later\non. But it not only that, he is the first ever Canadian wrestler to hold the\nbelt as well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sadly, Kenny’s reign was a disappointment for some\nand for me, it certainly could’ve been better. In his 209 day reign, his best\nmatch was against Tomohiro Ishii. The run was infested by the equally\ndisappointing “Bullet Club Civil War” storyline that divided the OG\nBC and Elite subsidiaries of the faction. Cody being in the forefront of\nchallengers other than the virtue of his last name, ticked some fans the wrong\nway too. If only they could’ve focused on his storyline with Ibushi rather than\nthe other B.S. then it could’ve been remembered as one of the best title runs\never, but alas that is not how things went out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Omega main evented Wrestle Kingdom 13 losing to the\nG1 winner in Hiroshi Tanahashi in a hellacious match, ending his title run and\ncapping off his New Japan endeavors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where\nAre They Now?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since leaving NJPW, Kenny Omega is one of the\nbiggest stars in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) leading the way as the company aims\nto go to new heights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

29.)\nJay White<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Total\nDays: 54<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Number\nof Reigns: 1<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last but certainly not the least we got the current\nleader of Bullet Club, “Switchblade” Jay White. He is a product of\nthe New Japan Dojo and after his excursion, he returned as the Switchblade\nchallenging for Hiroshi Tanahashi’s IWGP Intercontinental Championship in\nWrestle Kingdom 12 but was unsuccessful. Omega would try to recruit Jay in BC\nbut he declined and would make his way among the ranks of CHAOS to infiltrate\nand possibly lead him to the title scene against reigning IWGP Heavyweight\nChampion at the time; Kazuchika Okada.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But it wasn’t until earlier this year when\nSwitchblade finally got a hold of the gold after some previous title wins. In\nTanahashi’s first defense with the belt fresh from his Kenny Omega victory in\nWK13, he lost the belt to Jay White, much to the disappointment of the fans, it\nwouldn’t be the last time Jay would make Tana fans sad too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was only a run that lasted for 54 days as he\nwould lose it to Okada in Madison Square Garden for the G1 Supercard event.\nPrior to this, Jay always had Okada’s number even beating him at WK13 months\nearlier, but this time it’s a different story. The Rainmaker has recaptured his\nold self and became even better than before!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now the Switchblade along with his henchmen at\nBullet Club are on their quest to regain the gold and take over NJPW once more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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