New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is a professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Title reigns are either determined by professional wrestling matches or are awarded to a wrestler, as a result of the culmination of various scripted storylines. There are 11 total active championships promoted by NJPW - featuring six singles championships, three traditional tag team championships, and a six-man tag team championship for male wrestlers, with two singles championship for female wrestlers. 16 wrestlers currently hold the titles.
The list includes the number of times the wrestler has held the title, the date and location of the win, and a description of the winning bout. The following is correct as of April19, 2024.
Men's Singles
At the top of NJPW's championship hierarchy for male wrestlers in the heavyweight division is the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Secondary titles include the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, the NJPW World Television Championship, and the KOPW (King of Pro Wrestling) Championship.
In the junior heavyweight division, the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is the primary title
The NEVER Openweight Championship and the Strong Openweight Championship are available to male wrestlers regardless of weight class.
Men's Tag Team
For tag teams, there are three traditional championships for two-man teams—the IWGP Tag Team Championship, the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship, and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship for the junior heavyweight division.
The NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship serves as the title for three-man teams.
Women's Division
There are two championships for female wrestlers in NJPW - the IWGP Women's Championship (the primary title which is defended in NJPW and sister promotion Stardom), and the Strong Women's Championship.
As of April19, 2024
Championship | Current champion(s) | Reign | Date won | Days held | Successful defenses | Location | Notes | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IWGP Women's Championship | Mayu Iwatani | 1 | April 23, 2023 | 362 | 4 | Yokohama, Japan | Defeated Mercedes Moné at All Star Grand Queendom. | [9] | |
Strong Women's Championship | Stephanie Vaquer | 1 | March 10, 2024 | 40 | 1 | Tokyo, Japan | Defeated Giulia at Cinderella Tournament Night 2. | [10] |
Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler, sports executive and podcaster. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he serves as the president and representative director of the promotion.
Kenta Kobayashi, known mononymously as Kenta, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He currently works for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of the Bullet Club stable. A former amateur kickboxer, Kobayashi's wrestling style is based upon strong kicks and strikes. Kobayashi pioneered both the Go 2 Sleep and Busaiku Knee kick finishing manoeuvres, later popularized by CM Punk and Bryan Danielson, respectively.
Yuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler, and former mixed martial artist and amateur wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). Considered one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, he is the fifth longest-reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion with a reign of 392 days, and formerly held the record for most successful title defenses with 10, until Hiroshi Tanahashi broke the record at Wrestle Kingdom VI. He is the only wrestler to have won Japanese professional wrestling's three biggest singles tournaments; New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax, All Japan Pro Wrestling's Champion Carnival and Pro Wrestling Noah's Global League. In addition, he is the only man to have held all four major heavyweight championships in Japanese professional wrestling, the IWGP, World, GHC and Triple Crown heavyweight championships, making him the only "Grand Slam" champion.
Hirooki Goto is a Japanese professional wrestler. Since his debut, he has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
David Stephen Finlay III is a German-born Irish-American professional wrestler who performs under the ring name David Finlay. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and is the seventh and current leader of Bullet Club.
Kota Ibushi is a Japanese professional wrestler and martial artist who is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is best known for his tenure with New Japan-Pro Wrestling (NJPW).
Luke James Uggles Eatwell, known by his ring name Zack Sabre Jr. and its abbreviated form ZSJ, is an English professional wrestler. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the leader of the group The Mighty Don't Kneel and is the current and formerly inaugural NJPW World Television Champion in his record-setting second reign. He also makes sporadic appearances for All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and its sister promotion Ring of Honor (ROH).
Riley Vigier, better known by his ring name El Phantasmo, is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling and is a member of the Guerillas of Destiny stable.
Yujiro Kushida is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, better known by his mononymous ring name Kushida. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA).
Steven Owens, better known by the ring name Chase Owens is an American professional wrestler currently signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of Bullet Club. He is one-half of the current IWGP Tag Team Champion with Kenta and also won with Bad Luck Fale. Owens has also won the KOPW trophy.
Takaaki Watanabe, better known by his ring name Evil, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of Bullet Club and the leader of its sub-group House of Torture.
William Peter Charles Ospreay is an English professional wrestler, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his 8 year tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he held various championships, including the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. He is the leader of the United Empire and a member of the Don Callis Family stable. Ospreay is regarded by fans, peers, and industry journalists as one of the best in-ring performers of all-time.
Sho Tanaka, known mononymously as Sho, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of Bullet Club and its sub-group House of Torture, and is the current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion in his first reign.
Tomoyuki Oka, better known by his ring name Great-O-Khan, is a Japanese professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a member of the United Empire stable. He also wrestles for NJPW's United Kingdom based partner promotion Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro), where he is the former Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion. In NJPW, he is a two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion.
Tautuiaki Taula Koloamatangi is an American professional wrestler of Tongan descent. He is currently wrestling for the Japanese promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), and the American promotion Impact Wrestling under the ring name Hikuleo, he is a former Strong Openweight Champion and is a part of the Guerrillas of Destiny stable.
Davis Passfield, better known by his in-ring name Mark Davis, is an Australian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He also appears in its sister company Ring of Honor (ROH), where he is a former one-time ROH World Tag Team Champion. He also appears for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is a former IWGP Tag Team Champion, and record-setting and inaugural two-time Strong Openweight Tag Team Champion and Revolution Pro Wrestling, where he is a former two-time Undisputed British Tag Team Champion.
The Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned and promoted by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. The title is exclusively featured on NJPW's United States based television program NJPW Strong Live.
Destruction (2023) was a series of professional wrestling events promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In 2023, NJPW were promoting two events: Destruction in Kobe on September 24 and Destruction in Ryōgoku on October 9. These are events twenty-four to twenty-five in the Destruction chronology.