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 May23, 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 May23, 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 | 396 | 5 | Yokohama, Japan | Defeated Mercedes Moné at All Star Grand Queendom. | [9] | |
Strong Women's Championship | Stephanie Vaquer | 1 | March 10, 2024 | 74 | 3 | Tokyo, Japan | Defeated Giulia at Cinderella Tournament Night 2. | [10] |
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.
Minoru Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist, currently working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as a freelancer. In NJPW, he has held the IWGP Intercontinental Championship as well as twice holding the NEVER Openweight Championship.
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world junior heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. Only wrestlers under the junior heavyweight weight-limit may hold the championship. NJPW currently controls two junior heavyweight championships: the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship and the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. The weight-limit for the title is 100 kg (220 lb). The current champion is Sho, who is in his first reign. He won the title by defeating El Desperado at The New Beginning in Sapporo on February 23, 2024.
Shin Takagi, known by the ring name Shingo Takagi, is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a member of the Los Ingobernables de Japón stable and is a four-time and current NEVER Openweight Champion. Takagi is best known for his appearances in NJPW and Dragongate, as well as Ring of Honor (ROH), All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and the puroresu independent circuit.
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), where he is the current IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion in his record-setting second reign, 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-born professional wrestler currently signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). In NJPW, he is the leader of the group The Mighty Don't Kneel (TMDK) and is a former two-time and inaugural NJPW World Television Champion. 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 (NJPW), where he is a member of the Guerillas of Destiny stable and one half of the current Strong Openweight Tag Team Champions in his second reign.
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 a three-time and current IWGP Tag Team Champion, having won the belts twice with Kenta and once with Bad Luck Fale. Owens has also won the provisional KOPW trophy once.
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. As of November 2023, he is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his eight 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.
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. The current champions are Guerrillas of Destiny, who are in their second reign as a team and individually. They defeated TMDK at Resurgence on May 11, 2024 in Ontario, California.
Wrestling Dontaku 2024 was a two-night professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). The event took place on May 3 and 4, 2024, in Fukuoka, at the Fukuoka Kokusai Center. It was the 19th event under the Wrestling Dontaku name.