Tetsuya Naito is once again the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion after regaining the title at AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door.
In the show’s co-main event, Naito dethroned Jon Moxley, ending his reign at 79 days. Naito was able to kick out of a Deathrider by Moxley though the AEW star was able to withstand Naito’s Destino. In the end, a second Destino clinched the win, and the title, for Tetsuya Naito.
This win makes Naito a two-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. At Wrestle Kingdom 18 in January 2024, Naito won the gold for the first time with a win over Sanada. His 99-day reign would be ended by Moxley at Windy City Riot in April. This win also makes Naito the second-ever two-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, alongside Kazuchika Okada.
What’s Next?
With Jon Moxley no longer the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, it remains to be seen when we’ll see the title next defended at an AEW event. While the next Forbidden Door is a year away, AEW and New Japan have close ties, meaning we could see the title defended far sooner than that. In the meantime, Moxley will turn his attention to AEW All In 2024, while the next major event for New Japan is the Fantastica Mania: USA show on July 13.
