New Japan Pro Wrestling or NJPW has decided to unify the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Intercontinental Championship belts currently held by Kota Ibushi into a new title.
The company president Naoki Sugabayashi confirmed the news to Tokyo Sports and revealed that the two belts will be unified to create the new IWGP World Heavyweight Championship:
“As a result of discussions on the company side, we [have] decided to respect the will of the current champion and unify the two thrones. IWGP Heavyweight and IC history inherited. ‘IWGP World Heavyweight Championship’ will be newly established and the belt will be renewed. “
The news of this unification came after Kota Ibushi, who has been advocating for the title unification since Wrestle Kingdom 15, defeated Tetsuya Naito in a match for the IC title during the Castle Attack event.
Jay White, who challenged for both titles at Night 2 of January’s Wrestle Kingdom 15 event, commented on the unification news:
IWGP Championship Unification
The IWGP Heavyweight Championship is currently the highest title in NJPW. The belt was established in 1987 and Antonio Inoki is the first recognized champion.
The IWGP Intercontinental Championship, on the other hand, was introduced in 2011 as the “gateway to IWGP” and the current WWE star MVP was the first person to hold the belt.
Ibushi is now set to face El Desperado at New Japan’s Anniversary Event on March 4 but his first defence with the new belt is expected to be against the winner of the New Japan Cup that starts on March 5.
The company is scheduled to hold a press conference on NJPW World at 3 PM JST today. They are expected to announce the news of the unification and reveal the brackets for the New Japan Cup during the event.
