10 Greatest Champions In Professional Wrestling Today
3. Tetsuya Naito - IWGP Intercontinental Champion
The IWGP Intercontinental Championship bears little resemblance to its WWE counterpart. When put on the right person, it becomes a genuine second Heavyweight strap. Naito is that right person.
Following in Shinsuke Nakamura's footsteps, Tetsuya Naito as Intercontinental Champion has become a main event draw. While Okada has the Heavyweight belt on lockdown, Naito can form his own rivalries, his own storylines, and go head to head (near enough )with New Japan's Ace in terms of live gates.
The company even held a fan vote to see if NaitoVs. Hiroshi Tanahashi should go on last at Wrestle Kingdom 11; their bout would have been match of the night at any other event. When he was given his own night to main event as Intercontinental Champion, he did not disappoint. He and Michael Elgin tore the roof down in a five-star classic at New Beginning in Osaka.
Juice Robinson is next on the LIJ leader's hit list, once again main eventing his own version of a PPV. NJPW love to have a big second draw, and Naito is taking the IWGP Intercontinetal Title to heights of popularity even Shinsuke never reached.