10 Worst Endings To Awesome Wrestling Title Reigns

5. Shinsuke Nakamura Quietly Forfeits The IWGP Intercontinental Title

Sheamus Daniel Bryan 18 Seconds WrestleMania
IWGP

That Shinsuke Nakamura is the greatest IWGP Intercontinental Champion of all-time is unquestionable. 'The King Of Strong Style' took NJPW's secondary title and made it feel like a prize on par with its top belt, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, holding it for an incredible 901 days over five individual reigns. To put that into perspective, Hirooki Goto, the wrestler with the second most combined days as champion, held it for just 308.

Nak was so successful as IC Champion that his match with Hiroshi Tanahashi was actually voted to headline Wrestle Kingdom 8 over Kazuchika Okada vs. Tetsuya Naito. He was the man, basically, and the belt hasn't felt as meaningful since he left.

Shinsuke was over three months into his final reign when he decided to call it quits and join WWE in January 2016. NJPW's original plan was to have him drop the belt to Kenny Omega in his final appearance for the company, cementing 'The Cleaner' as a made man, and saying "goodbye" with one last epic match. The plans changed, however: NJPW opted instead to strip Nakamura of the title, and he went out following a tag match at New Year Dash (the company's Raw after 'Mania equivalent) instead.

Omega defeated Tanahashi for the vacant title one month later, and held it for 126 days.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.