Every Major Wrestling Title Ranked From Ugliest To Most Beautiful

20. IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

AEW World Tag Team Championship
www.njpw1972.com

In bizarre and poor contrast to New Japan's array of belts - and its deep, intricate match quality - the design of the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is very on-the-nose: it's simply the Heavyweight Title, downsized, because those who hold it are smaller than the Heavyweights. It isn't ugly, at all, and it isn't comical. Just uninspired.

The old title, held most famously by Jushin 'Thunder' Liger, was a significant upgrade: this was also similar to its since-retired big brother, but differentiated itself with an even more dazzling array of multi-coloured, circular studs that could represent the various in-ring styles that comprised what was then the elite division in all of wrestling.

NJPW is staunchly traditional - but a different, futuristic re-design is surely in order.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!