NJPW IWGP Heavyweight & Intercontinental Titles To Unify

Kota Ibushi's dual titles are no more, as NJPW merges the IWGP Heavyweight and IC belts...

by Andy H Murray
Kota Ibushi
NJPW

New Japan Pro Wrestling are set to merge their IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships into a single IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

A new report from Tokyo Sports states that Kota Ibushi will be recognised as the first champion in this new belt's lineage. The Golden Star has reigned as NJPW's double champion since Wrestle Kingdom 15, when he unseated Tetsuya Naito on the first night and successfully defended against Jay White on the second.

New IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion El Desperado had challenge Ibushi to a dual-title match at this week's NJPW 49th Anniversary show (4 March). Per Tokyo Sports, this is now a non-title bout.

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NJPW will introduce a new belt design to replace the iconic IWGP Heavyweight strap, which will go into retirement. Company chairman Naoki Sugabayashi has stated Ibushi will make his first defence of the new title against whoever wins this month's New Japan Cup tournament.

The IWGP Heavyweight and IC Titles have been paired since Wrestle Kingdom 14 in January 2020, when Naito was crowned the first double-champion. The Los Ingobernables de Japon leader failed in his attempt to split them by taking Ibushi's Intercontinental strap at yesterday's Castle Attack event.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. 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.