IWGP Heavyweight Championship (original version)


The original version of IWGP Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling promotion. "IWGP" is the initialism of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix.
The title was introduced in 1983 for the winner of the IWGP League 1983. Since then, the championship was defended annually against the winner of the IWGP League of the year. The current IWGP Heavyweight Championship debuted in 1987 and is defended regularly.

Title history

The inaugural champion was determined in the 1983 edition of the IWGP League, a 10-man round-robin tournament. Wrestlers from several promotions worldwide participated. Participants included World Heavyweight Champions from other international promotions.
Hulk Hogan won the tournament, after beating Antonio Inoki via knockout. As a result, Hogan became the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion in this format.
Since then, the championship was defended annually against the winner of the IWGP League of the year.
Antonio Inoki won the title in 1984. Inoki successfully defended it in 1985 against Andrè the Giant and Hulk Hogan. Hogan was the only challenger that didn't win the tournament to become the #1 contender to the championship.
In 1986, Inoki vacated the title, because he wanted to compete in the IWGP League. Therefore, the 1986 edition was the first to crown a new Champion since the 1983 edition. Inoki won the 1986 League, and became champion for the second time.
In 1987, the title was deactivated and replaced by the current IWGP Heavyweight Championship, which was awarded to the winner of the IWGP League 1987. The current championship is defended regularly, rather than as part of a tournament. The current championship's lineage does not acknowledge the champions of the deactivated title.

Reigns

Combined reigns