Yota Tsuji, who won the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship from Konosuke Takeshita at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 20 on January 4th and held the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship simultaneously, has stirred excitement in the wrestling world in 2026. Just a day later, at the January 5th “New Year’s Dash!! Gene Blast” event, the classic V4 version of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship was brought back, and Tsuji was recognized as the IWGP Heavyweight Champion rather than the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
Tsuji clarified the status of the titles in a statement to the Japanese media, revealing plans for the championships’ futures. He explained that from the start, he intended to split the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship back into its original parts: the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the Intercontinental Championship. Presenting the physical IWGP Intercontinental Championship belt, last seen when it was unified with the Heavyweight title by Kota Ibushi in 2021, Tsuji announced that the Intercontinental belt would be retired due to its similarity with the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. He emphasized that while the Global and Intercontinental Championships share a role, they are distinct titles, and his goal is to restore the highest honor and prestige to New Japan Pro Wrestling through the V4 IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
Shortly after his retirement from wrestling at Wrestle Kingdom 20, NJPW president Hiroshi Tanahashi returned to the scene, preparing for upcoming title matches. He supported the revival of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, merging its lineage with that of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship from 2021 to 2026 under the V4 Championship banner. Tanahashi expressed hope that this renewed championship would lead New Japan to a new era, asking Tsuji if he was prepared. Tsuji affirmed his readiness and described the restored IWGP Heavyweight Championship as a title worth fighting to the death for.
Both Tsuji and Tanahashi outlined new defense rules for the titles. The IWGP Heavyweight Championship will be defended exclusively in Japan and only by NJPW’s top talent. Tsuji vowed to refuse any non-main event defense of this prestigious title. Meanwhile, the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship will be defended internationally, used to represent NJPW in collaborations with other organizations like AEW and CMLL. This means the Global Championship will feature on shows such as Forbidden Door and Fantastica Mania, while the Heavyweight Championship will remain focused on NJPW’s homegrown stars. Tsuji’s vision is for NJPW to maintain its global stature without losing its domestic traditions and identity.
Fan Take: This development matters greatly to AEW fans because the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship will play a key role in cross-promotional events like Forbidden Door, meaning AEW wrestlers will regularly compete for a prestigious NJPW title. It signals a deeper integration between NJPW and AEW, enhancing the global wrestling landscape and providing fans with more exciting, high-stakes international matches.
