NJPW unveils IWGP World Heavyweight Title design

ADThompson · March 30, 2021, 1:12pm

Originally published at NJPW unveils IWGP World Heavyweight Title design

At today’s Road to Sakura Genesis show at Korakuen Hall, New Japan Pro-Wrestling revealed the design for the IWGP World Heavyweight Title belt.

The IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Titles were unified after Kota Ibushi defeated Tetsuya Naito at the Castle Attack show in February to retain the Intercontinental Title. Ibushi is the first holder of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

【IWGP世界ヘビー級ベルト贈呈式】

「いままでの歴史を絶対に継いだまま、もっともっと大きく、新しくしていきたいと思います」

“初代王者”飯伏幸太が決意表明！

★試合の詳細は新日本プロレス・スマホサイトで速報中！https://t.co/r6N4avf567 #njpw #njSG pic.twitter.com/Bvo3WcRf3u

— 新日本プロレスリング株式会社 (@njpw1972) March 30, 2021

In the main event of the show, Ibushi, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Satoshi Kojima defeated Will Ospreay, Jeff Cobb and Great-O-Khan.

Ibushi is scheduled to defend his title against Will Ospreay at Sakura Genesis on April 4th. Ospreay won the 2021 New Japan Cup tournament to earn that title match.

B_From_NY · March 30, 2021, 6:47pm

This belt is going to take a while to get used to.

Along with the finality that they’re actually going through with this change.

AuthorOfPosts · March 30, 2021, 10:30pm

Can’t believe they chose to change the best looking title in wrestling for that.

AuthorOfPosts · March 30, 2021, 10:46pm

They really thought that changing this -

To this -

Was a good idea. SMH.

chris · March 31, 2021, 1:59pm

All I see is this…

CorSec99 · March 31, 2021, 4:27pm

Glad to see I wasn’t the only one seeing that.

B_From_NY · March 31, 2021, 6:27pm

Well they did promise a belt that would be full of nostalgia.

BSR · March 31, 2021, 6:45pm

I don’t hate it, but I liked the original design a lot more. It also looks smaller. It’s going to take a lot of time to get used to, especially when I see stuff like this (saw it on Facebook, thought it was pretty funny):