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The IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix.[2] The title was announced on May 12, 2017, with the inaugural champion crowned on the weekend of July 1 and 2, 2017, during NJPW's G1 Special in USA shows in Long Beach, California. The title became NJPW's eighth active championship.

Overveiw

Background

On May 12, 2017, during the third night of the War of the Worlds tour, co-produced by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and Ring of Honor (ROH), NJPW United States Ambassador George Carroll announced the creation of the IWGP United States Championship.[3][4] The following day, NJPW revealed the title's official name as the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.[5] The title is part of an American expansion plan, which NJPW had made public in the months prior to the announcement. Plans had been made to run extended tours in the United States with California as the base, starting in 2018.[6] The plan was a direct response to WWE taking four wrestlers from NJPW in January 2016.[7] Tetsuya Naito noted how the new title had the exact same concept as the IWGP Intercontinental Championship,[8] which had been established during NJPW's May 2011 U.S. tour, promoted in conjunction with Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW).[9]

Championship tournament

The first champion would be crowned in a tournament on the weekend of July 1 and 2, 2017, during NJPW's G1 Special in USA shows in Long Beach, California.[3][4] Though it was originally announced that the tournament would be contested in a round-robin format,[3][4] Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter later reported that the tournament would in fact take place in a single-elimination format, stating that there had been a "mistake in the translation".[10] Jay Lethal was the first participant announced for the tournament on May 12.[3][4] On May 18, Hangman Page was officially added to the tournament.[11] The other six participants as well as the bracket of the tournament, confirmed as a single-elimination tournament, were revealed on June 12.[12][13] Kenny Omega went on to defeat Tomohiro Ishii in the finals to become the inaugural IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.[14]

  First round
(July 1)
Semifinals
(July 2)
Final
(July 2)
                           
   Michael Elgin Pin  
 Kenny Omega 22:31[15]  
   Kenny Omega Pin  
   Jay Lethal 12:56[16]  
 Jay Lethal Pin
   Hangman Page 08:30[15]  
     Kenny Omega Pin
   Tomohiro Ishii 31:20[16]
   Juice Robinson Sub  
 Zack Sabre Jr. 10:04[15]  
   Zack Sabre Jr. Pin
   Tomohiro Ishii 11:42[16]  
 Tomohiro Ishii Pin
   Tetsuya Naito 15:51[15]  


Title history

# Wrestler Reign Date Location Length Defenses Notes
1 Kenny Omega 1 July 2, 2017 Long Beach, California, United States 2461+ 0 Defeated Tomohiro Ishii in a tournament final to become the first champion.

Gallery

<gallery hidxbutton="true" widths="150" bordercolor="transparent" captionalign="left" bordersize="none">

NaokiSugabayashibelt.jpg|Naoki Sugabayashi showing the belt

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 ja:ケニー・オメガ (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Archived from the original on 2017-07-03. Retrieved on 2017-07-02.
  2. Fiorvanti, Tim 2017-01-02. What to watch for at New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 11 . ESPN. Archived from the original on 2017-01-03. Retrieved on 2017-05-12.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Currier, Joseph 2017-05-12. NJPW to crown first IWGP United States Champion in Long Beach . Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved on 2017-05-12.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Johnson, Mike 2017-05-12. New Japan announces new championship, unveils belt . Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved on 2017-05-12.
  5. ja:7月のロサンゼルス大会を前に“IWGP USヘビー級王座”の新設がアナウンス! ROHのリング上でベルトがお披露目!! (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2017-05-13). Archived from the original on 2017-05-13. Retrieved on 2017-05-13.
  6. Meltzer, Dave (April 10, 2017). "April 10, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Wrestlemania 33 review, WWE financials, more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 29–31. ISSN 1083-9593. 
  7. ja:新日本、7月のロス興行はWWEへ「反撃ののろし」 (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports (2017-01-05). Retrieved on 2017-05-12.
  8. ja:【新日本】内藤ICベルト破壊! US王座新設に怒り爆発 (in Japanese). Tokyo Sports (2017-05-19). Retrieved on 2017-05-19.
  9. Johnson, Mike 2011-01-05. New Japan to institute new belt in United States, NYC location and more NJPW in the States news . Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved on 2017-05-19.
  10. Meltzer, Dave 2017-05-15. Daily Update: Tanahashi injury, Strowman, Twitter feuds . Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved on 2017-05-16.
  11. ja:『G1 Special in USA』ロス大会“初日”を、現地時間・7月1日(土)、アメリカ国内でAXS TV で生中継! 4大タイトル戦、USヘビー級王座決定トーナメントも正式決定! (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2017-05-19). Archived from the original on 2017-05-19. Retrieved on 2017-05-19.
  12. ja:【ロス2連戦の“USヘビー級王座決定トーナメント”詳細が決定!】 1回戦でケニーvsエルガン! 内藤vs石井! ジュースvsザック! リーサルvsペイジ! (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling (2017-06-12). Archived from the original on 2017-06-12. Retrieved on 2017-06-12.
  13. NJPW announces matches for Long Beach shows . Wrestling Observer Newsletter (2017-06-12). Retrieved on 2017-06-12.
  14. NJPW G1 Special live results: The first IWGP US Champion is crowned . Wrestling Observer Newsletter (2017-07-02). Retrieved on 2017-07-02.
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 G1 Special in USA (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved on 2017-07-01.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 G1 Special in USA (in Japanese). New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved on 2017-07-02.
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