# IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship

The IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship (IWGP GLOBALヘビー級王座, IWGP GLOBAL hebī-kyū ōza) is a professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" are the initials of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix (インターナショナル・レスリング・グラン・プリ, intānashonaru resuringu guran puri). The title was created when the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship was retired. The reigning champion is Yota Tsuji, who is in his first reign. He defeated David Finlay at Wrestle Kingdom 19 to win the title.

## History
### Background

At 2023's Power Struggle, after Will Ospreay had defended the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship against Shota Umino in the main event, Bullet Club leader David Finlay destroyed both the U.S. belt and Ospreay's custom IWGP United Kingdom Heavyweight Championship belt with a mallet after attacking Ospreay and Umino's former mentor, AEW's Jon Moxley, and a three-way match was scheduled for three men at Wrestle Kingdom 18.
While the match was initially listed as for the United States title, NJPW chairman Naoki Sugabayashi announced at a press conference on November 6, 2023 that the title would be retired and the match would be for a brand new championship. On December 11, at another press conference, he announced the name of the new championship, the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship.

### Belt design

The new championship belt was revealed on January 3, 2024. It is set on a white strap, similar to the now-retired IWGP Intercontinental Championship, and features five plates: one center and two set of side plates. The center plate features depictions of lions on each side, the "IWGP" letters in the center, and the words (all in capital letters) "Global" and "Champion" on the top and bottom, respectively; the New Japan logo is also featured on the top. Four gold circles with a ruby in the center are vertically set, two on each side, next to the center plate. The two sets of side plates each feature different parts of the world globe.

## Reigns

As of February 27, 2025, there have been four reigns shared among three wrestlers. David Finlay was the inaugural champion, has the most reigns at two, had the longest reign at 245 days (and combined days at 295) with four successful defenses, and was the youngest champion, winning it at 30 years old. Nic Nemeth was the oldest champion when he won it at 43 years old.
Yota Tsuji is the reigning champion in his first reign, and is the first Japanese wrestler to have held the title. He defeated David Finlay at Wrestle Kingdom 19 in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2025.
Key :
| No. | Overall reign number |
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| Defenses | Number of successful defenses |
| + | Current reign is changing daily |
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Championship change | Championship change | Reign statistics | Reign statistics | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. |
| No. | Champion | Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | Defenses | Notes | Ref. |
| | New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) | New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) | New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) | New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) | New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) | New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) | New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) | New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) | New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) |
| 1 | David Finlay | January 4, 2024 | Wrestle Kingdom 18 | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 50 | 0 | Defeated Will Ospreay and Jon Moxley in a three-way match to become the inaugural champion. | |
| 2 | Nic Nemeth | February 23, 2024 | The New Beginning in Sapporo: Night 1 | Sapporo, Japan | 1 | 71 | 1 | | |
| 3 | David Finlay | May 4, 2024 | Wrestling Dontaku: Night 2 | Fukuoka, Japan | 2 | 245 | 4 | | |
| 4 | Yota Tsuji | January 4, 2025 | Wrestle Kingdom 19 | Tokyo, Japan | 1 | 54+ | 2 | | |

## Combined reigns

As of February 27, 2025.
| † | Indicates the current champion |
| Rank | Wrestler | No. of reigns | Combinded defenses | Combined days |
| 1 | David Finlay | 2 | 4 | 295 |
| 2 | Nic Nemeth | 1 | 1 | 71 |
| 3 | Yota Tsuji † | 1 | 2 | 54+ |