# IWRG Intercontinental Middleweight Championship

The IWRG Intercontinental Middleweight Championship (Campeonato Intercontinental de Peso Medio IWRGL in Spanish) is a professional wrestling championship promoted by the Mexican wrestling promotion International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG). The official definition of the Middleweight weight class in Mexico is between 82 kg (181 lb) and 87 kg (192 lb), but the weight limits are not always strictly adhered to. Because Lucha Libre puts more emphasis on the lower weightclasses, this division is considered more important than the normally more prestigious heavyweight division of the promotion.
The current champion is Arez who defeated then-champion Noisy Boy for the title on May 1, 2024. Arez is the 49th overall champion. The first champion was Pantera, who defeated Tony Rivera in Naucalpan, Mexico on July 27, 1997 in the finals of a tournament. It has since been defended throughout Mexico, but primarily in Naucalpan which is the IWRG's "home ground". In November 2007 Negro Casas, who was under contract with Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) but worked for IWRG under a talent sharing agreement between IWRG and CMLL, won the title. The talent sharing agreement ended in 2008 but the Middleweight championship was not declared vacant even though Negro Casas was not able to defend it. After four years of inactivity, the title was vacated and put up in a tournament in May 2012 and has been active in IWRG since.
As it is a professional wrestling championship, the championship was not won not by actual competition, but by a scripted ending to a match determined by the bookers and match makers. On occasion the promotion declares a championship vacant, which means there is no champion at that point in time. This can either be due to a storyline, or real life issues such as a champion suffering an injury being unable to defend the championship, or leaving the company.

## Championship tournaments

Details of the initial tournament in July 1997 has not been verified only that Pantera II defeated Tony Rivera in the finals of an eight-man tournament.

### November 2007 Championship tournament

IWRG stripped Pentagón Black of the championship and started an eight-man, single elimination tournament on October 15, 2007. The final match took place on November 1, 2007 at IWRG's annual El Castillo del Terror tournament.
| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | semi-finals | semi-finals | semi-finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | Ultraman, Jr. | W | | | | | | |
| 8 | Oficial Fierro | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Oficial Fierro | | Ultraman, Jr. | Ultraman, Jr. | | | | |
| | | | Negro Casas | Negro Casas | W | | | |
| 4 | Nitro | | Negro Casas | Negro Casas | W | | | |
| 5 | Negro Casas | W | | | | | | |
| 5 | Negro Casas | W | | | | Negro Casas | Negro Casas | W |
| | | | | | | Villano III | Villano III | |
| 2 | Villano III | W | | | | | | | Villano III | Villano III |
| 7 | El Felino | | | | | | | |
| 7 | El Felino | | Villano III | Villano III | W | | | |
| | | | Damian 666 | Damian 666 | | | | |
| 3 | Bogeman | | Damian 666 | Damian 666 | | | | |
| 6 | Damian 666 | W | | | | | | |

### May 2012 Championship tournament

The Middleweight Championship had been inactive since late 2007 until May 1, 2012 when IWRG officially announced that the championship was vacated and would be decided in an eight-man tournament that was the focal point of their May 6, 2013 Caravan de Campeones show.
| Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | semi-finals | semi-finals | semi-finals | Finals | Finals | Finals |
| 1 | The Mummy | W | | | | | | |
| 8 | Tony Rivera | | | | | | | |
| 8 | Tony Rivera | | The Mummy | The Mummy | | | | |
| | | | Oficial AK-47 | Oficial AK-47 | W | | | |
| 4 | Oficial Spartan | | Oficial AK-47 | Oficial AK-47 | W | | | |
| 5 | Oficial AK-47 | W | | | | | | |
| 5 | Oficial AK-47 | W | | | | Oficial AK-47 | Oficial AK-47 | W |
| | | | | | | Veneno | Veneno | |
| 2 | Veneno | W | | | | | | | Veneno | Veneno |
| 7 | El Hijo del Diablo | | | | | | | |
| 7 | El Hijo del Diablo | | Veneno | Veneno | W | | | |
| | | | Super Nova | Super Nova | | | | |
| 3 | Dr. Cerebro | | Super Nova | Super Nova | | | | |
| 6 | Super Nova | W | | | | | | |

## Title history

Key :
| No. | Overall reign number |
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| N/A | Unknown information |
| (NLT) | Championship change took place "no later than" the date listed |
| † | Championship change is unrecognized by the promotion |
| + | Current reign is changing daily |
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Championship change | Championship change | Reign statistics | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. |
| No. | Champion | Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | Notes | Ref. |
| 1 | Pantera II | July 27, 1997 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | | Won an 8-man tournament by defeating Tony Rivera to become first champion. | |
| 2 | El Hijo del Gladiador | Unknown | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | | | |
| 3 | Magnum Tokyo | July 5, 1998 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 91 | | |
| 4 | Mr. Niebla | October 4, 1998 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 98 | | |
| 5 | Bombero Infernal | January 10, 1999 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 147 | | |
| 6 | Mr. Niebla | June 6, 1999 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 2 | 140 | During this reign Mr. Niebla is unmasked and begins to work under the ring name Mr. Mexico. | |
| 7 | Bombero Infernal | October 24, 1999 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 2 | 53 | | |
| 8 | Último Vampiro (III) | December 16, 1999 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 24 | | |
| 9 | Black Dragon | January 9, 2000 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 315 | | |
| 10 | Bombero Infernal | November 19, 2000 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 3 | 126 | | |
| 11 | Último Vampiro (III) | March 25, 2001 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 2 | 246 | | |
| 12 | Bombero Infernal | November 25, 2001 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 4 | 13 | | |
| 13 | Último Vampiro (III) | December 2, 2001 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 3 | 53 | | |
| 14 | Pantera | January 24, 2002 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 2 | 49 | Defeated Último Vampiro in a "title vs. mask" triangle match that also included Pentagón Black. | |
| 15 | Bombero Infernal | March 14, 2002 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 5 | 136 | | |
| 16 | Tony Rivera | July 28, 2002 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 28 | | |
| 17 | Último Vampiro (V) | August 25, 2002 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 569 | A different wrestler had taken over the Último Vampiro character, but the reign was recognized as uninterrupted. | |
| — | Vacated | March 16, 2004 | — | — | — | — | Championship vacated when Último Vampiro left the promotion | |
| 18 | Fantasy | March 18, 2004 | Rey del Ring | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 66 | Won the championship by winning the annual IWRG Rey del Ring tournament. | |
| 19 | Cerebro Negro | May 23, 2004 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | | | |
| 20 | Matrix | 2004 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 6 | | Previously won the title under the name Bombero Infernal. | |
| 21 | Veneno | January 13, 2005 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 147 | | |
| 22 | Black Dragon | June 9, 2005 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 2 | 7 | | |
| 23 | Veneno | June 16, 2005 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 2 | 35 | | |
| 24 | Cyborg | July 21, 2005 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 143 | | |
| 25 | Veneno | December 11, 2005 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 3 | 231 | | |
| 26 | Pantera | July 30, 2006 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 3 | 71 | | |
| 27 | Nitro | October 9, 2006 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 6 | | |
| 28 | Pentagón Black | October 15, 2006 | IWRG show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 365 | | |
| — | Vacated | October 15, 2007 | — | — | — | — | Championship vacated when Pentagón Black left the promotion. | |
| 29 | Negro Casas | November 1, 2007 | El Castillo del Terror | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 1,643 | Defeated Villano III in the finals of an eight-man tournament to win the vacant title. | |
| — | Vacated | May 1, 2012 | — | — | — | — | Championship officially vacated due to inactivity. | |
| 30 | Oficial AK-47 | May 6, 2012 | Caravana de Campeones | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 154 | Defeated Veneno in the finals of an eight-man tournament to win the vacant title. | |
| 31 | El Ángel | October 7, 2012 | Live event | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 186 | This was a ten-man steel cage match, also involving Carta Brava Jr., Carta Brava Jr. (II), El Hijo del Dr. Wagner, El Hijo de Pirata Morgan, El Hijo de Máscara Año 2000, Oficial Factor, Veneno and Violencia Jr. | |
| 32 | Eterno | April 11, 2013 | Live event | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 49 | | |
| 33 | El Hijo de Pirata Morgan | April 11, 2013 | Live event | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 668 | | |
| 34 | Veneno | March 29, 2015 | Live event | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 4 | 210 | | |
| 35 | Heddi Karaoui | October 25, 2015 | Live event | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 315 | | |
| 36 | Imposible | September 4, 2016 | La Hora de la Verdad | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 140 | | |
| 37 | Relámpago | January 22, 2017 | IWRG House show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 238 | | |
| 38 | Eterno | September 17, 2017 | Caravana de Campeones | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 2 | 14 | | |
| 39 | Bombero Infernal | October 1, 2017 | IWRG House show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 7 | 324 | | |
| 40 | Dr. Cerebro | January 21, 2018 | IWRG House show | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 231 | | |
| 41 | Imposible | September 9, 2018 | Caravana de Campeones | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 2 | 479 | | |
| — | Vacated | January 1, 2020 | — | — | — | — | | |
| 42 | Demonio Infernal | January 1, 2020 | Cinco Luchas en Jaula | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 298 | Demonio Infernal defeated Fuerza Guerrera Nueva Generacion, Pasion Cristal, Ave Rex, Emperador Azteca, El Hijo del Alebrije in a Steel cage match for the "Briefcase of Glory" and the vacant title. | |
| 43 | Dragon Bane | October 25, 2020 | Live event | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 469 | | |
| 44 | Travis Banks | February 6, 2022 | IWRG El Protector 2022 | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 56 | | |
| 45 | Dr. Cerebro | April 3, 2022 | IWRG Guerra del Golfo 2022 | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 2 | 56 | | |
| 46 | Tonalli | May 29, 2022 | Live event | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 154 | | |
| 47 | Puma de Oro | October 30, 2022 | IWRG Castillo Del Terror 2022 | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 361 | This was a title vs. title match in which Puma de Oro also defended the Mexico Championship. | |
| — | Vacated | February 18, 2024 | — | — | — | — | | |
| 48 | Noisy Boy | February 18, 2024 | IWRG El Protector 2024 | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 73 | Defeated Aster Boy, El Hijo del Alebrije, Septimo Dragon and Spider Fly in a five-way match for the vacant title. | |
| 49 | Arez | May 1, 2024 | IWRG Choque De Fieras Encadenados | Naucalpan, State of Mexico | 1 | 322+ | | |

## Combined reigns

| † | Indicates the current champion |
| ¤ | The exact length of at least one title reign is uncertain, so the shortest possible length is used. |
| + | Indicates that the date changes daily for the current champion |
| Rank | Wrestler | No. of reigns | Combined days |
| 1 | Negro Casas | 1 | 1,643 |
| 2 | Bombero Infernal/Matrix | 7 | 675¤ |
| 3 | El Hijo de Pirata Morgan | 1 | 668 |
| 4 | Veneno | 4 | 623 |
| 5 | Imposible | 2 | 619 |
| 6 | Último Vampiro (V) | 1 | 569 |
| 7 | Puma de Oro | 1 | 476 |
| 8 | Dragon Bane | 1 | 469 |
| 9 | Pentagón Black | 1 | 365 |
| 10 | Arez † | 1 | 322+ |
| 11 | Black Dragon | 2 | 322 |
| 12 | Heddi Karaoui | 1 | 315 |
| 13 | Demonio Infernal | 1 | 298 |
| 14 | Dr. Cerebro | 2 | 287 |
| 15 | Último Vampiro (III) | 3 | 280 |
| 16 | Mr. Niebla | 2 | 238 |
| 16 | Relámpago | 1 | 238 |
| 18 | El Ángel | 1 | 186 |
| 19 | Oficial AK-47 | 1 | 154 |
| 19 | Tonalli | 1 | 154 |
| 21 | Cyborg | 1 | 143 |
| 22 | Pantera / Pantera II | 3 | 121¤ |
| 23 | Magnum Tokyo | 1 | 91 |
| 24 | Noisy Boy | 1 | 73 |
| 25 | Fantasy | 1 | 66 |
| 26 | Eterno | 2 | 63 |
| 27 | Travis Banks | 1 | 56 |
| 28 | Tony Rivera | 1 | 28 |
| 29 | Nitro | 1 | 6 |
| 30 | El Hijo del Gladiador | 1 | N/A |
| 30 | Cerebro Negro | 1 | N/A |

## Footnotes

* ↑ One example the weightlimits not being strictly enforced is Mephisto winning the CMLL World Welterweight Championship, a championship with a 78 kg (172 lb) upper limit despite weighing 90 kg (200 lb).
* ↑ Hornbaker (2016) p. 550: "Professional wrestling is a sport in which match finishes are predetermined. Thus, win–loss records are not indicative of a wrestler's genuine success based on their legitimate abilities – but on now much, or how little they were pushed by promoters"
* ↑ Duncan & Will (2000) p. 271, Chapter: Texas: NWA American Tag Team Title [World Class, Adkisson] "Championship held up and rematch ordered because of the interference of manager Gary Hart"
* ↑ Duncan & Will (2000) p. 20, Chapter: (United States: 19th Century & widely defended titles – NWA, WWF, AWA, IW, ECW, NWA) NWA/WCW TV Title "Rhodes stripped on 85/10/19 for not defending the belt after having his leg broken by Ric Flair and Ole & Arn Anderson"
* ↑ Duncan & Will (2000) p. 201, Chapter: (Memphis, Nashville) Memphis: USWA Tag Team Title "Vacant on 93/01/18 when Spike leaves the USWA."
* ↑ The exact date Pantera lost the Championship is not known placing the title reign between 1 and 342 days.
* ↑ The exact date Hijo del Gladiador won the Championship is not known placing the title reign between 1 and 342 days.
* ↑ The exact date on which Cerebro Negro lost the title is not documented, which means the title reign lasted between 1 and 222 days.
* ↑ The exact date on which Matrix won the title is not documented, which means the title reign lasted between 13 and 234 days.