New Japan Pro Wrestling
Encyclopedia
is a major professional wrestling
promotion in Japan
, founded by Antonio Inoki
in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi
, it is the largest wrestling promotion in Japan and one of the largest in the world. From its creation in 1972 until 1986, NJPW was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance
. NJPW is known for openly engaging in working agreements with various MMA
and pro wrestling promotions
around the world, including: World Wrestling Entertainment
, World Championship Wrestling
, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
, WAR
, Ring of Honor
, PRIDE Fighting Championships, and Jersey All Pro Wrestling
and various other MMA and pro wrestling promotions. NJPW's biggest event of the year is the January 4th at the Tokyo Dome
, an event they have held each year since 1992. On January 4, 2011, New Japan Pro Wrestling officially announced their first tour of the United States
in May 2011, when they held shows in Rahway, New Jersey
on May 13, New York City
on May 14 and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 15. As part of the tour, NJPW introduced a new title, the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
.
in 1972, New Japan Pro Wrestling, also known as "Shin Nihon Puroresu", is considered the top promotion in Japan and is comparable to WWE in the United States
in terms of popularity and size in Japan. They promote events throughout Japan with their biggest event being their annual blowout show held every year on January 4 at the Tokyo Dome
, which is Japan's version of WWE's annual WrestleMania
event. In the past they have worked with WWE, WCW
and NWA
among others and currently have working agreements with Mexican Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
(CMLL) and American Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
(TNA) promotions, additionally they occasionally do cross-promotion matches with other Japanese promotions, currently they are doing such a program with Pro Wrestling Noah
. The promotion is currently owned by Japanese media/entertainment company Yuke's. Antonio Inoki is no longer affiliated with NJPW.
The promotion also has its own governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP). Thus all the promotion's titles are referred to as IWGP Championships. They currently have five titles: Heavyweight, Junior Heavyweight
, Tag Team, Junior Heavyweight Tag Team
and Intercontinental
, which was introduced in May 2011 during the promotion's first ever tour of the United States. They also hold several tournaments each year, including G1 Climax
, G1 Climax Tag League
, New Japan Cup
and Best of the Super Juniors
.
The promotion debuted a new series called NEVER in August 2010, designed to be a series of events spotlighting younger up-and-coming talent and feature more outsider participation in the promotion.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
promotion in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, founded by Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi
TV Asahi
, also known as EX and , is a Japanese television network headquartered in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. The company writes its name in lower-case letters, tv asahi, in its logo and public-image materials. The company also owns All-Nippon News Network....
, it is the largest wrestling promotion in Japan and one of the largest in the world. From its creation in 1972 until 1986, NJPW was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
. NJPW is known for openly engaging in working agreements with various MMA
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
and pro wrestling promotions
Professional wrestling promotion
A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...
around the world, including: World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
, World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
, Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
, WAR
WAR (wrestling promotion)
Wrestle and Romance, and later Wrestle Association R, was a professional wrestling promotion founded and run by Genichiro Tenryu as the successor to Super World of Sports, and which lasted from 1992 to 2000. The promotion had very few regular contracted workers, instead most of the workers were...
, Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
, PRIDE Fighting Championships, and Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling
Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion based in New Jersey.-1997:Jersey All Pro Wrestling is an independent wrestling promotion that was founded by "Fat" Frank Iadeavia on April 19, 1997. This promotion was born out of a dream of "Fat" Frank. He wanted to take the promotion...
and various other MMA and pro wrestling promotions. NJPW's biggest event of the year is the January 4th at the Tokyo Dome
January 4 Dome Show
The January 4 Tokyo Dome Show is a professional wrestling major show, some times broadcast as a Pay-Per-View , held by Japanese Professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling...
, an event they have held each year since 1992. On January 4, 2011, New Japan Pro Wrestling officially announced their first tour of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in May 2011, when they held shows in Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway, New Jersey
Rahway is a city in southern Union County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the New York metropolitan area, being 15 miles southwest of Manhattan and five miles west of Staten Island...
on May 13, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on May 14 and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on May 15. As part of the tour, NJPW introduced a new title, the IWGP Intercontinental Championship
IWGP Intercontinental Championship
-Title history:-External links:*...
.
History
Originally founded by Antonio InokiAntonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
in 1972, New Japan Pro Wrestling, also known as "Shin Nihon Puroresu", is considered the top promotion in Japan and is comparable to WWE in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in terms of popularity and size in Japan. They promote events throughout Japan with their biggest event being their annual blowout show held every year on January 4 at the Tokyo Dome
January 4 Dome Show
The January 4 Tokyo Dome Show is a professional wrestling major show, some times broadcast as a Pay-Per-View , held by Japanese Professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling...
, which is Japan's version of WWE's annual WrestleMania
WrestleMania
WrestleMania is a professional wrestling pay-per-view event, produced annually in late March or early April by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut...
event. In the past they have worked with WWE, WCW
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
and NWA
National Wrestling Alliance
The National Wrestling Alliance is a wrestling promotion company and sanctions various NWA championships in the United States. The NWA has been in operation since 1948...
among others and currently have working agreements with Mexican Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
(CMLL) and American Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling is a privately held professional wrestling promotion founded by Jeff Jarrett and Jerry Jarrett. The company broadcasts its events on television and the Internet fifty two weeks a year with over a million weekly viewers on its primary television program, Impact...
(TNA) promotions, additionally they occasionally do cross-promotion matches with other Japanese promotions, currently they are doing such a program with Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
. The promotion is currently owned by Japanese media/entertainment company Yuke's. Antonio Inoki is no longer affiliated with NJPW.
The promotion also has its own governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP). Thus all the promotion's titles are referred to as IWGP Championships. They currently have five titles: Heavyweight, Junior Heavyweight
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling junior heavweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was introduced on February 6, 1986 at a NJPW show....
, Tag Team, Junior Heavyweight Tag Team
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was introduced on August 8, 1998 at a NJPW live event...
and Intercontinental
IWGP Intercontinental Championship
-Title history:-External links:*...
, which was introduced in May 2011 during the promotion's first ever tour of the United States. They also hold several tournaments each year, including G1 Climax
G1 Climax
The G1 Climax professional wrestling tournament is a weeklong event held each August by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. The G1 draws standing room only crowds each night, record receipt gates and generates front-page coverage on the sports sections of several of the daily newspapers in Tokyo...
, G1 Climax Tag League
G1 Climax Tag League
The G1 Climax Tag League is a professional wrestling round-robin tag team tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling as a spin-off of the popular singles tournament, the G1 Climax. It was created in 1991 as the Super Grade Tag League, as a continuation of a regular tag team tournament held since...
, New Japan Cup
New Japan Cup
The New Japan Cup is an annual single-elimination professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling. Originally intended for every April, it was rescheduled to March in 2007. Though NJPW also runs the annual G1 Climax tournament, the NJC is different in that it is...
and Best of the Super Juniors
Best of the Super Juniors
This article is about the professional wrestling tournament. For the South Korean boy band, see Super Junior.The Best of the Super Juniors is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling , typically in May or June...
.
The promotion debuted a new series called NEVER in August 2010, designed to be a series of events spotlighting younger up-and-coming talent and feature more outsider participation in the promotion.
Current Championships
The championships recognized by NJPW are called International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP).| Championship | Current champion(s) | Held since |
|---|---|---|
| IWGP Heavyweight Championship | Hiroshi Tanahashi Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler who works primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion in his fifth reign.-Early life:... |
January 4, 2011 |
| IWGP Tag Team Championship | Bad Intentions (Giant Bernard and Karl Anderson Karl Anderson Chad Allegra is an American professional wrestler better known by his stage name Karl "Machine Gun" Anderson currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is currently one half of the IWGP and GHC Tag Team Champions with partner Giant Bernard.-Personal life:Allegra grew up in Asheville,... ) |
June 19, 2010 |
| IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling junior heavweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was introduced on February 6, 1986 at a NJPW show.... |
Prince Devitt Fergal Devitt Fergal Devitt is an Irish professional wrestler currently contracted by New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is currently in his second reign as the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion... |
September 19, 2011 |
| IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was introduced on August 8, 1998 at a NJPW live event... |
No Remorse Corps (Davey Richards Davey Richards Wesley David Richards is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Davey Richards.Richards is currently under contract with Ring of Honor, where he is the current ROH World Champion, but also wrestles for several companies on the independent circuit, including Pro Wrestling... and Rocky Romero Rocky Romero John R. Rivera is a Cuban American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Rocky Romero and as the fourth incarnation of Black Tiger. As Romero he was one half of the tag team The Havana Pitbulls , along with Ricky Reyes... ) |
October 10, 2011 |
| IWGP Intercontinental Championship IWGP Intercontinental Championship -Title history:-External links:*... |
Masato Tanaka Masato Tanaka Masato Tanaka is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances with Frontier Martial Arts Wrestling in Japan and in Extreme Championship Wrestling in the United States where he was a one-time world champion, having won the ECW World Heavyweight Championship once... |
October 10, 2011 |
Annual tournaments
| Tournament | Last winner | Last held | Type | Created | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1 Climax G1 Climax The G1 Climax professional wrestling tournament is a weeklong event held each August by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. The G1 draws standing room only crowds each night, record receipt gates and generates front-page coverage on the sports sections of several of the daily newspapers in Tokyo... |
Shinsuke Nakamura Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Super Rookie :... |
Open weight | 1991 | NJPW's biggest annual tournament, primarily for heavyweights but there is no official weight limitBefore the G1 Climax, NJPW had had an annual single tournament since 1974 under various names: the World League (1974-77), the Madison Square Garden (MSG) League (1978-82), the International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP) League (1983-87) and the World Cup Tournament (1989). | |
| G1 Climax Tag League G1 Climax Tag League The G1 Climax Tag League is a professional wrestling round-robin tag team tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling as a spin-off of the popular singles tournament, the G1 Climax. It was created in 1991 as the Super Grade Tag League, as a continuation of a regular tag team tournament held since... |
Suzuki Army (Lance Archer Lance Hoyt Lance Hoyt is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling as Lance Archer. He is best known for his work in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a two time NWA World Tag Team Champion with Kid Kash while the title was under the TNA banner... and Minoru Suzuki Minoru Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist. Suzuki was the co-founder of Pancrase, one of the first mixed martial arts organizations in the world. During the 1990s he was known as one of the best fighters in the Pancrase promotion and was the second King of Pancrase world champion... ) |
Tag team Tag team Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name... |
1991 | NJPW's annual tag team tournament.Before the G1 Climax Tag league, NJPW had had an annual Tag tournament since 1980 under various names: the Madison Square Garden (MSG) Tag League (1980-85) and the Japan Cup Tag League (1986-87). | |
| New Japan Cup New Japan Cup The New Japan Cup is an annual single-elimination professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling. Originally intended for every April, it was rescheduled to March in 2007. Though NJPW also runs the annual G1 Climax tournament, the NJC is different in that it is... |
Yuji Nagata Yuji Nagata is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique.... |
Open weight | 2005 | ||
| Best of the Super Juniors Best of the Super Juniors This article is about the professional wrestling tournament. For the South Korean boy band, see Super Junior.The Best of the Super Juniors is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by New Japan Pro Wrestling , typically in May or June... |
Kota Ibushi | Junior Heavyweight Cruiserweight (professional wrestling) In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing 220 lb and less, sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles... |
1988 | Annual tournament featuring top Junior Heavyweights from all over the world. | |
| Super J Cup | Naomichi Marufuji Naomichi Marufuji is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. Marufuji is the first of only two Grand Slam Champion in Pro... |
Junior Heavyweight Cruiserweight (professional wrestling) In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing 220 lb and less, sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles... |
1994 | Sporadic tournament featuring top Junior Heavyweights from all over the world, Tournament has been hosted by other promotions than NJPW as well. | |
| Super J Tag League | Jado Shoji Akiyoshi , better known by his ring name is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his work in New Japan Pro Wrestling with his tag team partner Gedo... and The World Class Tag Team The World Class Tag Team is a professional wrestling tag team that currently work in New Japan Pro Wrestling. One of the most accomplished tag teams in puroresu, the team has won numerous tag team titles and six-man tag tean titles in over seven promotions.... Gedo |
Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Cruiserweight (professional wrestling) In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing 220 lb and less, sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles... |
2010 | Tournament created in 2010, may be an annual event for NJPW.NJPW has previously held similar tournaments for Junior Heavyweight Tag Teams, the first being the Junior Heavyweight Super Grade Tag League in 1996, won by Eddie Guerrero Eddie Guerrero Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions... as Black Tiger II and The Great Sasuke. They also held the G1 Junior Tag League in 2001: it was won by El Samurai and Jushin Thunder Liger. On May 8, 2010, NJPW also held a one night, single elimination tournament, under the name Super J Tag Tournament 1st, which was won by El Samurai and Koji Kanemoto Koji Kanemoto is a professional wrestler. He is of Zainichi Korean descent.-Career:Kanemoto practiced Judo during his high school days and won a few championships as a professional before being recruited by the New Japan Dojo. He debuted in November 1990, wrestling against Michiyoshi Ohara. In March 1992, he... . |
|
| Young Lion Cup | Hirooki Goto Hirooki Goto is a Japanese professional wrestler. He has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling since his debut.-Career:Goto attended Kokushikan University, where he took part in freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. Upon graduating, Goto qualified to join New Japan Pro Wrestling, but left the... |
2005 | Rookies | 1985 | Tournament that is not held every year.In 1974 and 1975 NJPW held the "Karl Gotch Cup" a similar style rookie wrestler tournament. |
| J Sports Crown 6 Man Openweight Tag Team Tournament | Apollo 555 (Hirooki Goto Hirooki Goto is a Japanese professional wrestler. He has wrestled primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling since his debut.-Career:Goto attended Kokushikan University, where he took part in freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman wrestling. Upon graduating, Goto qualified to join New Japan Pro Wrestling, but left the... , Prince Devitt Fergal Devitt Fergal Devitt is an Irish professional wrestler currently contracted by New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is currently in his second reign as the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion... and Ryusuke Taguchi Ryusuke Taguchi is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former one-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and a four-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion.... ) |
June 23, 2011 | Six man tag team | 2010 |