IWGP Heavyweight Championship

The International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP) Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling. It was created in 1987 with NJPW founder Antonio Inoki defeating Masa Saito in the finals of the annual IWGP Tournament. There have been a total of 22 recognized champions who have had a combined 46 official reigns.

Statistics

 * Tatsumi Fujinami holds the record for the most reigns, as he held the championship on 6 occassions.


 * Shinya Hashimoto holds the record for the longest reign, holding the championship for 489 days during his third reign.


 * Kensuke Sasaki holds the record for the shortest reign, holding the championship for only 16 days.


 * Keiji Mutoh, Genichiro Tenryu, Shinya Hashimoto, Satoshi Kojima and Big Van Vader are the only wrestlers that have held both the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the AJPW Triple Crown Championship.


 * Keiji Mutoh and Shinya Hashimoto are the only wrestlers that have held the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the AJPW Triple Crown Championship.


 * Satoshi Kojima is the only wrestler that has held the AJPW Triple Crown Championship and the IWGP Heavyweight Championship simultaneously.


 * Genichiro Tenryu was the oldest champion, having won the title at age 49 years and 336 days


 * Shinsuke Nakamura was the youngest champion, having won the title at age 23 years and 298 days


 * Big Van Vader was the heaviest champion, as he weighed 389 lbs.


 * Nobuhiko Takada was the lightest champion, as he weighed 210 lbs.