IWGP Women's Championship

The IWGP Women's Championship (Japanese: IWGP女子王座, Hepburn: IWGP Joshi Ōza) is a women's professional wrestling world championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling promotion. The title is defended on shows promoted by NJPW in Japan, with talent from NJPW's sister promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom featuring as its primary contenders.[5] The inaugural champion was Kairi. The current champion is Mayu Iwatani, who is in her first reign.

IWGP Women's Championship
The IWGP Women's Championship belt
Details
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)
World Wonder Ring Stardom
Date establishedJuly 29, 2022[1][2]
Current champion(s)Mayu Iwatani
Date wonApril 23, 2023[3]
Statistics
First champion(s)Kairi[4]
Most reignsAll titleholders
(1 time)
Longest reignMayu Iwatani
(186+ days)
Shortest reignMercedes Moné
(64 days)
Oldest championKairi
(34 years, 58 days)
Youngest championMayu Iwatani
(30 years, 63 days)
Heaviest championKairi
(115 lb (52 kg))
Lightest championMayu Iwatani
(110 lb (50 kg))

History

Ever since New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) was founded in 1972, the company had never had a women's championship. On July 29, 2022, it was announced by Takaaki Kidani, owner of World Wonder Ring Stardom and former chairman of NJPW through parent company Bushiroad, that Stardom's roster would compete for NJPW's first-ever women's championship, the IWGP Women's Championship, at the co-promoted event Historic X-Over, set to take place on November 20.[1][2] The title is promoted as being managed by the IWGP Championship Committee, NJPW's kayfabe governing body.

On August 23 at the press conference for Historic X-Over, the dates and venues for the inaugural tournament were announced. The tournament featured seven wrestlers, with four Stardom wrestlers and three foreign wrestlers participating in the tournament with the finals taking place on November 20.[6] On August 27, four representatives from certain stables of Stardom (referred to by the promotion as "units") were decided to compete in the four available slots. The representatives were Giulia (Donna Del Mondo), Mayu Iwatani (Stars), Starlight Kid (Oedo Tai), and Utami Hayashishita (Queen's Quest).[7] The representatives either picked themselves or appointed another unit member to furtherly compete for the title. On November 20, at Historic X-Over, Kairi became the inaugural champion after defeating Iwatani in the finals.[4]

Inaugural tournament
The inaugural IWGP Women's Champion Kairi
Round 1
Royal Quest II
(October 2)
IWGP Women's Championship Tournament First Round
(October 22)[8] 		Semifinals
Goddesses of Stardom Tag League 2022
Night 1
(October 23) 		Finals
Historic X-Over
(November 20)
         
Mayu Iwatani Pin
Momo Watanabe 12:32[9]
Mayu Iwatani Pin
Utami Hayashishita 14:51[10]
Utami Hayashishita Pin
Himeka 11:41[11]
Mayu Iwatani 25:28[12]
Kairi Pin
Jazzy Gabert Pin
Ava White 10:34[13]
Jazzy Gabert 12:24[10]
Kairi Pin
Kairi Bye
–

The first defense of the title was Kairi's successful defence against Tam Nakano on January 4, 2023, during the first night of Wrestle Kingdom 17.[14]

Belt design

The design of the IWGP Women's Championship belt was inspired by the design of the second-generation IWGP Heavyweight Championship, which was presented to the former champion Shinya Hashimoto during his 489 days reign in 1996.[15]

Reigns
Current champion Mayu Iwatani

As of October 26, 2023, there have been three reigns between three champions. Kairi was the inaugural champion. She is also the oldest champion at 34 years old, while Mayu Iwatani is the youngest at 30. Iwatani's reign is the longest at 186+ days, while Mercedes Moné's reign is the shortest at 64 days.

Iwatani is the current champion in her first reign. She won the title by defeating Moné at All Star Grand Queendom on April 23, 2023, in Yokohama, Japan.

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 Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign DaysDefenses
1 Kairi November 20, 2022 Historic X-Over Tokyo, Japan 1 902 Defeated Mayu Iwatani in the finals of a seven-woman single-elimination tournament to become the inaugural champion. [4]
2 Mercedes Moné February 18, 2023 Battle in the Valley San Jose, CA 1 643 [16]
3 Mayu Iwatani April 23, 2023 All Star Grand Queendom Yokohama, Japan 1 186+1 [3]

References
  1. Renner, Ethan (July 29, 2022). "NJPW & STARDOM creating IWGP Women's Championship The title will primarily be defended on NJPW events". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Archived from the original on January 27, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  2. Tokyo Sports (July 29, 2022). 【スターダム】「ＩＷＧＰ女子王座」新設し１１月２０日に初代王者決定戦　海外でも防衛戦を. tokyo-sports.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on April 15, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  3. Fritts, Chick (April 23, 2023). "Stardom All Star Grand Queendom live results: Mercedes Mone vs. Mayu Iwatani Giulia faces Tam Nakano in the show's main event". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  4. Rose, Bryan (November 20, 2022). "First IWGP Women's Champion crowned at NJPW/Stardom Historic X-Over". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  5. Edwards, Scott (July 29, 2022). "STARDOM, NJPW Announce IWGP Women's Championship". Fightful. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
  6. World Wonder Ring Stardom (August 23, 2022). 【8/23(火)14:00～】11・20『Historic X-over』有明アリーナ大会 記者会見 #STARDOM. youtube.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 5, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  7. Tokyo Sports (August 27, 2022). 【スターダム】ＩＷＧＰ女子出場ユニットがくじ引きで決定　ＣＡとゴッズアイ落選. tokyo-sports.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on November 5, 2022. Retrieved August 27, 2022.
  8. New Japan Pro Wrestling (August 23, 2022). IWGP女子王座の設立が正式決定！ 11.20有明アリーナで棚橋＆林下vs後藤＆舞華！ローラー＆朱里vsザック＆ジュリア！ タイチ＆金丸＆たむ＆なつぽいvsデスペラード＆DOUKI＆スターライトキッド＆桃！. njpw.co.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  9. Kreikenbohm, Philip (October 22, 2022). "Stardom First IWGP Women's Champion Decision Battle First Round". cagematch.net. Archived from the original on October 24, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  10. Kreikenbohm, Philip (October 23, 2022). "Stardom Goddesses Of Stardom Tag League 2022 - Tag 1". cagematch.net. Archived from the original on October 23, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  11. Kreikenbohm, Philip (October 22, 2022). "Stardom First IWGP Women's Champion Decision Battle First Round". cagematch.net. Archived from the original on October 24, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  12. Kreikenbohm, Philip (November 20, 2022). "NJPW/Stardom Historic X-over". cagematch.net. Archived from the original on November 20, 2022. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  13. Kreikenbohm, Philip (October 2, 2022). "NJPW Royal Quest II - Tag 2". cagematch.net. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
  14. "2023.01.04 Wrestle Kingdom 17 in Tokyo Dome". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  15. Mohan, Sai (February 1, 2023). "Design Unveiled For IWGP Women's Championship". Wrestling Inc. Archived from the original on April 27, 2023. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  16. Lambert, Jeremy (February 18, 2023). "NJPW Battle In The Valley Results (2/18): Mercedes Mone vs. KAIRI, Tanahashi vs. Okada, Loser Leaves NJPW". Fightful. Archived from the original on March 19, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.


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