Strong Openweight Championship

The Strong Openweight Championship (STRONG無差別級王座, STRONG musabetsu-kyū ōza) is a professional wrestling championship owned and promoted by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. The title was officially announced on April 2, 2021.[1] The title is exclusively featured on NJPW's American television program NJPW Strong Live, which includes American wrestlers.[2] The inaugural champion was Tom Lawlor. The current champion is Eddie Kingston, who is in his first reign.

Strong Openweight Championship
The Strong Openweight Championship belt
Details
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)
Date establishedApril 2, 2021
Current champion(s)Eddie Kingston
Date wonJuly 5, 2023
Other name(s)
  • NJPW Strong Openweight Championship
Statistics
First champion(s)Tom Lawlor
Most reignsKenta (2 reigns)
Longest reignTom Lawlor
(387 Days)
Oldest championKenta
(42 years, 70 days)
Youngest championHikuleo
(32 years, 105 days)
Heaviest championHikuleo
(264 lb (120 kg))
Lightest championKenta
(187 lb (85 kg))

History

Inaugural tournament
This template is an excerpt from New Japan Cup USA § 2021.[edit]
Qualifying
March 5, 12, 19, 26 		Round 1
April 9 		Semi-finals
April 16 		Final
April 23
        
Clark Connors Pin[3]
TJP 9:27
Clark Connors 9:57
Lio Rush Pin[4]
Rocky Romero 13:57
Lio Rush Pin[5]
Lio Rush 7:38
Brody King Pin
Brody King Pin[6]
Bateman 13:25
Brody King Pin[4]
Chris Dickinson 10:42
Blake Christian 8:53
Chris Dickinson Pin[3]
Brody King 20:05
Tom Lawlor Sub
Ren Narita Pin[6]
Misterioso 11:12
Ren Narita 13:19
Tom Lawlor Sub[4]
The DKC 9:13
Tom Lawlor Pin[5]
Tom Lawlor Pin
Hikuleo 8:58
Jordan Clearwater 7:57
Hikuleo Pin[7]
Hikuleo Pin[4]
Fred Rosser 6:22
Fred Rosser Pin[7]
J. R. Kratos 14:16

Reigns
Current champion Eddie Kingston

As of October 25, 2023, there have been six reigns between five champions. Tom Lawlor was the inaugural champion. Kenta is the oldest, and only two time champion, when he won it at 41 years old while Hikuleo is the youngest champion at 32 years old. Lawlor's reign is the longest at 389 days while Hikuleo's reign is the shortest at 18 days.

Eddie Kingston is the current champion in his first reign. He defeated Kenta on July 5, 2023 at Independence Day.

Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
Days recog. Number of days held recognized by the promotion
Defenses Number of successful defenses
N/A Unknown information
+ Current reign is changing daily
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign DaysDays recog.Defenses
1 Tom Lawlor April 23, 2021
(air date)		 New Japan Cup USA 2021 Port Hueneme, CA 1 N/A3879 Defeated Brody King in the finals of an 16-man single-elimination tournament to become the inaugural champion. The exact date this event was taped is unknown. It aired on April 23, 2021 on tape delay. [8][1]
2 Fred Rosser May 15, 2022 Strong: Collision in Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA 1 2792387 Aired on tape delay on June 25, 2022. [9]
3 Kenta February 18, 2023 Battle in the Valley San Jose, CA 1 74742 [10]
4 Hikuleo May 3, 2023 Wrestling Dontaku Fukuoka, Japan 1 18180 [11]
5 Kenta May 21, 2023 Resurgence Long Beach, CA 2 45450 [12]
6 Eddie Kingston July 5, 2023 NJPW Independence Day
(Night 2)		 Tokyo, Japan 1 112+112+5 [13]

Combined reigns
† Indicates the current champion
Rank Wrestler No. of
reigns		 Combined
defenses		 Combined
days		 Combined days
rec. by NJPW
1 Tom Lawlor19N/A387
2 Fred Rosser17279238
3 Kenta22119
4 Eddie Kingston †15112+
5 Hikuleo1018

See also

References
  1. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (April 3, 2021). "Strong Openweight Championship revealed 【NJoA】". njpw1972.com. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  2. Solowrestling (2021-04-03). "NJPW anuncia la creación del Campeonato STRONG Openweight". solowrestling.mundodeportivo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-04-24.
  3. "Road to STRONG STYLE EVOLVED". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. March 26, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
  4. Lambert, Jeremy (April 9, 2021). "NJPW Strong Results (4/9): New Japan Cup USA First Round Action". Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  5. "Road to STRONG STYLE EVOLVED". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. March 6, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  6. "Road to STRONG STYLE EVOLVED". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. March 20, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  7. "Road to STRONG STYLE EVOLVED". New Japan Pro-Wrestling. March 13, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  8. HBN Staff (April 3, 2021). "NJPW Unveils New NJPW STRONG Openweight Championship". heelbynature.com. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
  9. Defelice, Robert (May 15, 2022). "Spoiler: New NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion Crowned At Collision In Philadelphia On 5/15". Fightful. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
  10. Lambert, Jeremy (February 18, 2023). "NJPW Battle In The Valley Results (2/18): Mercedes Mone vs. KAIRI, Tanahashi vs. Okada, Loser Leaves NJPW". Fightful. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  11. Vetter, Chris (May 3, 2023). "5/3 NJPW "Wrestling Dontaku 2023" results: Vetter's review of Sanada vs. Hiromu Takahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, Tama Tonga vs. David Finlay for the Never Openweight Title Minoru Suzuki, El Desperado, and Ren Narita vs. Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, and Hiroshi Tanahashi for the Never Openweight Six-Man Titles, Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Jeff Cobb for the NJPW TV Title". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  12. Tessier, Colin (May 21, 2023). "KENTA Wins NJPW STRONG Openweight Title, Gets Challenged By Eddie Kingston At NJPW Resurgence". Fightful. Retrieved May 22, 2023.
  13. Lambert, Jeremy (July 5, 2023). "Eddie Kingston Wins NJPW Strong Openweight Title At NJPW Strong Independence Day". Fightful. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
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