IWGP Tag Team Championship

Lore & Background

Before the IWGP championship system was created, New Japan Pro-Wrestling featured the NWA North American Tag Team Championship, a title originally based in Los Angeles, and the WWF International Tag Team Championship, a title licensed from the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), which was abandoned when the WWF working relationship ended. The inaugural champions were Kengo Kimura & Tatsumi Fujinami, who defeated Antonio Inoki & Seiji Sakaguchi in the final of a tournament to win the championship on December 12, 1985, at an NJPW live event. In addition to NJPW, the IWGP Tag Team Championship was also contested in the United States–based promotions World Championship Wrestling (WCW) (now defunct) in the early 1990s, and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) in 2009, and in the Mexican lucha libre promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre in 2005. On October 30, 2005, in Kobe, Japan, Hiroyoshi Tenzan and Masahiro Chono defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi and Shinsuke Nakamura to begin their fifth overall reign as a team. On July 2, 2006, an interim tag team title was created when Tenzan & Chono showed signs of inactivity. Shiro Koshinaka and Togi Makabe defeated the teams of Yuji Nagata and Naofumi Yamamoto and Giant Bernard and Travis Tomko in a Three-Way Match to become the first interim champions. NJPW president Simon Kelly Inoki stripped Tenzan and Chono of the IWGP Tag Team Championship on September 20, 2006, after Tenzan and Chono ceased teaming. Manabu Nakanishi and Takao Omori, who defeated Koshinaka and Makabe on July 17, 2006, to become the interim champions, were recognized as the IWGP Tag Team Champions on September 28, 2006, by NJPW. In 2009, The British Invasion defeated Team 3D on July 21, 2009, at a TNA television taping for the championship. Afterwards, NJPW released a statement announcing that they did not sanction the defense nor the title change, and as such did not recognize the reign. They continued to recognize Team 3D as the current champions and proclaimed that the next title defense would be by Team 3D and would be sanctioned by NJPW. On August 10, 2009, NJPW issued another press release stating that they were now recognizing The British Invasion of Brutus Magnus and Doug Williams as the current IWGP Tag Team Champions, making the reign official.

In Their Own Story

The arena lights dimmed as the crowd roared, a sea of anticipation rising for the main event. Two men stood in opposite corners, the heavy leather straps of the IWGP Tag Team Championship gleaming under the spotlights on the referee's shoulders. It wasn't just about winning tonight; it was about adding another chapter to a legacy that stretched back decades. The bell rang, and the history of New Japan Pro Wrestling continued with every lock-up and suplex.

Reader's Guide

Overall, there have been 111 reigns shared among 97 different wrestlers, who made up 72 different teams. Hiroyoshi Tenzan holds the record for most reigns by an individual wrestler at 12, with his combined reigns adding up to 1,988 days. At seven reigns, the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) hold the record for most by a team. Tenzan & Masahiro Chono's combined five reign lengths add up to 1,010 days (the most of any team). At days, Bad Intentions' (Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson) only reign is the longest in the title's history and has the most defenses at 10. Keiji Muto & Shiro Koshinaka's only reign is the shortest at six days. There are 20 reigns shared between 18 teams that are tied for the fewest successful defenses, with zero. The current champions are United Empire (Great-O-Khan and Henare), who are in their second reign as a team but fifth for O-Khan and second for Henare individually. They won the titles by defeating Knock Out Brothers (Yuto-Ice and Oskar) at Dominion 6.14 in Osaka-jo Hall in Osaka, Japan, on June 14, 2026.

Did You Know?

• The IWGP Tag Team Championship was introduced on December 12, 1985.
• Hiroyoshi Tenzan holds the record for most individual reigns at 12.
• The Guerrillas of Destiny hold the record for most team reigns at seven.
• Bad Intentions' only reign is the longest in the title's history with 10 defenses.

Origins and Inaugural Tournament

For over five decades since its founding in 1972, New Japan Pro-Wrestling operated without a dedicated women's world title. This historic gap was finally bridged on July 29, 2022, when Takaaki Kidani announced the creation of the IWGP Women's Championship. The initiative marked a significant collaboration between NJPW and its sister promotion, World Wonder Ring Stardom, with the inaugural tournament set for the co-promoted Historic X-Over event in November. The selection process involved representatives from four distinct Stardom stables: Giulia, Mayu Iwatani, Starlight Kid, and Utami Hayashishita. These athletes either competed directly or appointed unit members to fill the remaining slots alongside foreign competitors. The tournament culminated on November 20, where Kairi emerged victorious against Iwatani in the finals, becoming the first-ever holder of this prestigious belt.

Belt Design and Symbolism

The physical design of the IWGP Women's Championship carries deep historical significance within the promotion. Rather than creating an entirely new aesthetic, the belt was explicitly inspired by the second-generation IWGP Heavyweight Championship. By mirroring this iconic hardware, NJPW visually connected its first women's world title to one of the most revered periods in the company's heavyweight history. The belt serves as a tangible link between the promotion's past glory and its future, symbolizing that the women's division now holds equal stature within the organization's championship hierarchy.

Championship Lineage and Records

As of August 2026, the title has seen six distinct reigns distributed among five different champions. Kairi remains the inaugural holder, while Syuri currently stands as the reigning champion in her second tenure. The history of the belt showcases a wide range of ages, with Syuri being the oldest champion at 36 and Sareee the youngest at 29. Conversely, Syuri's first title run was notably brief, lasting only 55 days.

Promotional Structure and Management

The IWGP Women's Championship is unique in its operational structure, serving as the bridge between NJPW and Stardom. While owned by New Japan Pro-Wrestling, the title is primarily contested on NJPW-sanctioned shows featuring talent from Stardom as the main contenders. The championship falls under the jurisdiction of the IWGP Championship Committee, a kayfabe governing body within the promotion that oversees its defense and legitimacy. This arrangement ensures that while the belt represents NJPW's world standard, it relies heavily on the depth and skill of the Stardom roster to maintain high-quality competition. The first official defense occurred at Wrestle Kingdom 17 in January 2023, where Kairi successfully retained against Tam Nakano.

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