Yota Tsuji Brings Back Iconic NJPW Title Belt Design After Wrestle Kingdom 20 Win

By Sam Palmer
Yota Tsuji Etsuo Hara/Getty Images

Yota Tsuji has always vowed to restore the historic IWGP Heavyweight Championship in New Japan Pro Wrestling after it was retired in 2021, but he needed to be the top champion in the company in order for that to happen. Tsuji achieved the biggest step at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 on January 4 when he defeated Konosuke Takeshita to become the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, and 24 hours later at the New Year Dash!! event, Tsuji's quest to restore the legendary title was completed.

Before Tsuji was introduced for his match at New Year Dash!!, he told the ring announcer to refer to him as the IWGP Heavyweight Champion rather than the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, before opening his jacket to reveal the V4 design that is regarded by many as the best title design in NJPW history. With the reintroduction of the title belt, Tsuji's reign becomes the first IWGP Heavyweight Championship reign since Kota Ibushi won the title at Wrestle Kingdom 15 in 2021, before unifying the title that March with the IWGP intercontinental Championship. It's not yet been confirmed whether the most recent version of the title has officially been retired as Tsuji is still listed as the current champion, but it's likely that NJPW fans have seen the last of the belt that has been around the waist of 12 different men over the past five years.

The next question fans will be asking is how long will Tsuji hold on to the newly restored title? His victory speech at Wrestle Kingdom 20 was interrupted by former AJPW Triple Crown and GHC Heavyweight Champion Jake Lee, who has since joined the United Empire stable and established himself as Tsuji's first challenger. However, Tsuji has not yet accepted the challenge that Lee issued at New Year Dash!! for a title match at The New Beginning In Osaka event on February 11.

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