In a spectacular turn of events, though not entirely shocking, the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship has a brand new champion following the latest AEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door III event. While it wasn’t as clear-cut as the TNT Championship ladder match or the Winner Takes All fight, the result was nonetheless surprising.
During the second to last match of the night, Tetsuya Naito emerged as the victor against Jon Moxley. Naito has managed to seize the highest title of New Japan Pro Wrestling, thanks to a winning pinfall achieved through his successful Destino move.
#ANDNEW NJPW World Heavyweight Champion Tetsuya Naito!
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🔗 https://t.co/JlBXZPLNGj@sdnaito pic.twitter.com/AOXdePedtM— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) July 1, 2024
This is, in fact, Naito’s second tenure with this version of the title. He initially scored a win over Sanada at Wrestle Kingdom 18, only to lose it later to Moxley at Windy City Riot event, held on April 12, 2024 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
Already looking forward to the G1 Climax tournament, which starts on July 20th and wraps up on August 18th, Naito has little time to relax. As the defending champion, Naito is expected to emerge victorious and select his contender for Wrestle Kingdom 19. Of note is that this event is to be followed immediately by Wrestle Dynasty—a unique crossover event featuring talent from STARDOM, AEW, Ring of Honor, and CMLL.
We’re keen to know who you think is next in line for Naito’s title, and what you think of Moxley’s stint as IWGP champion? Please share your thoughts in the comments below!