Wrestle Kingdom 18: Championship belt for Will Ospreay, Jon Moxley, and David Finlay’s triple threat matchup unveiled by NJPW

Wrestle Kingdom 18 is the first big professional wrestling event that marks the beginning of the year with an extraordinary display of in-ring action. Before the Wrestle Kingdom 18 event, New Japan Pro-Wrestling introduced two new championship belts.

The first one is the brand new Global Heavyweight Championship title, which replaces the IWGP United States Heavyweight Title. The new title belt was unveiled at the pre-Wrestle Kingdom press conference. A triple-threat match between Will Ospreay, Jon Moxley, and David Finlay will determine the first-ever IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion.

NJPW unveiled the IWGP Global Heavyweight belt

New Japan Pro Wrestling has recently undergone significant changes that had been planned for quite some time. The company has now officially announced the creation of the Global Heavyweight Title in preparation for Wrestle Kingdom 18.

Furthermore, NJPW has also revealed a shift in its leadership, with Hiroshi Tanahashi being appointed as the new president of the promotion. This decision was made during a meeting of NJPW’s board of directors and shareholders on December 23, 2023.

On January 4, 2024, a match will take place at the Tokyo Dome between Jon Moxley, prominent NJPW star Will Ospreay, and David Finlay. This match will determine who becomes the first-ever IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion, replacing the previously defunct IWGP United States/United Kingdom Heavyweight Championship.

The official press conference for Wrestle Kingdom 18 announced the introduction of the Global Heavyweight Championship, which is set to take place tomorrow. Fans are already expressing admiration for the design of the new title. Additionally, Tony Khan, the President of AEW, has shown interest in hosting the Global Heavyweight Championship in both AEW and ROH. It will be interesting to see who emerges as the champion at Wrestle Kingdom 18 this week.

Wrestle Kingdom 18 match schedule

Wrestle Kingdom 18, presented by New Japan Pro Wrestling, will take place on January 4 at the Tokyo Dome. The event will feature a lineup of major matches, including multiple title bouts and global wrestling stars. Fans can stream the event on NJPWWorld.com at 1:30 a.m. ET.

At Wrestle Kingdom 18, the IWGP World Heavyweight Title will be on the line as SANADA defends it against his former teammate, Tetsuya Naito. SANADA had left Los Ingobernables de Japon and had won the title in April last year after defeating Kazuchika Okada. On the other hand, Naito, the winner of the G1 Climax, has earned the opportunity to challenge for the title.

There is another exciting match scheduled for the upcoming event, which will feature AEW’s Bryan Danielson and Kazuchika Okada. This will be Danielson’s debut at the Tokyo Dome. The two have previously faced each other at last year’s AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door event, where Danielson emerged victorious.

Additionally, Moxley, Will Ospreay, and David Finlay will compete against each other to determine the first-ever IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion. The organizers have even revealed the new title today in preparation for the event. However, there will be several other matches for junior titles, including the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship title.

Who do you believe will become the first-ever NJPW Global Heavyweight Championship champion after Wrestle Kingdom 18? Let us know your thoughts on it in the comments section below!