AEW’s Konosuke Takeshita Wins Top NJPW Gold

AEW has taken control of NJPW’s top title with Konosuke Takeshita winning the ultimate prize at King of Pro Wrestling.

For years now, the NJPW tradition has seen the winner of the prestigious NJPW G1 Climax challenge for the IWGP World Championship at the following Wrestle Kingdom. In 2023, Tetsuya Naito won the G1 before going on to Wrestle Kingdom in January 2024 to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship from his former Los Ingobernables de Japon partner Sanada.

However, when Zack Sabre Jr. won the tournament in 2024, he didn’t wait until Wrestle Kingdom to challenge for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Sabre Jr. instead met Tetsuya Naito for that title at King of Pro Wrestling in October of the same year, with the English star winning the gold.

AEW’s Konosuke Takeshita Challenges For NJPW’s Top Prize

For the first time ever, an AEW star won the G1 Climax as Konosuke Takeshita tasted success. And he followed in the current champion’s footsteps as he challenged Sabre Jr. for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship at King of Pro Wrestling.

Konosuke Takeshita walked away with the IWGP World Heavyweight Title after he nailed Zack Sabre Jr. with a Powerdrive Knee. After the bout, Takeshita acknowledged that he’ll have upset a lot of people with his win and opened the door for any and all challengers.

Hirooki Goto stepped up to Takeshita, but the new champion dismissively asked where the young talent in the company was.

Konosuke Takeshita will team with Kazuchika Okada to challenge Brodido for the AEW Tag Team Championship at WrestleDream. However, their alliance in The Don Callis Family looks like it could crack at any moment, and The Alpha could have his sights set on a win in the Continental Classic and claiming Okada’s AEW Unified Championship as well. But now, Okada might also have his sights set on reclaiming the IWGP World Heavyweight Title that he once made his own.

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