New IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Crowned At NJPW Tanahashi Jam

NJPW has a new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.

At NJPW Tanahashi Jam on June 29, Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Hirooki Goto to claim the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship for the second time. The event didn’t appear on New Japan World and wasn’t broadcast outside of Japan.

The card was produced by Hiroshi Tanahashi, who wrestled twice on the TV special.

ZSJ claimed the title via a referee’s stoppage in a little under 30 minutes.

NJPW1972.com offered the following description of the final stages.

“As both came to their feet, Goto tried again and again to bring Sabre down with left sided lariats, but ZSJ’s right did so with authority. A Sabre Driver, followed by the You’ve Been Tangoed Edition saw Goto incredibly kick out only to be trapped in another armbar, and this time Goto had no hope of making the rope. Unno called for the bell and Sabre claimed the world title for a second time.”

NJPW Title Change With Huge Implications

With Sabre Jr. back in possession of the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, the title change could have huge implications outside of NJPW.

It hasn’t gone unnoticed by fans that the British star will now likely walk into NJPW x AEW Forbidden Door as the World Champion. Crucially, the event is being held in the United Kingdom for the first time in the coming weeks.

The famous cross-promotional event is scheduled to take place at the O2 Arena on August 24.

During a recent interview, Hirooki Goto said he’d love to face Will Ospreay at the event if he were still the World Champion come August.