Created in 1987, the IWGP Heavyweight Title is one of professional wrestling’s most coveted prizes. A legacy that began with New Japan founder, Antonio Inoki, the belt has been held by some of wrestling’s top stars, such as Inoki himself, Riki Choshu, Tatsumi Fujinami, and Shinya Hashimoto. Below is a complete list of champions and defenses.

1. (6/12/87 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Antonio Inoki beat Masa Saito (14:53) by pinfall (tournament final).
- (8/2/87 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Antonio Inoki beat Crusher Bam Bigelow (9:38) by pinfall (1st defense).
- (9/1/87 @ Fukuoka International Center) Antonio Inoki beat Dick Murdoch (15:22) by pinfall (2nd defense).
- (10/25/87 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Antonio Inoki vs. Steve Williams went to a double countout (11:47) (3rd defense).
- (2/4/88 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Antonio Inoki beat Riki Choshu (13:58) by referee stop (4th defense).
– Inoki vacates on 5/2/88 due to a left leg fracture.

2. (5/8/88 @ Tokyo Ariake Colosseum) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Big Van Vader (16:02) by DQ (decision match).
- (5/27/88 @ Miyagi Sports Center) Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu went to a no contest (22:55) (1st defense).
– Title is held up on 5/27/88 when Fujinami vs. Riki Choshu is a no contest.

3. (6/24/88 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Tatsumi Fujinami (2) beat Riki Choshu (18:46) with an inside cradle (decision match).
- (6/26/88 @ Nagoya Rainbow Hall) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Big Van Vader (13:27) with a backslide (1st defense).
- (8/8/88 @ Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium) Tatsumi Fujinami vs. Antonio Inoki went to a draw (60:00) when the time limit expired (2nd defense).
- (12/9/88 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Kerry Von Erich (18:26) by referee stop (3rd defense).
- (12/11/88 @ Tennessee MMC, USA) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Tommy Lane (10:52) with a Scorpion Deathlock (4th defense).
- (1/16/89 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Crusher Bam Bam Bigelow (11:51) with a flying bodyscissors drop (5th defense).
- (2/22/89 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Vicious Warrior (7:28) with a single-leg crab hold (6th defense).
- (3/16/89 @ Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Jerry Lawler (20:25) by pinfall (7th defense).
– Fujinami vacates on 4/5/89 to raise the value of the title in a Tokyo Dome tournament.

4. (4/24/89 @ Tokyo Dome) Big Van Vader beat Shinya Hashimoto (9:47) with an inside cradle (tournament final).

5. (5/25/89 @ Osaka Castle Hall) Salman Hashimikov beat Big Van Vader (8:45) by pinfall.

6. (7/12/89 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Riki Choshu beat Salman Hashimikov (7:40) with a lariat.

7. (8/10/89 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Big Van Vader (2) beat Riki Choshu (10:04) with a front cradle.
- (9/20/89 @ Osaka Castle Hall) Big Van Vader beat Crusher Bam Bam Bigelow (11:32) by pinfall (1st defense).
- (9/21/89 @ Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium) Big Van Vader beat Shinya Hashimoto (10:08) by pinfall (2nd defense).
- (2/10/90 @ Tokyo Dome) Big Van Vader vs. Stan Hansen went to a double countout (15:47) (3rd defense).
- (6/12/90 @ Fukuoka International Center) Big Van Vader vs. Stan Hansen went to a double DQ (22:11) (4th defense).

8. (8/19/90 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Riki Choshu (2) beat Big Van Vader (11:51) with a lariat.
- (11/1/90 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Riki Choshu beat Shinya Hashimoto (16:14) with a lariat (1st defense).

9. (12/26/90 @ Hamamatsu Arena) Tatsumi Fujinami (3) beat Riki Choshu (18:46) with a figure-four leglock.

10. (1/17/91 @ Yokohama Bunka Gymnasium) Big Van Vader (3) beat Tatsumi Fujinami (12:57) by pinfall.

11. (3/4/91 @ Hiroshima Sun Plaza) Tatsumi Fujinami (4) beat Big Van Vader (13:14) by pinfall.
- (3/21/91 @ Tokyo Dome) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Ric Flair (23:06) with a ground Cobra Twist (1st defense).
- (5/31/91 @ Osaka Castle Hall) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Masahiro Chono (18:33) with a Dragon sleeper (2nd defense).
- (11/5/91 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Masahiro Chono (19:49) with a Dragon sleeper (3rd defense).

12. (1/4/92 @ Tokyo Dome) Riki Choshu (3) beat Tatsumi Fujinami (12:11) with a lariat.
- (5/1/92 @ Chiba Port Arena) Riki Choshu beat Scott Norton (10:31) with a lariat (1st defense).
- (5/17/92 @ Osaka Castle Hall) Riki Choshu beat Keiji Muto (15:55) with a lariat (2nd defense).
- (6/26/92 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Riki Choshu beat Masahiro Chono (17:57) with a lariat (3rd defense).
- (7/31/92 @ Nakajima Sports Center) Riki Choshu beat Super Strong Machine (11:43) with a lariat (4th defense).

13. (8/16/92 @ Fukuoka International Center) Great Muta (Keiji Muto) beat Riki Choshu (11:26) with a moonsault press.
- (9/23/92 @ Yokohama Arena) Great Muta beat Shinya Hashimoto (14:59) by pinfall (1st defense).
- (10/18/92 @ Makuhari Messe Event Hall) Great Muta beat Scott Norton (13:46) by pinfall (2nd defense).
- (11/22/92 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Great Muta beat Sting (16:44) with a moonsault press (3rd defense).
- (1/4/93 @ Tokyo Dome) Great Muta beat Masahiro Chono (19:48) with a moonsault press (4th defense).
- (6/15/93 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Great Muta beat Great Kabuki (11:41) by DQ (5th defense).

14. (9/20/93 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) Shinya Hashimoto beat Great Muta (20:30) with a jumping DDT.
- (12/10/93 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) Shinya Hashimoto beat Keiji Muto (28:57) with a jumping DDT (1st defense).
- (12/13/93 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Shinya Hashimoto beat Power Warrior (25:17) with a jumping DDT (2nd defense).
- (1/4/94 @ Tokyo Dome) Shinya Hashimoto beat Masahiro Chono (28:00) with a jumping DDT (3rd defense).
- (3/21/94 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) Shinya Hashimoto beat Scott Norton (18:55) with a jumping DDT (4th defense).

15. (4/4/94 @ Hiroshima Green Arena) Tatsumi Fujinami (5) beat Shinya Hashimoto (14:55) with a ground Cobra Twist.

16. (5/1/94 @ Fukuoka Dome) Shinya Hashimoto (2) beat Tatsumi Fujinami (6:04) with a DDT.
- (6/1/94 @ Sendai City Gymnasium) Shinya Hashimoto beat Yoshiaki Fujiwara (12:15) with a DDT (1st defense).
- (6/15/94 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Shinya Hashimoto beat Riki Choshu (10:52) with a diving elbow drop (2nd defense).
- (9/23/94 @ Yokohama Arena) Shinya Hashimoto beat Power Warrior (19:08) with a jumping DDT (3rd defense).
- (9/27/94 @ Osaka Castle Hall) Shinya Hashimoto beat Masahiro Chono (13:48) with a reverse cross armbreaker (4th defense).
- (12/13/94 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Shinya Hashimoto beat Hiroshi Hase (29:11) with a vertical drop brainbuster (5th defense).
- (1/4/95 @ Tokyo Dome) Shinya Hashimoto beat Kensuke Sasaki (19:36) with a vertical drop brainbuster (6th defense).
- (2/4/95 @ Nakajima Sports Center) Shinya Hashimoto beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (17:02) with a vertical drop brainbuster (7th defense).
- (2/19/95 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Shinya Hashimoto beat Scott Norton (15:35) with a reverse shoulder hold (8th defense).
- (4/16/95 @ Hiroshima Sun Plaza) Shinya Hashimoto beat Steven Regal (19:03) with a cross armbreaker (9th defense).

17. (5/3/95 @ Fukuoka Dome) Keiji Muto (2) beat Shinya Hashimoto (21:13) with a moonsault press.
- (6/14/95 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Keiji Muto beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (19:04) with a moonsault press (1st defense).
- (7/13/95 @ Nakajima Sports Center) Keiji Muto beat Hawk Warrior (14:29) with a moonsault press (2nd defense).
- (9/13/95 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Keiji Muto beat Junji Hirata (14:53) with a moonsault press (3rd defense).
- (10/9/95 @ Tokyo Dome) Keiji Muto beat Nobuhiko Takada (16:16) with a figure-four leglock (4th defense).
- (12/13/95 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Keiji Muto beat Shiro Koshinaka (14:22) with a figure-four leglock (5th defense).

18. (1/4/96 @ Tokyo Dome) Nobuhiko Takada beat Keiji Muto (17:51) with a cross armbreaker.
- (3/1/96 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Nobuhiko Takada beat Shiro Koshinaka (10:53) with a cross armbreaker (1st defense).

19. (4/29/96 @ Tokyo Dome) Shinya Hashimoto (3) beat Nobuhiko Takada (12:53) with a triangle choke hold.
- (6/11/96 @ Hiroshima Sun Plaza) Shinya Hashimoto beat Satoshi Kojima (11:51) with a vertical drop brainbuster (1st defense).
- (7/17/96 @ Nakajima Sports Center) Shinya Hashimoto beat Ric Flair (12:54) with a DDT (2nd defense).
- (1/4/97 @ Tokyo Dome) Shinya Hashimoto beat Riki Choshu (18:04) with a vertical drop brainbuster (3rd defense).
- (2/16/97 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Shinya Hashimoto beat Kazuo Yamazaki (18:55) with a vertical drop brainbuster (4th defense).
- (5/3/97 @ Osaka Dome) Shinya Hashimoto beat Naoya Ogawa (10:20) by referee stop (5th defense).
- (6/5/97 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Shinya Hashimoto beat Keiji Muto (26:01) with a vertical drop brainbuster (6th defense).
- (8/10/97 @ Nagoya Dome) Shinya Hashimoto beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (17:09) with a vertical drop brainbuster (7th defense).

20. (8/31/97 @ Yokohama Arena) Kensuke Sasaki beat Shinya Hashimoto (16:54) with a Northern Light bomb.
- (10/31/97 @ Hiroshima Sun Plaza) Kensuke Sasaki beat Masahiro Chono (22:10) with a Northern Light bomb (1st defense).
- (1/4/98 @ Tokyo Dome) Kensuke Sasaki beat Keiji Muto (25:18) with a Northern Light bomb (2nd defense).
- (2/7/98 @ Nakajima Sports Center) Kensuke Sasaki beat Osamu Nishimura (25:20) with a lariat (3rd defense).

21. (4/4/98 @ Tokyo Dome) Tatsumi Fujinami (6) beat Kensuke Sasaki (21:18) with a German suplex hold.
- (6/5/98 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Shinya Hashimoto (20:38) with a sleeper hold (1st defense).
- (7/14/98 @ Nakajima Sports Center) Tatsumi Fujinami beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (16:07) with an Octopus hold (2nd defense).

22. (8/8/98 @ Osaka Dome) Masahiro Chono beat Tatsumi Fujinami (19:53) with an STF.
– Chono vacates on 9/21/98 due to a neck injury.

23. (9/23/98 @ Yokohama Arena) Scott Norton beat Yuji Nagata (11:11) with a powerbomb (decision match).
- (10/30/98 @ Hiroshima Sun Plaza) Scott Norton beat Shinya Hashimoto (11:19) by countout (1st defense).
- (11/2/98 @ Florida NCR Center, USA) Scott Norton beat Van Hammer (1:58) with a powerbomb (2nd defense).
- (11/9/98 @ New York Nassau Coliseum) Scott Norton beat Lodi (0:18) with a powerbomb (3rd defense).
- (12/4/98 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Scott Norton beat Manabu Nakanishi (7:53) with a powerbomb (4th defense).

24. (1/4/99 @ Tokyo Dome) Keiji Muto (3) beat Scott Norton (19:01) with a figure-four leglock.
- (2/14/99 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Keiji Muto beat Kensuke Sasaki (28:09) by referee stop (1st defense).
- (4/10/99 @ Tokyo Dome) Keiji Muto beat Don Frye (12:16) with a cross armbreaker (2nd defense).
- (5/3/99 @ Fukuoka International Center) Keiji Muto beat Genichiro Tenryu (25:37) with a moonsault press (3rd defense).
- (7/20/99 @ Nakajima Sports Center) Keiji Muto beat Satoshi Kojima (23:10) with a figure-four leglock (4th defense).
- (10/11/99 @ Tokyo Dome) Keiji Muto beat Manabu Nakanishi (20:00) with a cross armbreaker (5th defense).

25. (12/10/99 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Genichiro Tenryu beat Keiji Muto (26:32) with a Northern Light bomb.

26. (1/4/00 @ Tokyo Dome) Kensuke Sasaki (2) beat Genichiro Tenryu (14:43) with a Northern Light bomb.
- (2/5/00 @ Tsukisamu Green Dome) Kensuke Sasaki beat Don Frye (14:02) with a lariat (1st defense).
- (3/19/00 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) Kensuke Sasaki beat Satoshi Kojima (25:02) with a lariat (2nd defense).
- (5/5/00 @ Fukuoka Dome) Power Warrior (Kensuke Sasaki) beat Great Muta (12:44) with a lariat (3rd defense).
- (6/2/00 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Kensuke Sasaki beat Manabu Nakanishi (20:14) with a Northern Light bomb (4th defense).
- (7/20/00 @ Hokkaido Sports Center) Kensuke Sasaki beat Takashi Iizuka (20:30) with a Northern Light bomb (5th defense).
– Sasaki vacates on 10/9/00 after losing a non-title match to Toshiaki Kawada.

27. (1/4/01 @ Tokyo Dome) Kensuke Sasaki (3) beat Toshiaki Kawada (10:30) with a Northern Light bomb (tournament final).
- (2/18/01 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Kensuke Sasaki beat Shinjiro Otani (14:53) with a Northern Light bomb.

28. (3/17/01 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) Scott Norton (2) beat Kensuke Sasaki (11:49) with a jumping lariat.

29. (4/9/01 @ Osaka Dome) Kazuyuki Fujita beat Scott Norton (6:43) with a sleeper hold.
- (6/6/01 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Kazuyuki Fujita beat Yuji Nagata (10:57) by referee stop (1st defense).
- (7/20/01 @ Sapporo Dome) Kazuyuki Fujita beat Don Frye (7:22) with a front neck lock (2nd defense).
– Fujita vacates on 1/4/02 due to a damaged achilles tendon.

30. (2/16/02 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Tadao Yasuda beat Yuji Nagata (15:15) with a front sleeper (tournament final).
- (3/21/02 @ Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium) Tadao Yasuda beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (13:25) with a front sleeper (1st defense).

31. (4/5/02 @ Tokyo Budokan Hall) Yuji Nagata beat Tadao Yasuda (15:01) with the Nagata Lock II.
- (5/2/02 @ Tokyo Dome) Yuji Nagata beat Yoshihiro Takayama (15:36) with a high kick (1st defense).
- (6/7/02 @ Tokyo Nippon Budokan) Yuji Nagata beat Kensuke Sasaki (22:44) with a backdrop hold (2nd defense).
- (7/20/02 @ Hokkaido Sports Center) Yuji Nagata beat Bas Rutten (8:10) with the Nagata Lock II (3rd defense).
- (10/14/02 @ Tokyo Dome) Yuji Nagata beat Kazuyuki Fujita (12:55) with a backdrop hold (4th defense).
- (10/26/02 @ Fukuoka International Center) Yuji Nagata vs. Masahiro Chono went to a draw (60:00) when the time limit expired (5th defense).
- (12/10/02 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Yuji Nagata beat Kazunari Murakami (14:53) with a wrist-clutch Exploder (6th defense).
- (1/4/03 @ Tokyo Dome) Yuji Nagata beat Josh Barnett (10:40) with a kneel kick (7th defense).
- (2/2/03 @ Tsukisamu Green Dome) Yuji Nagata beat Osamu Nishimura (20:01) with the Nagata Lock III (8th defense).
- (3/9/03 @ Nagoya Rainbow Hall) Yuji Nagata vs. Manabu Nakanishi went to a draw (60:00) when the time limit expired (9th defense).
- (4/23/03 @ Hiroshima Sun Plaza) Yuji Nagata beat Tadao Yasuda (22:55) with a wrist-clutch Exploder (10th defense).

32. (5/2/03 @ Tokyo Dome) Yoshihiro Takayama beat Yuji Nagata (18:17) with a German suplex.
- (6/10/03 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Yoshihiro Takayama beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (20:00) with a German suplex hold (1st defense).
- (7/21/03 @ Tsukisamu Green Dome) Yoshihiro Takayama vs. Masahiro Chono went to a double KO (24:12) (2nd defense).
- (8/28/03 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium / Cage Death Match) Yoshihiro Takayama beat Masahiro Chono (34:06) by KO (3rd defense).

33. (11/3/03 @ Yokohama Arena) Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Yoshihiro Takayama (27:26) with a moonsault press.

34. (12/9/03 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Shinsuke Nakamura beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (12:03) with a cross armbreaker.
- (1/4/04 @ Tokyo Dome) Shinsuke Nakamura beat Yoshihiro Takayama (13:55) with a chickenwing armlock (1st defense).
– Nakamura vacates on 2/5/04 due to various injuries.

35. (2/15/04 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Hiroyoshi Tenzan (2) beat Genichiro Tenryu (13:01) with a diving headbutt (tournament final).
- (2/29/04 @ Nagoya Rainbow Hall) Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Minoru Suzuki (13:56) with a diving headbutt (1st defense).

36. (3/14/04 @ Yoyogi National Stadium Gymnasium #2) Kensuke Sasaki (4) beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (15:45) with the Volcano Eruption.

37. (3/28/04 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Bob Sapp beat Kensuke Sasaki (8:24) with a Beast bomb.
- (5/3/04 @ Tokyo Dome) Bob Sapp beat Shinsuke Nakamura (12:31) with a Beast bomb (1st defense).
– Sapp vacates on 6/2/04 after refusing to face his next challenger.

38. (6/5/04 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Kazuyuki Fujita (2) beat Hiroshi Tanahashi (11:45) by KO (decision match).
- (7/19/04 @ Tsukisamu Green Dome) Kazuyuki Fujita beat Katsuyori Shibata (11:16) by KO (1st defense).

39. (10/9/04 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Kensuke Sasaki (5) beat Kazuyuki Fujita (2:29) by pinfall.
- (11/3/04 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Kensuke Sasaki beat Hiroshi Tanahashi (25:35) with a Northern Light bomb (1st defense).
- (11/13/04 @ Osaka Dome) Kensuke Sasaki beat Minoru Suzuki (19:59) with a lariat (2nd defense).

40. (12/12/04 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) Hiroyoshi Tenzan (3) beat Kensuke Sasaki (31:38) with a moonsault press.

41. (2/20/05 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Satoshi Kojima beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (59:49) by KO.
- (3/26/05 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Satoshi Kojima vs. Shinsuke Nakamura went to a draw (60:00) when the time limit expired (1st defense).

42. (5/14/05 @ Tokyo Dome) Hiroyoshi Tenzan (4) beat Satoshi Kojima (19:34) with the TTD.
- (6/4/05 @ Milan Mazda Palace, Italy) Hiroyoshi Tenzan beat Scott Norton (12:29) with a moonsault press (1st defense).

43. (7/18/05 @ Tsukisamu Green Dome) Kazuyuki Fujita (3) beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (13:59) with a knee kick.

44. (10/8/05 @ Tokyo Dome / Three Way Match) Brock Lesnar beat Kazuyuki Fujita & Masahiro Chono (8:05) with the Verdict on Chono.
- (1/4/06 @ Tokyo Dome) Brock Lesnar beat Shinsuke Nakamura (8:58) with the Verdict (1st defense).
- (3/19/06 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Brock Lesnar beat Akebono (10:35) with a DDT (2nd defense).
- (5/3/06 @ Fukuoka International Center) Brock Lesnar beat Giant Bernard (14:32) with the Verdict (3rd defense).
– Lesnar is stripped of the title on 7/15/06 due to contractual problems.

45. (7/17/06 @ Tsukisamu Green Dome) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Giant Bernard (17:44) with the Sling Blade (tournament final).
- (10/9/06 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Hiroyoshi Tenzan (26:45) with the High Fly Flow (1st defense).
- (12/10/06 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Shinsuke Nakamura (22:44) with a Dragon suplex hold (2nd defense).
- (1/4/07 @ Tokyo Dome) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Taiyo Kea (17:09) with the High Fly Flow (3rd defense).
- (2/18/07 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Koji Kanemoto (21:52) with a Dragon suplex hold (4th defense).

46. (4/13/07 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Yuji Nagata (2) beat Hiroshi Tanahashi (23:33) with a backdrop hold.
- (5/2/07 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall) Yuji Nagata beat Shiro Koshinaka (14:11) with a backdrop hold (1st defense).
- (7/6/07 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall) Yuji Nagata beat Togi Makabe (19:31) with a backdrop suplex (2nd defense).

47. (10/8/07 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Hiroshi Tanahashi (2) beat Yuji Nagata (31:05) with the High Fly Flow.
- (11/11/07 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Hirooki Goto (31:32) with a Texas Cloverleaf hold (1st defense).

48. (1/4/08 @ Tokyo Dome) Shinsuke Nakamura (2) beat Hiroshi Tanahashi (23:08) with the Landslide.
- (2/17/08 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Shinsuke Nakamura beat Kurt Angle (13:55) with a cross armbreaker (1st defense).
- (3/30/08 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall) Shinsuke Nakamura beat Hiroshi Tanahashi (24:44) with a cross armbreaker (2nd defense).

49. (4/27/08 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Keiji Muto (4) beat Shinsuke Nakamura (22:34) with a moonsault press.
- (7/21/08 @ Tsukisamu Green Dome) Keiji Muto beat Manabu Nakanishi (23:50) with a moonsault press (1st defense).
- (10/31/08 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Keiji Muto beat Hirooki Goto (21:13) with a moonsault press (2nd defense).
- (9/21/08 @ Kobe World Hall) Keiji Muto beat Togi Makabe (19:16) with a moonsault press (3rd defense).
- (10/13/08 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Keiji Muto beat Shinsuke Nakamura (21:39) with a Frankensteiner (4th defense).

50. (1/4/09 @ Tokyo Dome) Hiroshi Tanahashi (3) beat Keiji Muto (30:22) with the High Fly Flow.
- (2/15/09 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Shinsuke Nakamura (24:26) with the High Fly Flow (1st defense).
- (4/5/09 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Kurt Angle (15:11) with the High Fly Flow (2nd defense).
- (5/3/09 @ Fukuoka International Center) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Hirooki Goto (29:39) with the High Fly Flow (3rd defense).

51. (5/6/09 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall) Manabu Nakanishi beat Hiroshi Tanahashi (21:42) with a German suplex hold.

52. (6/20/09 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Hiroshi Tanahashi (4) beat Manabu Nakanishi (31:18) with the High Fly Flow.
- (7/20/09 @ Tsukisamu Alpha Court Dome) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Takashi Sugiura (24:14) with the High Fly Flow (1st defense).
– Tanahashi vacates on 8/16/09 after fracturing his eye socket.

53. (9/27/09 @ Kobe World Hall) Shinsuke Nakamura (3) beat Togi Makabe (20:57) with the Boma Ye (decision match).
- (10/12/09 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Shinsuke Nakamura beat Shinjiro Otani (19:19) with the Boma Ye (1st defense).
- (11/8/09 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Shinsuke Nakamura beat Hiroshi Tanahashi (22:47) with the Boma Ye (2nd defense).
- (12/5/09 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) Shinsuke Nakamura beat Yuji Nagata (19:39) with the Boma Ye (3rd defense).
- (1/4/10 @ Tokyo Dome) Shinsuke Nakamura beat Yoshihiro Takayama (15:51) with the Boma Ye (4th defense).
- (2/14/10 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Shinsuke Nakamura beat Manabu Nakanishi (18:02) with the Boma Ye (5th defense).
- (4/4/10 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall) Shinsuke Nakamura beat Hirooki Goto (19:41) with the Boma Ye (6th defense).

54. (5/3/10 @ Fukuoka International Center) Togi Makabe beat Shinsuke Nakamura (18:18) with a top rope King Kong kneedrop.
- (6/19/10 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Togi Makabe beat Go Shiozaki (20:40) with a top rope King Kong kneedrop (1st defense).
- (7/19/10 @ Tsukisamu Alpha Court Dome) Togi Makabe beat Shinsuke Nakamura (18:15) with a Dragon suplex hold (2nd defense).
- (9/26/10 @ Kobe World Hall) Togi Makabe beat Masato Tanaka (18:08) with a King Kong kneedrop (3rd defense).

55. (10/11/10 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Satoshi Kojima (2) beat Togi Makabe (19:12) with a lariat.
- (12/11/10 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Satoshi Kojima beat Shinsuke Nakamura (19:17) with a lariat (1st defense).

56. (1/4/11 @ Tokyo Dome) Hiroshi Tanahashi (5) beat Satoshi Kojima (21:57) with the High Fly Flow.
- (2/20/11 @ Sendai Sun Plaza Hall) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Satoshi Kojima (22:22) with the High Fly Flow (1st defense).
- (4/3/11 @ Tokyo Korakuen Hall) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Yuji Nagata (35:30) with the High Fly Flow (2nd defense).
- (5/3/11 @ Fukuoka International Center) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Shinsuke Nakamura (20:17) with the High Fly Flow (3rd defense).
- (5/14/11 @ New York Basketball City, USA) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Charlie Haas (18:50) with the High Fly Flow (4th defense).
- (6/18/11 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Hirooki Goto (25:28) with the High Fly Flow (5th defense).
- (7/18/11 @ Makomanai Sekisui Heim Ice Arena) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Giant Bernard (27:54) with a Dharma-style German suplex hold (6th defense).
- (9/19/11 @ Kobe World Hall) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Shinsuke Nakamura (26:07) with the High Fly Flow (7th defense).
- (10/10/11 @ Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Tetsuya Naito (29:19) with the High Fly Flow (8th defense).
- (11/12/11 @ Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Toru Yano (22:01) with a Texas Cloverleaf hold (9th defense).
- (12/4/11 @ Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Yuji Nagata (30:16) with the High Fly Flow (10th defense).
- (1/4/12 @ Tokyo Dome) Hiroshi Tanahashi beat Minoru Suzuki (25:59) with the High Fly Flow (11th defense).