The IWGP Tag Team Championship (IWGPタッグ王座, IWGP taggu ōza) is a professional wrestlingworld tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of the NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix (インターナショナル・レスリング・グラン・プリ, intānashonaru resuringu guran puri). The title was introduced on December 12, 1985 at an NJPW live event.[1] The IWGP Tag Team Championship is one of two weight-specific tag team titles contested for in NJPW; the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is also sanctioned by NJPW.[2] According to NJPW's official website, the IWGP Tag Team Championship is considered the "IWGP Heavyweight [Tag] Class", while the Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is listed as the "IWGP Jr. Tag Class".[2] Like most professional wrestling championships, the title is won via the result of a scripted match. Title changes usually happen at NJPW-promoted events; although the title has only changed hands twice at a non-NJPW event,[3] it has been defended in several other promotions.
In 2009, The British Invasion defeated Team 3D on July 21, 2009, at a TNA television taping for the championship.[8][9] Afterwards, NJPW released a statement announcing that they did not sanction the defense nor the title change, and as such did not recognize the reign.[10] They continued to recognize Team 3D as the current champions and proclaimed that the next title defense would be by Team 3D and would be sanctioned by NJPW.[11] On August 10, 2009, NJPW issued another press release stating that they were now recognizing The British Invasion of Brutus Magnus & Doug Williams as the current IWGP Tag Team Champions, making the reign official.[3][12]
Hiroyoshi Tenzan currently holds the record for most reigns by an individual wrestler, with twelve. Tenzan's combined twelve reign lengths add up to 1,988 days, which is the most of any champion. At seven reigns, the Guerrillas of Destiny (Tama Tonga & Tanga Loa) hold the record for most by a team. Tenzan & Masahiro Chono's combined five reign lengths add up to 1,010 days (the most of any team). At 564 days, Bad Intentions' (Giant Bernard & Karl Anderson) only reign is the longest in the title's history. Keiji Mutoh & Shiro Koshinaka's only reign is the shortest, at six days. Currently, Bad Intentions' only reign has the most defenses, with ten. There are 20 reigns shared between 18 teams that are tied for the fewest successful defenses, with zero. Overall, there have been 99 reigns shared between 87 wrestlers.
The titles are currently vacant after Henare suffered a knee injury, forcing him and Great-O-Khan to vacate their titles. This was their first reign as champions.
References
General
Benaka, Matt; Westcott, Brian; Oliver, Earl; Zadarnowski, Andrew. "IWGP Tag Team Title History". Wrestling Title Histories by Gary Will and Royal Duncan. Solie.org. Retrieved 2009-08-12.
Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). "Japan & Korea: New Japan IWGP Tag Team Title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 373. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^"Slam! Wrestling News/Rumours". Slam! Sports: Wrestling. Canadian Online Explorer. 2009-08-06. Archived from the original on 2009-08-09. Retrieved 2009-08-13. The British Invasion's IWGP World Team Team Title victory over Team 3D on last week's TNA iMPACT! is not being recognized by New Japan Pro Wrestling. Team 3D will continue to defend the titles in Japan.