New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced today that the KOPW Trophy, held by Shingo Takagi in 2022, will be replaced with a championship belt in 2023.
?電撃決定?
2023年より、KOPW王座の“ベルト”が誕生‼️
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⇒https://t.co/CcdQ1XrpWA#njwk17 #NJPW #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/dHnuSYAeFG— njpwworld (@njpwworld) December 22, 2022
The new KOPW Championship belt was unveiled at the December 22 NJPW Road to Tokyo Dome event.
At Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4th, a New Japan Ranbo match will be held to determine who qualifies to be the first holder of the new KOPW Championship Belt.
Here is the NJPW press release:
“First established in 2020 by Kazuchika Okada, the KOPW title has seen its holders defend their status through the year before the new calendar sees a new champion contested for. From Toru Yano in 2020 and 2021, to Shingo Takagi in 2022, its holders have seen fans vote on stipulations never before seen in NJPW, and often never anywhere else either!
Yet the trophy that represents the KOPW holder status has not always been treated with prestige an respect! From spray paintings to utter demolition and DIY recreation, it’s fair to say that the KOPW holder was in need of something longer lasting. From 2023, the holder will have the KOPW Championship belt!
A New Japan Ranbo on January 4 will determine who qualifies to be the first holder of this new belt. Who will emerge as its first holder, and what happens to KOPW in 2023?”
