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The IWGP Heavyweight Championship is arguably the single most prestigious and popular world championship belt in the Pro Wrestling industry today. Legendary homegrown wrestlers, such as the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kenji Mutoh, and Shinsuke Nakamura have already set the bar for the IWGP Heavyweight Title in terms of prestigiousness, following some of the most historic title reigns in Pro Wrestling history.
However, other than these few Japanese wrestling legends, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship has also been in the hands of some of the most talented gaijin Pro Wrestlers in the past. The foreign talent in NJPW ranks has always been splendid and with the New Japan management providing a solid platform for all these talented gaijin competitors, there certainly hasn't been a shortage of foreign talent in New Japan ranks for all these years.
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Throughout the years, several talented gaijin competitors have stepped foot into an NJPW ring and have gone on to create history by eventually winning the IWGP Heavyweight Title. The likes of AJ Styles and Kenny Omega are just a few names in this prestigious list and with that being said and done, here is an in-depth ranking of all the gaijin IWGP Heavyweight Champions.
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#7. Salman Hashimikov
Considered as one of the most prominent wrestlers to ever rise from The Soviet Union, Salman Hashimikov has previously won two European and four World Championships gold medals in freestyle wrestling.
However, following an unsuccessful business career, Hashimikov decided to join the Pro Wrestling industry, where he eventually had a stint of five years under New Japan Pro Wrestling. After a decorated career as an amateur wrestler, Hashimikov travelled to Japan, where he initially joined the New Japan Dojo and started training specifically under Antonio Inoki.
Hashimikov eventually won the IWGP Heavyweight Title within his debut year, when he defeated Big Van Vader to become the first European to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. However, Hashimikov's reign was short-lived when he lost the title within 48 days, in his first title defence against Riki Choshu.
#6. Bob Sapp
To some fans, Bob Sapp is best known for his career as a Kickboxer and Mixed Martial Artist, however, his tenure as a Professional Wrestler was also very successful, after Sapp won the WWA World Heavyweight Championship and the prestigious IWGP Heavyweight Championship, as well.
Sapp's Pro Wrestling career initially started at NWA Wildside in 2001, before jumping ship to WCW as a developmental talent. However, in 2004 Sapp made his New Japan Pro Wrestling debut, with a win over Manabu Nakanishi and eventually captured the IWGP Heavyweight Title after defeating Kensuke Sasaki. Sapp's IWGP Heavyweight Title win made him the first and only till-date African-American to hold the title.
During his reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Sapp successfully defended his title belt against Shinsuke Nakamura, before eventually forfeiting the title after suffering a loss to Kazuyuki Fujita in an MMA fight.
#5. Brock Lesnar
Current WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar has been somewhat habituated of winning world championships throughout his entire career, whether it is in the Pro Wrestling industry or in the world of Mixed Martial Arts.
After his initial departure from the WWE in 2004, Lesnar jumped ship to New Japan Pro Wrestling the following year and 'The Beast Incarnate' was pushed right off the bat by the NJPW management, as Lesnar won the IWGP Heavyweight Title in his debut match for the company.
Lesnar's IWGP Heavyweight Title win certainly came in as a very historic moment, given the fact that he captured the belt in a triple threat match against Kazuyuki Fujita and Masahiro Chono in the legendary Tokyo Dome arena.
Following his win, Lesnar went on to defend the title against both Shinsuke Nakamura and Giant Bernard, before eventually vacating the belt due to apparent visa issues. However, Lesnar did have two successful title defences under his name and maybe his title reign wasn't as bad as people claim it to be.
#4. Kenny Omega
It was definitely a long time coming, but at Dominion 6.9, NJPW's biggest foreign star Kenny Omega finally won the big one when he defeated now former champion, Kazuchika Okada to finally win the IWGP Heavyweight Title for the very first time in his career.
Omega, who is a former IWGP US and Intercontinental Champion, became the second ever Bullet Club member to have won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in history. His win came in as a very historic moment, as 'The Best Bout Machine' ended the 720-day reign of 'The Rainmaker' Kazuchika Okada, in the process.
Ever since winning the IWGP Heavyweight Title, Omega has gone on to defend the belt against Cody Rhodes in the US, in what was an absolutely brutal singles showdown. However, this also means that Omega has had only one solitary opportunity to defend the IWGP Heavyweight Title so far, therefore, his ranking on this list is certainly going to be a bit questionable to few.
But, on the other hand, Omega's current run in the on-going G1 Climax 28, has also seen him defeat six of NJPW's very best so far, before eventually suffering his first loss to Tomohiro Ishii. Therefore, Omega's current G1 run has definitely portrayed him as a very strong heavyweight champion as well.
#3. Scott Norton
Following his affiliation with the New World Order in late 1996, Scott Norton started travelling back-and-forth between NJPW and WCW and eventually cemented his place as one of the most prominent members of nWo and nWo Japan, as well.
During his stint with NJPW, Norton also became the company's gaijin ace and won the vacant IWGP Heavyweight by defeating veteran Yuji Nagata. Norton's title reign was certainly one of the most promising IWGP Heavyweight Title reigns in history, with the nWo veteran making three successive title defences before eventually losing the belt to Kenji Mutoh after a four-month span.
Norton's second reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion came in 2001 after he defeated Kensuke Sasaki to capture the belt for the second time. However, on this occasion, Norton reign was a lot shorter than his first, as he lost the title Kazuyuki Fujita on his first defence.
#2. AJ Styles
In 2014, AJ Styles made his return to New Japan Pro Wrestling for the first time since 2002 and on this occasion, 'The Phenomenal One' came back as the new member and leader of the legendary Bullet Club faction, taking over reigns from former leader Prince Devitt (Finn Balor).
Upon his return to NJPW, Styles immediately laid out then-IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada with the Styles Clash and eventually challenged 'The Rainmaker' to a one-on-one title match. Much like Brock Lesnar, AJ Styles also captured the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his first match in New Japan Pro Wrestling at the company's Wrestling Dontaku pay-per-view.
Styles made his first successful title defence against Michael Elgin and Okada at NJPW/ROH: War of the Worlds, which was then followed up by another successful defence against Okada, as well. However, 'The Phenomenal One' eventually dropped the IWGP Heavyweight Title to Hiroshi Tanahashi at King of the Pro Wrestling, after the returning Yoshi Tatsu put an end to the Bullet Club shenanigans.
Styles' second title win came in 2015 after the former Impact World Champion dethroned Tanahashi to win the strap and then followed it up by a successful first defence against Kota Ibushi.
However, Styles second reign as IWGP Heavyweight Champion eventually came to an end in his second defense against Okada, who won back the title belt from AJ at NJPW: King of Pro Wrestling.
#1. Big Van Vader
The legendary Big Van Vader might have had only four successful title defences within the course of his three reigns as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, however, the late great Vader is arguably the most groundbreaking gaijin IWGP Heavyweight Champion in NJPW's history.
In 1989, Vader initially won the IWGP Heavyweight Title for the very first time in his career when he won an eight-man tournament by defeating Shinya Hashimoto to become the first ever gaijin competitor to win the IWGP Heavyweight Title.
After dropping the title to Salman Hashimikov, Vader eventually regained the title by dethroning his old-rival Riki Choshu to win the title. Through his stint as IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Vader held the title belt for a total of over 400+ days, with four successful title defences over the course of three different reigns.
Despite not being the strongest champion in terms of numbers, Vader's career in NJPW was certainly the turning point for every other gaijin competitor who had stepped foot in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
