AJ Styles Loses IWGP World Heavyweight Championship

The five-month reign of AJ Styles as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion has come to an end.

Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Styles at the “King of Pro-Wrestling” event in Tokyo on Oct. 12 to become IWGP Champion for the seventh time.

Tanahashi will defend his newly-won title on Jan. 4 at the Tokyo Dome against Kazuchika Okada.

The victory gives Tanahashi the most title reigns as IWGP Champion ever, surpassing the six reigns of Tatsumi Fujinami.

Other names to have been IWGP Champion include Brock Lesnar, Big Van Vader, Scott Norton and Antonio Inoki.

Styles first won the gold in his debut match for the company at “Wrestling Dontaku 2014” on May 3 against Okada, becoming the sixth Gaiijin (non-Japanese) champion in nine years.

Since then, Styles has made sporadic appearances in Japan and North America for IWGP, PWG and Ring of Honor.

This loss marked Styles’ third title defense.

Editor’s Note

Congratulations to Tanahashi on becoming the new IWGP Champion. 

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