Shingo Takagi captures IWGP Heavyweight title at NJPW Dominion

Will Ospreay’s vacating the IWGP World Heavyweight title created a massive void at the top of the New Japan roster. That void is no longer empty as Shingo Takagi picked up the title after defeating Kazuchika Okada at NJPW Dominion.

A neck injury forced Ospreay out of his position last month. New Japan announced the news and told fans that next steps to find a new champion would be announced soon. Takagi was the last person that Ospreay competed against, as they had a hard-fought battle at Wrestling Dontaku. Okada was the next scheduled title defense for Ospreay, but that bout was called off due to his injury and the event being postponed.

The match was a hard-hitting affair expected that Okada and Takagi could deliver on. The finish came when Takagi escaped a piledriver, leading to a sequence where hi hit the Last of the Dragon for the win. This is Takagi’s first reign with the title, and he is the third man to hold the IWGP Heavyweight title since its creation earlier this year.

At 38-years old, Takagi is a fan favorite for both casual and hardcore New Japan fans. He is a multiple-time champion in both New Japan and Dragongate. His career trajectory immediately changed as he moved from the junior heavyweight division into the heavyweight division. During this run, he would capture the Never Openweight title twice, while putting on a slew of big matches with multiple individuals in the promotion. He faced off against Ospreay in the finals of the New Japan Cup, elevating himself to the main event scene even though he would fail to win the title.

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