NJPW's Shingo Takagi Wants To Add Prestige To The IWGP World Heavyweight Title

The IWGP World Heavyweight Championship has had a difficult start to life in New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Many didn't even want the belt to be created in the first place, especially as it came about through the unification of the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Titles. The championship's prestige then took a knock as Ibushi lost the gold in his first defence to Will Ospreay, only for NJPW to vacate the gold after The Commonwealth Kingpin headed back to the UK following a neck injury.

Some prestige was finally added to the title after Shingo Takagi defeated Kazuchika Okada at Dominion, though, and The Dragon wants to continue adding prestige to the championship through his reign.

"I've said this before, but it isn't about what you hold, it's about who holds it. If there isn't that colour to the belt yet, if there is still that sense that it's not established yet, well I'll establish it in my own image. If people can't see the value in it, then I will create value in it to see," Takagi told NJPW's website.

"I think the very fact I beat Okada for this at Dominion, the title was elevated a little by my winning it. All I did was fight the way I always do, produce results and win. But the response that got, about what an achievement that was, it indicated to me that the prestige had been elevated, don't you think?"

Takagi will look to successfully defend the title for the first time on July 25 when he faces Kota Ibushi in the Tokyo Dome.