NJPW Announces New Championship Belt For 2023

The KOPW trophy was first established in New Japan Pro-Wrestling by former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada in July 2020. It's unlike any other prize in professional wrestling, as an interim holder is determined, with the official KOPW prize awarded to the performer who is reigning the provisional champion at the end of the calendar year. KOPW is reset every twelve months. KOPW matches tend to focus on unusual stipulations, such as a "No Finisher" match, with fans often voting which non-regular matches will take place. Former KOPW winners include Toru Yano and Shingo Takagi. According to NJPW, things are about to change for KOPW. 

It's been revealed that a championship belt will officially be introduced in 2023. The title, which will have a blue strap and a large gold plate on the front displaying "KOPW Champion," has been created so that the holder will have "something longer lasting" than a trophy; there's been plenty of shenanigans in the past that has seen the trophy become unrecognizable. 

In addition to the KOPW Championship belt announcement, NJPW has confirmed that the New Japan Ranbo will return at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4, 2023. The gauntlet match, which sees performers enter at one-minute intervals with eliminations occurring via pinfall, submission, disqualification or being thrown over the top rope, will determine who qualifies to have a shot at becoming the first interim holder of the new KOPW belt. Last year, Chase Owens, Minoru Suzuki, Yano, and Cima advanced from the New Japan Ranbo on night one of Wrestle Kingdom 16, with Suzuki becoming the first provisional 2022 champion the following night.