Shingo Takagi: Will Ospreay And Kazuchika Okada Having Their Own Title Belts Distracts From Matches

Shingo Takagi is leery of forgery for the sake of ego.

The formation of the present-day IWGP World Title saw the merger of the IWGP Heavyweight Title and Intercontinental Title. Currently, Kazuchika Okada is using the old IWGPHeavyweight Championship as his title for the G1 Climax- granted title opportunity.

Will Ospreay defeated Kota ibushi to win the championship but then was forced to vacate it due to injury leading to the current champion Shingo Takagi holding the belt that is currently recognized today. However, Will Ospreay is also holding his own Championship belt in recognition of the fact that he never officially lost it.

Now, with three different championship belts in play, Shingo tells Sports Illustrated but he’s looking to rectify the situation once and for all.

“There are a lot of belts involved with the three of us, and that means fans are not able to focus directly on the matches,” Takagi says. “Okada brought back an extinct title, and Ospreay had one made for himself. It is one thing to try and elevate your own ego, but to bring forgeries into the mix is another.”

Shingo looks to clear it all up once and for all inside the Tokyo Dome at Wrestle Kingdom 16.

“That’s what I intend to do,” Takagi says. “Start the New Year by once again proving who the real deal is, tidying up this whole situation once and for all.”

We will have full coverage of all three nights of wrestle Kingdom 16 beginning January 4. Night 3 will be NJPW vs. NOAH.