KOPW (professional wrestling championship)

KOPW
KOPW championship belt and trophy
Details
PromotionNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)
Date establishedJuly 28, 2020
Date retiredJanuary 9, 2025
Statistics
First championToru Yano
Final championGreat-O-Khan
Most reignsToru Yano (4)
Longest reignShingo Takagi
(1st reign, 238 days)
Shortest reignTaiji Ishimori
(15 days)
Oldest championMinoru Suzuki (53 years, 202 days)
Youngest championYuya Uemura
(29 years, 161 days)
Heaviest championToru Yano
(254 lb (115 kg))
Lightest championChase Owens
(205 lb (93 kg))

KOPW (an abbreviation for King of Pro-Wrestling) was an openweight championship created and promoted by the Japanese professional wrestling promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).

KOPW follows a non-traditional formula: a "provisional champion" was first determined early in the year, with the provisional title being defended and potentially changing hands over the course of the year. Eventually, the provisional champion at the end of the year was officially recognized as the year's sole official champion. Furthermore, in contrast with NJPW's heavy focus on traditional matches, the title matches were exclusively focused on non-regular stipulations; each of the wrestlers involved in a title match proposes a stipulation, and fans vote to select which was followed.

The title was created by professional wrestler Kazuchika Okada, who introduced it during a press conference on July 28, 2020. Toru Yano became the first provisional champion on August 29, 2020, and the first official champion after a final title defense on December 23, 2020. Originally represented by a trophy, it later became represented by a title belt in December 2022.