ANYBODY’S BALL GAME:
THE NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
By Jasmine Olan
It’s one of New Japan pro Wrestling’s major mid card titles. Since October of 2012, the Never Openweight Championship has played an important role in showcasing some of the promotion’s hardest hitting strong style based performers. It’s also the only championship in NJPW that both juniors and heavyweights can challenge for. Despite still being a relatively new title, the NEVER Openweight Championship is continuing to gain momentum and prestige. Since its introduction, this title has been held by some of the most well rounded talents on New Japan’s roster. Several of those talents have helped bring this title to new levels of prestige over the years.
Upper mid card stars like Hirooki Goto, Minoru Suzuki, and Tomohiro Ishii have been essential to making the NEVER Openweight Championship what it is. LA dojo lead trainer, Katsuyori Shibata also had a major hand in that. Ishii and current champion, Goto share the record for most title reigns with four a piece. This title was a great stepping stone for them and quite a few others as they made a name for themselves before pursuing NJPW’s highest honor, the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. It has served as a important vehicle for many to prove themselves as worthy contenders for that title.
Two time G1 Climax winner, Tetsuya Naito captured the NEVER Openweight Championship in 2013 before becoming a vital part of the main event picture in NJPW about two years later. Challenging for the NEVER Openweight Championship can also be a great way for a junior to make the move up to the heavyweight division. An example of this may be coming soon in the form of the Aerial Assassin, Will Ospreay sometime after he makes his return from injury. With this title, anything can and probably will happen. That is part of the fun of it.
The NEVER Openweight Championship is next set to be defended at the World Tag League finals show on December 9. Current champion, Hirooki Goto is set to defend the belt against the Golden Star, Kota Ibushi in what is sure to be an incredibly hard hitting battle of wills. These two have faced each other before in matches that have had fans on the edge of their seats every single time. Goto is a rock solid powerhouse in the ring, and Ibushi is without question one of the most gifted wrestlers of his generation. With this match, there is major potential to elevate the NEVER Openweight Championship to a whole new level of prestige. There is no doubt that New Japan Pro Wrestling can deliver on that potential.
Only time can tell how the NEVER Openweight Championship will continue to evolve over the next several years. However it will definitely be exciting to see where things go with it. As the title that wrestlers from either weight class can challenge for, anything is possible. With a roster filled with world class athletes, the potential is limitless. The caliber of talent and match quality will no doubt continue to make the NEVER Openweight Championship anybody’s ball game.
