The STRONG Openweight Championship is a singles championship in New Japan Pro Wrestling. It was created exclusively for the NJPW STRONG brand to give trainees at the LA Dojo a title to compete for. It is defended primarily on the NJPW STRONG TV show airing on New Japan World and FITE, usually once a month, and title matches are generally taped months in advance unless they happen at US PPV events (this practice ended in February 2023 when the STRONG TV show was cancelled and converted to cover US PPV replays). It was first awarded in April 2021 when Tom Lawlor won a tournament to crown the inaugural champion. The title was unified with the All Elite Wrestling Continental Championship and Ring Of Honor World Championship at the end of 2023 until they were quietly un-unified in Spring 2024.
As of 5/11/2024 there have been 7 STRONG Openweight Champions.
1-Tom Lawlor. 1st reign. Length: 4/24/2021-6/26/2022. Successful defenses: 8.
2-Fred Rosser. 1st reign. Length: 6/25/2022-2/18/2023. Successful defenses: 6. (Note: 4th defense went to a double countout. Rosser retained title as a result)
3-KENTA. 1st reign. Length: 2/18/2023-5/3/2023. Successful defenses: 2.
4-Hikuleo. 1st reign. Length: 5/3/2023-5/21/2023. Successful defenses: None.
5-KENTA. 2nd reign. Length: 5/21/2023-7/5/2023. Successful defenses: None. Won title by countout.
6-Eddie Kingston. 1st reign. Length: 7/5/2023-5/11/2024. Successful defenses: 12. Also won ROH World Championship in successful defense on 9/20/2023. Also won AEW Continental Championship in successful defense on 12/30/2023. Title unofficially unified with ROH World Championship & AEW Continental Championship on 12/30/2023 and was defended as a unified championship until 3/20/2024 when Kingston lost AEW Continental Championship.
7-Gabriel Kidd. 1st reign. Length: 5/11/2024-Present (Current Champion). Successful defenses: 4. Next defense: 1/11/2025 vs. Tomohiro Ishii.
