IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship

The IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was announced on May 12, 2017, with the inaugural champion to be crowned on the weekend of July 1 and 2, 2017, during NJPW's shows in Long Beach, California. The title will be NJPW's eighth active championship.

Background
On May 12, 2017, during the third night of the War of the Worlds tour, co-produced by New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) and Ring of Honor (ROH), NJPW United States Ambassador George Carroll announced the creation of the IWGP United States Championship. The following day, NJPW revealed the title's official name as the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship. The title was part of an American expansion plan, which NJPW had made public in the months prior to the announcement. Plans had been made to run extended tours in the United States with California as the base, starting in 2018. The plan was a direct response to WWE taking four wrestlers from NJPW in January 2016.

Championship tournament
The first champion would be crowned in a round-robin tournament on the weekend of July 1 and 2, 2017, during NJPW's shows in Long Beach, California. Jay Lethal was the first participant announced for the tournament on May 12.

Gallery
Champions=