Monday’s King of Pro Wrestling 2024 event for New Japan Pro Wrestling at the Ryogoku Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan featured Zack Sabre Jr. defeating Tetsuya Naito to become the new IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
Zack Sabre Jr. is finally the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion!!!!!!!#NJPW #NJKOPW #ZSJ #TMDK @njpwglobal #njpwworld pic.twitter.com/iIIyxhC7wz
— Pep S. Caro (@ElPep23) October 14, 2024
Following the match, SANADA came out to interrupt Sabre Jr.’s victory celebration with the rest of his TMDK stable mates. SANADA talked about their upcoming match at Royal Quest IV and asked for the title to be on the line, which Sabre Jr. accepted. This led to Shota Umino coming out next and Shingo Takagi following afterwards and both also issued challenges for Sabre Jr.’s newly won title. Sabre Jr. stated that he had SANADA first to deal with and would think about it for the other two afterwards and then told them to all leave the ring, which they did. Sabre Jr. then finished his victory speech to the crowd and declared this era of New Japan to now be his and TMDK’s era.
This was Sabre Jr.’s first ever IWGP World title victory in his NJPW career.