Wrestlers who challenged for New Japan Championships

Wrestlers who challenged for New Japan Championships

April 21, 2022

By Ryan Porzl

After having done two articles regarding New Japan's champions, I decided to conclude my 50th Anniversary celebration of New Japan by going another route. In the first article, we looked at wrestlers most fans knew but either forgot or didn't know won a championship. In the second, we looked at forgotten champions that most don't remember. Now, we'll look at names you should know of that competed for New Japan championships but came up short. You be surprised at the names that have come close but couldn't close the deal as far as winning New Japan gold.

Note: I don't own the pictures. I found them on Google.

William Regal (Steven Regal)

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Regal is one of the most respected wrestlers of his era. Like some, he started wrestling in his teens where he competed throughout Europe before eventually becoming known for his run in America with WCW and WWF/E during the early 1990s to early 2010s. During his run in WCW, he competed under the name "Lord Steven Regal" and it was during this time when WCW had a working relationship with New Japan Pro Wrestling and beginning in 1994, Regal would be sent over to tour for the promotion sporadically including participating in their Super Grade Tag League 1994 tour. On April 16, 1995, Regal would attempt to win gold in New Japan when he challenged Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Regal was Hashimoto's ninth challenger during his second reign. In the end, Regal would come up short when he lost to a Hashimoto cross armbreaker in 19:03. After the loss, Regal continued to tour with New Japan on and off for the next two years including entering the 1997 G1 Climax but lost in the first round to Satoshi Kojima.

Sycho Sid (Vicious Warrior)

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Like him or not, Sycho Sid will be someone that will go down as one of the famous "big men" in wrestling history. From the late 1980s to the early 2000s, Sid was an attraction mostly bouncing around between WWF and WCW while also making appearances for other promotions during which time, he captured the WWF Championship and the WCW World Championship twice each all the while main eventing two Wrestlemanias (VIII in 1992 and 13 in 1997) and the final Starrcade in 2000. However, before Sid was the Master and Ruler of the World, he made a trip to Japan to tour with New Japan in early 1989 competing under the name "Vicious Warrior". In his New Japan debut on Feburary 22, 1989, Sid would challenge Tatsumi Fujinami for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. He would be the sixth challenger for Fujinami during his second reign. Sid would ultimately fall to Fujinami in 7:28 by submission to a single leg crab hold. After the loss, Sid would tour for New Japan for their Big Fight Series tour between February to March 1989 in what would be his only tour for New Japan.

Yokozuna (Great Kokina)

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Tag Team Championship (2x)

Like Sid, Yokozuna is another famous staple in 1990s American Wrestling. A member of the Anoa'i family, one of wrestling's royal families, Yoko entered wrestling in 1984 and spent his first eight years as a journeyman, most using the the name "Kokina" and various versions of the name (Great Kokina and Kokina Maximus). To most, he's best known for his four year run for the World Wrestling Federation as Yokozuna where he captured the WWF Championship twice from the likes of Bret Hart and Hulk Hogan while main evented two Wrestlemanias (IX in 1993 and X in 1994) thus making him the first in his family to make it to the main event of Wrestlemania and the WWF Championship before the likes of The Rock and Roman Reigns have done it. Sadly, he also became famous for his issues with his weight which cost him his WWF job and later his life. Prior to his WWF run, one of the promotions Yoko worked for was New Japan as he began touring on and off for them beginning in 1988. Yoko's first crack at a championship when he teamed with his future WWF rival Big Van Vader to challenge Masa Saito and Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Tag Team Championship on January 31, 1990 during New Japan's New Spring Gold Series 1990 tour. Yoko and Vader were Saito and Hashimoto's first defense in their only title reign as a team. Yoko and Vader would lose in 12:58 when Yoko was pinned by Saito.

Our story doesn't end there because after taking a few months away, Yoko resurfaced in New Japan in the summer and once again got a title shot with another partner as he teamed with The Wild Samoan (Samu). On July 19, 1990, Yoko and Samoan challenged Keiji Mutoh and Masahiro Chono for the IWGP Tag Team Championship during the Wrestling Scramble 1990 tour. Yoko and and Samoan were Mutoh and Chono's second challenger during their first reign as a team. Yoko again came up short with Samoan falling to Mutoh's dragon sleeper at 12:54. After the second title match, Yoko continued working with New Japan on and off for another two years before leaving in the fall of 1992 for the WWF and his Hall of Fame run as Yokozuna.

Bas Rutten

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

Bas Rutten is an interesting name on this list as he's not a professional wrestler but an MMA personality. Rutten originally gained fame as a legendary MMA fighter, mostly for the Japanese based Pancrase promotion where he won the King of Pancrase Championship and also had a cup of coffee in the UFC where he won the UFC Heavyweight Championship before retiring due to injuries. Afterwards, he possibly became more known as an English commentator for the Japanese based PRIDE Fighting Championships. During his commentating career, Rutten began dabbling in wrestling as he competed for Antonio Inoki's Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2000 event and the Battlarts promotion before venturing into New Japan where he scored wins over former New Japan champions Masayuki Naruse and Manabu Nakanishi as well as future star Hiroshi Tanahashi before getting his first title shot. On July 20, 2002, Rutten challenged Yuji Nagata during the Summer Fight Series 2002 tour. Rutten was Nagata's third challenger during Nagata's first reign. Rutten would lose in 8:10 to Nagata's Nagata Lock II.

Several months later on October 26th, Rutten would drop down to junior heavyweight and challenge Koji Kanemoto for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship at Fukuoka Fighting Spirit Memorial Day. Rutten was also the third challenger during Kanemoto's fourth reign. Rutten again lost, this time in 10:11 by submission due to an ankle hold. The match proved to be Rutten's last match as he retired from wrestling afterwards.

Pitbull #2 (Mad Bull Buster Rex)

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

I don't know what's more shocking: Pitbull #2 getting a title shot in New Japan or the fact the muscular Pitbull was light enough to challenge for the Junior Heavyweight Championship. Turning pro in the late 1980s, Pitbull #2 is best known for his tag team The Pitbulls with Pitbull #1 in the early years of ECW where they held the World Tag Team Championship once and each held the World Television Championship once. Prior to ECW, The Pitbulls did tours for New Japan Pro Wrestling in the early 1990s as the Mad Bull Busters with #2 using the name Rex while #1 wrestled as Spike. While touring for New Japan, #2 would get an opportunity for a New Japan championship. On March 9, 1992, #2 would challenge Jushin Thunder Liger for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship during the Big Fight Series tour. #2 was Liger's third challenger during Liger's fifth reign. In the end, #2 would lose to Liger at 8:45 with Liger hitting an avalanche style frankensteiner. #2 would leave New Japan after a few more appearances and then became a journeyman competing for CWA in Germany and then ECW where he achieved his biggest fame.

Rey Mysterio (Rey Mysterio, Jr.)

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (2x)

It's impossible to not include Rey Mysterio in a list of all time greats, especially all time great luchadors. Mysterio turned pro in 1989 and achieved his first taste a fame as a star luchador for the CMLL and AAA promotions during the early 90s before his career exploded in America with appearances in ECW against rivals Psicosis and Juventud Guerrera before achieving hall of fame runs in WCW and WWE while competing in the latter promotion as of writing. In WCW, Mysterio achieved his biggest success in the promotion's famous cruiserweight division and with that, along with his talent, and WCW having a working deal with New Japan, it was only a matter of time before Mysterio made his way to the King of Sports or at least made a challenge for one of their titles. In a unique situation, Mysterio's first title match would not be in New Japan but rather at a WCW event as he would challenge Ultimo Dragon for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship as well as the J-Crown which consisted of eight junior heavyweight belts from around the world on November 24, 1996, at WCW's World War 3 1996 Pay-Per-View. Mysterio was the second challenger during Dragon's second reign as champion. Mysterio would lose in 13:48 due to a powerbomb.

Less than a month later, Mysterio would earn a rematch as he would face Dragon again on December 13th, during WAR's Ryogoku Crush Night. Mysterio was now the fourth challenger during Dragon's second reign. The outcome wouldn't be different as Mysterio lost in 10:16 by pinfall. After the loss, Mysterio returned to WCW and eventually went to the WWE achieving big success in both. During a hiatus from WWE, Mysterio would finally make his New Japan debut by wrestling two matches for them in 2018.

Josh Barnett

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Like Rutten, Barnett is another mostly known for his run in MMA than in wrestling though he did compete more than Rutten. Barnett is best known for his time as an MMA fighter where has become an all time great but also has had a checkered history. His biggest moment was defeating Randy Couture for the UFC Heavyweight Championship in 2002 and thus becoming, at the time, the youngest champion in UFC history only to be stripped of the championship months later due to steroids and left the UFC. Months after his UFC departure, Barnett traveled to New Japan which was during a time when New Japan founder Antonio Inoki began pushing elements of MMA into the promotion and Barnett fit the bill. Upon his debut, Barnett would make his wrestling and New Japan debut in a championship match. On January 4, 2003, Barnett challenged Yuji Nagata for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Wrestling World 2003. Barnett was the seventh challenger for Nagata during his first reign. He would come up short as he lost to Nagata in 10:40 due to a kneel kick. After the match, Barnett continued to competed for New Japan until May 2004 all the while resuming his MMA career. Since his New Japan run, he's spent most of the time in MMA while making appearances for Inoki's IGF and TNA (now Impact Wrestling). In recent years, Barnett has also been promoting his own shows called "Bloodsport" alongside Game Changer Wrestling.

Alex Wright

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

Alex Wright was a good wrestler in his time but has largely been forgotten since his retired following the end of WCW. A second generation wrestler, Wright started wrestling at 17 in 1991 and after some time in Europe, was signed to WCW in 1994 where he competed for the majority of his career. While working for WCW, Wright would also get opportunities for New Japan due to their working relationship including participating in the Best of the Super Jrs. II tournament in 1995. At Starrcade 1995 on December 27th, WCW held a series of matches between New Japan and themselves. One of the matches would see Wright get a title shot. Wright would be paired up against IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Koji Kanemoto and it would be for the title. Wright was the second challenger during Kanemoto's first reign. Wright would come up short at 11:30 when Kanemoto got the pin with a jackknife hold. After the match, Wright continued working for WCW until it was bought in 2001 and retired afterwards.

Billy Gunn

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Intercontinental Championship

Hard to believe the former Mr. Ass once competed for a New Japan championship but he did and he's not even the most bizarre challenger on this list as you'll see. Gunn is, of course, best known for his time in the WWF/WWE during the 1990s to early 2000s mostly as a tag team specialist winning tag titles as part of The Smokin Gunns, The New Age Outlaws, and Billy n' Chuck. After his recent WWE run ended in the mid 2010s, Gunn worked the independent circuit and began making occasional appearances for New Japan including competing in the 2016 World Tag League and the Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome. When New Japan toured America in 2017, Gunn would not only make an appearance but he challenged for New Japan gold and appropriately enough, Gunn was a former WWF Intercontinental Championship but that wasn't the only time Gunn challenged for an IC title. On July 2, 2017, Gunn challenged Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship during their G1 Special in USA tour. Gunn was the first challenger during Tanahashi's second reign. Gunn would lose in 14:25 by Tanahashi's high fly flow. The match would be Gunn's last to date in New Japan as he returned to the indie circuit until joining AEW upon it's formation in 2019.

Brian Adams

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Tag Team Championship

Brian Adams is an interesting kind of cat who's career can be something of a sandwich as he achieved good success early on and towards the end but struggled during the middle. He's one of those guys who, especially in the late 1980s and early 1990s, seemed to check the boxes on what it took to be a star but never quite got there. Adams originally became known for his success in Pacific Northwest Wrestling and his first stint in the WWF as part of the tag team Demolition where he was a WWF Tag Team Champion. After both PNW went under and the Demolition run ended, Adams spent the next eight years in various WWF stints as well as with WCW but was never able to take the next step despite many opportunities. Eventually, he was able to achieve some of his biggest success towards the end of his career as part of the tag team Kronik. In 1998, Adams jumped to WCW and became a member of the nWo. At the same time, New Japan Pro Wrestling had their nWo Japan stable going and Adams would tour Japan as part of that nWo as well which led to a title shot. On September 23, 1998, Adams teamed with nWo Sting to challenge Genichiro Tenryu and Shiro Koshinaka for the IWGP Tag Team Championship on Big Wednesday. Adams and nWo Sting were the first challengers for Tenryu and Koshinaka's first reign as a team. Adams and Sting would lose in 13:04 after nWo Sting fell to a lariat from Tenryu. Afterwards, Adams left New Japan and returned to WCW where he stayed till it was bought out by the WWF in 2001. He eventually became a journeyman as part of his tag team Kronik competing for WWF, WWA, and All Japan before retiring in 2003 and passing away in 2007.

Van Hammer

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Heavyweight Championship

You see what I meant about Billy Gunn not being the most bizarre challenger on this list? Well, even HE may not be the most bizarre. Anyway, Hammer is best known for his runs in WCW during the 1990s mostly playing a heavy metal guitar player type gimmick. Other than that, there's not much to say as Hammer never did anything big in his career or won a major championship but that didn't stop WCW from booking him in a New Japan title match. In 1998, Scott Norton won the vacant IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Norton was both a WCW and New Japan wrestler so he went back and forth during this time. For some reason, WCW decided to book a title match between Norton and a jobber in Hammer for New Japan's most prestigious championship. On November 2, 1998, Hammer challenged Norton for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on an episode of WCW Monday Nitro. Hammer was the second challenger during Norton's first reign. In the end, Hammer lost his big moment in only 1:58 due to Norton's powerbomb. After the match, Hammer continued working for WCW till 2000 and then went to work in the indies and Big Japan in Japan before retiring in the 2000s.

nWo Sting

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Tag Team Championship (2x)

Most people know the story of nWo Sting by now. A fake doppelganger hired by the nWo in late 1996 to impersonate WCW's Franchise player in an attempt to sow distrust between Sting and WCW. However, as that storyline started to wind down in early 1997, nWo Sting found a new career for New Japan as a representative of nWo Japan where he became a popular fixture. During his time, nWo Sting would participate in several Super Grade/G1 Tag Leagues but also received several shots at the tag team championship. His first would be teaming with Masahiro Chono to challenge the Bull Powers (Satoshi Kojima and Manabu Nakanishi) on June 5, 1997 during the Best of the Super Jrs. IV tour. nWo Sting and Chono were Nakanishi and Kojima's first challengers during their first reign. In the end, Sting and Chono came up short in 14:15 when Sting lost to a Kojima lariat.

As mentioned in my Brian Adams section, nWo Sting would get another shot at the gold when he and Adams challenged Genichiro Tenryu and Shiro Koshinaka for the IWGP Tag Team Championship on September 23, 1998, at Big Wednesday. nWo Sting and Adams were Tenryu and Koshinaka's first challengers in their first reign as champions. Once again, lightning would strike twice as Sting and Adams lost when nWo Sting took the fall thanks to another lariat, this time from Tenryu. After the second loss, nWo Sting continued working for New Japan for another few years, eventually changing his name to "Super J" until leaving in 2002 and retiring shortly afterwards.

Stevie Ray (left) and Booker T (right)

Harlem Heat

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Tag Team Championship

When you think of tag team greatness, especially in the 90s, the team Harlem Heat must be on the list. Consisting of brothers Booker T and Stevie Ray, Harlem Heat originally achieved success in their native Texas for the Global Wrestling Federation in the early 90s where they enjoyed three runs as tag team champions while Ray won the promotion's North American Heavyweight Championship. They eventually joined with WCW in 1993 and for the next six years were one of the promotion's top teams holding a record ten WCW World Tag Team Championships. Again, like other WCW wrestlers, Harlem Heat would do at least one tour for New Japan, which they did in 1996, and they would get their chance at championship glory. On March 20, 1996, Harlem Heat would challenge Shinya Hashimoto and Junji Hirata for the IWGP Tag Team Championship during their Hyper Battle 1996 tour. They were Hashimoto and Hirata's sixth challengers during Hashimoto and Hirata's first reign as champions. Harlem Heat would come up short when Booker lost to Hashimoto's vertical drop brainbuster. After the loss, Harlem Heat would return to WCW where they worked until it was bought out by WWF in 2001. Stevie Ray would largely be unable to find much singles success while Booker T had a highly successful post Harlem Heat run including six reigns as world champion (Five WCW, One WWE World Heavyweight Championship).

Lodi

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Well, here it is. Perhaps the most bizarre and left field challenger in New Japan history. Like Van Hammer, Lodi is also best known for his time in WCW first as a sign carrier member of Raven's Flock and then as part of the controversial gay gimmick the West Hollywood Blondes with Lenny Lane. Also, like Hammer, WCW would decide to book Scott Norton in another title squash match with Lodi being the candidate. On November 9, 1998, Lodi challenged Norton for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on an edition of WCW Monday Nitro. Lodi was the third challenger of Norton's first reign. Lodi would fare worse than Hammer, falling in only 18 seconds to Norton's powerbomb. After the loss, Lodi continued working for WCW until being released in 2000. He then worked the indies until retiring.

Jerry Sags (left) and Brian Knobbs (right)

The Nasty Boys

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Tag Team Championship

The Nasty Boys team of Brian Knobbs and Jerry Sags were an interesting and somewhat groundbreaking team for their time being one of the first teams to portray leather jacket wearing rude punks who specialized in brawling rather than technical wrestling. The team originally achieved fame in Florida and Memphis along with the AWA in the 1980s before having big runs in the WWF and NWA/WCW in the 1990s winning the WWF World Tag Team Championship once and the WCW World Tag Team Championship three times. The story of the Nastys in New Japan is the same as many on this list as they made an appearance as representatives of WCW and while touring would get a shot at another major tag team championship. On December 10, 1993, The Nastys challenged The Jurassic Powers of Scott Norton and Hercules Hernandez for the IWGP Tag Team Championship during the Final Battle 1993 tour. The Nastys were Norton and Hernandez's fourth challengers in Norton and Hernandez's first reign as champions. The Nastys would come up short in 12:53 when Sags was pinned following Norton's diving shoulder attack. After this, The Nastys would occasionally tour for New Japan until 1995 before returning full time to WCW until Sags briefly retired due to injury in 1997 and Knobbs remained until around 2000. After WCW, they worked the indies and had a cup of coffee with TNA in 2010 before retiring in the 2010s. 

Eddie Guerrero (Black Tiger II)

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (6x) and IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship

Eddie Guerrero is one of those guys that you have to ask "what else is there to say that hasn't already been said?". A second generation wrestler, Guerrero was apart of the Guerrero wrestling family which was one of wrestling's royal families. Originally, getting his big break in Mexico for promotions like CMLL and AAA, specifically with his tag team with Art Barr, Guerrero would become a household name by competing in the big three American promotions in the 90s to the his passing in 2005 which was ECW, WCW, and WWF/WWE. During his run in Mexico and later runs in ECW and WCW, Guerrero also would work in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he became the second incarnation of the legendary Black Tiger persona. Because of this and his talents, Guerrero would be a frequent title contender in New Japan but never actually won one. Guerrero's first title shot came when he challenged Jushin Thunder Liger for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on November 24, 1993 during the Battle Final 1993 tour. Guerrero was Liger's fourth challenger during Liger's sixth reign. Guerrero would come up short as he fell in 13:30 due to a Liger avalanche-style moonsault whip.

Several months later, Guerrero would rematch Liger with the match taking place on March 21, 1994 during the Hyper Battle 1994 tour. Guerrero was Liger's fifth challenger during Liger's sixth reign. Guerrero lost again in 16:41 due to a Liger swinging diving frankensteiner.

Guerrero's third title shot took place on December 11, 1994 when he challenged Norio Honaga for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship during the Battle Final 1994 tour. Guerrero would be Honaga's third challenger during Honaga's third reign. Third time wouldn't be the charm as Guerrero lost again in 19:47 by pinfall.

Guerrero's fourth title shot took place on June 12, 1995 during the Fighting Spirit Legend tour when he challenged Sabu for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Guerrero was Sabu's first challenger during Sabu's first reign. Guerrero would come up short again when he fell to Sabu's arabian press in 15:50.

Less than a year later, Guerrero received a fifth shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship when he challenged Jushin Thunder Liger on February 3, 1996, during the Fighting Spirit 1996 tour. Guerrero was Liger's first challenger during Liger's seventh reign. Guerrero lost to Liger again when he lost to a Liger avalanche style brainbuster in 12:26.

After winning the 1996 Best of the Super Juniors, Guerrero received a sixth shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship when on June 17, 1996, he challenged The Great Sasuke for the gold at Skydiving J. Guerrero was Sasuke's first challenger during Sasuke's first reign. Guerrero came up short again when he lost in 16:54 due to a Sasuke avalanche style frankensteiner.

Guerrero's final title shot came when he returned to New Japan on September 23, 1998 to team with Chris Jericho and challenge Shinjiro Otani and Tatsuhito Takaiwa for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships at Big Wednesday. Guerrero and Jericho were Otani and Takaiwa's first challengers during Otani and Takaiwa's first reign. Guerrero and Jericho would come up short when Guerrero lost to Otani's dragon suplex hold in 19:32. After the loss, Guerrero left New Japan and worked for WCW until leaving for the WWF in 2000. After briefly getting fired due to personal problems, Guerrero would clean up and did one final tour of New Japan in 2002, this time as himself before returning the WWF/WWE where he remained until his passing in 2005.

Damian Priest (Punishment Martinez)

Title(s) Challenged: NEVER Openweight Championship and IWGP United States Championship

Damian Priest is currently achieving his biggest fame first with NXT and now with WWE enjoying championship runs as well as associating with the likes of Edge. However, before competing in the WWE, Priest was an up and comer under the name Punishment Martinez where he originally achieved success in the famous Monster Factory and their indie promotion before going to Ring of Honor where he held their Television Championship. At the time Priest was in ROH, Ring of Honor had a working deal with New Japan and ran a series of co-promoted shows which saw Priest get his chance at a belt. On February 27, 2017, Priest would challenge Hirooki Goto for the NEVER Openweight Championship during the ROH/NJPW Honor Rising: Japan 2017 tour. Priest was Goto's second challenger during Goto's first reign. Priest would lose in 10:49 due to Goto hitting the GTR.

A year later, Priest would get another shot at a championship, this time, he challenged Jay White for the IWGP United States Championship on May 11, 2018 at ROH/NJPW War of the Worlds 2018 Night 2. Priest was White's third challenger during White's first reign. Priest would lose again at 11:00. Following this show, Priest would leave ROH and signed with the WWE where he competes to this day.

Dean Malenko

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (5x)

Dean Malenko is one of the more respected names of his generation. The son of fellow wrestling legend Professor Boris Malenko, Malenko originally made his mark mostly in Japan for both All Japan and then New Japan while eventually making a name for himself in the Big Three (ECW, WCW, and WWF). After making the jump from All Japan to New Japan in 1992, Malenko became a top contender in their junior heavyweight division but like his good friend Eddie Guerrero, Malenko was never able to close the deal despite having many shots at the title. Malenko first title shot came when he challenged El Samurai for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on October 18, 1992 during the Super Grade Tag League II tour. Malenko was Samurai's second challenger during Samurai's first reign. Malenko lost in 12:22 when Samurai hit a flying front cradle.

Malenko's second shot would take place on March 21, 1993 when he challenged Jushin Thunder Liger for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship during the Hyper Battle 1993 tour. Malenko was Liger's first challenger during Liger's sixth challenger. Malenko came up short as he fell to Liger's frankensteiner in 24:11.

Malenko's third shot would see him challenge Norio Honaga on February 3, 1995 during the Fighting Spirit 1995 tour. Malenko was Honaga's sixth challenger during Honaga's third reign. Malenko lost when Honaga used a La Magistral cradle.

Malenko's fourth shot would be in WCW when he challenged Ultimo Dragon for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on November 18, 1996, during an episode of WCW Saturday Night. Malenko was Dragon's first challenger during Dragon's second reign. Malenko would lose by disqualification when he back dropped Dragon over the top rope and to the floor (an old school rule WCW was enforcing at the time).

Malenko's fifth and final shot would once again be against Ultimo Dragon at WCW Starrcade 1996 on December 29, 1996, in a title vs. titles match with Dragon defending all eight belts that make up the J-Crown including the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship while Malenko defended the WCW Cruiserweight Championship. Malenko was Dragon's sixth challenger during Dragon's second reign. Malenko would again come up short as he fell to Dragon's tiger suplex hold thus also losing the cruiserweight championship. After the loss, Malenko continued working for WCW until leaving for the WWF in 2000 where he continued to wrestle until his retirement in 2001. He currently is a road agent/producer for AEW.

Bart Gunn (Mike Barton)

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Tag Team Championship

Billy Gunn wasn't the only Gunn to challenge for a New Japan title as his "brother" Bart also achieved that feat but the outcome was the same. Gunn originally gained fame as part of the Smokin Gunns in the WWF where he held the WWF World Tag Team Championship three times and won the infamous Brawl for All toughman contest before enjoying several years of success in All Japan Pro Wrestling, first as "Bart Gunn" and then as "Mike Barton" where he was a former World Tag Team Champion. By late 2002, Gunn found his way to New Japan along with his then partner "Jungle" Jim Steele and by early 2003, won a tournament to crown number one contenders for the IWGP Tag Team Championships. Unfortunately, due to injuries, Gunn and Steele wouldn't get their shot till later in the year and when they did, it was an unique situation. In October 2003, New Japan ran their yearly round robin G1 Tag League and on October 21st, Gunn and Steele would meet up with champions Hiroshi Tanahashi and Yutaka Yoshie for the IWGP Tag Team Championship. Gunn and Steele were the third challengers during Tanahashi and Yoshie's first reign. In the end, Gunn and Steele lost when Steele was pinned following Yoshie's diving body press. After the loss, Gunn continued working for New Japan until leaving in 2004. Afterwards, he did some shots for Tatsumi Fujinami's Muga Pro and appeared in a WWE battle royal during their RAW 15th Anniversary special in December 2007 all the while dabbling in MMA before retiring in 2008.

Jerry Lawler

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Here's another one that may surprise you. Lawler is unquestionably best known for two things: his run as the top star in Memphis wrestling for decades and his run in the WWF/WWE as both a wrestler where he feuded with the likes of Bret Hart and as a color commentator where he was part of the popular announce team with Jim Ross during the late 1990s to late 2000s. During this dominant run in Memphis, Lawler would actually leave home and travel to Japan where he did a tour for New Japan Pro Wrestling. On March 16, 1989, Lawler would challenge Tatsumi Fujinami for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Lawler was the seventh challenger during Fujinami's second reign. In the end, Lawler would come up short in 20:25 when he took a Fujinami brainbuster cutback. After this, Lawler never returned to New Japan and returned to Memphis as well as working for the WWE which he's done to this day since 1992.

Don Frye

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Heavyweight Championship (3x)

Like Bas Rutten and Josh Barnett, Frye was another MMA legend who competed for New Japan Pro Wrestling, though he came in before Inoki's MMA obsession began to take effect. Frye originally achieved fame in MMA in 1996 competing for the UFC where he won two tournaments. After UFC and the sport of MMA went into decline in 1997, Frye went to Japan for pro wrestling where he became a top foreigner or gaijin for New Japan. During his four years with the promotion, Frye would get several shots at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Frye's first shot occurred on April 10, 1999 when he challenged Keiji Mutoh for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at Strong Style Symphony. Frye was the second challenger during Mutoh's third reign. Frye would come up short in 12:16 when Mutoh submitted him with a cross armbreaker.

Frye's second shot came when he challenged Kensuke Sasaki for the championship on February 5, 2000 during the Fighting Spirt tour. Frye was the first challenger during Sasaki's second reign. Frye would lose in 14:02 when Sasaki hit the lariat.

Frye's third title shot came when he challenged Kazuyuki Fujita for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on July 20, 2001 at Dome-Quake. Frye was the second challenger during Fujita's first reign. Frye would come up short again, this time in 7:22 when Fujita applied a front necklock. Afterwards, Frye continued working for New Japan till the fall of 2001 when he resumed his MMA career. He continued to bounce around wrestling and MMA till retiring in the 2010s.

Sting

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Heavyweight Championship

Sting is one of wrestling's timeless characters and wrestlers as he debuted in 1985 and continues to perform as of writing. Originally competing in Memphis and UWF, Sting achieved his biggest fame for NWA/WCW serving as their franchise player for most of his run. His feuds with Ric Flair, Vader, and Hulk Hogan are some of the biggest rivalries in wrestling history. Another rivalry that's is famous is Sting's encounters with Keiji "The Great Muta" Mutoh which first happened in the NWA in 1989 and eventually saw the two collide in Japan with New Japan's biggest prize on the line. On November 22, 1992, Sting challenged Muta for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship during the Wrestling Scramble tour. Sting was the third challenger during Muta's first reign (his only under the Great Muta persona). Sting would come up short as he fell to a Muta moonsault press in 16:44. Following the loss, Sting returned to WCW where he remained until it was bought out by WWF in 2001 while occasionally popping up in New Japan. Since WCW's closure, Sting became a journeyman as he competed in WWA, had a big comeback in TNA, then a short run in WWE, and now with AEW.

Ric Flair

Title(s) Challenged: IWGP Heavyweight Championship (2x)

Ric Flair is another that I can ask "what can I say that hasn't already been said?". The Nature Boy's in-ring career spanned 39 years and in that time, was considered one of the greatest to ever compete and one of wrestling's greatest world champions. During his legendary career, Flair won multiple types of world championships from NWA to WCW to WWF to WCW International World. However, one world title that eluded Flair was the IWGP Heavyweight Championship though not for a lack of trying as Flair would make several attempts to win it but never could. Flair's first shot would take place on March 21, 1991 at Starrcade 1991 in Tokyo Dome when he took on Tatsumi Fujinami in a title vs. title match as Flair would also defend the NWA/WCW World Heavyweight Championship. Flair was Fujinami's first challenger during Fujinami's fourth reign. Flair would lose in 23:06 due to Fujinami applying a cobra twist. However, the match did have controversy as Fujinami would only win the NWA Championship as Flair was thrown over the top and to the floor during the match which was illegal in WCW.

Several years later, Flair would try again. This time, he faced Shinya Hashimoto for the championship on July 17, 1996 during the Summer Struggle 1996 tour. Flair was the second challenger during Hashimoto's third reign. In the end, Flair came up short again when he fell to Hashimoto's vertical drop brainbuster. After the loss, Flair returned to WCW where he stayed until it was bought by WWF in 2001. Afterwards, Flair would work for WWF/WWE from 2001-2009 and followed it with a run in TNA from 2010-2011 until retiring.