Inoki Genome Federation

Inoki Genome Federation
Acronym IGF
Founded 2007
Headquarters Japan
Founder(s) Antonio Inoki
Owner(s) Antonio Inoki
Website Official Site of Inoki Genome Federation

Inoki Genome Federation (IGF) is a professional wrestling and mixed martial arts promotion in Japan founded by Antonio Inoki in 2007.

History

Antonio Inoki left New Japan Pro Wrestling, a promotion he founded in 1972, to start the IGF. Inoki carried over to IGF his National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) accreditation, making IGF the official Japanese territory of the NWA.

In 2007, the IGF began a talent exchange with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) of the United States,[1] with Kurt Angle being the first TNA talent used by IGF.

The first IGF show was held on June 29, 2007 at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The card was completely changed at the last minute, resulting in the 8,426 fans in attendance not knowing who or what they were going to see outside of the main event of Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar.

Shinichi Suzukawa was scheduled to face Bob Sapp in an IGF special rules Heavyweight bout on December 31, 2010, at K-1 Dynamite!! 2010.[2] The fight was to be held under MMA rules, but the fighters wouldn't be wearing gloves. Closed-fist strikes would have been allowed, but palm strikes wouldn't have been permitted.[3] The event was to air on HDNet in North America.[4] However, the fight was canceled due to a last-minute contract dispute but the Japanese audience in attendance were told by the promoter involved in the contract dispute that Sapp “had lost his will to fight.” [5] In 2011 the company gave a gift to Kim Jong Il, leader of North Korea.[6] In August 2014, IGF held two shows in Pyongyang, North Korea.[7]

On December 29, 2014, IGF announced a deal with PPTV to bring its programming to Chinese audiences.[8]

Notable fighters

Guests
Supervisor

IGF Heavyweight Championship

IGF Heavyweight Championship
Details
Current champion(s) Vacant
Date won January 23, 2015
Promotion Inoki Genome Federation

On December 31, 2013, Satoshi Ishii became the first IGF Heavyweight Champion, after winning by unanimous decision against Kazuyuki Fujita. After staying for 235 days as champion , he lost the title to Mirko Filipović by TKO (doctor stoppage). Later Satoshi Ishi asked for a rematch against his tormentor , which was granted , but without success , losing again by TKO after famous head kick. Cro Cop was stripped of the title in January 23, 2015 due to signing with Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Title history

# Fighter Reign Date Days
held		 Location Successful
defenses		 Notes
1 Ishii, SatoshiSatoshi Ishii
def. Kazuyuki Fujita		 1 December 31, 2013 235 Tokyo, Japan 0
2 Filipović, MirkoMirko Filipović 1 August 23, 2014 153 Tokyo, Japan 1 1. def. Satoshi Ishii at Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2014 on Dec 31, 2014
— Vacant — January 23, 2015 — — — Cro Cop was stripped of the title due to signing with Ultimate Fighting Championship.[9]

IWGP Heavyweight Championship (IGF version)

IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Details
Date established October 8, 2005
Date retired February 17, 2008
Promotion Inoki Genome Federation
Other name(s)
IWGP 3rd Belt Championship (as referred to by NJPW)[10]

The IWGP Heavyweight Championship was IGF's first sanctioned championship. Though it is officially not the same title recognized by New Japan Pro Wrestling, the Inoki Genome Federation referred to this title as the IWGP Heavyweight Championship (and was recognized as such also by TNA). IGF claims that the IWGP Heavyweight Championship was never held up despite Brock Lesnar being stripped of the title by NJPW on July 15, 2006. This is due to Antonio Inoki believing that Lesnar was being treated unfairly by NJPW. As Inoki was the one who had originally established the IWGP title, he still viewed Lesnar as the rightful champion and recognized him as such, essentially splintering the title off from NJPW.

As such there were two separate belts and titles that were billed as the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. IGF's version used the third physical incarnation of the belt, while NJPW reverted to the second as Lesnar still had possession of the third belt. The IGF recognized IWGP Championship was defended for the first time by Lesnar in a losing effort against Kurt Angle in the main event of the debut IGF card on June 29, 2007.[11]

Angle made his first successful title defense against Samoa Joe on August 12, 2007 in Orlando, Florida at TNA Hard Justice in a match where, in addition to the IWGP title, Angle's TNA World Heavyweight, and Joe's TNA World Tag Team and TNA X Division Championships were on the line.[12]

On December 20, 2007 Angle successfully defended the title against Kendo Kashin[13] and again against Yuji Nagata at the New Japan Pro Wrestling Wrestle Kingdom II in Tokyo Dome supershow on January 4, 2008.[14]

Angle ultimately lost the title in his fourth defense, against NJPW-recognized IWGP Heavyweight Champion Shinsuke Nakamura, in a title unification match, on February 17, 2008; this unified both versions of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. As a result, the IGF went over three years without sanctioning any championships.

Title history

# Wrestler Reign Date Days
held		 Location Notes
1 Lesnar, BrockBrock Lesnar 1 October 8, 2005 629 Tokyo, Japan Defeated champion Kazuyuki Fujita and Masahiro Chono in a three-way match. NJPW strips Lesnar of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on July 15, 2006. IGF considers his reign active and uses the belt as its own version of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in 2007.
2 Angle, KurtKurt Angle 1 June 29, 2007 235 Tokyo, Japan Defeated Brock Lesnar on the first IGF card, Angle's TNA World Heavyweight Championship was also on the line.[15]
3 Nakamura, ShinsukeShinsuke Nakamura 1 February 17, 2008 0 Tokyo, Japan Defeated Kurt Angle on the Circuit 2008 New Japan ISM tour to unify the NJPW and IGF versions of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
— Unified — February 17, 2008 — Tokyo, Japan

References

  1. ↑ This Page Has Moved - WrestlingInc.com
  2. ↑ "DREAM Dynamite!! 2010". dreamofficial.com. Retrieved 2010-12-01.
  3. ↑ "DREAM "Dynamite!! 2010," special rules detailed". mmajunkie.com. December 29, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Dream Dynamite 2010". mmajunkie.com. December 31, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Overeem win highlights traditional NYE show". Yahoo Sports.
  6. ↑ Gift to Kim Jong Il from Japanese
  7. ↑ "インターナショナル・プロレスリング・フェスティバルin平壌 - アントニオ猪木　IGFプロレスリング". igf.jp.
  8. ↑ デイリースポーツ社. "ＩＧＦが中国最大ネットＴＶ局と提携". daily.co.jp.
  9. ↑ ＵＦＣ移籍のミルコ ＩＧＦ王座剥奪. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). 2015-01-24. Retrieved 2015-01-24.
  10. ↑ レッスルキングダムII in 東京ドーム. New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved 2015-02-15.
  11. ↑ "06/29/07: Inoki Genome Federation - Angle Defeats Lesnar". angrymarks.com.
  12. ↑ Sokol, Chris (2007-08-12). "Bad booking mars Hard Justice". SLAM! Sports. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  13. ↑ (Japanese) IGF イノキゲノムフェデレーション
  14. ↑ "Strong Style Spirit". Strong Style Spirit. 2008-01-04. Archived from the original on 2007-12-31. Retrieved 2008-01-04.
  15. ↑ "IWGP Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved 2007-08-17.

External links