{{short description|Professional wrestling trios championship}} {{Infobox pro wrestling championship |championshipname = NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship |image = NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.PNG |image_size = |caption = The NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship belts |currentholder = [[United Empire]]<br>{{small|([[Will Ospreay]], [[Great-O-Khan]], and [[Henare (wrestler)|Henare]])}} |aired = |won = May 4, 2026 |promotion = [[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]] (NJPW) |created = December 21, 2015<ref name=TitleAnnounced/> |mostreigns = As a team (3 reigns): *[[Los Ingobernables de Japón]]<br>{{small|([[Tetsuya Bushi|Bushi]], [[Takaaki Watanabe|Evil]] and [[Seiya Sanada|Sanada]])}} As an individual (7 reigns): *[[Toru Yano]] |firstchamp = [[Chaos (professional wrestling)|Chaos]]<br />{{small|([[Jay Briscoe]], [[Mark Briscoe]] and [[Toru Yano]])}}<ref name=WrestleKingdom10TS/> |shortestreign = 1 day: *[[Los Ingobernables de Japón]]<br>{{small|([[Tetsuya Bushi|Bushi]], [[Takaaki Watanabe|Evil]] and [[Seiya Sanada|Sanada]])}} *[[Chaos (professional wrestling)|Chaos]]<br>{{small|([[Trent Beretta|Berreta]], [[Tomohiro Ishii]] and [[Toru Yano]])}} |longestreign= [[Chaos (professional wrestling)|Chaos]]<br />{{small|([[Hirooki Goto]], [[Tomohiro Ishii]] and [[Yoshi-Hashi]])}}<br>(454 days) |oldest = [[Minoru Suzuki]]<br>({{age in years months and days|1968|06|17|2023|02|11}})<ref name=MinoruuSuzuki>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/profile/706|script-title=ja:鈴木みのる|access-date=February 11, 2023|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja}}</ref> |youngest = [[David Finlay (wrestler)|David Finlay]]<br>({{age in years months and days|1993|05|16|2016|09|25}})<ref name=DavidFinlay>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/profile/744|script-title=ja:デビッド・フィンレー|access-date=January 5, 2017|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja}}</ref> |heaviest = [[Bad Luck Fale]]<br>({{convert|156|kg|lb|abbr=on}})<ref name=BadLuckFale>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/profile/729|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208004551/http://www.njpw.co.jp/profile/729|script-title=ja:バッドラック・ファレ|archive-date=December 8, 2017|url-status=live|access-date=December 17, 2017|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja}}</ref> |lightest = [[Taiji Ishimori]]<br>({{convert|75|kg|lb|abbr=on}})<ref name=MattJackson>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/data/detail_profile.php?f=852|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304042635/http://www.njpw.co.jp/data/detail_profile.php?f=852|script-title=ja:マット・ジャクソン|archive-date=March 4, 2016|access-date=February 20, 2016|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Ricochet>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/data/detail_profile.php?f=847|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160703085319/http://www.njpw.co.jp/data/detail_profile.php?f=847|script-title=ja:リコシェ|archive-date=July 3, 2016|access-date=July 3, 2016|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja}}</ref> |pastnames = |titleretired = |vacated=}} The '''{{Nihongo|NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship|NEVER無差別級6人タッグ王座|Nebā Musabetsu-kyū Roku-nin Taggu Ōza}}''' is a [[professional wrestling]] [[Championship (professional wrestling)|championship]] owned by the [[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]] (NJPW) [[Professional wrestling promotion|promotion]]. The title was announced on December 21, 2015, with the first champions crowned on January 4, 2016. Through NJPW's relationship with [[Ring of Honor]] (ROH), the title has also been defended in the American promotion. The championship is contested for by teams of three wrestlers and is the first title of its kind in the history of NJPW. The title's [[openweight]] nature means that both heavyweight and [[Cruiserweight (professional wrestling)|junior heavyweight]] wrestlers are eligible to challenge for it. The current champions are the [[United Empire]] ([[Will Ospreay]], [[Henare (wrestler)|Henare]], and [[Great-O-Khan]]), who are in their first reign as a team and individually. They won the titles by defeating Bishamon-tin ([[Boltin Oleg]], [[Hirooki Goto]] [[Bishamon (professional wrestling)|and]] [[Yoshi-Hashi]]) at Night 2 of [[Wrestling Dontaku 2026|Wrestling Dontaku]] in [[Fukuoka, Japan]] on May 4, 2026.
==History== On December 11, 2015, NJPW announced that at [[Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo Dome]] on January 4, 2016, the [[Bullet Club]] trio of [[Bad Luck Fale]], [[Tama Tonga]] and [[Yujiro Takahashi]] would take on [[Toru Yano]] and two mystery partners.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/56287|script-title=ja:【WK10】来年1月3日（日）『大プロレス祭り』“公開記者会見”のスケジュールが決定！ 岡倫之選手の入団会見も実施！|date=December 11, 2015|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/482651/|script-title=ja:真壁＆本間 １・４東京ドームでＩＷＧＰタッグ挑戦|date=December 11, 2015|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=[[Tokyo Sports]]|language=ja|archive-date=August 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804052847/http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/482651/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Eight days later, Yano revealed his partners as the [[Ring of Honor]] (ROH) tag team [[The Briscoe Brothers]] ([[Jay Briscoe]] and [[Mark Briscoe]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/56397|script-title=ja:【WK10】1.4東京ドームの第2試合は矢野＆ブリスコ・ブラザーズvsファレ＆裕二郎＆タマに決定！ウワサの“ブリスコ兄弟”の凄さとは？|date=December 20, 2015|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja}}</ref> On December 21, NJPW added that the match would be for the newly created NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship, the promotion's first six-man title.<ref name=TitleAnnounced>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/news/detail.php?nid=15516|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222100946/http://www.njpw.co.jp/news/detail.php?nid=15516|script-title=ja:【WK10】1.4東京ドームは“8大選手権”！ 第2試合は初代NEVER無差別級6人タッグ王座戦！ 第3試合はROH世界選手権に！ NJランボー参戦選手も追加！|archive-date=December 22, 2015|date=December 21, 2015|access-date=December 21, 2015|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwtorch.com/site/2015/12/20/full-njpw-tokyo-dome-line-up-roh-title-match-included/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222123901/http://www.pwtorch.com/site/2015/12/20/full-njpw-tokyo-dome-line-up-roh-title-match-included/|title=NJPW Tokyo Dome Updates – Briscoes vs. Bullet Club for new titles, more|archive-date=December 22, 2015|date=December 20, 2015|access-date=December 21, 2015|work=Pro Wrestling Torch|url-status=live}}</ref> The title's name carried the acronym NEVER, which stood for "New Blood", "Evolution", "Valiantly", "Eternal", and "Radical" and was a [[NEVER (professional wrestling)|NJPW-promoted series of events]] that ran from 2010 to 2012 and featured younger up-and-coming talent and outside wrestlers not signed to the promotion.<ref name=NEVERAnnounced>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/news/detail.php?nid=28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228091940/http://www.njpw.co.jp/news/detail.php?nid=28|script-title=ja:Nextジェネレーション育成 新プロジェクト「NEVER」シリーズがスタート!!|archive-date=December 28, 2010|date=July 12, 2010|access-date=December 21, 2015|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja}}</ref> This is the second title to carry the NEVER name, after the [[NEVER Openweight Championship]], which was introduced in November 2012.<ref name=TitleAnnounced/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://pwtorch.com/artman2/publish/Other_News_4/article_65739.shtml|title=News items: Velvet Sky launches clothing line, Details on Nash's next int'l tour, NJPW introducing new title|last=Caldwell|first=James|date=October 5, 2012|access-date=December 21, 2012|work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref>
[[File:Satoshi Kojima, Ricochet and David Finlay NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions.jpg|thumb|(Left to right) David Finlay, [[Satoshi Kojima]] and [[Ricochet (wrestler)|Ricochet]] upon winning the title in September 2016]] On January 4, 2016, Toru Yano and The Briscoe Brothers defeated Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga and Yujiro Takahashi to become the inaugural champions.<ref name=WrestleKingdom10TS>{{cite web|url=http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/490418/|script-title=ja:【新日・東京ドーム】「ＮＥＶＥＲ無差別級６人タッグ」矢野組が初代王者に|date=January 5, 2016|access-date=January 5, 2016|work=[[Tokyo Sports]]|language=ja|archive-date=January 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108012042/http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/490418/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/japan/wrestle-kingdom-10-live-results-kazuchika-okada-vs-hiroshi-tanahashi-204791|title=Wrestle Kingdom 10 live results: Kazuchika Okada vs Hiroshi Tanahashi|last=Meltzer|first=Dave|author-link=Dave Meltzer|date=January 3, 2016|access-date=January 4, 2016|work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref> After losing the title to Fale, Tonga and Takahashi on February 11 at [[The New Beginning in Osaka (2016)|The New Beginning in Osaka]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwtorch.com/site/2016/02/11/newbeginningosaka/|title=2/11 New Japan "New Beginning in Osaka" Results – Okada defends IWGP World Title, two big title changes|date=February 11, 2016|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref> Yano and The Briscoe Brothers also became the first two-time winners of the title, when they regained it three days later at [[The New Beginning in Niigata]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwtorch.com/site/2016/02/14/214-new-japan-new-beginning-niigata-results-tanahashi-vs-omega-vacant-iwgp-ic-title-bullet-club-everywhere/|title=2/14 New Japan "New Beginning in Niigata" Results – Tanahashi vs. Omega for vacant IWGP IC Title, Bullet Club everywhere|date=February 14, 2016|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref> Later that month, the title was defended outside Japan for the first time, when new champions [[Kenny Omega]] and [[The Young Bucks]] (Matt Jackson and Nick Jackson) successfully defended it against [[ACH (wrestler)|A. C. H.]], [[Yujiro Kushida|Kushida]] and [[Matt Sydal]] at ROH's [[ROH 14th Anniversary Show|14th Anniversary Show]] in [[Las Vegas, Nevada]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/62345?showResult=1|title=ROH 14th Anniversary|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/ring-honor/roh-14th-anniversary-live-results-jay-lethal-vs-kyle-oreilly-vs-adam-cole-207926|title=ROH 14th Anniversary live results: Jay Lethal vs. Kyle O'Reilly vs. Adam Cole|last=Rose|first=Bryan|date=February 26, 2016|access-date=February 26, 2016|work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref> On September 25, 2016, the title was [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Vacant|vacated]] for the first time due to one of the champions, Matt Sydal, failing to make it to a scheduled championship defense because of "travel issues".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/news/detail.php?nid=17429|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925073455/http://www.njpw.co.jp/news/detail.php?nid=17429|script-title=ja:【お知らせ】マット・サイダル選手が飛行機トラブルのため9.25神戸大会を欠場。デビッド・フィンレー選手が代打出場でNEVER6人タッグは「王座決定戦」に変更|archive-date=September 25, 2016|date=September 25, 2016|access-date=September 25, 2016|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja}}</ref> NJPW crowned new champions that same day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.f4wonline.com/japan/njpw-destruction-kobe-results-elgin-defends-his-title-against-naito-221491|title=NJPW Destruction in Kobe results: Elgin defends his title against Naito|last=Rose|first=Bryan|date=September 25, 2016|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]}}</ref>
On January 4, 2017, at [[Wrestle Kingdom 11 in Tokyo Dome]], the ''[[Los Ingobernables de Japón]]'' (L.I.J.) trio of [[Tetsuya Bushi|Bushi]], [[Takaaki Watanabe|Evil]] and [[Seiya Sanada|Sanada]] won a four-team [[Professional wrestling match types#Gauntlet match|gauntlet match]] to capture the title for the first time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pwinsider.com/ViewArticle.php?id=106885&p=2|title=Omega vs. Okada classic, Tanahashi vs. Naito, lots of title changes & more: complete New Japan Wrestle Kingdom 11 coverage (page two)|last=Johnson|first=Mike|date=January 4, 2017|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=Pro Wrestling Insider}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/636044/|script-title=ja:【新日１・４ドーム】NEVER6人タッグはSanada組が制す|date=January 5, 2017|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=[[Tokyo Sports]]|language=ja|archive-date=August 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804052850/http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/636044/|url-status=dead}}</ref> They then began exchanging the title with members of the [[Taguchi Japan]] [[Glossary of professional wrestling terms#Stable|stable]], resulting in them becoming record three-time champions on May 3 at [[Wrestling Dontaku 2017]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.daily.co.jp/ring/2017/05/04/0010155089.shtml|script-title=ja:“田口ジャパン”またＮＥＶＥＲ陥落…ロス・インゴが３度目戴冠|date=May 4, 2017|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=Daily Sports Online|publisher=[[Kobe Shimbun]]|language=ja}}</ref> The quick title changes resulted in the title earning a reputation as a "hot potato",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pwtorch.com/site/2017/01/17/15-new-japans-new-years-dash-tokyo-takahashi-nakanishi-kushida-ricochet-oreilly-finlay-cole-elgin-young-bucks/|title=1/5 New Japan's New Year's Dash from Tokyo: Takahashi, Nakanishi, Kushida, Ricochet, O'Reilly, Finlay, Cole, Elgin, Young Bucks|last=Andrews|first=R.W.|date=January 17, 2017|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=Pro Wrestling Torch}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Meltzer|first=Dave|author-link=Dave Meltzer|date=February 20, 2017|title=February 20, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: WWE financials, death of Chavo Guerrero, more|magazine=[[Wrestling Observer Newsletter]]|location=[[Campbell, California]]|issn = 1083-9593|page=20|quote=The show was built around five title matches, with one change, the hot potato Never trios titles which went back to Sanada & Evil & Bushi, who defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi & Ryusuke Taguchi & Manabu Nakanishi.}}</ref> with Japanese media nicknaming it the {{nihongo|"short life championship"|短命王座|tanmei ōza}}.<ref name=LIJV3>{{cite web | url=https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/761446/ | script-title=ja:【新日本】ＬＩＪ ＮＥＶＥＲ６人タッグ王座Ｖ３ | date=September 11, 2017 | access-date=September 11, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=ja | archive-date=September 11, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170911162344/https://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/761446/ | url-status=dead }}</ref> During its first 20 months of existence, the title changed hands 12 times, with no championship team successfully defending it more than two times until L.I.J.'s record-breaking third title reign.<ref name=LIJV3/><ref name=BushiNEVERTS>{{cite web | url=http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/652662/ | script-title=ja:【新日本】NEVER6人タッグ王者のBushiが試合順に難クセ | date=February 16, 2017 | access-date=August 3, 2017 | work=[[Tokyo Sports]] | language=ja | archive-date=August 4, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804053305/http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/652662/ | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.daily.co.jp/ring/2017/06/21/0010300472.shtml | script-title=ja:新日・制御不能軍が田口ジャパン撃破で史上最多タイのＮＥＶＥＲ６人王座Ｖ２ | date=June 21, 2017 | access-date=August 3, 2017 | work=Daily Sports Online | publisher=[[Kobe Shimbun]] | language=ja}}</ref> The title was also slotted on the [[undercard]]s of NJPW events and some championship matches took place as early as the second match on a seven-match show with no other title matches. Bushi publicly criticized NJPW's handling of the title, claiming that the booking was costing the title credibility.<ref name=BushiNEVERTS/> L.I.J.'s record-setting reign ended on December 17, 2017, when they were defeated by Bullet Club's Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga and [[Tanga Loa]] in their fourth defense.<ref name=RoadtoTokyoDome2017>{{cite web | url = http://www.njpw.co.jp/tornament/116484?showResult=1 | title = JRA presents Road to Tokyo Dome | access-date=December 17, 2017 | work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]] | language=ja}}</ref>
==Reigns== {{Main|List of NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions}} {{Multiple images |image1 = Will Ospreay, AEW Revolution 2024 (cropped).jpg |image2 = HENARE (cropped).jpg |image3 = Forbidden Door (AEW x NJPW) (52292917294) (cropped) (cropped).jpg |footer = Current champions [[United Empire]] ([[Will Ospreay]], [[Henare (wrestler)|Henare]], and [[Great-O-Khan]]) |total_width = 400px }} There have been 34 reigns shared among 47 different wrestlers and 26 teams, with 2 vacancies.<ref name=Official>{{cite web|url=http://www.njpw.co.jp/champions/never-6tag|title=NEVER Open 6 Men Tag Class|access-date=August 3, 2017|work=[[New Japan Pro-Wrestling]]|language=ja}}</ref> [[Chaos (professional wrestling)|Chaos]] ([[Jay Briscoe]], [[Mark Briscoe]], and [[Toru Yano]]) were the inaugural champions.<ref name=WrestleKingdom10TS/> Chaos ([[Hirooki Goto]], [[Tomohiro Ishii]], and [[Yoshi-Hashi]]) hold the record for the longest reign and most defenses in an individual reign, while ''Los Ingobernables de Japón'' (Bushi, Evil and Sanada) and Chaos ([[Trent Beretta|Beretta]], Tomohiro Ishii and Toru Yano) both hold the record for the shortest reign in the title's history, with their reigns of one day being the shortest. ''Los Ingobernables de Japón'' (Bushi, Evil and Sanada) also hold the record for most reigns as a team with three.<ref name=Official/> In addition to being one-third of the first reign and shortest reign of the titles, Toru Yano holds the record for most reigns by a single wrestler, with seven.
The [[United Empire]] ([[Will Ospreay]], [[Great-O-Khan]], and [[Henare (wrestler)|Henare]]) are the current champions in their first reign as a team and individually. They won the titles by defeating Bishamon-tin ([[Boltin Oleg]], [[Hirooki Goto]] [[Bishamon (professional wrestling)|and]] [[Yoshi-Hashi]]) on Night 2 of [[Wrestling Dontaku 2026|Wrestling Dontaku]] in [[Fukuoka, Japan]] on May 4, 2026.<ref>{{cite web|last=Thompson|first=Andrew|title=Will Ospreay & United Empire Win NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Titles At NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 2026|url=https://www.fightful.com/wrestling/will-ospreay-united-empire-win-never-openweight-6-man-tag-team-titles-at-njpw-wrestling-dontaku-2026/|website=Fightful|date=May 4, 2026|access-date=May 4, 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.njpw.co.jp/champions/never-6tag Official title history at NJPW.co.jp] *[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/newjapan/never-6.html Title history at Wrestling-Titles.com]
{{NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship}} {{New Japan Pro Wrestling}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Never Openweight 6 Man Tag Team Championship}} [[Category:New Japan Pro-Wrestling championships]] [[Category:Openweight wrestling championships]] [[Category:Trios wrestling tag team championships]]