The IWRG Intercontinental Welterweight Championship (Campeonato Intercontinental Welter IWRG in Spanish) is a professional wrestlingchampionship promoted by the Mexican wrestling promotion International Wrestling Revolution Group (IWRG) since 1998.[1] The official definition of the Welterweight weight class in Mexico is between 70 kg (150 lb) and 78 kg (172 lb), but the weight limits are not always strictly adhered to.[a][2] Because Lucha Libre puts more emphasis on the lower weight classes, this division is considered more important than the normally more prestigious heavyweight division of the promotion.[3]
The first Welterweight champion was Dr. Cerebro, winning the title on March 1, 1998, in a tournament final against Shiima Nobunaga.[1] Dr. Cerebro Jr. is the current champion, having defeated Puma de Oro and then-champion Tonali for the title on January 1, 2024. Dr. Cerebro Jr. is the 40th overall champion and the 22nd person to have held the championship. Cerebro Negro is the person with most title reigns, a total of seven. He also has the distinction of having the shortest reign (at seven days) and the longest reign (1,246 days).
As it is a professional wrestling championship, the championship was not won not by actual competition, but by a scripted ending to a match determined by the bookers and match makers.[b] On occasion the promotion declares a championship vacant, which means there is no champion at that point in time. This can either be due to a storyline,[c] or real life issues such as a champion suffering an injury being unable to defend the championship,[d] or leaving the company.[e]
Defeated Cerebro Negro and Black Terry in a three-way elimination title vs. mask vs. hair match. Ópera's mask, Negro's title and Terry's hair were at stake. Negro was the last to be pinned, so he lost the title.
Defeated Multifacético and Fuerza Guerrera in a three-way elimination title vs. mask vs. hair match. Multifacético's mask, Guerrera's title and Terry's hair were at stake. Guerrera was the last to be pinned, so he lost the title
^One example the weightlimits not being strictly enforced is Mephisto winning the CMLL World Welterweight Championship, a championship with a 78 kg (172 lb) upper limit despite weighing 90 kg (200 lb).
^Hornbaker (2016) p. 550: "Professional wrestling is a sport in which match finishes are predetermined. Thus, win–loss records are not indicative of a wrestler's genuine success based on their legitimate abilities – but on now much, or how little they were pushed by promoters"[4]
^Duncan & Will (2000) p. 271, Chapter: Texas: NWA American Tag Team Title [World Class, Adkisson] "Championship held up and rematch ordered because of the interference of manager Gary Hart"[5]
^Duncan & Will (2000) p. 20, Chapter: (United States: 19th Century & widely defended titles – NWA, WWF, AWA, IW, ECW, NWA) NWA/WCW TV Title "Rhodes stripped on 85/10/19 for not defending the belt after having his leg broken by Ric Flair and Ole & Arn Anderson"[6]
^Duncan & Will (2000) p. 201, Chapter: (Memphis, Nashville) Memphis: USWA Tag Team Title "Vacant on 93/01/18 when Spike leaves the USWA."[7]
Hornbaker, Tim (2016). "Statistical notes". Legends of Pro Wrestling - 150 years of headlocks, body slams, and piledrivers (Revised ed.). New York, New York: Sports Publishing. ISBN978-1-61321-808-2.
Duncan, Royal; Will, Gary (2000). Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Waterloo, ON: Archeus Communications. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^ abcdefgRoyal Duncan and Gary Will (2006). "(Mexico) Mexico: IWRG Welterweight title". Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. p. 402. ISBN0-9698161-5-4.
^Madigan, Dan (2007). ""Okay... what is Lucha Libre?"". Mondo Lucha a Go Go: the bizarre & honorable world of wild Mexican wrestling. HarperCollins Publisher. pp. 29–40. ISBN978-0-06-085583-3.