However, after
Shinsuke Nakamura captured the title from Hirooki Goto on July 22, 2012,
[20] and started his first reign, which would last for 313 days, the title began gaining importance. Nakamura also made the title international again, defending it in both the United States and
Mexico.
[21][22] On May 31, 2013, while on tour with Mexican promotion
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), Nakamura lost the title to
La Sombra, marking the first time the title had changed hands outside of NJPW.
[23][24] Nakamura ended up regaining the title back in NJPW two months later on July 20 and in the process became the first two-time holder of the title.
[25] Nakamura continued elevating the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, culminating on it receiving top billing over the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at NJPW's biggest annual event,
Wrestle Kingdom 8 in Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2014,
[26][27] where former multi-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and arguably NJPW's biggest star,
Hiroshi Tanahashi, became the new champion.
[28][29] Afterwards,
Tokyo Sports wrote that the Intercontinental and Heavyweight Championship were now equals, while
Dave Meltzer wrote that Nakamura and Tanahashi made the Intercontinental Championship feel like "the real world title belt"
THERE HE IS!!!!
on the WM main event.
