"IWGP" are the initials of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix (インターナショナル・レスリング・グラン・プリ, intānashonaru resuringu guran puri).

[1][5] The following day, NJPW revealed the title's official name as the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship.

[8] Tetsuya Naito noted how the new title had the same concept as the IWGP Intercontinental Championship,[9] which had been established during NJPW's May 2011 United States tour, promoted in conjunction with Jersey All Pro Wrestling (JAPW).

The first champion would be crowned in a single-elimination tournament on the weekend of July 1 and 2, 2017, during NJPW's G1 Special in USA shows in Long Beach, California.

[17] Since its creation, the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship was defended in both Japan and the United States with the first Japanese defense taking place on September 24, 2017, at Destruction in Kobe and the first stateside defense taking place on October 15, 2017, at Global Wars: Chicago.

[22] Throughout 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented then champion Jon Moxley from traveling to Japan for NJPW events while keeping his commitments with All Elite Wrestling (AEW), with whom he is also contracted.

At July 2021's AEW Fyter Fest Night 1 event, Moxley retained the championship for his record-setting fifth defense against Impact Wrestling's Karl Anderson.

The following week on Night 2 of the event, Lance Archer defeated Moxley for the championship in a Texas Death Match for his second reign.

Tanahashi also was the first Japanese wrestler to win the title, was the oldest champion when he won it at 45 years old, and his third reign in the shortest at 13 days.