AEW International Champion Konosuke Takeshita Discusses Plans for Title Defense

In a surprising turn of events, Konosuke Takeshita captured the AEW International Championship at AEW WrestleDream. Following his victory, Takeshita was asked about his plans for defending the title during the WrestleDream post-show media scrum, particularly whether he intends to take it global like previous champions.

“I said [I’d take this title] all over the world,” Takeshita affirmed. “So Italy, Australia, America, Canada, Japan—I will accept any challenge that is worthy of me.”

Since its inception in 2022, the AEW International Championship (formerly known as the All-Atlantic and American Championship) has seen defenses in various countries, including Canada, Mexico, Ireland, England, and the United States. The last title defense outside the U.S. occurred during MJF’s reign, which lasted 39 days. During that time, he defended the title in Mexico’s CMLL and at Revolution Pro Wrestling in England.

MJF ultimately lost the International Championship to Will Ospreay at AEW All In. Fast forward to WrestleDream, Ospreay put the title on the line against Takeshita and Ricochet. However, Ospreay’s second reign with the championship was cut short when his longtime friend Kyle Fletcher betrayed him with a screwdriver, allowing Takeshita to land a running knee for the victory and claim the title.

While it remains to be seen how long Takeshita will hold the International Championship, it is noteworthy that AEW will be heading to Australia for Grand Slam in February 2025, presenting another opportunity to showcase the title on an international stage.

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