IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

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The IWGP (International Wrestling Grand Prix) Junior Heavyweight Championship is the top singles title in New Japan Pro Wrestling's Junior Heavyweight division. It has existed since February 6, 1986 to present.

1 Title history
2 Trivia
3 See also
4 References

[edit] Title history

Wrestler	Reigns	Date	Location	Notes
Shiro Koshinaka	1	February 6, 1986	Tokyo, Japan	Defeated The Cobra in a tournament final.
Nobuhiko Takada	1	May 19, 1986	Tokyo, Japan
Shiro Koshinaka	2	September 19, 1986	Fukuoka, Japan
Vacated on August 2, 1987 when Koshinaka suffers a leg injury.
Kuniaki Kobayashi	1	August 20, 1987	Tokyo, Japan	Defeated Nobuhiko Takada in a tournament final.
Hiroshi Hase	1	December 27, 1987	Tokyo, Japan
Owen Hart	1	May 27, 1988	Sendai, Japan
Shiro Koshinaka	3	June 24, 1988	Osaka, Japan
Hiroshi Hase	2	March 16, 1989	Yokohama, Japan
Jushin Liger	1	May 25, 1989	Osaka, Japan
Naoki Sano	1	August 10, 1989	Tokyo, Japan
Jushin Liger	2	January 31, 1990	Osaka, Japan
Pegasus Kid	1	August 19, 1990	Tokyo, Japan
Jushin Liger	3	November 1, 1990	Tokyo, Japan
Vacated on April 15, 1991 so the title can be decided in the Top of the Super Juniors tournament.
Norio Honaga	1	April 30, 1991	Tokyo, Japan	Defeated Jushin Liger in the final of the Top of the Super Juniors.
Jushin Liger	4	June 12, 1991	Tokyo, Japan
Akira Nogami	1	August 9, 1991	Tokyo, Japan
Norio Honaga	2	November 5, 1991	Tokyo, Japan
Jushin Liger	5	February 8, 1992	Sapporo, Japan
El Samurai	1	June 26, 1992	Tokyo, Japan
Ultimo Dragon	1	November 22, 1992	Tokyo, Japan
Jushin Liger	6	January 4, 1993	Tokyo, Japan
Vacated on September 24, 1994 when Liger suffers a leg injury.
Norio Honaga	3	September 27, 1994	Osaka, Japan	Defeated Wild Pegasus in a tournament final.
Koji Kanemoto	1	February 19, 1995	Tokyo, Japan
Sabu	1	May 3, 1995	Fukuoka, Japan
Koji Kanemoto	2	June 14, 1995	Tokyo, Japan
Jushin Liger	7	January 4, 1996	Tokyo, Japan
The Great Sasuke	1	April 29, 1996	Tokyo, Japan
Ultimo Dragon	2	October 11, 1996	Osaka, Japan
Jushin Liger	8	January 4, 1997	Tokyo, Japan
El Samurai	2	July 6, 1997	Sapporo, Japan
Shinjiro Ohtani	1	August 10, 1997	Nagoya, Japan
Jushin Liger	9	February 7, 1998	Sapporo, Japan
Koji Kanemoto	3	March 17, 1999	Hiroshima, Japan
Kendo Kashin	1	August 28, 1999	Tokyo, Japan
Jushin Liger	10	October 11, 1999	Tokyo, Japan
Juventud Guerrera†	1	November 29, 1999	Denver, Colorado
Jushin Liger†	11	December 6, 1999	Milwaukee, Wisconsin	Psicosis substituted for an injured Guerrera in this match.
Tatsuhito Takaiwa	1	July 20, 2000	Sapporo, Japan
Minoru Tanaka	1	October 29, 2000	Kobe, Japan
Masayuki Naruse	1	July 20, 2001	Sapporo, Japan
Kendo Kashin	2	October 9, 2001	Tokyo, Japan
Vacated on February 1, 2002 when Kashin leaves for All Japan Pro Wrestling.
Minoru Tanaka	2	February 16, 2002	Tokyo, Japan	Defeated Masahito Kakihara in a decision match.
Koji Kanemoto	4	July 19, 2002	Sapporo, Japan
Tiger Mask	1	April 23, 2003	Hiroshima, Japan
Vacated on September 23, 2003 so the title could be decided in a battle royal.
Jado	1	October 13, 2003	Tokyo, Japan	Won an 11-man battle royal, last eliminating Koji Kanemoto.
Heat	3	December 14, 2003	Nagoya, Japan
Tiger Mask	2	January 4, 2005	Tokyo, Japan
Black Tiger	1	October 8, 2005	Tokyo, Japan	Also holds NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Tiger Mask	3	February 19, 2006	Tokyo, Japan	Also wins NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Koji Kanemoto	5	May 3, 2006	Fukuoka, Japan
Minoru	4	December 24, 2006	Tokyo, Japan

†These title changes occurred in World Championship Wrestling, and are unrecognized by New Japan.

[edit] Trivia

Jushin Liger has won the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title a record 11 times. Koji Kanemoto is second with 5 wins.

Jushin Liger's title loss to Juventud Guerrera nor Guerrera himself are recognized in the title lineage. Both title changes occurred in World Championship Wrestling in the United States under the booking of Vince Russo, who was a suspect booker from his time in the WWE. According to NJPW Liger is still a 10 time champion.