IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship

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IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Details
Current
champion(s)		 Wataru Inoue
Date won December 8, 2007
Promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling
Date created February 6, 1986

The IWGP (International Wrestling Grand Prix) Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling title in the Japanese promotion of New Japan Pro Wrestling, and is contested exclusively among junior heavyweight (<100 kg (220 lb/16 st)) wrestlers. The title was created on February 6, 1986 when Shiro Koshinaka defeated The Cobra in a tournament final.[1] In addition to Japan, the title has also been defended in the United States[1] and Mexico.[2] There have been a total of 26 recognized champions who have had a combined 53 official reigns.

Contents


[edit] Title history

Wrestler: Times: Date: Location: Notes:
Shiro Koshinaka 1 February 6, 1986 Tokyo, Japan Defeated The Cobra in a tournament final.[1]
Nobuhiko Takada 1 May 19, 1986 Tokyo, Japan [3]
Shiro Koshinaka 2 September 19, 1986 Fukuoka, Japan [3]
Vacated August 2, 1987 Vacated due to Koshinaka injuring his leg.[1]
Kuniaki Kobayashi 1 August 20, 1987 Tokyo, Japan Defeated Nobuhiko Takada.[3]
Hiroshi Hase 1 December 27, 1987 Tokyo, Japan Won the title at Inoki Toukon Live III.[4]
Owen Hart 1 May 27, 1988 Sendai, Japan [3]
Shiro Koshinaka 3 June 24, 1988 Osaka, Japan [5]
Hiroshi Hase 2 March 16, 1989 Yokohama, Japan [5]
Jushin Liger 1 May 25, 1989 Osaka, Japan [5]
Naoki Sano 1 August 10, 1989 Tokyo, Japan [5]
Jushin Liger 2 January 31, 1990 Osaka, Japan [5]
Pegasus Kid 1 August 19, 1990 Tokyo, Japan [5]
Jushin Liger 3 November 1, 1990 Tokyo, Japan [6]
Vacated April 15, 1991 Vacated so the title could be decided in the Top of the Super Juniors tournament.[6]
Norio Honaga 1 April 30, 1991 Tokyo, Japan Defeated Jushin Liger in the finals of the Top of the Super Juniors tournament.[6]
Jushin Liger 4 June 12, 1991 Tokyo, Japan [6]
Akira Nogami 1 August 9, 1991 Tokyo, Japan [6]
Norio Honaga 2 November 5, 1991 Tokyo, Japan [6]
Jushin Liger 5 February 8, 1992 Sapporo, Japan [6]
El Samurai 1 June 26, 1992 Tokyo, Japan [7]
Ultimo Dragon 1 November 22, 1992 Tokyo, Japan [7]
Jushin Liger 6 January 4, 1993 Tokyo, Japan Won the title at Fantastic Story in Tokyo Dome.[8]
Vacated September 24, 1994 Vacated due to Liger fracturing his left ankle.[7]
Norio Honaga 3 September 27, 1994 Osaka, Japan Defeated Pegasus Kid in a tournament final on the G1 Climax Special tour.[9]
Koji Kanemoto 1 February 19, 1995 Tokyo, Japan [7]
Sabu 1 May 3, 1995 Fukuoka, Japan Won the title at Wrestling Dontaku.[10]
Koji Kanemoto 2 June 14, 1995 Tokyo, Japan This match was also for Kanemoto's UWA World Welterweight Championship.[10]
Jushin Liger 7 January 4, 1996 Tokyo, Japan Won the title at Wrestling World.[11]
The Great Sasuke 1 April 29, 1996 Tokyo, Japan Won the title at Battle Formation.[11] On August 5, 1996, Sasuke wins an 8-man tournament on the G1 Climax tour to form the J-Crown, an octuple-belt championship that includes the IWGP Junior title; these titles are still considered separate, but are defended together.[12][13]
Ultimo Dragon 2 October 11, 1996 Osaka, Japan [14]
Jushin Liger 8 January 4, 1997 Tokyo, Japan Won the title at Wrestling World.[15] Liger loses the WAR Junior title from the J-Crown on June 6, 1997, but continues to defend the other 7 belts.[13]
El Samurai 2 July 6, 1997 Sapporo, Japan Won the title on the Summer Struggle tour.[16]
Shinjiro Otani 1 August 10, 1997 Nagoya, Japan Won the title at The Four Heaven in Nagoya Dome.[15] On November 5, 1997, Otani vacates all J-Crown belts but the IWGP title after the WWF retakes control of its Light Heavyweight title, effectively sealing the J-Crown.[13]
Jushin Liger 9 February 7, 1998 Sapporo, Japan Won the title on the Fighting Spirit tour.[17]
Koji Kanemoto 3 March 17, 1999 Hiroshima, Japan Won the title on the Hyper Battle tour.[18]
Kendo Kashin 1 August 28, 1999 Tokyo, Japan Won the title at Jingu Climax.[19]
Jushin Liger 10 October 11, 1999 Tokyo, Japan Won the title at Final Dome.[19]
Juventud Guerrera 1 November 29, 1999 Denver, CO Won the title on World Championship Wrestling's Monday Nitro.[20][21]
Jushin Liger 11 December 6, 1999 Milwaukee, WI Defeated Psychosis on WCW Monday Nitro due to Guerrera suffering a fractured right arm.[20][21][22]
Tatsuhito Takaiwa 1 July 20, 2000 Sapporo, Japan Won the title on the Summer Struggle tour.[23]
Minoru Tanaka 1 October 29, 2000 Kobe, Japan Won the title on the Get a Right!! BLACK vs. G-EGGS tour.[24]
Masayuki Naruse 1 July 20, 2001 Sapporo, Japan Won the title at Dome Quake.[25]
Kendo Kashin 2 October 8, 2001 Tokyo, Japan Won the title at Indicate of Next.[25]
Minoru Tanaka 2 February 16, 2002 Tokyo, Japan Won the title on the Fighting Spirit tour.[26]
Koji Kanemoto 4 July 19, 2002 Sapporo, Japan Won the title at Sapporo Toukon Memorial Day 1st.[27]
Tiger Mask IV 1 April 23, 2003 Hiroshima, Japan Won the title on the Strong Energy tour.[28]
Vacated September 23, 2003 Vacated so the title could be decided in a battle royal.[1]
Jado 1 October 13, 2003 Tokyo, Japan This was an 11-man battle royal at Ultimate Crush II.[29]
Heat
(formerly Minoru Tanaka)		 3 December 14, 2003 Nagoya, Japan Won the title on the Battle Final tour.[30]
Tiger Mask IV 2 January 4, 2005 Tokyo, Japan Won the title at Toukon Festival ~ Wrestling World.[31]
Black Tiger IV 1 October 8, 2005 Tokyo, Japan This match, at Toukon Souzou New Chapter, was also for Black Tiger's NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.[31]
Tiger Mask IV 3 February 19, 2006 Tokyo, Japan This match, on the Circuit 2006 Acceleration tour, was also for Black Tiger's NWA World Junior Heavyweight title.[32]
Koji Kanemoto 5 May 3, 2006 Fukuoka, Japan Won the title on the New Japan Cup Special tour.[33]
Minoru
(formerly Heat)		 4 December 24, 2006 Tokyo, Japan Won the title at Battle Xmas! Catch the Victory.[34]
Ryusuke Taguchi 1 July 6, 2007 Tokyo, Japan Won the title on the Circuit 2007 New Japan Soul tour.[35]
Wataru Inoue 1 December 8, 2007 Osaka, Japan Won the title on the Circuit 2007 New Japan Alive tour.[36]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship title history. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  2. ^ Jushin Liger's tenth reign. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  3. ^ a b c d IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship official title history (page 1) (Japanese). NJPW.co.jp. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  4. ^ NJPW results, 1972 - 1989. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  5. ^ a b c d e f IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship official title history (page 2) (Japanese). NJPW.co.jp. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship official title history (page 3) (Japanese). NJPW.co.jp. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  7. ^ a b c d IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship official title history (page 4) (Japanese). NJPW.co.jp. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  8. ^ NJPW results, 1993. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  9. ^ NJPW G1 Climax Special tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  10. ^ a b NJPW results, 1995. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  11. ^ a b NJPW results, 1996. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  12. ^ NJPW G1 Climax 1996 tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  13. ^ a b c J-Crown title history. TitleHistories.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  14. ^ IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship official title history (page 5) (Japanese). NJPW.co.jp. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  15. ^ a b NJPW results, 1997. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  16. ^ NJPW Summer Struggle 1997 tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  17. ^ NJPW Fighting Spirit 1998 tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  18. ^ NJPW Hyper Battle tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  19. ^ a b NJPW results, 1999. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  20. ^ a b IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship official title history (page 6) (Japanese). NJPW.co.jp. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  21. ^ a b WCW Monday Nitro results, 1999. Wrestling Information Archive. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  22. ^ IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship official title history (page 7) (Japanese). NJPW.co.jp. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  23. ^ NJPW Summer Struggle 2000 tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  24. ^ NJPW Get a Right!! BLACK vs. G-EGGS tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  25. ^ a b NJPW results, 2001. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  26. ^ NJPW Fighting Spirit 2002 tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  27. ^ NJPW Summer Fight Series tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  28. ^ NJPW Strong Energy tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  29. ^ NJPW results, 2003. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  30. ^ NJPW Battle Final tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  31. ^ a b NJPW results, 2005. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  32. ^ NJPW Circuit 2006 Acceleration tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  33. ^ NJPW New Japan Cup Special tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  34. ^ NJPW results, 2006. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  35. ^ NJPW Circuit 2007 New Japan Soul tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-07-08.
  36. ^ NJPW Circuit 2007 New Japan Alive tour results. Strong Style Spirit. Retrieved on 2007-12-08.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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