IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
Contents |
[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.
- To date, Sabu & Black Tiger IV are the only Americans to hold the title and Owen Hart & Pegasus Kid (Chris Benoit) are the only Canadians to hold it.
[edit] See also
- New Japan Pro Wrestling
- Number of World Heavyweight title reigns in professional wrestling
- List of IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship reigns by length
