Global Junior Heavyweight League

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The Global Junior Heavyweight League is a professional wrestling round-robin tournament held by Pro Wrestling Noah. The purpose of the tournament is to determine the promotion's top junior heavyweight wrestler. It was originally designed to be an annual event starting in 2009, but the second tournament did not take place until 2015. The tournament is a two-block round-robin tournament, much like New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Best of the Super Juniors tournament, in which each block's two highest scorers face off in the semifinals. A victory is worth two points, a draw was worth one, and a loss zero; each match has a thirty-minute time limit. Being a professional wrestling tournament, the outcome of the matches and the tournament itself are not determined through pure athletic competition but through pre-determined outcomes to matches.[1]

List of winners[edit]

Global Junior Heavyweight League[edit]

Jr. Rumble[edit]

2009[edit]

The first tournament, named simply Junior Heavyweight League, was held from October 15 to October 31 over nine shows, and featured two blocks of five. Foreign participation included Delirious from Ring of Honor and Jyushin Thunder Liger from New Japan Pro-Wrestling. The winner, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, also won the vacant GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship. Delirious was awarded place in the semifinal because original block A runner-up Kotaro Suzuki had to withdraw with a flu.

Final standings
Block A Block B
Katsuhiko Nakajima 6 Jyushin Thunder Liger 5
Kotaro Suzuki 5 Yoshinobu Kanemaru 4
Delirious 4 Atsushi Aoki 3
Kenta 3 Taiji Ishimori 2
Ricky Marvin 2 Genba Hirayanagi 0
Block A Delirious Katsuhiko Nakajima Kenta Kotaro Suzuki Ricky Marvin
Delirious Nakajima (15:05) Delirious (18:54) Suzuki (13:52) Delirious (14:20)
Katsuhiko Nakajima Nakajima (15:05) Draw (30:00) Draw (30:00) Nakajima (12:07)
Kenta Delirious (18:54) Draw (30:00) Suzuki (17:28) Kenta (1:59)
Kotaro Suzuki Suzuki (13:52) Draw (30:00) Suzuki (17:28) Marvin (9:04)
Ricky Marvin Delirious (14:20) Nakajima(12:07) Kenta (1:59) Marvin (9:04)
Block B Atsushi Aoki Genba Hirayanagi Jyushin Thunder Liger Taiji Ishimori Yoshinobu Kanemaru
Atsushi Aoki Aoki (13:11) Draw (30:00) Ishimori (13:54) Kanemaru (17:32)
Genba Hirayanagi Aoki (13:11) Double countout (9:19) Double countout (7:09) Double countout (7:45)
Jyushin Thunder Liger Draw (30:00) Double countout (9:19) Liger (13:08) Liger (14:45)
Taiji Ishimori Ishimori (13:54) Double countout (7:09) Liger (13:08) Kanemaru (15:56)
Yoshinobu Kanemaru Kanemaru (17:32) Double countout (7:45) Liger (14:45) Kanemaru (15:56)
Semifinals Finals
      
A1 Katsuhiko Nakajima Pin
B2 Yoshinobu Kanemaru 10:17
B2 Yoshinobu Kanemaru Pin
B1 Jyushin Thunder Liger 18:53
B1 Jyushin Thunder Liger Pin
A2 Delirious 10:45

2015[edit]

The second tournament, now named Global Junior Heavyweight League, took place from July 18 to August 5, 2015.[1]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Daisuke Harada 10 Atsushi Kotoge 8
El Desperado 8 Taiji Ishimori 8
Kenoh 8 Bengala 6
Zack Sabre Jr. 8 Hajime Ohara 6
Yoshinari Ogawa 6 Super Crazy 6
Sho Tanaka 2 Taka Michinoku 6
Hitoshi Kumano 0 Genba Hirayanagi 2
Block A Daisuke Harada El Desperado Hitoshi Kumano Kenoh Sho Tanaka Yoshinari Ogawa Zack Sabre Jr.
Daisuke Harada Harada (5:23) Harada (10:06) Harada (13:29) Harada (8:33) Harada (11:58) Sabre (12:12)
El Desperado Harada (5:23) Desperado (7:53) Desperado (13:31) Desperado (10:19) Ogawa (1:05) Desperado (11:06)
Hitoshi Kumano Harada (10:06) Desperado (7:53) Kenoh (9:03) Tanaka (9:01) Ogawa (8:41) Sabre (9:47)
Kenoh Harada (13:29) Desperado (13:31) Kenoh (9:03) Kenoh (13:50) Kenoh (13:28) Kenoh (7:33)
Sho Tanaka Harada (8:33) Desperado (10:19) Tanaka (9:01) Kenoh (13:50) Ogawa (3:32) Sabre (10:07)
Yoshinari Ogawa Harada (11:58) Ogawa (1:05) Ogawa (8:41) Kenoh (13:28) Ogawa (3:32) Sabre (11:46)
Zack Sabre Jr. Sabre (12:12) Desperado (11:06) Sabre (9:47) Kenoh (7:33) Sabre (10:07) Sabre (11:46)
Block B Atsushi Kotoge Bengala Genba Hirayanagi Hajime Ohara Super Crazy Taiji Ishimori Taka Michinoku
Atsushi Kotoge Kotoge (8:49) Kotoge (8:36) Ohara (12:41) Crazy (11:05) Kotoge (14:58) Kotoge (10:44)
Bengala Kotoge (8:49) Hirayanagi (6:22) Bengala (6:15) Bengala (3:24) Ishimori (10:48) Bengala (7:40)
Genba Hirayanagi Kotoge (8:36) Hirayanagi (6:22) Ohara (8:29) Crazy (5:29) Ishimori (7:44) Michinoku (7:33)
Hajime Ohara Ohara (12:41) Bengala (6:15) Ohara (8:29) Crazy (10:16) Ishimori (7:15) Ohara (11:31)
Super Crazy Crazy (11:05) Bengala (3:24) Crazy (5:29) Crazy (10:16) Ishimori (12:27) Michinoku (8:26)
Taiji Ishimori Kotoge (14:58) Ishimori (10:48) Ishimori (7:44) Ishimori (7:15) Ishimori (12:27) Michinoku (9:07)
Taka Michinoku Kotoge (10:44) Bengala (7:40) Michinoku (7:33) Ohara (11:31) Michinoku (8:26) Michinoku (9:07)
Final
   
A1 Daisuke Harada Pin
B1 Atsushi Kotoge 16:35

2018[edit]

The third tournament took place from September 8 to October 4, 2018.[2]

Final standings
Block A Block B
Kotaro Suzuki 8 Yo-Hey 8
Daisuke Harada 6 Ikuto Hidaka 7
Hitoshi Kumano 6 Hi69 6
Tadasuke 6 Minoru Tanaka 6
Seiya Morohashi 2 Hayata 3
Hajime Ohara 2 Junta Miyawaki 0
Block A Daisuke Harada Hajime Ohara Hitoshi Kumano Kotaro Suzuki Seiya Morohashi Tadasuke
Daisuke Harada Harada (19:04) Harada (12:06) Suzuki (16:31) Harada (8:47) Tadasuke (15:31)
Hajime Ohara Harada (19:04) Kumano (12:24) Ohara (10:11) Morohashi (10:05) Tadasuke (6:54)
Hitoshi Kumano Harada (12:06) Kumano (12:24) Suzuki (14:33) Kumano (11:52) Kumano (9:59)
Kotaro Suzuki Suzuki (16:31) Ohara (10:11) Suzuki (14:33) Suzuki (9:19) Suzuki (10:18)
Seiya Morohashi Harada (8:47) Morohashi (10:05) Kumano (11:52) Suzuki (9:19) Tadasuke (9:53)
Tadasuke Tadasuke (15:31) Tadasuke (6:54) Kumano (9:59) Suzuki (10:18) Tadasuke (9:53)
Block B Hayata Hi69 Ikuto Hidaka Junta Miyawaki Minoru Tanaka Yo-Hey
Hayata Hi69 (9:35) Hidaka (11:11) Hayata (4:45) Tanaka (11:33) Draw (12:36)
Hi69 Hi69 (9:35) Hidaka (14:47) Hi69 (2:49) Hi69 (19:41) Yo-Hey (13:11)
Ikuto Hidaka Hidaka (11:11) Hidaka (14:47) Hidaka (8:03) Tanaka (12:38) Draw (30:00)
Junta Miyawaki Hayata (4:45) Hi69 (2:49) Hidaka (8:03) Tanaka (5:55) Yo-Hey (8:02)
Minoru Tanaka Tanaka (11:33) Hi69 (19:41) Tanaka (12:38) Tanaka (5:55) Yo-Hey (14:57)
Yo-Hey Draw (12:36) Yo-Hey (13:11) Draw (30:00) Yo-Hey (8:02) Yo-Hey (14:57)
Final
   
A1 Kotaro Suzuki Pin
B1 Yo-Hey 17:00

2019[edit]

The fourth Global Junior Heavyweight League took place from June 27 to July 27, 2019.[3]

Current standings
Block A Block B
Tadasuke 8 Hayata 7
Yo-Hey 6 Kotaro Suzuki 7
Yoshinari Ogawa 6 Chris Ridgeway 6
Daisuke Harada 5 Hajime Ohara 4
Minoru Tanaka 5 Hi69 4
Junta Miyawaki 0 Hitoshi Kumano 2
Block A Daisuke Harada Junta Miyawaki Minoru Tanaka Tadasuke Yo-Hey Yoshinari Ogawa
Daisuke Harada Harada (6:52) Draw (30:00) Tadasuke (15:01) Harada (15:20) Ogawa (9:47)
Junta Miyawaki Harada (6:52) Tanaka (8:43) Tadasuke (8:57) Yo-Hey (8:57) Ogawa (9:54)
Minoru Tanaka Draw (30:00) Tanaka (8:43) Tadasuke (10:14) Yo-Hey (12:40) Tanaka (11:33)
Tadasuke Tadasuke (15:01) Tadasuke (8:57) Tadasuke (10:14) Tadasuke (10:41) Ogawa (13:19)
Yo-Hey Harada (15:20) Yo-Hey (8:57) Yo-Hey (12:40) Tadasuke (10:41) Yo-Hey (14:14)
Yoshinari Ogawa Ogawa (9:47) Ogawa (9:54) Tanaka (11:33) Ogawa (13:19) Yo-Hey (14:14)
Block B Chris Ridgeway Hajime Ohara Hayata Hi69 Hitoshi Kumano Kotaro Suzuki
Chris Ridgeway Ohara (9:20) Hayata (14:30) Ridgeway (13:08) Ridgeway (10:01) Ridgeway (8:38)
Hajime Ohara Ohara (9:20) Hayata (15:59) Ohara (10:20) Kumano (13:35) Suzuki (10:09)
Hayata Hayata (14:30) Hayata (15:59) Hi69 (11:27) Hayata (11:01) Draw (30:00)
Hi69 Ridgeway (13:08) Ohara (10:20) Hi69 (11:27) Hi69 (9:39) Suzuki (8:59)
Hitoshi Kumano Ridgeway (10:01) Kumano (13:35) Hayata (11:01) Hi69 (9:39) Suzuki (10:32)
Kotaro Suzuki Ridgeway (8:38) Suzuki (10:09) Draw (30:00) Suzuki (8:59) Suzuki (10:32)
Block B Decision Final
A1 Tadasuke Pin
B1 Hayata Pin B1 Hayata 19:12
B2 Kotaro Suzuki 3:13

2020[edit]

The 2020 Global Junior Heavyweight League, featuring 4 blocks took place between January 10 and January 30.[4]

Final standings
Block A Block B Block C Block D
Yoshinari Ogawa 4 Dick Togo 4 Hajime Ohara 4 Daisuke Harada 4
Hayata 2 Kotaro Suzuki 4 Atsushi Kotoge 4 Minoru Tanaka 3
Nosawa Rongai 2 Tadasuke 2 Yo-Hey 2 Nio 3
Junta Miyawaki 0 Hao 2 Hitoshi Kumano 2 Chris Ridgeway 2
Block A Hayata Yoshinari
Ogawa
Nosawa
Rongai
Junta
Miyawaki
Hayata Ogawa
(18:33)
Double
Countout
(6:43)
Hayata
(9:48)
Yoshinari
Ogawa
Ogawa
(18:33)
Double
Countout
(10:29)
Ogawa
(8:08)
Nosawa
Rongai
Double
Countout
(6:43)
Double
Countout
(10:29)
Nosawa
(9:23)
Junta
Miyawaki
Hayata
(9:48)
Ogawa
(8:08)
Nosawa
(9:23)
Block B Kotaro
Suzuki
Tadasuke Hao Dick
Togo
Kotaro
Suzuki
Suzuki
(7:39)
Suzuki
(9:20)
Togo
(15:09)
Tadasuke Suzuki
(7:39)
Tadasuke
(7:49)
Tadasuke
(12:46)
Hao Suzuki
(9:20)
Tadasuke
(7:49)
Togo
(9:21)
Dick
Togo
Togo
(15:09)
Tadasuke
(12:46)
Togo
(9:21)
Block C Atsushi
Kotoge
Yo-Hey Hajime
Ohara
Hitoshi
Kumano
Atsushi
Kotoge
Kotoge
(15:41)
Ohara
(14:20)
Kotoge
(10:56)
Yo-Hey Kotoge
(15:41)
Ohara
(13:49)
Yo-Hey
(13:53)
Hajime
Ohara
Ohara
(14:20)
Ohara
(13:49)
Kumano
(13:39)
Hitoshi
Kumano
Kotoge
(10:56)
Yo-Hey
(13:53)
Kumano
(13:39)
Block D Daisuke
Harada
Chris
Ridgeway
Minoru
Tanaka
Nio
Daisuke
Harada
Harada
(10:56)
Draw
(30:00)
Draw
(30:00)
Chris
Ridgeway
Harada
(10:56)
Tanaka
(11:34)
Ridgeway
(13:39)
Minoru
Tanaka
Draw
(30:00)
Tanaka
(11:34)
Nio
(14:24)
Nio Draw
(30:00)
Ridgeway
(13:39)
Nio
(14:24)
Semifinals Finals
      
A1 Yoshinari Ogawa Sub
B1 Dick Togo 8:31
B1 Dick Togo Pin
D1 Daisuke Harada 19:43
C1 Hajime Ohara Pin
D1 Daisuke Harada 15:45

2020 (Rumble)[edit]

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the Junior Heavyweight League was replaced with an annual Junior Rumble. The first edition was on 4 October as part of an N-1 Victory 2020 show at Korakuen Hall in Bunkyō, Tokyo and contained 14 participants. They entered strictly every 30 seconds. The winner of this rumble did not receive a GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship shot and the reigning champion, Kotaro Suzuki, participated.[5]

Entry Wrestler Unit Order Eliminated by Method Time of
elimination
1 Daisuke Harada Momo no Seishun 11/12 Hayata Over The Top Rope 22:00
2 Yo-Hey Full Throttle 11/12 Hayata Over The Top Rope 22:00
3 Tadasuke Kongo 7 Nioh Over The Top Rope 16:22
4 Hayata Stinger 13 Atsushi Kotoge Pinfall 24:32
5 Nosawa Rongai Sugiura-gun 5 Atsushi Kotoge Pinfall 14:59
6 Junta Miyawaki Momo no Seishun 6 Tadasuke Pinfall 15:33
7 Yoshinari Ogawa Stinger 1 Himself Abandoned the match. 5:49
8 Seiki Yoshioka Full Throttle 4 Nosawa Rongai Pinfall 12:59
9 Kaz Hayashi Sugiura-gun 3 Seiki Yoshioka Over The Top Rope 12:35
10 Haoh Kongo 9 Hayata Pinfall 18:18
11 Nioh Kongo 10 Daisuke Harada Pinfall 19:47
12 Hajime Ohara Full Throttle 2 Kaz Hayashi Pinfall 12:14
13 Kotaro Suzuki Stinger 8 Haoh Pinfall 17:29
14 Atsushi Kotoge Momo no Seishun - WINNER - -
Winner: Atsushi Kotoge

2021[edit]

The 2021 Noah Junior Rumble was held in an empty Club Citta, Kawasaki, Kanagawa on 26 June, one month before the Noah Jr. Team Game 2021.[6] It was part of Noah Cage War 2021. The Rumble had 15 participants, 1 more than the previous year. The winner, Hayata, successfully defeated Atsushi Kotoge for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship the next night.

Haoh, Tadasuke and Nioh all entered at the same time. Hayata & Yoshinari Ogawa entered unofficially and were allowed entry by the referee.

Entry Wrestler Unit Order Eliminated by Method Time of
elimination
1 Daisuke Harada Seiki gun / Momo no Seishun 2 Hayata Over The Top Rope 17:26
2 Nosawa Rongai Los Perros del Mal de Japón 1 Yoshinari Ogawa Over The Top Rope 17:26
3 Eita Los Perros del Mal de Japón 8 Yoshinari Ogawa Over The Top Rope 23:55
4 Seiki Yoshioka Stinger 11 Yo-Hey Over The Top Rope 25:25
5 Junta Miyawaki Seiki-gun 7 Eita Pinfall 23:13
6 Yo-Hey Los Perros del Mal de Japón 14 Hayata Pinfall 35:00
7-9 Haoh Kongo 4 Junta Miyawaki Pinfall 21:11
Tadasuke Kongo 10 Seiki Yoshioka Pinfall 24:51
Nioh Kongo 5 Junta Miyawaki Over The Top Rope 21:41
10 Hajime Ohara Seiki-gun 3 Haoh Pinfall 20:26
11 Yuya Susumu Stinger 9 Tadasuke Pinfall 24:20
12 Ikuto Hidaka Los Perros del Mal de Japón 6 Yuya Susumu Pinfall 22:26
13 Kotaro Suzuki Los Perros del Mal de Japón 13 Hayata Pinfall 26:52
14-15 Hayata Stinger - WINNER - -
Yoshinari Ogawa Stinger 12 Kotaro Suzuki, Nosawa Rongai & Yo-Hey Over The Top Rope 26:01
Winner: Hayata (2)

2022[edit]

The 2022 Noah Junior Rumble was part of the N Innovation U-Cup. It was held at Yokohama Radiant Hall, Yokohama on 6 January. Daisuke Harada, the winner, successfully defeated Hayata for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship the next night.[7]

Entry Wrestler Unit Order Eliminated by Method Time of
elimination
1 Atsushi Kotoge Seiki-gun 9 Yo-Hey Pinfall 16:49
2 Alejandro Kongo 6 Hajime Ohara Pinfall 14:54
3 Yuya Susumu Stinger 4 Atsushi Kotoge Pinfall 11:13
4 Yo-Hey Los Perros del Mal de Japón 12 Seiki Yoshioka Over The Top Rope 20:00
5 Seiki Yoshioka Stinger 13 Kotaro Suzuki Pinfall 20:20
6 Tadasuke Kongo 5 Junta Miyawaki Over The Top Rope 11:59
7 Junta Miyawaki Seiki-gun 8 Haoh Pinfall 16:20
8 Nosawa Rongai Los Perros del Mal de Japón 2 Yoshinari Ogawa Over The Top Rope 6:51
9 Yoshinari Ogawa Stinger 3 Nosawa Rongai Over The Top Rope 7:42
10 Eita Los Perros del Mal de Japón 1 Nosawa Rongai Over The Top Rope 6:49
11 Daisuke Harada Seiki-gun - WINNER - -
12 Kotaro Suzuki Los Perros del Mal de Japón 14 Daisuke Harada Pinfall 24:30
13 Haoh Kongo 11 Daisuke Harada Over The Top Rope 18:18
14 Nioh Kongo 7 Junta Miyawaki Pinfall 14:59
15 Hajime Ohara Seiki-gun 10 Seiki Yoshioka Pinfall 17:33
Winner: Daisuke Harada (3)

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "「グローバル・ジュニア・ヘビー級リーグ戦 2015」出場選手決定のお知らせ". Pro Wrestling Noah (in Japanese). 2015-06-19. Retrieved 2015-06-19.
  2. ^ Dark angel (September 21, 2018). "NOAH: »Global Jr. League 2018 ″ Days 6 and 7". superluchas.com. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  3. ^ "【6・27後楽園で開幕!】GLOBAL Jr. LEAGUE 2019情報". プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト | PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE. Retrieved 2019-06-14.
  4. ^ "GLOBAL Jr. LEAGUE 2020 まとめページ!全出場選手&全カード決定!". プロレスリング・ノア公式サイト | PRO-WRESTLING NOAH OFFICIAL SITE. Retrieved 2020-01-19.
  5. ^ Wood, Gareth (October 5, 2020). "Full Results From Pro Wrestling NOAH's N1 Victory 2020 Day Six". itrwrestling.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  6. ^ Williams, Xavier (June 25, 2021). "Preview: Pro Wrestling NOAH CAGE WAR (06/26/21)". lastwordonsports.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.
  7. ^ Dark Angel (January 15, 2022). "NOAH: "N-Innovation Cup 2022" Day 1". superluchas.com. Retrieved January 26, 2023.