AWA Japan Women's Championship
The AWA Japan Women's Championship is a women's professional wrestling title in the AWA Superstars of Wrestling Promotion (legally and historically unrelated to the American Wrestling Association). It is spun off from the AWA Superstars of Wrestling's version of the World Women's Championship.
The AWA Superstars of Wrestling's version of the World Women's Championship was created in 1999 in Dale Gagner's independent promotion AWA Superstars of Wrestling, who relicensed the AWA name. However, World Wrestling Entertainment has sued Gagner for the use of the AWA name, citing trademark infringement, as the WWE owns the AWA tape library, trademarks, and logos. AWA Superstars of Wrestling has claimed lineage for their world title to the classic AWA Women's title and control over the title history, but because there is no connection to the original organizations or individuals involved therein, no continuity in title reigns or even physical belts, and questionable legal use of the AWA name, the claims made by AWA Superstars of Wrestling are in historical dispute and in legal jeopardy. AWA Superstars of Wrestling awarded the title to Sherri Martel in 1999.
The current version of the title, the AWA Japan Women's Championship, was created when the AWA Superstars of Wrestling's version of the AWA World Women's Championship was retired following the death of former champion Sherri Martel on June 15, 2007. The AWA, wanting to still recognize the current champion, recognized then-champion Nanae Takahashi of Pro Wrestling Zero1 as the first AWA Japan Women's Champion.[1][2]
Title history
| Wrestler: | Times: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title created by AWA Superstars of Wrestling as AWA World Women's Championship, and awarded to Sherri Martel, claiming lineage to the classic AWA World Women's Championship. This claim of lineage is in historical dispute and legal jeopardy. | ||||
| Sherri Martel | 1 | June 17, 1999 | Fargo, North Dakota | AWA Superstars of Wrestling President Dale Gagner wished to award Martel the title, however she refused. She instead chooses to face Gagner's selected opponent, Miss Manners, whom she defeated to win the title. |
| Title vacanted in 2006 when Martel retired. | ||||
| Nanae Takahashi | 1 | October 1, 2006 | Tokyo, Japan | Defeated Afrika 55. |
| Amazing Kong | 1 | January 14, 2007 | Tokyo, Japan | [3] |
| Nanae Takahashi | 2 | May 13, 2007 | Los Angeles, California | |
| Title vacated on May 14, 2007 due to controversies in the match against Amazing Kong. | ||||
| Nanae Takahashi | 3 | May 27, 2007 | Tokyo, Japan | Defeated Wesna and Amazing Kong in a three-way match. |
| Title retired on June 19, 2007 out of respect to former four-time champion Sherri Martel, who died on June 15. Takahashi is re-christened the AWA Japan Women's Champion. | ||||
| Nanae Takahashi | 1 | June 16, 2007 | Recognized as first AWA Japan Women's champion after the AWA Superstars of Wrestling version of the AWA World Women's Championship was retired following the death of former champion Sherri Martel four days earlier. | |
| Jamie D. | 1 | August 5, 2007 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Saki Maemura | 1 | October 10, 2007 | Osaka, Japan | |
| Deactivated | December 16, 2007 | Honolulu, Hawaii | Hikaru defeats Maemura in a hair vs. title match to become the first Hawai'i Championship Wrestling HCW World Women's Championship and the promotion closes in July 2008. | |
See also
References
- ^ Tanabe, Hisaharu. "A.W.A. Women's World Title". Wrestling-Titles.com. Archived from the original on 13 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-05.
- ^ "AWA Japan Women's Title". TitleHistories.com. Archived from the original on 18 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-05.
- ^ Hoops, Brian (January 14, 2019). "Pro wrestling history (01/14): Christian wins NWA World Title". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved January 18, 2019.