NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship
The NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship started in 1979. It was formed by a split in lineage from the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship caused by the first retirement of champion Nelson Royal the same year. The first champion, Steve Keirn, was recognized as World champion only by Florida, Los Angeles, and New Japan Pro Wrestling. This version was eventually taken to the latter promotion by Tatsumi Fujinami, who already held the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship.
In 1981, champion Chavo Guerrero Sr. left NJPW to go back to the United States, only to come back to Japan under the banner of All Japan Pro Wrestling, where a year later, it was renamed the International Junior Heavyweight Championship to avoid confusion and (along with being given a new belt design) in general line with AJPW's NWA titles. The championship became the cornerstone of AJPW's junior heavyweight division until its eventual replacement by the World Junior Heavyweight Championship, which kept the belt design.[1]
In March 2007, after over two decades of inactivity, Toryumon Mexico reactivated the championship, using the belt that was used prior to November 1982.
Title history
| #: | Name(s): | Reigns: | Date: | Location: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Steve Keirn | 1 | December 10, 1979 | Los Angeles, California, United States | Defeated Chavo Guerrero in a decision match to be recognized as NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion in Los Angeles. |
| 2 | Tatsumi Fujinami | 1 | February 1, 1980 | Sapporo, Japan | Also held the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship, but defended them separately. |
| 3 | Mike Graham | 1 | February 15, 1980 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | Recognized as World Champion in Florida. |
| 4 | Tatsumi Fujinami | 2 | April 4, 1980 | Kawasaki, Japan | |
| Vacated on July 2, 1980 when Fujinami was injured. | |||||
| 5 | Kengo Kimura | 1 | July 2, 1980 | Kita Kyushu, Japan | Defeated Bret Hart in a decision match. |
| 6 | Chavo Guerrero | 1 | October 3, 1980 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| 7 | Gino Hernandez | 1 | February 27, 1981 | Houston, Texas, United States | |
| 8 | Chavo Guerrero | 2 | September, 1981 | n/a | |
| 9 | Atsushi Onita | 1 | March 7, 1982 | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States | Billed as International champion in Jim Crockett Promotions. |
| 10 | Sangre Chicana | 1 | April 11, 1982 | Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico | Recognized as World champion in Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre. |
| 11 | Atsushi Onita | 2 | April 30, 1982 | Mexico City, Mexico | |
| The title held up on July 30, 1982, after a match against Chavo Guerrero that ended in a no decision. The National Wrestling Alliance and All Japan Pro Wrestling rename the title the NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship. Onita and Guerrero had several rematches. | |||||
| 12 | Atsushi Onita | 3 | November 4, 1982 | Tokyo, Japan | Defeated Chavo Guerrero in rematch. |
| Vacated on April 15, 1983 when Onita broke his leg during a match against Hector Guerrero. | |||||
| 13 | Chavo Guerrero | 3 | May 26, 1983 | Tenryu, Japan | Defeats Ultra Seven in tournament final. |
| 14 | Mighty Inoue | 1 | February 26, 1984 | Osaka, Japan | |
| 15 | Dynamite Kid | 1 | June 8, 1985 | Takamatsu, Japan | |
| 16 | Kuniaki Kobayashi | 1 | June 13, 1985 | Koga, Japan | |
| 17 | Tiger Mask II | 1 | August 31, 1985 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Vacated on June 1986 when Tiger Mask graduates to the heavyweight division. The title was replaced with World Junior Heavyweight Championship. | |||||
| 18 | Hirooki Goto | 1 | March 4, 2007 | Mexico City, Mexico | Defeated Shocker in a tournament final to revive the title for Toryumon Mexico and is awarded the pre-1982 belt. |
| Vacated on September 7, 2007 when Goto graduates to the heavyweight division. | |||||
| 19 | Super Delfin | 1 | November 9, 2008 | Osaka, Japan | Defeated Último Dragón in a decision match to revive title. |
| 20 | Último Dragón | 1 | November 22, 2008 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| 21 | Hajime Ohara | 1 | December 14, 2008 | Mexico City, Mexico | |
| 22 | Mineo Fujita | 1 | October 1, 2009 | Tokyo, Japan | Won the title at Dradition Pro Wrestling's Dream Impact IV. |
| 23 | Ultimo Dragon | 2 | July 19, 2010 | Tokyo, Japan | Defeats Fujita and Hajime Ohara in a three-way dance. Also wins AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship on December 15, 2013, but defends titles separately. |
See also
References
- ^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (2006). Wrestling Title Histories (4th ed.). Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4.
