International Junior Heavyweight Championship (Zero1)

The International Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1, formerly Pro Wrestling Zero-One and Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max), contested exclusively among junior heavyweight (<100 kg (220 lb)) wrestlers. It was originally created on June 29, 2002, as the NWA/UPW/Zero-One International Junior Heavyweight Championship, symbolizing Pro Wrestling Zero-One (Zero-One)'s relationship with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW); Leonardo Spanky defeated Smelly to become the first champion.[1] When Zero-One left the NWA on October 31, 2004, the title was renamed to incorporate Steve Corino's Pro Wrestling World-1 (Word-1), becoming the Zero-One/UPW/World-1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship. The name was again altered when the newly renamed Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max (Zero1-Max) joined the AWA Superstars of Wrestling (AWA) alliance on February 28, 2005, with the title becoming known as the AWA/Zero1-Max/UPW/World-1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship. On August 26, 2006, after Minoru Fujita won the annual Tenkaichi Jr. tournament, Fujita renamed the championship to the AWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. When Zero1-Max left the AWA on December 15, 2007, it was renamed again to the Zero1-Max International Junior Heavyweight Championship. Finally, when the company changed its name to Pro Wrestling Zero1 in 2008, the championship followed and became known as the Zero1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship.

International Junior Heavyweight Championship
Leo Isaka holding the International Junior Heavyweight title in his left hand
Details
PromotionPro Wrestling Zero1
Date establishedJune 29, 2002
Current champion(s)Seiki Yoshioka
Date wonMarch 3, 2024
Other name(s)
  • NWA/UPW/Zero-One International Junior Heavyweight Championship[1][2]
  • Zero-One/UPW/World-1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship
  • AWA/Zero1-Max/UPW/World-1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship
  • AWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
  • Zero1-Max International Junior Heavyweight Championship
Statistics
First champion(s)Leonardo Spanky
Most reignsIkuto Hidaka (5)
Longest reignIkuto Hidaka (540 days)
Shortest reignTatsuhito Takaiwa (<1 day)

There have been a total of 27 recognized champions, who have had a combined 37 official reigns. The current champion is Seiki Yoshioka who is in his first reign.

Title history

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Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
Defenses Number of successful defenses
<1 Reign lasted less than a day
+ Current reign is changing daily
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign Days Defenses
National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) / (UPW) Ultimate Pro Wrestling / Pro Wrestling Zero-One (Zero-One)
1 Leonardo Spanky June 29, 2002 Creation Tour Sapporo, Japan 1 79 3 Spanky defeated Smelly to become the inaugural champion.
2 Low Ki September 16, 2002 Genesis II Tokyo, Japan 1 349 8
3 Wataru Sakata August 31, 2003 Summer Festival Tour Gifu, Japan 1 225 1 This match was also for Sakata's World-1 Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Vacated April 12, 2004 Sakata vacated the championship so he could focus on the defenses of his World-1 title.
4 Tatsuhito Takaiwa May 16, 2004 Cashonor Tokyo, Japan 1 216 5 Takaiwa defeated Tony Stradlin for the vacant championship.
AWA Superstars of Wrestling (AWA) / Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max (Zero1-Max) / Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) / Pro Wrestling World-1 (World-1)
5 Super Crazy December 18, 2004 AWA Heavyweight Title Contender Tournament Tour Chiba, Japan 1 117 0 Crazy later unifies the World-1 Junior Heavyweight Championship into the International Junior Heavyweight Championship.
6 Ikuto Hidaka April 14, 2005 Outburst Revolution Tour Tokyo, Japan 1 318 4
7 Takuya Sugawara February 26, 2006 Happening Tour Tokyo, Japan 1 151 1
8 Tatsuhito Takaiwa July 27, 2006 Fire Festival Tour Osaka, Japan 2 <1 0 This match was also for Takaiwa's WWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship.
Vacated July 27, 2006 Takaiwa vacated the championship so it could be decided in the 2006 Tenkaichi Jr. tournament.
AWA Superstars of Wrestling (AWA) / Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max (Zero1-Max)
9 Minoru Fujita August 26, 2006 Tenkaichi Junior Kyoto, Japan 1 146 2 Fujita defeated Takuya Sugawara in the finals of the 2006 Tenkaichi Jr. tournament to become the new champion.
10 Ikuto Hidaka January 19, 2007 Over the Max Tour Tokyo, Japan 2 30 0
11 Tatsuhito Takaiwa February 18, 2007 Make the Emotion Tour Tokyo, Japan 3 77 0
Vacated May 6, 2007 The championship was vacated due to Takaiwa suffering a knee injury.
12 Dick Togo June 20, 2007 Dynamo Tour Tokyo, Japan 1 128 1 Togo won a 9-man battle royal to become the new champion.
13 Ikuto Hidaka October 26, 2007 Innovation Tour Tokyo, Japan 3 89 1
Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max (Zero1-Max)
14 Masaaki Mochizuki January 23, 2008 Zero1-Max 3rd Anniversary Tokyo, Japan 1 155 3
15 Ikuto Hidaka June 26, 2008 Dauntless Tour Tokyo, Japan 4 262 5
16 Sonjay Dutt March 15, 2009 Wrestler's 1 Tokyo, Japan 1 259 0
Vacated November 29, 2009 The championship was vacated so it could be contested in the 2009 Tenkaichi Jr. tournament.
17 Ikuto Hidaka November 29, 2009 Wrestler's 7 ~ Grant Me My Wish! Tokyo, Japan 5 540 6 Hidaka defeated Prince Devitt in the finals of the 2009 Tenkaichi Jr. tournament to become the new champion.
National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) / Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1)
18 Takuya Sugawara May 23, 2011 House show Tokyo, Japan 2 712 10
Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1)
19 Jonathan Gresham May 4, 2013 Big Bang Tokyo, Japan 1 135 1 This match was also contested for Sugawara's NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. During his reign, Gresham additionally held the Zero1 USA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Vacated September 16, 2013 Gresham vacated both the International and NWA Junior Heavyweight titles so they could be contested in the 2013 Tenkaichi Jr. tournament.
20 Hub September 16, 2013 11th Tenkaichi Jr.: Finals Tokyo, Japan 1 174 3 Hub defeated Mineo Fujita in the finals of the 2013 Tenkaichi Jr. tournament to become the new champion. Hub additionally won the vacant NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
21 Jason Lee March 9, 2014 Zero1_Thirteen Tokyo, Japan 1 194 3 This match was contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
22 Mineo Fujita September 19, 2014 Tenkaichi Junior Tokyo, Japan 1 45 1 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
23 Takuya Sugawara November 3, 2014 Hi no Kokudai Hanabi Kumamoto, Japan 3 55 1 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
24 Jason Lee December 28, 2014 Winter Fever 4 Hong Kong 2 63 1 This match was promoted by Zero1 Hong Kong and was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
25 Minoru Tanaka March 1, 2015 Zero1_Fourteen Tokyo, Japan 1 222 3 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
26 Shinjiro Otani October 11, 2015 Change the World Tokyo, Japan 1 481 2 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
27 Kotaro Suzuki February 3, 2017 Shinsei Zero1 Dream Series: Hakai no Jin Tokyo, Japan 1 265 3 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
27 Sean Guinness October 26, 2017 Dream Series Aki no Jin Korakuen Taikai Tokyo, Japan 1 129 1 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
28 Isami Kodaka March 4, 2018 Dream Series Sozo no Jin Tokyo, Japan 1 [Note 1] 2 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
Vacated November 2018 Kodaka was stripped of both the International and NWA Junior Heavyweight titles due to an injury.
29 Sugi November 24, 2018 Dream Series ~ Nenotsuki No Jin ~ Tenka-Ichi Junior Tournament 2018 Tokyo, Japan 1 403 2 Sugi defeated Hayata in the finals of the 2018 Tenkaichi Jr. tournament to become the new champion. Sugi additionally won the vacant NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
30 HUB January 1, 2020 Happy New Year Tokyo, Japan 2 247 1 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
31 Shoki Kitamura September 4, 2020 Youth Playback! It All Started Here! Shinjiro Otani To Asakura! Tokyo, Japan 1 58 0 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
32 El Lindaman November 1, 2020 2020 Fire Festival Finals Tokyo, Japan 1 310 1 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. [3]
Vacated September 7, 2021 Lindaman was stripped of both the International and NWA Junior Heavyweight titles after Gleat, Lindaman's home promotion, ends its working relationship with Zero1.
33 Fuminori Abe September 9, 2021 Zero1 20th Anniversary Year - 18th Tenkaichi Junior Tournament 2021 Final Tokyo, Japan 1 213 5 Abe defeated Shoki Kitamura in the finals of the 2021 Tenkaichi Jr. tournament to become the new champion. Abe additionally won the vacant NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. [4]
34 Astroman April 10, 2022 Zero1 Osu Premium Show Zero1 20th & 21st Anniversary Pro Wrestling Tokyo, Japan 1 266 2 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. [5]
34 Leo Isaka January 1, 2023 Zero1 Happy New Year 2023 Tokyo, Japan 1 195 4 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. [6]
35 Takumi Baba July 15, 2023 Zero1 23rd Midsummer Festival Tokyo, Japan 1 232 2 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. [7]
36 Seiki Yoshioka March 3, 2024 Zero1 23rd Anniversary Tokyo, Japan 1 260+ 0 This match was also contested for the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. [8]

Combined reigns

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Former champion Leo Isaka, shown here also wearing the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship

As of November 18, 2024.

Indicates the current champion
¤ The exact length of at least one title reign is uncertain, so the shortest length is considered.
Rank Wrestler No. of
reigns
Combined
defenses
Combined days
1 Ikuto Hidaka 5 16 1,239
2 Takuya Sugawara 3 12 918
3 Shinjiro Otani 1 2 481
4 Hub 2 4 421
5 Sugi 1 2 403
6 Low Ki 1 8 349
7 El Lindaman 1 1 310
8 Tatsuhito Takaiwa 3 5 293
9 Astroman 1 2 266
10 Kotaro Suzuki 1 3 265
11 Sonjay Dutt 1 0 259
12 Jason Lee 2 4 257
13 Seiki Yoshioka 1 0 260+
14 Isami Kodaka 1 2 ¤242
15 Takumi Baba 1 2 232
16 Wataru Sakata 1 1 225
17 Minoru Tanaka 1 3 222
18 Fuminori Abe 1 5 213
19 Leo Isaka 1 4 195
20 Masaaki Mochizuki 1 3 155
21 Jonathan Gresham 1 1 135
22 Sean Guinness 1 1 129
23 Dick Togo 1 1 128
24 Super Crazy 1 0 117
25 Leonardo Spanky 1 3 79
26 Shoki Kitamura 1 0 58
27 Minoru Fujita 1 1 45

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ The exact date on which Kodaka were stripped of the championship is not known, which means that his reign lasted between 242 and 265 days.

References

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  1. ^ a b "AWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship official title history". ZEROONEUSA.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  2. ^ "ZERO1-MAX International Junior Heavyweight Championship title history". Wrestling-Titles.com. Retrieved 2007-07-20.
  3. ^ Dark Angel (November 10, 2020). "Zero1: "Fire Festival 2020" Hartley Jackson is the winner". superluchas.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  4. ^ Pro Wrestling Zero1 (September 9, 2021). ZERO1・20周年記念イヤー 新木場大会~第18回 天下一ジュニアトーナメント2021 決勝戦~. z-1.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 13, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Daly, Wayne (April 11, 2022). "ZERO1 Results: 20th & 21st Anniversary Show – Tokyo, Japan (4/10)". wrestling-news.net. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
  6. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (January 1, 2023). "ZERO1 Happy New Year 2023". cagematch.net. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
  7. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (July 15, 2023). "ZERO1 23rd Midsummer Festival ~ Fire Festival 2023 - Tag 5". cagematch.net. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
  8. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (March 3, 2024). "ZERO1 23rd Anniversary". cagematch.net. Retrieved March 3, 2024.
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