BJW Junior Heavyweight Championship (1998–2002)

Last updated
BJW Junior Heavyweight Championship
Details
Promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling
Date establishedFebruary 3, 1998
Date retired2002

The BJW Junior Heavyweight Championship was a title defended in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW). It was in use from 1998 through at least November 2002.

Contents

On May 7, 2017, BJW announced that it was bringing back the BJW Junior Heavyweight Championship with a tournament set to take place between May 25 and July 17. Although the new title shares its name with the title retired in 2002, the winner of the tournament is considered the first BJW Junior Heavyweight Champion. The title has a weight limit of 95 kg (209 lb). Wrestlers over the weight limit will be eligible to challenge for the BJW World Strong Heavyweight Championship. [1]

Inaugural tournament

An eight-man knockout tournament was held on March 2, 1998 to crown the inaugural Junior Heavyweight Champion. [2]

Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
         
Yoshihiro Tajiri Pin
Gran Naniwa
Yoshihiro TajiriPin
Minoru Tanaka
Minoru Tanaka Pin
Minoru Fujita
Yoshihiro TajiriPin
Gedo
Ryuji Yamakawa Pin
Masayoshi Motegi
Ryuji Yamakawa Pin
Gedo
Gedo Pin
Tomoaki Honma

Title history

Key
No.Overall reign number
ReignReign number for the specific champion
DaysNumber of days held
(NLT)Championship change took place "no later than" the date listed
No.ChampionChampionship changeReign statisticsNotesRef.
DateEventLocationReignDays
1 Yoshihiro Tajiri February 3, 1998 House show Tokyo, Japan 175Defeated Gedo in a tournament final to become the inaugural champion.
Vacated April 19, 1998Tajiri was stripped of the title after he left BJW.
2 Katsumi Usuda May 1, 1998 House show Toda, Japan 1218Defeated Minoru Fujita to win the vacant title.
3FantastikDecember 5, 1998 House show Kanagawa, Japan 1145
4The WingerApril 29, 1999 House show Shizuoka, Japan 131
Vacated May 30, 1999Vacated to be put on the line in a round-robin tournament.
5 Masayoshi Motegi June 30, 1999 House show Numazu, Japan 1129Defeated Abdullah Kobayashi in the finals of a round-robin tournament to win the vacant title.
6FantastikNovember 6, 1999 House show Hakodate, Japan 228
7 Chabinger December 4, 1999 House show Yokohama, Japan 2200Previously held the title under the name Masayoshi Motegi.
8 Men's Teioh June 21, 2000Hardcore Series 2000 Fukushima, Japan 1424
9 Johnny Kashmere August 19, 2001Universe 2001 Yokohama, Japan 110Defeated Men's Teioh in a tag team match between CZW Tag Team Champions Men's Teioh and Jun Kasai and The Backseat Boyz (Kashmere and Trent Acid). As per the stipulation of the match, all titles held by the participants were on the line. The Backseat Boyz won the CZW Tag Team title, and Kashmere, by scoring the fall, won the BJW Junior Heavyweight title as well.
Vacated August 29, 2001 CZW Enough Is Enough Sewell, NJ Vacated when a double title match against CZW Junior Heavyweight Champion Trent Acid ended as a double pinfall.
10 Ruckus December 2, 2001 House show Yokohama, Japan 113Defeated Trent Acid and The Winger in a three-way match. This match was also for the CZW Junior Heavyweight Championship.
11 Trent Acid December 15, 2001 CZW Cage of Death III Philadelphia, PA 178This match was also for the CZW Junior Heavyweight Championship.
12The WingerMarch 3, 2002 House show Yokohama, Japan 2257
13 Homicide November 15, 2002 House show Queens, NY 1 [lower-alpha 1]
Deactivated2002(NLT)

Combined reigns

¤The exact length of at least one title reign is uncertain, so the shortest possible length is used.
RankWrestlerNo. of
reigns
Combined
days
1 Men's Teioh 1424
2 Masayoshi Motegi/Chabinger 2329
3The Winger2288
4Fantastik2173
5 Katsumi Usuda 1218
6 Trent Acid 178
7 Yoshihiro Tajiri 175
8 Ruckus 113
9 Johnny Kashmere 110
10 Homicide 1

Footnotes

  1. The exact date the championship was deactivated has not been confirmed, putting their title reign at between 1 day and 46 days.

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References

  1. "※5/25(木)より、初代BJW認定ジュニアヘビー級王座決定リーグ戦開催!". Big Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). May 7, 2017. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  2. "Big Japan Junior Heavyweight Title Tournament 1998". Pro Wrestling History. Retrieved 30 November 2018.