MLW National Openweight Championship

Last updated
MLW National Openweight Championship
MLW National Openweight Championship belt.png
Official belt design (2019–present)
Details
Promotion Major League Wrestling (MLW)
Date establishedApril 18, 2019
Current champion Último Guerrero
Date wonMay 2, 2025
Statistics
First champion Alexander Hammerstone
Most reignsAll titleholders (1)
Longest reign Alexander Hammerstone
(865 days)
Shortest reign John Hennigan
(89 days)
Oldest champion Último Guerrero
(53 years, 63 days)
Youngest champion Alex Kane
(28 years, 16 days)
Heaviest champion Rickey Shane Page
(282 lb (128 kg))
Lightest champion Davey Richards
(202 lb (92 kg))

The MLW National Openweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion Major League Wrestling (MLW). The title was unveiled on April 18, 2019. [1] [2] The title's openweight nature, a division more common in Japanese professional wrestling, means that both heavyweight and middleweight wrestlers are eligible to challenge for it.

Contents

History

The inaugural champion Alexander Hammerstone AHammerstoneMLW2019.jpg
The inaugural champion Alexander Hammerstone

On April 18, 2019, Major League Wrestling (MLW) announced the creation of the MLW National Openweight Championship, a division more common in Japanese professional wrestling, since MLW already had a middleweight division. [3] [4] Also announced was a four-man single-elimination tournament that would culminate on June 1 with the crowning of the first champion. [5] The tournament to crown the inaugural champion was later advertised on MLW Fusion , while being announced four wrestler to participate in the tournament, which was announced on May 4 by MLW Fusion's Executive Producer Salina de la Renta. [6] [7] The title was unveiled on May 17. [8] On June 1 at Fury Road, Alexander Hammerstone defeated Brian Pillman Jr. in the finals of the tournament to become the inaugural MLW National Openweight Champion. [9] [10]

Inaugural championship tournament

Fusion
(May 4, 2019) 		Fury Road
(June 1, 2019)
      
Alexander Hammerstone Pin
Gringo Loco 4:55
Alexander Hammerstone Pin
Brian Pillman Jr.
Rich Swann Pin
Brian Pillman Jr. 6:44

Reigns

As of May4, 2025, there have been nine reigns between nine champions and one vacancy. Alexander Hammerstone was the inaugural champion. Hammerstone's reign is the longest at 865 days, while John Hennigan's reign is the shortest at 89 days. Hennigan was also the oldest champion when he won it at 43 years old, while Alex Kane was the youngest champion at 28 years old.

Último Guerrero is the current champion in his first reign. He defeated Matthew Justice at CMLL vs. MLW on May 2, 2025 in Mexico City, Mexico.

Key
No.Overall reign number
ReignReign number for the specific champion
DaysNumber of days held
+Current reign is changing daily
No.ChampionChampionship changeReign statisticsNotesRef.
DateEventLocationReignDays
Major League Wrestling (MLW)
1 Alexander Hammerstone June 1, 2019 Fury Road Waukesha, WI 1865Hammerstone defeated Brian Pillman Jr. in the finals of a four-man tournament to become the inaugural champion. [11]
— Vacated October 13, 2021————Hammerstone relinquished the title after winning the MLW World Heavyweight Championship. [12]
2 Alex Kane November 6, 2021 War Chamber Philadelphia, PA 1229Kane defeated Myron Reed, Alex Shelley, A. C. H. and Zenshi in a five-way ladder match to win the vacant title. [13]
3 Davey Richards June 23, 2022 Battle Riot IV New York City, NY 1198 [14]
4 John Hennigan January 7, 2023 Blood and Thunder Philadelphia, PA 189Hennigan won the title as Johnny Fusion, but began using his real name thereafter. [15]
5 Jacob Fatu April 6, 2023 War Chamber Queens, NY 1150 [16]
6 Rickey Shane Page September 3, 2023 Fury Road Philadelphia, PA 1251 [17]
7 Bad Dude Tito May 11, 2024 Azteca Lucha Cicero, IL 1182 [18]
8 Matthew Justice November 9, 2024 Lucha Apocalypto Cicero, IL 1174This match aired November 10, 2024. [19]
9 Último Guerrero May 2, 2025 CMLL vs. MLW Mexico City, Mexico 12+ [20]


References

  1. ↑ "MLW to crown inaugural National Openweight Champion". WON/F4W - WWE news, Pro Wrestling News, WWE Results, UFC News, UFC results. 18 April 2019.
  2. ↑ "MLW Fusion: Openweight Championship Semifinals Begin".
  3. ↑ MLW.com (18 April 2019). "MLW launches National Openweight Championship; Milwaukee to host finals on June 1". MLW: Major League Wrestling®.
  4. ↑ "MLW FUSION REPORT: TABLES MATCH AND MORE". Pro Wrestling Insider. April 28, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  5. ↑ "MLW NEWS AND NOTES – PWInsider.com". www.pwinsider.com.
  6. ↑ "MLW TO PRESENT LIVE BEIN SPORTS BROADCAST SATURDAY JUNE 1st". Pro Wrestling Torch . May 14, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  7. ↑ "MLW Fusion Results (5/4/19". WrestleZone. May 4, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2019.
  8. ↑ "OFFICIAL MLW: FUSION TV PREVIEW FOR TOMORROW – PWInsider.com". www.pwinsider.com.
  9. ↑ "OFFICIAL MLW FURY ROAD PREVIEW, DAVEY BOY SMITH JR. UPDATE AND MORE – PWInsider.com". www.pwinsider.com.
  10. ↑ "MLW Fury Road live results: National title tournament finals". Wrestling Observer Newsletter . June 1, 2019. Retrieved June 6, 2019.
  11. ↑ Jason Powell (June 5, 2019). "Powell's MLW Fusion TV Review: Fury Road live special with Teddy Hart vs. Jimmy Havoc for the MLW Middleweight Title, Brian Pillman Jr. vs. Alex Hammerstone to become the first MLW National Openweight Championship, Myron Reed vs. Gringo Loco". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  12. ↑ Mike Johnson (October 13, 2021). "MLW National Openweight Championship Championship Vacant, War Chamber match set". PWInsider. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  13. ↑ Haulotte, Kellie (November 6, 2021). "** SPOILERS ** MLW War Chamber Taping". Wrestling Inc. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
  14. ↑ Jason, Josh (June 23, 2022). "MLW Battle Riot IV spoilers: Former WWE NXT wrestler debuts Additionally, a former Impact World Champion returned to the company". Wrestling Observer Figure Four Online. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  15. ↑ NASON, JOSH. "Two titles change hands at MLW Blood & Thunder TV taping There are new champions following Saturday's show". www.f4wonline.com. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
  16. ↑ CAREY, IAN. "MLW War Chamber spoilers: New champions crowned". Www.f4wonline.com. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  17. ↑ Powell, Jason (September 3, 2023). "MLW "Fury Road" results: Powell's review of Alex Kane vs. Willie Mack for the MLW Heavyweight Championship, Jacob Fatu vs. Rickey Shane Page in a Weapons of Mass Destruction match for the MLW National Openweight Title". prowrestling.net. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  18. ↑ Lambert, Jeremy (May 11, 2024). "Bad Dude Tito Wins MLW National Openweight Title At MLW Azteca Lucha" . Retrieved May 12, 2024.
  19. ↑ DEFELICE, ROBERT. "Matthew Justice Captures MLW National Openweight Title At MLW Lucha Apocalypto". Fightful.com. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  20. ↑ Perkins, Nick (May 3, 2025). "Ultimo Guerrero Wins MLW National Openweight Championship At CMLL vs. MLW Show". fightful.com. Retrieved May 3, 2025.
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