AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship

The All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling

Professional wrestling

Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...

title

Championship (professional wrestling)

A Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...

in Japanese

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

promotion

Professional wrestling promotion

A professional wrestling promotion is a company or business that regularly performs shows involving professional wrestling. Promotion also describes a role which entails management, advertising and logistics of running a wrestling event...

All Japan Pro Wrestling

is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...

, contested exclusively among junior heavyweight

Cruiserweight (professional wrestling)

In professional wrestling, a cruiserweight is a wrestler weighing 220 lb and less, sometimes 215. The older term junior heavyweight, which was used to describe the division, is more favored in Japan, where many titles for lighter-weight competitors are called junior heavyweight titles...

(<100 kg (220.5 lb)) wrestlers. It was created on July 31, 1986 when Hiro Saito

Hiro Saito

Hiroyuki Saito is a professional wrestler best known by the shortened name of .-Career:Hiro debuted in 1978 in New Japan Pro Wrestling. In May 1985, he defeated The Cobra to win the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship only to lose back to him 2 months later...

defeated Brad Armstrong in a tournament final. There have been a total of 22 recognized champions who have had a combined 31 official reigns.

Title history

#:	Name(s):	Reigns:	Date:	Location:	Notes:
1	Hiro Saito Hiro Saito Hiroyuki Saito is a professional wrestler best known by the shortened name of .-Career:Hiro debuted in 1978 in New Japan Pro Wrestling. In May 1985, he defeated The Cobra to win the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship only to lose back to him 2 months later...	1	July 31, 1986	Tokyo, Japan Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...	Defeated Brad Armstrong in a tournament final.
2	Kuniaki Kobayashi Kuniaki Kobayashi Kuniaki Kobayashi is a retired Japanese Junior Heavyweight professional wrestler. He wrestled numerous acclaimed matches against the first two Tiger Masks: Satoru Sayama and Mitsuharu Misawa.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...	1	November 23, 1986	Tokyo, Japan
3	Masanobu Fuchi Masanobu Fuchi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a full-time wrestler, as well as a director. Fuchi holds the record for the longest AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship reign and has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling longer than any wrestler on the...	1	January 3, 1987	Tokyo, Japan
4	Joe Malenko Joe Malenko Joe Simon is an American former professional wrestler best known under the ring name Joe Malenko. Malenko was born into a wrestling family, and his father Boris Malenko was a prominent wrestling figure in his own right. Dean Malenko is his brother.-Japan:Malenko is most known for his stints...	1	January 20, 1989	Fukuoka, Japan Fukuoka, Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by...
5	Mighty Inoue	1	January 25, 1989	Osaka, Japan Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
6	Masanobu Fuchi	2	March 8, 1989	Tokyo, Japan
7	Shinichi Nakano	1	April 16, 1989	Tokyo, Japan
8	Mitsuo Momota Mitsuo Momota is a Japanese professional wrestler and executive, known for his work in the Japanese promotions All Japan Pro Wrestling and later in Pro Wrestling NOAH. He is the son of wrestler Rikidōzan.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...	1	April 20, 1989	Osaka, Japan
9	Joe Malenko	2	July 1, 1989	Omiya, Japan Omiya-ku, Saitama is a ward of Saitama city, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It is in the Greater Tokyo Area and about 25 km north of central Tokyo. Ōmiya-ku is surrounded by Nishi-ku , Kita-ku , Minuma-ku , Urawa-ku , Chūō-ku , and Sakura-ku of Saitama city.Ōmiya-ku is the most active commercial and business centre in...
10	Masanobu Fuchi	3	October 20, 1989	Nagoya, Japan
11	Dan Kroffat	1	May 21, 1993	Sapporo, Japan
12	Masanobu Fuchi	4	August 23, 1993	Shizuoka, Japan Shizuoka, Shizuoka is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in terms of both population and area. It became one of Japan's 19 "designated cities" in 2005.-Geography:...
13	Dan Kroffat	2	July 12, 1994	Kagoshima, Japan Kagoshima, Kagoshima is the capital city of Kagoshima Prefecture at the southwestern tip of the Kyūshū island of Japan, and the largest city in the prefecture by some margin...
14	Yoshinari Ogawa Yoshinari Ogawa Yoshinari Ogawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He has earned the nickname of "Rat Boy" due to his sneaky, clever in-ring tactics and baiting his opponents into quick pins.- Career :...	1	September 10, 1995	Tokyo, Japan
15	Masanobu Fuchi	5	June 30, 1996	Tokyo, Japan
16	Tsuyoshi Kikuchi Tsuyoshi Kikuchi is a professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. He has previously worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH. Kikuchi idolized and patterned his style after the Dynamite Kid....	1	July 24, 1996	Tokyo, Japan
17	Yoshinari Ogawa	2	January 15, 1997	Tokyo, Japan
18	Maunakea Mossman Taiyo Kea Maunakea Mossman is an American professional wrestler, better known under his stage name Taiyō Kea . Although he was born in Hawaii, he has spent nearly his entire career as a member of the Japan-based All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion...	1	August 22, 1997	Tokyo, Japan
Vacated on June 12, 1998 due to Mossman graduating to the heavyweight division.
19	Yoshinari Ogawa	3	July 19, 1998	Niigata, Japan Niigata, Niigata is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....	Defeated Satoru Asako in a tournament final.
Vacated on June 16, 2000 due to Ogawa and several others leaving AJPW to form Pro Wrestling Noah Pro Wrestling Noah is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan... .
20	Kendo Kashin Kendo Kashin Tokimitsu Ishizawa , better known by his ring name Kendo Kashin , is a Japanese professional wrestler...	1	April 13, 2002	Tokyo, Japan	Defeated Masanobu Fuchi at Grand Champion Carnival.
Vacated on February 12, 2004 due to inactivity.
21	Kaz Hayashi Kaz Hayashi Kazuhiro "Kaz" Hayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is working for All Japan Pro Wrestling. He is also the head booker for the company's junior division.-Career:...	1	February 22, 2004	Tokyo, Japan	Defeated Blue-K on the Excite Series tour.
22	Taka Michinoku	1	January 10, 2005	Tokyo, Japan	This match, at Kaientai Dojo Kaientai Dojo Kaientai Dojo is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion and training facility owned and promoted by Taka Michinoku.... 's CLUB-K SUPER kick, was also for Hayashi's Strongest-K Championship Strongest-K Championship The Strongest-K Championship is the top singles title in Kaientai Dojo. It has existed since 2004.-Title history:-List of reigns by length: , .- Notes :... .
23	Shuji Kondo Shuji Kondo is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Prior to becoming a pro wrestler, he played rugby.-Toryumon/Dragon Gate:Kondo was part of the T2P class in Toryumon. At first he was a face in the Toryumon Seikegun....	1	October 22, 2005	Tokyo, Japan	Won the title on the Shining Series tour.
24	Katsuhiko Nakajima Katsuhiko Nakajima is a Japanese professional wrestler, represented as a freelancer by his mentor Kensuke Sasaki's Kensuke Office dojo and agency. He along with Sasaki and other Kensuke Office graduates currently most frequently wrestle in Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the current GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion in...	1	February 17, 2007	Tokyo, Japan	Won the title at Pro Wrestling LOVE in Ryogoku vol. 2. The title belt is held up on October 18, 2007 after a title defense against Silver King ended in a no contest, though Nakajima remains the official champion.
25	Silver King	1	March 1, 2008	Tokyo, Japan	Won the title at Pro Wrestling LOVE in Ryogoku vol. 4.
26	Ryuji Hijikata Ryuji Hijikata is a Japanese professional wrestler. Born May 17, 1978. Started wrestling in 1998 for Yuki Isikawa's BattlARTS promotion and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he was a former AJPW World Jr...	1	April 29, 2008	Nagoya, Japan	Won the title on the Growin' Up tour.
27	Naomichi Marufuji Naomichi Marufuji is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. Marufuji is the first of only two Grand Slam Champion in Pro...	1	September 28, 2008	Yokohama, Japan	Won the title on the Flashing tour.
28	Kaz Hayashi	2	February 6, 2009	Tokyo, Japan	Won the title on the Excite Series tour.
29	Minoru	1	January 2, 2011	Tokyo, Japan	Won the title on the New Year Shining Series tour.
Vacated on June 3, 2011, when All Japan Pro Wrestling suspends Minoru.
30	KAI	1	June 19, 2011	Tokyo, Japan	Defeated Shuji Kondo for the vacant title.
31	Kenny Omega	1	October 23, 2011	Tokyo, Japan

List of individual reigns

Name(s):	Days Held:	Date Won:	Date Lost:
Masanobu Fuchi Masanobu Fuchi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a full-time wrestler, as well as a director. Fuchi holds the record for the longest AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship reign and has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling longer than any wrestler on the...	1,309	October 20, 1989	May 21, 1993
Masanobu Fuchi	748	January 3, 1987	January 20, 1989
Yoshinari Ogawa Yoshinari Ogawa Yoshinari Ogawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He has earned the nickname of "Rat Boy" due to his sneaky, clever in-ring tactics and baiting his opponents into quick pins.- Career :...	698	July 19, 1998	June 16, 2000
Kaz Hayashi Kaz Hayashi Kazuhiro "Kaz" Hayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is working for All Japan Pro Wrestling. He is also the head booker for the company's junior division.-Career:...	695	February 6, 2009	January 2, 2011
Kendo Kashin Kendo Kashin Tokimitsu Ishizawa , better known by his ring name Kendo Kashin , is a Japanese professional wrestler...	670	April 13, 2002	February 12, 2004
Shuji Kondo Shuji Kondo is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Prior to becoming a pro wrestler, he played rugby.-Toryumon/Dragon Gate:Kondo was part of the T2P class in Toryumon. At first he was a face in the Toryumon Seikegun....	483	October 22, 2005	February 17, 2007
Dan Kroffat	425	July 12, 1994	September 10, 1995
Katsuhiko Nakajima Katsuhiko Nakajima is a Japanese professional wrestler, represented as a freelancer by his mentor Kensuke Sasaki's Kensuke Office dojo and agency. He along with Sasaki and other Kensuke Office graduates currently most frequently wrestle in Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the current GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion in...	378	February 17, 2007	March 1, 2008
Masanobu Fuchi	323	August 23, 1993	July 12, 1994
Kaz Hayashi	323	February 22, 2004	January 10, 2005
Yoshinari Ogawa	294	September 10, 1995	June 30, 1996
Maunakea Mossman Taiyo Kea Maunakea Mossman is an American professional wrestler, better known under his stage name Taiyō Kea . Although he was born in Hawaii, he has spent nearly his entire career as a member of the Japan-based All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion...	294	August 22, 1997	June 12, 1998
Taka Michinoku	285	January 10, 2005	October 22, 2005
Yoshinari Ogawa	219	January 15, 1997	August 22, 1997
Tsuyoshi Kikuchi Tsuyoshi Kikuchi is a professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. He has previously worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH. Kikuchi idolized and patterned his style after the Dynamite Kid....	175	July 24, 1996	January 15, 1997
Ryuji Hijikata Ryuji Hijikata is a Japanese professional wrestler. Born May 17, 1978. Started wrestling in 1998 for Yuki Isikawa's BattlARTS promotion and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he was a former AJPW World Jr...	152	April 29, 2008	September 28, 2008
Minoru	152	January 2, 2011	June 3, 2011
Naomichi Marufuji Naomichi Marufuji is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. Marufuji is the first of only two Grand Slam Champion in Pro...	131	September 28, 2008	February 6, 2009
KAI	126	June 19, 2011	October 23, 2011
Hiro Saito Hiro Saito Hiroyuki Saito is a professional wrestler best known by the shortened name of .-Career:Hiro debuted in 1978 in New Japan Pro Wrestling. In May 1985, he defeated The Cobra to win the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship only to lose back to him 2 months later...	115	July 31, 1986	November 23, 1986
Joe Malenko Joe Malenko Joe Simon is an American former professional wrestler best known under the ring name Joe Malenko. Malenko was born into a wrestling family, and his father Boris Malenko was a prominent wrestling figure in his own right. Dean Malenko is his brother.-Japan:Malenko is most known for his stints...	111	July 1, 1989	October 20, 1989
Dan Kroffat	94	May 21, 1993	August 23, 1993
Mitsuo Momota Mitsuo Momota is a Japanese professional wrestler and executive, known for his work in the Japanese promotions All Japan Pro Wrestling and later in Pro Wrestling NOAH. He is the son of wrestler Rikidōzan.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...	72	April 20, 1989	July 1, 1989
Silver King	59	March 1, 2008	April 29, 2008
Mighty Inoue	42	January 25, 1989	March 8, 1989
Kuniaki Kobayashi Kuniaki Kobayashi Kuniaki Kobayashi is a retired Japanese Junior Heavyweight professional wrestler. He wrestled numerous acclaimed matches against the first two Tiger Masks: Satoru Sayama and Mitsuharu Misawa.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...	41	November 23, 1986	January 3, 1987
Masanobu Fuchi	39	March 8, 1989	April 16, 1989
Masanobu Fuchi	24	June 30, 1996	July 24, 1996
Joe Malenko	5	January 20, 1989	January 25, 1989
Shinichi Nakano	4	April 16, 1989	April 20, 1989
Kenny Omega	+	October 23, 2011	Current champion
Information current as of , .

List of reigns by combined length

Rank:	Name(s):	# of Reigns:	Combined Days:
1	Masanobu Fuchi Masanobu Fuchi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a full-time wrestler, as well as a director. Fuchi holds the record for the longest AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship reign and has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling longer than any wrestler on the...	5	2,443
2	Yoshinari Ogawa Yoshinari Ogawa Yoshinari Ogawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He has earned the nickname of "Rat Boy" due to his sneaky, clever in-ring tactics and baiting his opponents into quick pins.- Career :...	3	1,211
3	Kaz Hayashi Kaz Hayashi Kazuhiro "Kaz" Hayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is working for All Japan Pro Wrestling. He is also the head booker for the company's junior division.-Career:...	2	1,018
4	Kendo Kashin Kendo Kashin Tokimitsu Ishizawa , better known by his ring name Kendo Kashin , is a Japanese professional wrestler...	1	670
5	Dan Kroffat	2	519
6	Shuji Kondo Shuji Kondo is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Prior to becoming a pro wrestler, he played rugby.-Toryumon/Dragon Gate:Kondo was part of the T2P class in Toryumon. At first he was a face in the Toryumon Seikegun....	1	483
7	Katsuhiko Nakajima Katsuhiko Nakajima is a Japanese professional wrestler, represented as a freelancer by his mentor Kensuke Sasaki's Kensuke Office dojo and agency. He along with Sasaki and other Kensuke Office graduates currently most frequently wrestle in Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the current GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion in...	1	378
8	Maunakea Mossman Taiyo Kea Maunakea Mossman is an American professional wrestler, better known under his stage name Taiyō Kea . Although he was born in Hawaii, he has spent nearly his entire career as a member of the Japan-based All Japan Pro Wrestling promotion...	1	294
9	Taka Michinoku	1	285
10	Tsuyoshi Kikuchi Tsuyoshi Kikuchi is a professional wrestler currently working as a freelancer. He has previously worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling NOAH. Kikuchi idolized and patterned his style after the Dynamite Kid....	1	175
11	Ryuji Hijikata Ryuji Hijikata is a Japanese professional wrestler. Born May 17, 1978. Started wrestling in 1998 for Yuki Isikawa's BattlARTS promotion and All Japan Pro Wrestling since 2002 where he was a former AJPW World Jr...	1	152
11	Minoru	1	152
13	Naomichi Marufuji Naomichi Marufuji is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. Marufuji is the first of only two Grand Slam Champion in Pro...	1	131
14	KAI	1	126
15	Joe Malenko Joe Malenko Joe Simon is an American former professional wrestler best known under the ring name Joe Malenko. Malenko was born into a wrestling family, and his father Boris Malenko was a prominent wrestling figure in his own right. Dean Malenko is his brother.-Japan:Malenko is most known for his stints...	2	116
16	Hiro Saito Hiro Saito Hiroyuki Saito is a professional wrestler best known by the shortened name of .-Career:Hiro debuted in 1978 in New Japan Pro Wrestling. In May 1985, he defeated The Cobra to win the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship only to lose back to him 2 months later...	1	115
17	Mitsuo Momota Mitsuo Momota is a Japanese professional wrestler and executive, known for his work in the Japanese promotions All Japan Pro Wrestling and later in Pro Wrestling NOAH. He is the son of wrestler Rikidōzan.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...	1	72
18	Silver King	1	59
19	Mighty Inoue	1	42
20	Kuniaki Kobayashi Kuniaki Kobayashi Kuniaki Kobayashi is a retired Japanese Junior Heavyweight professional wrestler. He wrestled numerous acclaimed matches against the first two Tiger Masks: Satoru Sayama and Mitsuharu Misawa.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...	1	41
21	Shinichi Nakano	1	4
22	Kenny Omega	1	+
Information current as of , .

External links

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Title history

List of individual reigns

List of reigns by combined length

See also

External links