Fighting World of Japan Pro-Wrestling, frequently shortened to World Japan or WJ, and also known as "Riki Pro", was 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...

 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...

 formed in Japan in 2003.

Riki Chōshū

Riki Choshu

Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his stage name Riki Chōshū , is a Korean-Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro Wrestling as a wrestler and a booker...

, one of New Japan Pro Wrestling

New Japan Pro Wrestling

is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...

's top stars who had come out of semi-retirement in 2000 left the New Japan promotion for the second time in the fall of 2002. With Kensuke Sasaki

Kensuke Sasaki

is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...

, Shiro Koshinaka

Shiro Koshinaka

is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Wrestle Association "R" during the 1980s and 1990s...

, and referee Masao "Tiger" Hattori not renewing their contracts with New Japan in January 2003 as well, the four of them decided to develop their own promotion, World Japan. Yoshiaki Yatsu (who had been Chōshū's ally in New Japan, Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance

Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance

Nihon Puroresu Kyōkai was the first professional wrestling promotion to be based in Japan. It operated from 1953 to 1973. Founded by Rikidōzan when he established a territory that would represent the National Wrestling Alliance in Japan...

, and All Japan Pro Wrestling

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 :...

 in the 1980s), was also brought in along with some of the talent of his small-time SPWF promotion. Other independent wrestlers and freelancers such as Genichiro Tenryu

Genichiro Tenryu

Genichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...

, Takao Ōmori

Takao Omori

is a Japanese semi-retired professional wrestler, currently competing for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He has formerly competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...

, and Tomohiro Ishii came along as well. American Gaijin talent included established stars such as Vader, The Road Warriors, "Dr. Death" Steve Williams and Big Vito, as well as new stars such as Lex Lovett

Lex Lovett

Wayne Meyer is an American professional wrestler, known by his ringname Lex Lovett, who competes in Southeastern independent promotions such as Independent Pro Wrestling and the National Wrestling Alliance-affiliated NWA Florida as well as having toured the Middle East, Europe and Asia.From 2003...

, Steve Madison

Steve Madison

Steven Philip Favata is an American professional wrestler, known by his ringname "Modern Miracle" Steve Madison, who competes in Southeastern independent promotions including AWA World-1 South, Full Impact Pro, Future of Wrestling, NWA Florida and Dusty Rhodes' Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling...

, The Maximos, and The Shane Twins.

After an August 2003 "training accident" while training with Kenzo Suzuki

Kenzo Suzuki

Kenzo Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with New Japan Pro Wrestling and in the United States with World Wrestling Entertainment...

 at World Japan's dojo, Giant Ochiai

Giant Ochiai

Takayuki Okada , more widely known as Giant Ochiai, was a Japanese judo practitioner, professional wrestler and mixed martial artist.As a student, Okada won the All Japan Industrial High School Judo League Champion four times...

 suffered an acute subdural hematoma

Subdural hematoma

A subdural hematoma or subdural haematoma , also known as a subdural haemorrhage , is a type of haematoma, a form of traumatic brain injury. Blood gathers within the outermost meningeal layer, between the dura mater, which adheres to the skull, and the arachnoid mater, which envelops the brain...

 and died on August 8, 2003. Giant Ochiai's August 13 wake was attended by World Japan Management Director Katsuji Nagashima.

World Japan was ultimately viewed by Japanese fans as just another independent promotion in the saturated world of pro wrestling, so it wasn't able to make a dent in the major promotions' fanbases. Despite having tournaments to crown WMG (World Magma Greatest) champions in both the singles heavyweight and tag team divisions, these events didn't draw much interest. Eventually, the major talent (Sasaki, Tenryu, Koshinaka, Omori), went back to the major leagues, while World Japan continued operating on a part-time basis as Riki Chōshū's exclusive show. In December 2004, however, Chōshū himself appeared again on a New Japan card, indicating that his days of promoting World Japan had come to an end.

The failure of World Japan has put a strain on some relationships, especially the one with Kensuke Sasaki and Riki Chōshū. So much to the point when Chōshū returned to NJPW, Sasaki abruptly left, refusing to work with Chōshū at all, because of the problems the two developed over financial issues.

World Magma the Greatest Championship

Wrestler:	Reigns:	Date:	Place:	Notes:
Kensuke Sasaki Kensuke Sasaki is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...	1	July 20, 2003	Tokyo 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... , Japan 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...	Defeated Kenzo Suzuki Kenzo Suzuki Kenzo Suzuki is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his appearances with New Japan Pro Wrestling and in the United States with World Wrestling Entertainment...  in a tournament final to win the title; vacated title in December 2003 when he left the promotion

World Magma the Greatest Tag Team Championship

Wrestlers:	Reigns:	Date:	Place:	Notes:
Riki Chōshū Riki Choshu Mitsuo Yoshida , better known by his stage name Riki Chōshū , is a Korean-Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his longtime work in New Japan Pro Wrestling as a wrestler and a booker...  & Genichiro Tenryu Genichiro Tenryu Genichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...	1	August 21, 2003	Osaka 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... , Japan 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...	Defeated Shiro Koshinaka Shiro Koshinaka is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Wrestle Association "R" during the 1980s and 1990s...  and Jinsei Shinzaki Jinsei Shinzaki Kensuke Shinzaki is a Japanese professional wrestler, better known by his stage names Jinsei Shinzaki and Hakushi...  in a tournament final to win the title; vacated title in 2004 due to lack of defenses
Kintaro Kanemura & Badboy Hido	1	August 19, 2004	Osaka, Japan	Defeated Tomohiro Ishii and Kendo Kashin Kendo Kashin Tokimitsu Ishizawa , better known by his ring name Kendo Kashin , is a Japanese professional wrestler...  to win the vacant title; title vacated when team split up
Tetsuhiro Kuroda & Badboy Hido	1	April 16, 2005	Tokyo 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... , Japan	Defeated Kanemura and Ishii to win vacant title