IWGP U-30 Championship
Encyclopedia
The IWGP U-30 Championship was a professional wrestling
championship
in New Japan Pro Wrestling
for wrestlers under the age of 30. It was proposed as part of a tournament called the G2 U-30 Climax by Hiroshi Tanahashi
, who ended up winning the tournament in April 2003. The U-30 Championship became officially recognized as an IWGP title in November 2004. After Tanahashi vacated the title on June 7, 2006 to focus on the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, the U-30 Championship was deemphasized and soon deactivated.
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...
championship
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 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...
for wrestlers under the age of 30. It was proposed as part of a tournament called the G2 U-30 Climax by Hiroshi Tanahashi
Hiroshi Tanahashi
is a Japanese professional wrestler who works primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion in his fifth reign.-Early life:...
, who ended up winning the tournament in April 2003. The U-30 Championship became officially recognized as an IWGP title in November 2004. After Tanahashi vacated the title on June 7, 2006 to focus on the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, the U-30 Championship was deemphasized and soon deactivated.
Title history
| Wrestler | Reigns | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiroshi Tanahashi Hiroshi Tanahashi is a Japanese professional wrestler who works primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion in his fifth reign.-Early life:... |
1 | April 23, 2003 | Hiroshima Hiroshima is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M... , 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 Shinya Makabe in a tournament final. |
| Shinsuke Nakamura Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler and mixed martial artist currently working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is a former three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.-Super Rookie :... |
1 | January 4, 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 |
Won the title at Toukon Festival ~ Wrestling World 2005. |
| Vacated by company request on May 1, 2005. | ||||
| Hiroshi Tanahashi | 2 | June 18, 2005 | Kyoto Kyoto is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:... , Japan |
Defeated Toru Yano Toru Yano , is a Japanese professional wrestler, trained by and currently signed to New Japan Pro Wrestling , where he is a former IWGP Tag Team Champion.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :... in a tournament final. |
| Vacated by Tanahashi on June 7, 2006 to focus on the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. | ||||