| N Innovation | |
| Promotions: | Pro Wrestling Noah |
| Firstevent: | 2009 |
| Featuredmatches: | Singles matches |
| Othernames: |
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The Global Junior Heavyweight League is a professional wrestling round-robin tournament held by Pro Wrestling Noah. The purpose of the tournament is to determine the promotion's top junior heavyweight wrestler. It was originally designed to be an annual event starting in 2009, but the second tournament did not take place until 2015. The tournament is a two-block round-robin tournament, much like New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Best of the Super Juniors tournament, in which each block's two highest scorers face off in the semifinals. A victory is worth two points, a draw was worth one, and a loss zero; each match has a thirty-minute time limit. Being a professional wrestling tournament, the outcome of the matches and the tournament itself are not determined through pure athletic competition but through pre-determined outcomes to matches.
The first tournament, named simply Junior Heavyweight League, was held from October 15 to October 31 over nine shows, and featured two blocks of five. Foreign participation included Delirious from Ring of Honor and Jyushin Thunder Liger from New Japan Pro-Wrestling. The winner, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, also won the vacant GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship. Delirious was awarded place in the semifinal because original block A runner-up Kotaro Suzuki had to withdraw with a flu.
| Block A | Block B | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ! | 5 | |||
| 5 ! | 4 | |||
| 4 ! | 3 | |||
| 3 ! | 2 | |||
| 2 ! | 0 | |||
| Block A | Ricky Marvin | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delirious | Nakajima (15:05) | Delirious (18:54) | Suzuki (13:52) | Delirious (14:20) | ||
| Katsuhiko Nakajima | Nakajima (15:05) | Draw (30:00) | Draw (30:00) | Nakajima (12:07) | ||
| Kenta | Delirious (18:54) | Draw (30:00) | Suzuki (17:28) | Kenta (1:59) | ||
| Kotaro Suzuki | Suzuki (13:52) | Draw (30:00) | Suzuki (17:28) | Marvin (9:04) | ||
| Ricky Marvin | Delirious (14:20) | Nakajima(12:07) | Kenta (1:59) | Marvin (9:04) | ||
| Block B | Yoshinobu Kanemaru | |||||
| Atsushi Aoki | Aoki (13:11) | Draw (30:00) | Ishimori (13:54) | Kanemaru (17:32) | ||
| Genba Hirayanagi | Aoki (13:11) | Double countout (9:19) | Double countout (7:09) | Double countout (7:45) | ||
| Jyushin Thunder Liger | Draw (30:00) | Double countout (9:19) | Liger (13:08) | Liger (14:45) | ||
| Taiji Ishimori | Ishimori (13:54) | Double countout (7:09) | Liger (13:08) | Kanemaru (15:56) | ||
| Yoshinobu Kanemaru | Kanemaru (17:32) | Double countout (7:45) | Liger (14:45) | Kanemaru (15:56) |
The second tournament, now named Global Junior Heavyweight League, took place from July 18 to August 5, 2015.[1]
| Block A | Block B | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 ! | 8 | |||
| 8 ! | 8 | |||
| 8 ! | 6 | |||
| 8 ! | 6 | |||
| 6 ! | 6 | |||
| 2 ! | 6 | |||
| 0 ! | 2 | |||
| Block A | Zack Sabre Jr. | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daisuke Harada | Harada (5:23) | Harada (10:06) | Harada (13:29) | Harada (8:33) | Harada (11:58) | Sabre (12:12) | ||
| El Desperado | Harada (5:23) | Desperado (7:53) | Desperado (13:31) | Desperado (10:19) | Ogawa (1:05) | Desperado (11:06) | ||
| Hitoshi Kumano | Harada (10:06) | Desperado (7:53) | Kenoh (9:03) | Tanaka (9:01) | Ogawa (8:41) | Sabre (9:47) | ||
| Kenoh | Harada (13:29) | Desperado (13:31) | Kenoh (9:03) | Kenoh (13:50) | Kenoh (13:28) | Kenoh (7:33) | ||
| Sho Tanaka | Harada (8:33) | Desperado (10:19) | Tanaka (9:01) | Kenoh (13:50) | Ogawa (3:32) | Sabre (10:07) | ||
| Yoshinari Ogawa | Harada (11:58) | Ogawa (1:05) | Ogawa (8:41) | Kenoh (13:28) | Ogawa (3:32) | Sabre (11:46) | ||
| Zack Sabre Jr. | Sabre (12:12) | Desperado (11:06) | Sabre (9:47) | Kenoh (7:33) | Sabre (10:07) | Sabre (11:46) | ||
| Block B | Taka Michinoku | |||||||
| Atsushi Kotoge | Kotoge (8:49) | Kotoge (8:36) | Ohara (12:41) | Crazy (11:05) | Kotoge (14:58) | Kotoge (10:44) | ||
| Bengala | Kotoge (8:49) | Hirayanagi (6:22) | Bengala (6:15) | Bengala (3:24) | Ishimori (10:48) | Bengala (7:40) | ||
| Genba Hirayanagi | Kotoge (8:36) | Hirayanagi (6:22) | Ohara (8:29) | Crazy (5:29) | Ishimori (7:44) | Michinoku (7:33) | ||
| Hajime Ohara | Ohara (12:41) | Bengala (6:15) | Ohara (8:29) | Crazy (10:16) | Ishimori (7:15) | Ohara (11:31) | ||
| Super Crazy | Crazy (11:05) | Bengala (3:24) | Crazy (5:29) | Crazy (10:16) | Ishimori (12:27) | Michinoku (8:26) | ||
| Taiji Ishimori | Kotoge (14:58) | Ishimori (10:48) | Ishimori (7:44) | Ishimori (7:15) | Ishimori (12:27) | Michinoku (9:07) | ||
| Taka Michinoku | Kotoge (10:44) | Bengala (7:40) | Michinoku (7:33) | Ohara (11:31) | Michinoku (8:26) | Michinoku (9:07) |
The third tournament took place from September 8 to October 4, 2018.[2]
| Block A | Block B | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 ! | 8 | |||
| 6 ! | 7 | |||
| 6 ! | 6 | |||
| 6 ! | 6 | |||
| 2 ! | 3 | |||
| 2 ! | 0 | |||
| Block A | Tadasuke | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daisuke Harada | Harada (19:04) | Harada (12:06) | Suzuki (16:31) | Harada (8:47) | Tadasuke (15:31) | |
| Hajime Ohara | Harada (19:04) | Kumano (12:24) | Ohara (10:11) | Morohashi (10:05) | Tadasuke (6:54) | |
| Hitoshi Kumano | Harada (12:06) | Kumano (12:24) | Suzuki (14:33) | Kumano (11:52) | Kumano (9:59) | |
| Kotaro Suzuki | Suzuki (16:31) | Ohara (10:11) | Suzuki (14:33) | Suzuki (9:19) | Suzuki (10:18) | |
| Seiya Morohashi | Harada (8:47) | Morohashi (10:05) | Kumano (11:52) | Suzuki (9:19) | Tadasuke (9:53) | |
| Tadasuke | Tadasuke (15:31) | Tadasuke (6:54) | Kumano (9:59) | Suzuki (10:18) | Tadasuke (9:53) | |
| Block B | Yo-Hey | |||||
| Hayata | Hi69 (9:35) | Hidaka (11:11) | Hayata (4:45) | Tanaka (11:33) | Draw (12:36) | |
| Hi69 | Hi69 (9:35) | Hidaka (14:47) | Hi69 (2:49) | Hi69 (19:41) | Yo-Hey (13:11) | |
| Ikuto Hidaka | Hidaka (11:11) | Hidaka (14:47) | Hidaka (8:03) | Tanaka (12:38) | Draw (30:00) | |
| Junta Miyawaki | Hayata (4:45) | Hi69 (2:49) | Hidaka (8:03) | Tanaka (5:55) | Yo-Hey (8:02) | |
| Minoru Tanaka | Tanaka (11:33) | Hi69 (19:41) | Tanaka (12:38) | Tanaka (5:55) | Yo-Hey (14:57) | |
| Yo-Hey | Draw (12:36) | Yo-Hey (13:11) | Draw (30:00) | Yo-Hey (8:02) | Yo-Hey (14:57) | |
The fourth Global Junior Heavyweight League took place from June 27 to July 27, 2019.[3]
| Block A | Yoshinari Ogawa | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daisuke Harada | Harada (6:52) | Draw (30:00) | Tadasuke (15:01) | Harada (15:20) | Ogawa (9:47) | |
| Junta Miyawaki | Harada (6:52) | Tanaka (8:43) | Tadasuke (8:57) | Yo-Hey (8:57) | Ogawa (9:54) | |
| Minoru Tanaka | Draw (30:00) | Tanaka (8:43) | Tadasuke (10:14) | Yo-Hey (12:40) | Tanaka (11:33) | |
| Tadasuke | Tadasuke (15:01) | Tadasuke (8:57) | Tadasuke (10:14) | Tadasuke (10:41) | Ogawa (13:19) | |
| Yo-Hey | Harada (15:20) | Yo-Hey (8:57) | Yo-Hey (12:40) | Tadasuke (10:41) | Yo-Hey (14:14) | |
| Yoshinari Ogawa | Ogawa (9:47) | Ogawa (9:54) | Tanaka (11:33) | Ogawa (13:19) | Yo-Hey (14:14) | |
| Block B | Chris Ridgeway | Kotaro Suzuki | ||||
| Chris Ridgeway | Ohara (9:20) | Hayata (14:30) | Ridgeway (13:08) | Ridgeway (10:01) | Ridgeway (8:38) | |
| Hajime Ohara | Ohara (9:20) | Hayata (15:59) | Ohara (10:20) | Kumano (13:35) | Suzuki (10:09) | |
| Hayata | Hayata (14:30) | Hayata (15:59) | Hi69 (11:27) | Hayata (11:01) | Draw (30:00) | |
| Hi69 | Ridgeway (13:08) | Ohara (10:20) | Hi69 (11:27) | Hi69 (9:39) | Suzuki (8:59) | |
| Hitoshi Kumano | Ridgeway (10:01) | Kumano (13:35) | Hayata (11:01) | Hi69 (9:39) | Suzuki (10:32) | |
| Kotaro Suzuki | Ridgeway (8:38) | Suzuki (10:09) | Draw (30:00) | Suzuki (8:59) | Suzuki (10:32) | |
The 2020 Global Junior Heavyweight League, featuring 4 blocks took place between January 10 and January 30.[4]
| Block A | Yoshinari Ogawa | Junta Miyawaki | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayata | Ogawa (18:33) | Double Countout (6:43) | Hayata (9:48) | ||
| Yoshinari Ogawa | Ogawa (18:33) | Double Countout (10:29) | Ogawa (8:08) | ||
| Nosawa Rongai | Double Countout (6:43) | Double Countout (10:29) | Nosawa (9:23) | ||
| Junta Miyawaki | Hayata (9:48) | Ogawa (8:08) | Nosawa (9:23) | ||
| Block B | Dick Togo | ||||
| Kotaro Suzuki | Suzuki (7:39) | Suzuki (9:20) | Togo (15:09) | ||
| Tadasuke | Suzuki (7:39) | Tadasuke (7:49) | Tadasuke (12:46) | ||
| Hao | Suzuki (9:20) | Tadasuke (7:49) | Togo (9:21) | ||
| Dick Togo | Togo (15:09) | Tadasuke (12:46) | Togo (9:21) | ||
| Block C | Hitoshi Kumano | ||||
| Atsushi Kotoge | Kotoge (15:41) | Ohara (14:20) | Kotoge (10:56) | ||
| Yo-Hey | Kotoge (15:41) | Ohara (13:49) | Yo-Hey (13:53) | ||
| Hajime Ohara | Ohara (14:20) | Ohara (13:49) | Kumano (13:39) | ||
| Hitoshi Kumano | Kotoge (10:56) | Yo-Hey (13:53) | Kumano (13:39) | ||
| Block D | Chris Ridgeway | Nio | |||
| Daisuke Harada | Harada (10:56) | Draw (30:00) | Draw (30:00) | ||
| Chris Ridgeway | Harada (10:56) | Tanaka (11:34) | Ridgeway (13:39) | ||
| Minoru Tanaka | Draw (30:00) | Tanaka (11:34) | Nio (14:24) | ||
| Nio | Draw (30:00) | Ridgeway (13:39) | Nio (14:24) |
After the COVID-19 pandemic, the Junior Heavyweight League was replaced with an annual Junior Rumble. The first edition was on 4 October as part of an N-1 Victory 2020 show at Korakuen Hall in Bunkyō, Tokyo and contained 14 participants. They entered strictly every 30 seconds. The winner of this rumble did not receive a GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship shot and the reigning champion, Kotaro Suzuki, participated.[5]
| Entry | Wrestler | Unit | Order | Eliminated by | Method | Time of elimination | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daisuke Harada | Momo no Seishun | 11/12 | Hayata | Over The Top Rope | 22:00 | ||
| Yo-Hey | Full Throttle | 11/12 | Hayata | Over The Top Rope | 22:00 | ||
| Tadasuke | Kongo | 7 | Nioh | Over The Top Rope | 16:22 | ||
| Hayata | Stinger | 13 | Atsushi Kotoge | Pinfall | 24:32 | ||
| Nosawa Rongai | Sugiura-gun | 5 | Atsushi Kotoge | Pinfall | 14:59 | ||
| Junta Miyawaki | Momo no Seishun | 6 | Tadasuke | Pinfall | 15:33 | ||
| Yoshinari Ogawa | Stinger | 1 | Himself | Abandoned the match. | 5:49 | ||
| 8 | Seiki Yoshioka | Full Throttle | 4 | Nosawa Rongai | Pinfall | 12:59 | |
| 9 | Kaz Hayashi | Sugiura-gun | 3 | Seiki Yoshioka | Over The Top Rope | 12:35 | |
| 10 | Haoh | Kongo | 9 | Hayata | Pinfall | 18:18 | |
| 11 | Nioh | Kongo | 10 | Daisuke Harada | Pinfall | 19:47 | |
| 12 | Hajime Ohara | Full Throttle | 2 | Kaz Hayashi | Pinfall | 12:14 | |
| 13 | Kotaro Suzuki | Stinger | 8 | Haoh | Pinfall | 17:29 | |
| 14 | Atsushi Kotoge | Momo no Seishun | - | WINNER | - | - | |
| Winner: | Atsushi Kotoge | ||||||
The 2021 Noah Junior Rumble was held in an empty Club Citta, Kawasaki, Kanagawa on 26 June, one month before the Noah Jr. Team Game 2021.[6] It was part of Noah Cage War 2021. The Rumble had 15 participants, 1 more than the previous year. The winner, Hayata, successfully defeated Atsushi Kotoge for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship the next night.
Haoh, Tadasuke and Nioh all entered at the same time. Hayata & Yoshinari Ogawa entered unofficially and were allowed entry by the referee.
| Entry | Wrestler | Unit | Order | Eliminated by | Method | Time of elimination | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daisuke Harada | Seiki gun / Momo no Seishun | 2 | Hayata | Over The Top Rope | 17:26 | ||
| Nosawa Rongai | Los Perros del Mal de Japón | 1 | Yoshinari Ogawa | Over The Top Rope | 17:26 | ||
| Eita | Los Perros del Mal de Japón | 8 | Yoshinari Ogawa | Over The Top Rope | 23:55 | ||
| Seiki Yoshioka | Stinger | 11 | Yo-Hey | Over The Top Rope | 25:25 | ||
| Junta Miyawaki | Seiki-gun | 7 | Eita | Pinfall | 23:13 | ||
| Yo-Hey | Los Perros del Mal de Japón | 14 | Hayata | Pinfall | 35:00 | ||
| -9 | Haoh | Kongo | 4 | Junta Miyawaki | Pinfall | 21:11 | |
| Tadasuke | Kongo | 10 | Seiki Yoshioka | Pinfall | 24:51 | ||
| Nioh | Kongo | 5 | Junta Miyawaki | Over The Top Rope | 21:41 | ||
| 10 | Hajime Ohara | Seiki-gun | 3 | Haoh | Pinfall | 20:26 | |
| 11 | Yuya Susumu | Stinger | 9 | Tadasuke | Pinfall | 24:20 | |
| 12 | Ikuto Hidaka | Los Perros del Mal de Japón | 6 | Yuya Susumu | Pinfall | 22:26 | |
| 13 | Kotaro Suzuki | Los Perros del Mal de Japón | 13 | Hayata | Pinfall | 26:52 | |
| 14-15 | Hayata | Stinger | - | WINNER | - | - | |
| Yoshinari Ogawa | Stinger | 12 | Kotaro Suzuki, Nosawa Rongai & Yo-Hey | Over The Top Rope | 26:01 | ||
| Winner: | Hayata (2) | ||||||
The 2022 Noah Junior Rumble was part of the N Innovation U-Cup. It was held at Yokohama Radiant Hall, Yokohama on 6 January. Daisuke Harada, the winner, successfully defeated Hayata for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship the next night.[7]
| Entry | Wrestler | Unit | Order | Eliminated by | Method | Time of elimination | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atsushi Kotoge | Seiki-gun | 9 | Yo-Hey | Pinfall | 16:49 | ||
| Alejandro | Kongo | 6 | Hajime Ohara | Pinfall | 14:54 | ||
| Yuya Susumu | Stinger | 4 | Atsushi Kotoge | Pinfall | 11:13 | ||
| Yo-Hey | Los Perros del Mal de Japón | 12 | Seiki Yoshioka | Over The Top Rope | 20:00 | ||
| Seiki Yoshioka | Stinger | 13 | Kotaro Suzuki | Pinfall | 20:20 | ||
| Tadasuke | Kongo | 5 | Junta Miyawaki | Over The Top Rope | 11:59 | ||
| Junta Miyawaki | Seiki-gun | 8 | Haoh | Pinfall | 16:20 | ||
| 8 | Nosawa Rongai | Los Perros del Mal de Japón | 2 | Yoshinari Ogawa | Over The Top Rope | 6:51 | |
| 9 | Yoshinari Ogawa | Stinger | 3 | Nosawa Rongai | Over The Top Rope | 7:42 | |
| 10 | Eita | Los Perros del Mal de Japón | 1 | Nosawa Rongai | Over The Top Rope | 6:49 | |
| 11 | Daisuke Harada | Seiki-gun | - | WINNER | - | - | |
| 12 | Kotaro Suzuki | Los Perros del Mal de Japón | 14 | Daisuke Harada | Pinfall | 24:30 | |
| 13 | Haoh | Kongo | 11 | Daisuke Harada | Over The Top Rope | 18:18 | |
| 14 | Nioh | Kongo | 7 | Junta Miyawaki | Pinfall | 14:59 | |
| 15 | Hajime Ohara | Seiki-gun | 10 | Seiki Yoshioka | Pinfall | 17:33 | |
| Winner: | Daisuke Harada (3) | ||||||
The 2024 edition of the tournament premiered under the "N Innovation" banner and took place between October 30 and November 6.