| Championshipname: | PWP Catch Division Championship |
| Currentholder: | Tyler Hawke |
| Won: | June 25, 2017 |
| Promotion: | Pro Wrestling Pride (PWP) |
| Created: | May 13, 2012 |
| Mostreigns: | Stevie Jones/Tyler Hawke and Ultimo Tiger (4 reigns) |
| Firstchamp: | Stevie Jones |
| Longestreign: | Tyler Hawke (+ days) |
| Shortestreign: | Bobbi Tyler (1 day) |
| Heaviest: | Josef von Schmidt 260 lbs (118 kg) |
The PWP Catch Division Championship is a professional wrestling championship owned by Pro Wrestling Pride. It was the first championship incorporated by Pro Wrestling Pride, and the company's second-tier championship behind the PWP Heavyweight Championship. Despite the championship being the secondary championship for the promotion, it has been known to main-event shows above the heavyweight championship.[1]
The championship was established on the first Pro Wrestling Pride show under the company's banner on 13 May 2012, where Tyler Hawke defeated Wales' 'Wild Boar' Mike Hitchman. The design of the championship is that of a trophy rather than a traditional championship belt. Despite the championship being predominantly male, it has been won by a female. Bobbi Tyler won the championship for a single day in January 2017.
Rather than a midcard title based on a weight (Such as All Japan Pro Wrestling's Junior Heavyweight Championship, or World Championship Wrestling's Cruiserweight championship), and is more in line with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's X-Division Championship, which stated the division was 'not about weight limits, it's about no limits!"[2] The catch division, was likely originally designed as a showcase of catch wrestling, rather than high-flying wrestling, with well known grapplers Johnny Kidd and Doug Williams[3] winning the title.[4]
However, the style has changed over the duration of the belt's life, with the aforementioned catch style, with a mix of luchador, Puroresu and even more 'extreme styles'. This is reflected in the match types contested for this championship, with "catch as catch can" wrestling style (See Mountevans Rules),[5] Luchas de Apuestas[6] and even TLC matches.[7] The division's prize was a catch division trophy, and not a traditional belt.[8]
The full history of the championship is listed below. As the championship is currently on hiatus; the current championship reign of Tyler Hawke is being accumulated; however, it may not be accurate.
The total list of combined championship days held as of, :
| † | Indicates the current champion |
|---|
| Rank | Wrestler | No. of reigns | Combined days | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | † | 4 | + | |
| 2 | 4 | 491 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 245 | ||
| 4 | 1 | 148 | ||
| 5 | 2 | 147 | ||
| 6 | 1 | 126 | ||
| 7 | 1 | 105 | ||
| 8 | 1 | 89 | ||
| 9 | 1 | 49 | ||
| 10 | 1 | 14 | ||
| 11 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 12 | 1 | 1 |