International Junior Heavyweight Championship (Zero1) Explained

Championshipname:International Junior Heavyweight Championship
Currentholder:Seiki Yoshioka
Won:March 3, 2024
Promotion:Pro Wrestling Zero1
Created:June 29, 2002
Mostreigns:Ikuto Hidaka (5)
Firstchamp:Leonardo Spanky
Longestreign:Ikuto Hidaka (540 days)
Shortestreign:Tatsuhito Takaiwa (<1 day)
Pastnames:
  • NWA/UPW/Zero-One International Junior Heavyweight Championship[1]
  • Zero-One/UPW/World-1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship
  • AWA/Zero1-Max/UPW/World-1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship
  • AWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
  • Zero1-Max International Junior Heavyweight Championship

The International Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling championship in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Zero1 (Zero1, formerly Pro Wrestling Zero-One and Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max), contested exclusively among junior heavyweight (<100kg (200lb)) wrestlers. It was originally created on June 29, 2002, as the NWA/UPW/Zero-One International Junior Heavyweight Championship, symbolizing Pro Wrestling Zero-One (Zero-One)'s relationship with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW); Leonardo Spanky defeated Smelly to become the first champion.[2] When Zero-One left the NWA on October 31, 2004, the title was renamed to incorporate Steve Corino's Pro Wrestling World-1 (Word-1), becoming the Zero-One/UPW/World-1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship. The name was again altered when the newly renamed Pro Wrestling Zero1-Max (Zero1-Max) joined the AWA Superstars of Wrestling (AWA) alliance on February 28, 2005, with the title becoming known as the AWA/Zero1-Max/UPW/World-1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship. On August 26, 2006, after Minoru Fujita won the annual Tenkaichi Jr. tournament, Fujita renamed the championship to the AWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. When Zero1-Max left the AWA on December 15, 2007, it was renamed again to the Zero1-Max International Junior Heavyweight Championship. Finally, when the company changed its name to Pro Wrestling Zero1 in 2008, the championship followed and became known as the Zero1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship.

There have been a total of 27 recognized champions, who have had a combined 37 official reigns. The current champion is Seiki Yoshioka who is in his first reign.

Combined reigns

As of, .

Indicates the current champion
¤The exact length of at least one title reign is uncertain, so the shortest length is considered.
RankWrestlerNo. of
reigns
Combined
defenses
Combined days
15 16 1,239
23 12 918
31 2 481
42 4 421
51 2 403
61 8 349
71 1 310
83 5 293
91 2 266
101 3 265
111 0 259
122 4 257
131 2 ¤242
141 2 232
151 1 225
161 3 222
171 5 213
181 4 195
191 3 155
201 1 135
21Sean Guinness 1 1 129
221 1 128
23Seiki Yoshioka1 0 +
241 0 117
251 3 79
261 0 58
271 1 45

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ZERO1-MAX International Junior Heavyweight Championship title history. 2007-07-20. Wrestling-Titles.com.
  2. Web site: AWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship official title history . 2007-07-20 . ZEROONEUSA.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080516212608/http://www.zerooneusa.com/title_jr.shtml . 2008-05-16 .