Current Champion
Ultimo Dragon is the current champion. He defeated Hajime Ohara & Mineo Fujita in a 3 Way Match on 07/19/10 in Tokyo, Japan at the Ultimo Dragon Produced "LUCHA FIESTA 2010" event, to win the title.
History of Championship
This title was founded in 1979 as the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Title (International) in cooperation with New Japan Pro Wrestling and the Los Angeles NWA promotion. It was renamed the NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title in August of 1982. Also in 1982, the belt came under the ownership of All Japan Pro Wrestling. It was abandoned in 1986 by the last champion, Tiger Mask II (Mitsuharu Misawa).
The title was defended in Japan, the United States, and Mexico.
On October 12, 2006, Ultimo Dragon recieved the belt from Atsushi Onita, and annnounced he would promote a tournament for the championship. In the finals of that tournament on 3/4/07 Hirooki Goto defeated Shocker to win the title and become the 18th Champion. Goto vacated the title on 9/8/07 after defeating Hajime Ohara in a match in Japan, stating he was no longer a junior heavyweight and thus could no longer hold the title.
The title was again revived in November 2008 when Super Delfin defeated Ultimo Dragon to win the vacant championship in a decision match in Osaka, Japan.
Champions Listing
#
|
Champion(s)
|
Defeated
|
Date
|
Location
|
|
match to determine initial champion
|
|
1
|
Steve Keirn
|
Chavo Guerrero
|
1979.12.10
|
Los Angeles
|
|
2
|
Tatsumi Fujinami
|
Steve Keirn
|
1980.02.01
|
Sapporo, Japan
|
|
3
|
Mike Graham
|
Tatsumi Fujinami
|
1980.02.15
|
Hollywood, Florida, United States
|
|
4
|
Tatsumi Fujinami [2]
|
Mike Graham
|
1980.04.04
|
Kawasaki, Japan
|
|
vacated in June of 1980 due to injury
|
|
decision match for vacant title
|
|
5
|
Kengo Kimura
|
Bret Hart
|
1980.07.02
|
Kitakyushu, Japan
|
|
6
|
Chavo Guerrero
|
Kengo Kimura
|
1980.10.03
|
Tokyo
|
|
7
|
Gino Hernandez
|
Chavo Guerrero
|
1981.02.27
|
Houston, Texas, United States
|
|
8
|
Chavo Guerrero [2]
|
Gino Hernandez
|
1981.09.??
|
?
|
|
9
|
Atsushi Onita
|
Chavo Guerrero
|
1982.03.07
|
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
|
|
10
|
Sangre Chicana
|
Atsushi Onita
|
1982.04.11
|
Arena Coliseo Guadalajara
|
[1]
|
11
|
Atsushi Onita [2]
|
Sangre Chicana
|
1982.04.30
|
Arena Mexico
|
[2]
|
|
1
|
Halcon Ortiz
|
1982.05.07
|
Arena Mexico
|
[3]
|
title held up after a match with Chavo Guerrero on 1982.07.30
|
|
title renamed NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title at the annual NWA meeting in August of 1982
|
|
12
|
Atsushi Onita [3]
|
Chavo Guerrero
|
1982.11.04
|
Tokyo
|
|
title vacated on 1983.04.15 after Onita breaks his leg wrestling Hector Guerrero
|
|
tournament final to crown new champion
|
|
13
|
Chavo Guerrero [3]
|
Ultra Seven
|
1983.05.26
|
Tenryu, Japan
|
|
14
|
Mighty Inoue
|
Chavo Guerrero
|
1984.02.06
|
Osaka, Japan
|
|
15
|
Dynamite Kid
|
Mighty Inoue
|
1985.06.08
|
Takamatsu, Japan
|
|
16
|
Kuniaki Kobayashi
|
Dynamite Kid
|
1985.06.13
|
Koga, Japan
|
|
17
|
Tiger Mask II
|
Kuniaki Kobayashi
|
1985.08.31
|
Tokyo
|
|
title abandoned in 1986
|
|
8 man tournament to crown a new champion
|
|
18
|
Hirooki Goto
|
Shocker
|
2007.03.04
|
Arena Coliseo DF
|
|
title vacated on 2007.09.08 when Goto declares he is no longer a junior heavyweight
|
|
decision match for vacant title
|
|
19
|
Super Delfin
|
Ultimo Dragon
|
2008.11.09
|
Osaka, Japan
|
|
|
1
|
Menso~re Oyaji
|
2008.11.21
|
Okinawa, Japan
|
|
20
|
Ultimo Dragon
|
Super Delfin
|
2008.11.22
|
Tokyo, Japan
|
|
|
1
|
Captain “Churaumi Pirates” Zack
|
2008.11.30
|
Okinawa, Japan
|
|
21
|
Hajime Ohara
|
Ultimo Dragon
|
2008.12.14
|
Arena Coliseo DF
|
|
|
1
|
Kushida
|
2009.02.19
|
Tokyo, Japan
|
|
|
2
|
Kushida
|
2009.03.25
|
Tokyo, Japan
|
|
|
3
|
Amigo Suzuki
|
2009.06.14
|
Osaka, Japan
|
|
22
|
Mineo Fujita
|
Hajime Ohara
|
2009.10.01
|
Tokyo, Japan
|
|
|
1
|
Takeshi Minamino
|
2009.12.15
|
Tokyo, Japan
|
|
23
|
Ultimo Dragon [2]
|
Mineo Fujita & Hajime Ohara
|
2010.07.19
|
Tokyo, Japan
|
|
|
1
|
Black Tiger V
|
2011.03.06
|
Sala de Armas Magdalena Mixhuca
|
|
|
2
|
Último Guerrero & Hajime Ohara
|
2012.05.12
|
Arena Mexico
|
|
|
3
|
Rey Bucanero
|
2014.03.16
|
Sala de Armas Magdalena Mixhuca
|
|
|
|
title change
|
successful title defense
|
championship matches which were announced, but results were not found
|
Sources:
- ↑ El Informador 1982-04-11; billed as the NWA Cruiserweight Championship
- ↑ Matt Farmer
- ↑ Matt Farmer
Gallery of Champions
{{Gallery|name=Gino-nwainterjr-champ.jpg|caption=Gino Hernandez, 7th Champion
Gallery of Title Belts
Sources