NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship

Hajime Ohara as NWA International Junior Heavyweight Champion.

The NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship started in 1979. It was formed by a split in lineage from the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship caused by the first retirement of champion Nelson Royal the same year. The first champion, Steve Keirn, was recognized as World champion only by Florida, Los Angeles, and New Japan Pro Wrestling. This version was eventually taken to the latter promotion by Tatsumi Fujinami, who already held the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship.

In 1981 champion Chavo Guerrero Sr. left NJPW to go back to the United States, only to come back to Japan under the banner of All Japan Pro Wrestling, where it was renamed the International Junior Heavyweight Championship to avoid confusion and (along with being given a new belt design) in general line with AJPW's NWA titles. The championship became the cornerstone of AJPW's junior heavyweight division until its eventual replacement by the AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship, which kept the belt design^[1].

Title history

#:	Name(s):	Reigns:	Date:	Location:	Notes:
1	Steve Keirn	1	December 10, 1979	Los Angeles, California, United States	Defeated Chavo Guerrero in a decision match to be recognized as NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion in Los Angeles.
2	Tatsumi Fujinami	1	February 1, 1980	Sapporo, Japan	Also held the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship, but defended them separately.
3	Mike Graham	1	February 15, 1980	Hollywood, Florida, United States	Recognized as World Champion in Florida.
4	Tatsumi Fujinami	2	April 4, 1980	Kawasaki, Japan
Vacated in June 1980 when Fujinami was injured.
5	Kengo Kimura	1	July 2, 1980	Kita Kyushu, Japan	Defeated Bret Hart in a decision match.
6	Chavo Guerrero	1	October 3, 1980	Tokyo, Japan
7	Gino Hernandez	1	February 27, 1981	Houston, Texas, United States
8	Chavo Guerrero	2	September, 1981	n/a
9	Atsushi Onita	1	March 7, 1982	Charlotte, North Carolina, United States	Billed as International champion in Jim Crockett Promotions.
10	Sangre Chicana	1	April 11, 1982	Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico	Recognized as World champion in Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre.
11	Atsushi Onita	2	April 30, 1982	Mexico City, Mexico
The title held up on July 30, 1982, after a match against Chavo Guerrero that ended in a no decision. The National Wrestling Alliance and All Japan Pro Wrestling rename the title the NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship. Onita and Guerrero had several rematches.
12	Atsushi Onita	3	November 4, 1982	Tokyo, Japan	Defeated Chavo Guerrero in rematch.
Vacated on April 15, 1983 when Onita broke his leg during a match against Hector Guerrero.
13	Chavo Guerrero	3	May 26, 1983	Tenryu, Japan	Defeats Ultra Seven in tournament final.
14	Mighty Inoue	1	February 26, 1984	Osaka, Japan
15	Dynamite Kid	1	June 8, 1985	Takamatsu, Japan
16	Kuniaki Kobayashi	1	June 13, 1985	Koga, Japan
17	Tiger Mask II	1	August 31, 1985	Tokyo, Japan
Vacated on June 1986 when Tiger Mask graduates to the heavyweight division. The title was replaced with AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
18	Hirooki Goto	1	March 4, 2007	Mexico City, Mexico	Defeated Shocker in a tournament final to revive the title for Toryumon Mexico.
Vacated on September 7, 2007 when Goto graduates to the heavyweight division.
19	Super Delfin	1	November 9, 2008	Osaka, Japan	Defeated Último Dragón in a decision match to revive title.
20	Último Dragón	1	November 22, 2008	Tokyo, Japan
21	Hajime Ohara	1	December 14, 2008	Mexico City, Mexico
22	Mineo Fujita	1	October 1, 2009	Tokyo, Japan	Won the title at Dradition Pro Wrestling's Dream Impact IV.

See also

• All Japan Pro Wrestling
• AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship
• New Japan Pro Wrestling

References

1. ^ Royal Duncan & Gary Will (4th Edition 2006). Wrestling Title Histories. Archeus Communications. ISBN 0-9698161-5-4. 

External links

• NWA International Junior Heavyweight Title History