Post by admin on Feb 13, 2008 21:44:51 GMT -5
NWA United National Championship History (AJPW to ZERO1-MAX):
(NWA courtesy NJPW 2008)
Title History:
1.) Dale Lewis
October, 1970
St. Louis, Missouri
Wins a tournament to crown the first champion.
Pantera Negra
2.) John Tolos
October 23, 1970
Los Angeles, California
3.) Ray Mendoza
November 20, 1970
Los Angeles, California
4.) John Tolos
December 4, 1970
Los Angeles, California
5.) N/A March, 1971
Tolos returned the championship when the NWA decides the referee used a fast count during his title defense against Mendoza.
6.) Antonio Inoki
March 26, 1971
Los Angeles, California
Vacated on December 13, 1971 when Inoki is fired from the JWA, the promotion to which he had brought the title from the US.
7.) King Krow
January, 1972
Vancouver, British Columbia
Defeated Sailor Thomas in a fictitious tournament final.
8.) Seiji Sakaguchi
February 11, 1972
Los Angeles, California
9.) The Sheik
September 6, 1972
Tokyo, Japan
10.) Seiji Sakaguchi
September 7, 1972
Osaka, Japan
11.) Johnny Valentine
February 3, 1973
Yokohama, Japan
12.) Akihisa Takachiho
March 8, 1973
Sano, Japan
Deactivated on April 14, 1973 when the JWA closes.
13.) Jumbo Tsuruta
August 28, 1976
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Jack Brisco in an AJPW tournament final to revive the championship.
14.) Billy Robinson
March 5, 1977
Akita, Japan
15.) Jumbo Tsuruta
March 23, 1977
Miami, Florida
16.) thingy Murdoch
February 23, 1980
Kagoshima, Japan
17.) Jumbo Tsuruta
March 5, 1980
Kuroiso, Japan
18.) Abdullah the Butcher
October 13, 1980
Nagoya, Japan
19.) Jumbo Tsuruta
January 22, 1981
Nirasaki, Japan
20.) Harley Race
August 1, 1982
Tokyo, Japan
21.) Jumbo Tsuruta
October 24, 1982
Kitami, Japan
Vacated on June 17, 1983 so Tsuruta could focus on winning the NWA International Heavyweight Championship.
22.) Ted DiBiase
October 14, 1983
Sasebo, Japan
Defeated Jerry Lawler in a tournament final via forfeit; wrestled Genichiro Tenryu for his first title defense instead.
23.) Michael Hayes
January 28, 1984
Athens, Georgia
24.) David Von Erich
February 3, 1984
Dallas, Texas
Vacated on February 10, 1984 when Von Erich dies of an apparent heart attack.
25.) Genichiro Tenryu
February 23, 1984
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Ricky Steamboat in a tournament final.
Voluntarily vacated in February, 1986 when Tenryu is pinned by Yoshiaki Yatsu in a tag team match.
26.) Genichiro Tenryu
April 26, 1986
Omiya, Japan
Defeated Ted DiBiase in a tournament final. Wins PWF Heavyweight Championship on March 9, 1988.
27.) Stan Hansen
July 27, 1988
Nagano, Japan
Also wins PWF Heavyweight Championship.
Creation of AJPW's Triple Crown Championship
Jumbo Tsuruta
April 18, 1989
Tokyo, Japan
Unifies Tsuruta's NWA International Heavyweight Championship with Hansen's PWF and UN championships to create the AJPW Triple Crown Championship.
AJPW Triple Crown Championship - Background detail
The title was created with the unification of the NWA International Heavyweight Championship, the PWF Heavyweight Championship and the NWA United National Championship, hence the Triple Crown name. Unlike most other such unified titles, the Triple Crown has remained indivisible throughout its history.
Citing the collapse of the National Wrestling Alliance, and with the need to have a single heavyweight title to counter New Japan Pro Wrestling's IWGP title, All Japan promoter Shohei Baba began running matches for the eventual unification of the titles. Choosing Jumbo Tsuruta, a former AWA World champion and pound-for-pound the best All Japan wrestler at the time, as the first titleholder solidified the status of the title, and Tsuruta's subsequent feud with Genichiro Tenryu over the unified title set the standard for all Triple Crown matches and feuds to follow. Many people consider its replacement feud, Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada in the 1990s, to have provided the best singles wrestling matches of all time.
Before 2000 a Triple Crown match winner used to be presented a trophy in the shape of a globe pierced by three pikes symbolizing the three titles. When Nippon TV cancelled the AJPW television show, the trophy was retired.
AJPW's Triple CrownTitle History from 2000:
(For prior history info, please visit: www.puroresu.com/alljapan/
Also, www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan, courtesy of
"The Great Hisa", Hisaharu Tanabe.)
Kenta Kobash
2000-02-27
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Excite Series tour.
Vacated (n/a)
2000-06-16
Vacated when Kobashi and several others leave AJPW
to form Pro Wrestling NOAH.
Genichiro Tenryu
2000-10-28
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Toshiaki Kawada in a tournament final on the October Giant Series tour.
Keiji Muto
2001-06-08
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Super Power Series tour.
Toshiaki Kawada
2002-02-24
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Excite Series tour.
Vacated (n/a)
2002-03-28
Vacated due to a knee injury.
Genichiro Tenryu
2002-04-13
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Keiji Muto at Grand Champion Carnival.
The Great Muta
(formerly Keiji Muto)
2002-10-27
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title at Royal Road 30 Giant Battle Final.
Shinya Hashimoto
2003-02-23
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Excite Series tour.
Vacated (n/a)
2003-08-13
Vacated due to Hashimoto dislocating his right shoulder.
Toshiaki Kawada
2003-09-06
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Shinjiro Otani in a tournament final on the Summer Action Series II tour.
Satoshi Kojima
2005-02-16
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title at Realize.
Taiyo Kea
2006-07-03
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Cross Over tour.
Minoru Suzuki
2006-09-03
Sapporo, Japan
Won the title on the Summer Impact tour.
Kensuke Sasaki
2007-08-26
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title at Pro Wrestling Love in Ryogoku Vol.
NWA UNITED NATIONAL Recreated and Revived as a Single Title, by ZERO1-MAX (2004)
28.) Masato Tanaka
January 31, 2004
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Steve Corino in an Indian strap match on the ZERO-ONE*U$A tour. Tanaka wrestled this match as "MASA TANAKA", but defended the title under his full name.
29.) Takao Omori
October 8, 2004
Tokyo, Japan
This was a steel cage match on the New Truth Whirlpool-1 II tour.
Vacated
January 23, 2005
Vacated due to Omori winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship.
30.) C.W. Anderson
March 27, 2005
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Kohei Sato on the Strong Wind & Thunder tour.
Vacated
February 3, 2006
Vacated due to a back injury.
31.) Kohei Sato
February 26, 2006
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Ryouji Sai on the Happening tour.
32.) Ryouji Sai
November 11, 2006
Osaka, Japan
Won the title on the MAX Around tour.
33.) Daisuke Sekimoto
March 8, 2007
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title at Ex-Impact.
34.) Yoshihito Sasaki
November 13, 2007
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Believe Your Way tour.
*NWA courtesy New Japan Pro Wrestling (2008)
35.) Sandy Beach (Micah)
February 11, 2008
Nagoya, Japan
Won the title on the Solidarity tour.
(NWA courtesy NJPW 2008)
Title History:
1.) Dale Lewis
October, 1970
St. Louis, Missouri
Wins a tournament to crown the first champion.
Pantera Negra
2.) John Tolos
October 23, 1970
Los Angeles, California
3.) Ray Mendoza
November 20, 1970
Los Angeles, California
4.) John Tolos
December 4, 1970
Los Angeles, California
5.) N/A March, 1971
Tolos returned the championship when the NWA decides the referee used a fast count during his title defense against Mendoza.
6.) Antonio Inoki
March 26, 1971
Los Angeles, California
Vacated on December 13, 1971 when Inoki is fired from the JWA, the promotion to which he had brought the title from the US.
7.) King Krow
January, 1972
Vancouver, British Columbia
Defeated Sailor Thomas in a fictitious tournament final.
8.) Seiji Sakaguchi
February 11, 1972
Los Angeles, California
9.) The Sheik
September 6, 1972
Tokyo, Japan
10.) Seiji Sakaguchi
September 7, 1972
Osaka, Japan
11.) Johnny Valentine
February 3, 1973
Yokohama, Japan
12.) Akihisa Takachiho
March 8, 1973
Sano, Japan
Deactivated on April 14, 1973 when the JWA closes.
13.) Jumbo Tsuruta
August 28, 1976
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Jack Brisco in an AJPW tournament final to revive the championship.
14.) Billy Robinson
March 5, 1977
Akita, Japan
15.) Jumbo Tsuruta
March 23, 1977
Miami, Florida
16.) thingy Murdoch
February 23, 1980
Kagoshima, Japan
17.) Jumbo Tsuruta
March 5, 1980
Kuroiso, Japan
18.) Abdullah the Butcher
October 13, 1980
Nagoya, Japan
19.) Jumbo Tsuruta
January 22, 1981
Nirasaki, Japan
20.) Harley Race
August 1, 1982
Tokyo, Japan
21.) Jumbo Tsuruta
October 24, 1982
Kitami, Japan
Vacated on June 17, 1983 so Tsuruta could focus on winning the NWA International Heavyweight Championship.
22.) Ted DiBiase
October 14, 1983
Sasebo, Japan
Defeated Jerry Lawler in a tournament final via forfeit; wrestled Genichiro Tenryu for his first title defense instead.
23.) Michael Hayes
January 28, 1984
Athens, Georgia
24.) David Von Erich
February 3, 1984
Dallas, Texas
Vacated on February 10, 1984 when Von Erich dies of an apparent heart attack.
25.) Genichiro Tenryu
February 23, 1984
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Ricky Steamboat in a tournament final.
Voluntarily vacated in February, 1986 when Tenryu is pinned by Yoshiaki Yatsu in a tag team match.
26.) Genichiro Tenryu
April 26, 1986
Omiya, Japan
Defeated Ted DiBiase in a tournament final. Wins PWF Heavyweight Championship on March 9, 1988.
27.) Stan Hansen
July 27, 1988
Nagano, Japan
Also wins PWF Heavyweight Championship.
Creation of AJPW's Triple Crown Championship
Jumbo Tsuruta
April 18, 1989
Tokyo, Japan
Unifies Tsuruta's NWA International Heavyweight Championship with Hansen's PWF and UN championships to create the AJPW Triple Crown Championship.
AJPW Triple Crown Championship - Background detail
The title was created with the unification of the NWA International Heavyweight Championship, the PWF Heavyweight Championship and the NWA United National Championship, hence the Triple Crown name. Unlike most other such unified titles, the Triple Crown has remained indivisible throughout its history.
Citing the collapse of the National Wrestling Alliance, and with the need to have a single heavyweight title to counter New Japan Pro Wrestling's IWGP title, All Japan promoter Shohei Baba began running matches for the eventual unification of the titles. Choosing Jumbo Tsuruta, a former AWA World champion and pound-for-pound the best All Japan wrestler at the time, as the first titleholder solidified the status of the title, and Tsuruta's subsequent feud with Genichiro Tenryu over the unified title set the standard for all Triple Crown matches and feuds to follow. Many people consider its replacement feud, Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Toshiaki Kawada in the 1990s, to have provided the best singles wrestling matches of all time.
Before 2000 a Triple Crown match winner used to be presented a trophy in the shape of a globe pierced by three pikes symbolizing the three titles. When Nippon TV cancelled the AJPW television show, the trophy was retired.
AJPW's Triple CrownTitle History from 2000:
(For prior history info, please visit: www.puroresu.com/alljapan/
Also, www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan, courtesy of
"The Great Hisa", Hisaharu Tanabe.)
Kenta Kobash
2000-02-27
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Excite Series tour.
Vacated (n/a)
2000-06-16
Vacated when Kobashi and several others leave AJPW
to form Pro Wrestling NOAH.
Genichiro Tenryu
2000-10-28
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Toshiaki Kawada in a tournament final on the October Giant Series tour.
Keiji Muto
2001-06-08
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Super Power Series tour.
Toshiaki Kawada
2002-02-24
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Excite Series tour.
Vacated (n/a)
2002-03-28
Vacated due to a knee injury.
Genichiro Tenryu
2002-04-13
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Keiji Muto at Grand Champion Carnival.
The Great Muta
(formerly Keiji Muto)
2002-10-27
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title at Royal Road 30 Giant Battle Final.
Shinya Hashimoto
2003-02-23
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Excite Series tour.
Vacated (n/a)
2003-08-13
Vacated due to Hashimoto dislocating his right shoulder.
Toshiaki Kawada
2003-09-06
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Shinjiro Otani in a tournament final on the Summer Action Series II tour.
Satoshi Kojima
2005-02-16
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title at Realize.
Taiyo Kea
2006-07-03
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Cross Over tour.
Minoru Suzuki
2006-09-03
Sapporo, Japan
Won the title on the Summer Impact tour.
Kensuke Sasaki
2007-08-26
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title at Pro Wrestling Love in Ryogoku Vol.
NWA UNITED NATIONAL Recreated and Revived as a Single Title, by ZERO1-MAX (2004)
28.) Masato Tanaka
January 31, 2004
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Steve Corino in an Indian strap match on the ZERO-ONE*U$A tour. Tanaka wrestled this match as "MASA TANAKA", but defended the title under his full name.
29.) Takao Omori
October 8, 2004
Tokyo, Japan
This was a steel cage match on the New Truth Whirlpool-1 II tour.
Vacated
January 23, 2005
Vacated due to Omori winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship.
30.) C.W. Anderson
March 27, 2005
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Kohei Sato on the Strong Wind & Thunder tour.
Vacated
February 3, 2006
Vacated due to a back injury.
31.) Kohei Sato
February 26, 2006
Tokyo, Japan
Defeated Ryouji Sai on the Happening tour.
32.) Ryouji Sai
November 11, 2006
Osaka, Japan
Won the title on the MAX Around tour.
33.) Daisuke Sekimoto
March 8, 2007
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title at Ex-Impact.
34.) Yoshihito Sasaki
November 13, 2007
Tokyo, Japan
Won the title on the Believe Your Way tour.
*NWA courtesy New Japan Pro Wrestling (2008)
35.) Sandy Beach (Micah)
February 11, 2008
Nagoya, Japan
Won the title on the Solidarity tour.