The IWA World Heavyweight Championship (Japanese : IWA世界ヘビー級王座 , Hepburn : IWA Sekai Hebī-kyū Ōza ) was a title used on the Japanese independent circuit . The title was the world heavyweight championship of the International Wrestling Association of Japan (IWA Japan).[1] It was later revived in the women's wrestling promotion Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling , where it became part of the IWA Triple Crown Championship (Japanese : IWA三冠統一王座 , Hepburn : IWA Sankan Tōitsu Ōza ) with a separate reign history.[2]
Title history
IWA World Heavyweight Championship
Key
No.
Overall reign number
Reign
Reign number for the specific champion
Days
Number of days held
<1
Reign lasted less than a day
No.
Champion
Championship change
Reign statistics
Notes
Ref.
Date
Event
Location
Reign
Days
International Wrestling Association of Japan
1
Dick Slater
July 20, 1994
Who Is the Best
Iwate Prefecture, Japan
1
391
Defeated Nobutaka Araya to become the inaugural champion.
[1] [3]
—
Vacated
August 15, 1995
—
—
—
—
Vacated due to Slater leaving Japan to return to the United States because of his mother's illness.
[1]
2
Tarzan Goto
August 15, 1995
Kawasaki★Dream: The Indie Dream
Yokkaichi, Japan
1
438
Defeated Leatherface to win the vacant title.
[1] [4]
—
Vacated
October 26, 1996
—
—
—
—
Vacated when Goto left the promotion.
[1]
3
Doug Gilbert
January 13, 1998
House show
Tokyo, Japan
1
455
Won a 15-man Battle Royal Deathmatch by last eliminating Keisuke Yamada to win the vacant title.
[1] [5]
4
Ghost Face
April 13, 1999
House show
Tokyo, Japan
2
129
Previously held the title under the name Tarzan Goto. Reverted to this name on June 27, 1999.
[1]
—
Vacated
August 20, 1999
—
—
—
—
Vacated due to unknown circumstances.
[1]
5
Hacksaw Jim Duggan
August 31, 2004
IWA Japan 10th Anniversary Show
Tokyo, Japan
1
239
Defeated Big Boss Man in a six-man tournament final to win the vacant title.
[1]
—
Vacated
April 27, 2005
—
—
—
—
Vacated due to unknown circumstances.
[1]
6
Black Buffalo
July 2, 2009
House show
Tokyo, Japan
1
156
Defeated Keizo Matsuda to win the vacant championship.
[1]
7
Keizo Matsuda
December 5, 2009
House show
Tokyo, Japan
1
531
[1]
—
Vacated
May 20, 2011
—
—
—
—
Vacated when Matsuda left the promotion.
[1]
—
Deactivated
July 30, 2011
—
—
—
—
8
Emi Sakura
November 16, 2013
House show
Tokyo, Japan
1
<1
Defeated Kyonin Shihan to win the vacant title. This match was also contested for the AWF World Women's Championship and the IWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship.
[1]
—
Unified
November 16, 2013
—
—
—
—
Unified with the AWF World Women's Championship and the IWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship to create the IWA Triple Crown Championship.
[1]
IWA Triple Crown Championship
Key
No.
Overall reign number
Reign
Reign number for the specific champion
Days
Number of days held
Defenses
Number of successful defenses
<1
Reign lasted less than a day
No.
Champion
Championship change
Reign statistics
Notes
Ref.
Date
Event
Location
Reign
Days
Defenses
Gatoh Move Pro Wrestling
1
Emi Sakura
November 16, 2013
IWA Japan house show
Tokyo, Japan
1
41
0
Defeated Kyonin Shihan to unify the vacant IWA World Heavyweight Championship, the IWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship and the AWF World Women's Championship.
[1]
2
Antonio Honda
December 27, 2013
Japan Tour #79: Last Itabashi Of 2013
Tokyo, Japan
1
29
0
This was an Ogiri Deathmatch .
[2]
3
Emi Sakura
January 25, 2014
Japan Tour #87
Tokyo, Japan
2
197
2
This was a Wasabi Cream Deathmatch .
[2]
4
Konaka=Pehlwan
August 10, 2014
Japan Tour #122: Sakura 7 Days War
Tokyo, Japan
1
55
1
[2]
5
Emi Sakura
October 4, 2014
Japan Tour #131
Tokyo, Japan
3
29
1
[2]
6
Riho
November 2, 2014
Japan Tour #135: Thinking of Culture
Tokyo, Japan
1
323
4
[2]
7
DJ Nira
September 21, 2015
Japan Tour #187: First Time in Yokohama
Tokyo, Japan
1
92
2
[2]
8
Kaori Yoneyama
December 22, 2015
Japan Tour #202: Last Itabashi of 2015
Tokyo, Japan
1
183
1
[2]
9
Riho
June 22, 2016
Riho 10th Anniversary: Flowers Blooming for 10 Years
Tokyo, Japan
2
150
0
[2]
10
Makoto
November 19, 2016
Japan Tour #258
Tokyo, Japan
1
224
2
[2]
—
Vacated
July 1, 2017
—
—
—
—
—
Vacated due to Makoto suffering a neck injury.
[2]
11
Emi Sakura
August 5, 2017
Japan Tour #303
Nagoya, Japan
4
<1
0
Defeated Riho to win the vacant title.
[2]
—
Deactivated
August 5, 2017
—
—
—
—
—
Sakura immediately retired the title and returned the belt to IWA Japan. Gatoh Move then introduced the Super Asia Championship to take its place.
[2]
See also
References
Championships
Events Partnerships