Tenryu Project International Junior Heavyweight Championship
Details
PromotionWrestle Association R (1995–2000)
Dragon Gate (2006–2007)
Tenryu Project (2010–2015); (2021-present)
Date establishedMarch 26, 1995
Current champion(s)Yuya Susumu
Date wonSeptember 21, 2023
Other name(s)
  • WAR International Junior Heavyweight Championship
    (1995–2010)
  • Tenryu Project International Junior Heavyweight Championship
    (2010–present)
  • IJ Singles Championship
    (2021–present)
Statistics
First champion(s)Gedo
Most reignsMasaaki Mochizuki
(4 reigns)
Longest reignMasaaki Mochizuki
(2,705 days)
Shortest reignMasaaki Mochizuki
(<1 day)

The Tenryu Project International Junior Heavyweight Championship (Japanese: 天龍プロジェクト認定インターナショナル・ジュニアヘビー級王座, Hepburn: Tenryū Purojekuto Nintei Intānashonaru Junia Hebī-kyū Ōza) is a professional wrestling championship contested for in the Japanese professional wrestling promotion Tenryu Project. The title was established in 1995 in Wrestle Association R (WAR). In the revived Tenryu Project, the title is also referred to as the IJ Singles Championship (IJシングル王座, IJ Shinguru Ōza).[1]

Title history

Inaugural championship tournament

On March 26, 1995, an eight-man single elimination tournament was held on the second day of the Wrestle Association R (WAR) event Battle Angel. The tournament saw Gedo defeat Lionheart in the finals to become the inaugural champion.[2]

First round Semifinals Finals
         
Gedo Pin
Yuji Yasuraoka 07:21
Gedo Pin
1-2-3 Kid 7:08
1-2-3 Kid Pin
Negro Casas 04:40
Gedo Pin
Lionheart 19:31
Lionheart Pin
Masao Orihara 08:52
Lionheart Pin
Último Dragón 11:19
Último Dragón Pin
Ultimate Dragon 09:58

The title was part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling's short-lived J-Crown Championship in 1996 and 1997. In late 2006, the title briefly moved to Dragon Gate where Masaaki Mochizuki beat Gedo in a decision match on January 26, 2007 to determine the final champion, and then retired the title.

Revivals

The title was revived in April 2010, for Genichiro Tenryu's Tenryu Project promotion until being again retired in 2013 after the closure of the promotion. The championship was once again reactivated after Tenryu Project reopened in 2020.[3] On May 25 and June 6, an eight-man single elimination tournament was held to crown a new champion. The tournament saw Hub defeat Kengo in the finals.[4]

First round
May 25 		Semifinals
June 12 		Finals
June 12
         
Toru 12:47[5]
Hub Pin
Hub Sub
Kenichiro Arai 10:54[6]
Kenichiro Arai Pin
Kikutaro 12:47[5]
Hub Pin
Kengo 19:59[6]
Tsubasa Pin
Mazada 13:33[5]
Tsubasa 16:19[6]
Kengo Pin
"brother" Yasshi 19:59[5]
Kengo Pin

Reigns

As of January 25, 2024, there have been a total of 24 reigns shared between 18 different champions and two vacancies. The current champion is Yuya Susumu who is in his first reign.

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
Wrestle Association R (WAR)
1 Gedo March 26, 1995 Battle Angel Tokyo, Japan 1 70 2 Defeated Lionheart in a tournament final to become the inaugural champion.
2 Lionheart June 4, 1995 House show Tokyo, Japan 1 54 1
3 Último Dragón July 28, 1995 House show Tokyo, Japan 1 32 0
4 Gedo August 29, 1995 House show Shizuoka, Japan 2 37 0
5 Último Dragón October 5, 1995 House show Ōmiya, Japan 2 305 5
6 The Great Sasuke August 5, 1996 G1 Climax 1996 Tokyo, Japan 1 67 1 The championship becomes one of eight championships comprising New Japan Pro Wrestling's J-Crown.
7 Último Dragón October 11, 1996 Osaka Crush Night Osaka, Japan 3 85 5 This match was for the J-Crown.
8 Jushin Thunder Liger January 4, 1997 Wrestling World 1997 Tokyo, Japan 1 153 4 This match was for the J-Crown.
9 Yuji Yasuraoka June 6, 1997 WAR Tokyo, Japan 1 588 6 Only the WAR championship was on the line. Liger retained the other seven titles.
10 Masao Orihara January 15, 1999 House show Tokyo, Japan 1 45 0
11 Masaaki Mochizuki March 1, 1999 House show Tokyo, Japan 1 2,705 2 WAR ceased running cards in July 2000, but Mochizuki kept the title, though did not defend it regularly.
12 Pentagón Black July 27, 2006 Final - Reborn to Future Tokyo, Japan 1 119 0
Dragon Gate
13 Masaaki Mochizuki November 23, 2006 Crown Gate 2006 Osaka, Japan 2 <1 0
— Vacated November 23, 2006 — — — — — Mochizuki immediately vacated the title.
14 Masaaki Mochizuki January 26, 2007 Primal Gate 2007 Tokyo, Japan 3 <1 0 Defeated Gedo to win the vacant title and to determine the then final champion.
— Deactivated January 26, 2007 — — — — — Mochizuki immediately retired the title.
Tenryu Project
15 Masaaki Mochizuki April 19, 2010 Tenryu Project Osaka, Japan 4 51 0 Defeated Susumu Yokosuka and Naoki Tanizaki in a three-way match.
16 Tiger Shark June 9, 2010 Next Revolution Tokyo, Japan 1 112 4
17 Hiroki September 29, 2010 Never So Tokyo, Japan 1 76 1
18 Ryuji Hijikata December 14, 2010 Tenryu Project Tokyo, Japan 1 591 1
19 Takaku Fuke July 27, 2012 R-2 Real Tenryu Project 8 Tokyo, Japan 1 155 0
20 Masao Orihara December 29, 2012 Genichiro Tenryu Return Match: Revolution Tokyo, Japan 2 276 2 [7]
— Vacated October 1, 2013 — — — — — Title vacated when Orihara left the promotion after a defense against Manjimaru.
— Deactivated December 15, 2015 — — — — — Title deactivated when Tenryu Project closed.
21 Hub June 12, 2021 Survive the Revolution Vol. 4 Tokyo, Japan 1 62 2 Defeated Kengo in a decision match final of a tournament to win the reactivated title. [4]
22 Kengo August 13, 2021 Survive the Revolution Vol. 8 Tokyo, Japan 1 183 3 [8]
23 Toru February 12, 2022 Osaka Crush Night 2022
Part 2 		Osaka, Japan 1 123 2 [9]
24 Hikaru Sato June 15, 2022 Wrestle And Romance Vol. 3 Tokyo, Japan 1 463 6 [10]
25 Yuya Susumu September 21, 2023 Tenryu Project Still Revolution Vol. 6 Tokyo, Japan 1 126+ 1 [11]

Combined reigns

Record four-time, longest individual and combined reigning champion at 2,756 days, Masaaki Mochizuki.
Current champion, Yuya Susumu

As of January 25, 2024.

Rank Wrestler No. of
Reigns 		Combined
defenses 		Combined
Days
1 Masaaki Mochizuki 4 2 2,756
2 Ryuji Hijikata 1 1 591
3 Yuji Yasuraoka 1 6 588
4 Hikaru Sato 1 6 463
5 Último Dragón 3 10 422
6 Masao Orihara 2 2 321
7 Kengo 1 3 183
8 Takaku Fuke 1 0 155
9 Jushin Thunder Liger 1 4 153
10 Yuya Susumu † 1 1 126+
11 Toru 1 2 123
12 Pentagón Black 1 0 119
13 Tiger Shark 1 4 112
14 Gedo 2 2 107
15 Hiroki 1 1 76
16 The Great Sasuke 1 1 67
17 Hub 1 2 62
18 Lionheart 1 1 54

References

  1. ^ "Title History | Genichiro Tenryu/Tenryu Project Official Site" 王座遍歴 | 天龍源一郎/天龍プロジェクトオフィシャルサイト. Tenryu Project (in Japanese). Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  2. ^ "WAR Battle Angel - Tag 2". Cagematch. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  3. ^ "Tenryu Project Survive The Revolution Vol. 1". Cagematch. Cagematch. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  4. ^ a b Daky, Wayne (June 12, 2021). "Tenryu Project Results: Survive The Revolution Vol. 4 – Tokyo, Japan (6/12)". wrestling-news.net. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d Saalbach, Axel. "Tenryu Project Survive the Revolution Vol. 3". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Saalbach, Axel. "Tenryu Project Survive the Revolution Vol. 4". wrestlingdata.com. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  7. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip (June 12, 2021). "Tenryu Project International Junior Heavyweight Championship". cagematch.net (in German). Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  8. ^ 【試合詳細】8･13　天龍プロジェクト新木場大会　【IJ王座】HUBvs拳剛　佐藤耕平＆河野真幸＆TORUvs鈴木みのる＆MAZADA＆FUJITA　佐藤光留vs矢野啓太 [[Match Report] 8/13 Tenryu Project Shin-kiba event: IJ Champion Hub vs. Kengo; Kohei Sato, Masayuki Kono & TORU vs. Minoru Suzuki, MAZADA & FUJITA; Hikaru Sato vs. Keita Yano]. battle-news.com (in Japanese). August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  9. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Tenryu Project Osaka Crush Night 2022 - Part 2". cagematch.net (in Japanese). Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  10. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Tenryu Project Wrestle And Romance Vol. 3". cagematch.net (in Japanese). Retrieved June 15, 2022.
  11. ^ Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Tenryu Project Still Revolution Vol. 6". cagematch.net (in Japanese). Retrieved September 21, 2023.

External links

WAR and Tenryu Project International Junior Heavyweight Champions
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