NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship

Lore & Background

The title originated from a dispute within the NWA over the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship. In 1979, after champion Nelson Royal retired, an anti-mainstream faction including Hisashi Shinma, Vince McMahon, Eddie Graham, and Mike LeBell held a title decision match on December 10 in Los Angeles between Steve Keirn and Chavo Guerrero. Keirn won and was recognized as champion by that faction, but NWA official Leroy McGuirk held his own tournament on February 11, 1980, recognizing Ron Starr as champion. McGuirk's title was later recognized as legitimate, and the anti-mainstream title became known as the NWA World Junior Heavyweight International Championship. On February 1, 1980, Tatsumi Fujinami defeated Keirn in Sapporo to win both that title and the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship. Fujinami vacated the NWA title in July due to a fractured right pinky finger. Kengo Kimura became champion on July 23 by defeating Bret Hart, but lost it to Chavo Guerrero on October 3. Guerrero brought the title to All Japan Pro Wrestling in August 1981. Atsushi Onita won it from Guerrero on March 7, 1982, in Charlotte, North Carolina, then lost it to Sangre Chicana in Guadalajara before quickly regaining it. After a controversial double pinfall match between Onita and Guerrero on July 30, 1982, the NWA convention in San Juan, Puerto Rico decided to scrap the poorly managed junior heavyweight title system and establish a new NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship, dropping 'World' from the name. Management was entrusted to AJPW and the Pacific Wrestling Federation. However, NJPW's Tiger Mask held the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship simultaneously, leading to a dispute. NJPW announcer Ichiro Furudate clarified on September 17, 1982, that the title held by AJPW was a proprietary championship of that promotion, while Tiger Mask's title was the genuine NWA-sanctioned World Junior Heavyweight Championship. AJPW eventually backed down, and the dispute resolved with NJPW managing the World Junior Heavyweight Championship and AJPW managing the International Junior Heavyweight Championship. The belt's design was changed, and a three-match series between Onita and Guerrero settled the vacancy, with Onita winning 2-1. Onita later vacated due to a knee injury, and Guerrero reclaimed it via tournament. The title was then held by Mighty Inoue, Dynamite Kid, Ku

In Their Own Story

The arena smells of sweat and cheap beer. The ring lights are a harsh white, cutting through the haze of cigarette smoke drifting from the back rows. A crowd of maybe two thousand presses close to the ropes, their faces lit from below by the glow of the canvas. In the center of the ring, a man no taller than the top rope bounces on the balls of his feet, his boots barely kissing the mat. Across from him, his opponent squares up, and for a moment the only sound is the creak of the turnbuckle steel. Then the smaller man explodes forward—a spinning heel kick that cracks through the air like a whip, followed by a flying elbow that sends his rival crashing into the corner. The crowd roars. The bell clangs. And somewhere in the back of the arena, a promoter in a rumpled suit makes a note in his ledger, underlining the junior heavyweight's name for next month's card.

Reader's Guide

The NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship was a junior heavyweight title that began as the NWA World Junior Heavyweight International Championship in 1979. It moved from NJPW to AJPW between 1982 and 1986, then was revived in 2007 in Mexico and later defended in Michinoku Pro Wrestling and Dradition. It has been dormant since 2014.

Did You Know?

• The first champion was Steve Keirn, who won a title decision match against Chavo Guerrero on December 10, 1979.
• Tatsumi Fujinami held both the NWA World Junior Heavyweight International Championship and the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship simultaneously after defeating Keirn on February 1, 1980.
• The title was revived in 2007 in Toryumon Mexico after nearly 20 years of inactivity.
• Último Dragón was the last recognized champion before the title became dormant in 2014.