GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship
Encyclopedia
The Global Honored Crown Openweight Hardcore Championship is a semi-official professional wrestling
championship
contested in Pro Wrestling Noah
. It was originally created in 2004 as a singles title known as the GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship; in 2007 it was announced that it would be reformed into a tag team title, continuing with the same lineage as the original belt. Later in 2007, it reverted back to being a singles championship.
The Openweight Hardcore Championship, also known as the Global Hardcore Crown, had a unique stipulation attached to it: if the challenger was smaller than the champion, and lasted for 15 minutes, they would win the title. It could also change hands on a countout.
Kentaro Shiga
, who was the 5th champion before the rechristening into a tag team
championship, was still recognized as such (along with his tag team partner, Kishin Kawabata), even though it was vacated to be decided in a tournament, which they won.
On November 19, 2007, Kawabata defeated Shiga to reunify the title.
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
championship
Championship (professional wrestling)
A Championship or "title" in professional wrestling is a recognition promoted by professional wrestling organizations.Championship reigns are determined by professional wrestling matches, in which competitors are involved in scripted rivalries...
contested in Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
. It was originally created in 2004 as a singles title known as the GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship; in 2007 it was announced that it would be reformed into a tag team title, continuing with the same lineage as the original belt. Later in 2007, it reverted back to being a singles championship.
The Openweight Hardcore Championship, also known as the Global Hardcore Crown, had a unique stipulation attached to it: if the challenger was smaller than the champion, and lasted for 15 minutes, they would win the title. It could also change hands on a countout.
Kentaro Shiga
Kentaro Shiga
is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer. He returned from a two-year hiatus due to injury in 2005.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :...
, who was the 5th champion before the rechristening into a tag team
Tag team
Tag team professional wrestling is a variation in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. A tag team may comprise two wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of established teams who wrestle regularly as a unit and have a team name...
championship, was still recognized as such (along with his tag team partner, Kishin Kawabata), even though it was vacated to be decided in a tournament, which they won.
On November 19, 2007, Kawabata defeated Shiga to reunify the title.
Title history
| Wrestler(s) | Reigns | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun Akiyama Jun Akiyama is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler... |
1 | April 18, 2004 | Hakata Hakata-ku, Fukuoka is one of the seven wards of Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. It is best known as the location of Fukuoka's main train station, Hakata Station.-Geography:... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Akiyama declared himself champion. |
| Naomichi Marufuji Naomichi Marufuji is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. Marufuji is the first of only two Grand Slam Champion in Pro... |
1 | October 16, 2004 | Tokushima Tokushima, Tokushima is the capital city of Tokushima Prefecture on Shikoku island in Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city had an estimated population of 263,372, with 114,325 households, and a population density of 1,377.25 persons per km². Its total area is 191.23 km².... , Japan |
Marufuji won this match via countout. |
| Mohammed Yone | 1 | March 5, 2005 | Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan |
|
| Scorpio | 1 | October 22, 2005 | Tokushima, Japan | |
| Kentaro Shiga Kentaro Shiga is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer. He returned from a two-year hiatus due to injury in 2005.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :... |
1 | September 3, 2006 | Nagoya Nagoya, Aichi is the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan.Located on the Pacific coast in the Chūbu region on central Honshu, it is the capital of Aichi Prefecture and is one of Japan's major ports along with those of Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Yokohama, Chiba, and Moji... , Japan |
|
| GHC Hardcore Tag Team Championship | ||||
| Kishin Kawabata and Kentaro Shiga | 1 | February 17, 2007 | Tokyo, Japan | Defeated Go Shiozaki Go Shiozaki is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the current GHC Heavyweight Champion. In addition to Noah, he has previously worked in the American-based promotion Ring of Honor and its former sister promotion Full Impact Pro, where he won the latter's... and Shuhei Taniguchi Shuhei Taniguchi Shuhei Taniguchi is a professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah.-Amateur Background:Shuhei Taniguchi first started competitive wrestling when he was in high school. Just as NOAH wrestlers Takashi Sugiura and Tamon Honda before him, Shuhei represented the armed forces in... in a tournament final. This is still Kentaro Shiga's original championship reign. |
| GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship | ||||
| Kishin Kawabata | 2 | November 19, 2007 | Niigata Niigata, Niigata is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island.... , Japan |
|
| Makoto Hashi Makoto Hashi is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling Noah.-Career:Hashi's first championship reign in NOAH came after he defeated Naomichi Marufuji for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship via stoppage; however, unsatisfied with his victory, Hashi vacated the... |
1 | October 6, 2008 | Isesaki, Japan | |
| Kenta Kobashi Kenta Kobashi Not to be confused with his protégé Kenta Kobayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars.... |
1 | June 8, 2009 | Hachiōji Hachioji, Tokyo is a city located in Tokyo, Japan, about 40 kilometers west of the center of the special wards of Tokyo.As of January 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 551,901 and a population density of 2,962.27/km². The total area is 186.31 km². It is the eighth largest city in the... , Japan |
|
List of individual reigns
As of , .| Wrestler(s) | Days Held | Date Won | Date Lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenta Kobashi Kenta Kobashi Not to be confused with his protégé Kenta Kobayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars.... |
June 8, 2009 | Current champion | |
| Kishin Kawabata | 322 | November 19, 2007 | October 6, 2008 |
| Scorpio | 316 | October 22, 2005 | September 3, 2006 |
| Kishin Kawabata and Kentaro Shiga Kentaro Shiga is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer. He returned from a two-year hiatus due to injury in 2005.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :... |
275 | February 17, 2007 | November 19, 2007 |
| Makoto Hashi Makoto Hashi is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling Noah.-Career:Hashi's first championship reign in NOAH came after he defeated Naomichi Marufuji for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship via stoppage; however, unsatisfied with his victory, Hashi vacated the... |
245 | October 6, 2008 | June 8, 2009 |
| Mohammed Yone Satoshi Yoneyama , better known by his ring name Mohammed Yone , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is currently one half of the GHC Tag Team Champions with Takeshi Rikio. He is known for his trademark afro hairstyle, which has earned him the nickname "Mr. Afro"... |
231 | March 5, 2005 | October 22, 2005 |
| Jun Akiyama Jun Akiyama is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler... |
181 | April 18, 2004 | October 16, 2004 |
| Kentaro Shiga | 166 | September 3, 2006 | February 17, 2007 |
| Naomichi Marufuji Naomichi Marufuji is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. Marufuji is the first of only two Grand Slam Champion in Pro... |
140 | October 16, 2004 | March 5, 2005 |
List of combined reigns
As of , .| Rank | Wrestler | # Of Reigns | Combined Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kenta Kobashi Kenta Kobashi Not to be confused with his protégé Kenta Kobayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars.... |
1 | + |
| 2. | Kishin Kawabata | 1 | 597 |
| 3. | Kentaro Shiga Kentaro Shiga is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working as a freelancer. He returned from a two-year hiatus due to injury in 2005.-All Japan Pro Wrestling :... |
1 | 441 |
| 4. | Scorpio | 1 | 316 |
| 5. | Makoto Hashi Makoto Hashi is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known for his appearances in Pro Wrestling Noah.-Career:Hashi's first championship reign in NOAH came after he defeated Naomichi Marufuji for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship via stoppage; however, unsatisfied with his victory, Hashi vacated the... |
1 | 245 |
| 6. | Mohammed Yone Satoshi Yoneyama , better known by his ring name Mohammed Yone , is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is currently one half of the GHC Tag Team Champions with Takeshi Rikio. He is known for his trademark afro hairstyle, which has earned him the nickname "Mr. Afro"... |
1 | 231 |
| 7. | Jun Akiyama Jun Akiyama is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler... |
1 | 181 |
| 8. | Naomichi Marufuji Naomichi Marufuji is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. Marufuji is the first of only two Grand Slam Champion in Pro... |
1 | 140 |