World Heavyweight Championship (Zero1)

The World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Zero1. It is one of Zero1's top two singles titles, along with the United National Heavyweight Championship. It was first introduced on December 15, 2007 when Zero1 ended their relationship with the AWA Superstars of Wrestling. The AWA Superstars of Wrestling Champion at the time, Masato Tanaka, was then recognized as the first Zero1 World Heavyweight Champion.[1] To this day, Zero1 continues to use the AWA title belt, which reads "AWA World Heavyweight Wrestling Champion", to represent their world heavyweight championship.[2]

World Heavyweight Championship
Hayato Tamura with the current belt design in September 2020
Details
PromotionPro Wrestling Zero1
Date establishedOctober 26, 2007
Current champion(s)Chris Vice
Date wonMay 26, 2023
Other name(s)
  • AWA World Heavyweight Championship (2007; 2011)
  • Zero1-Max World Heavyweight Championship (2007–2008)
  • Zero1 World Heavyweight Championship (2008–2011; 2011–present)
Statistics
First champion(s)Masato Tanaka
Most reignsKohei Sato
Masato Tanaka
tied (6 reigns)
Longest reignKohei Sato (408 days)
Shortest reignShinjiro Otani and Kamikaze (30 days)
Oldest championTakashi Sugiura (51 years, 76 days)

There have been a total of 20 recognized champions who have had a combined 32 official reigns. The current champion is Chris Vice who is in his second reign.

Title history
Key
No. Overall reign number
Reign Reign number for the specific champion
Days Number of days held
Defenses Number of successful defenses
+ Current reign is changing daily
No. Champion Championship change Reign statistics Notes Ref.
Date Event Location Reign DaysDefenses
1 Masato Tanaka October 26, 2007 Innovation Tokyo, Japan 1 3536 Tanaka defeated Takao Omori on October 26, 2007 to win the World Heavyweight Championship of AWA Superstars of Wrestling; Zero1 ended their business relationship with AWA Superstars of Wrestling on December 15, 2007 and the AWA championship was replaced with the Zero1-Max World Heavyweight Championship.[1]
In 2008, the promotion shortened its name to Pro Wrestling Zero1 and the championship's name changed to the "Zero1 World Heavyweight Championship".
2 Yuji Nagata October 13, 2008 New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Destruction '08 Tokyo, Japan 1 1373
3 Shinjiro Otani February 27, 2009 Wrestler's Belief Tokyo, Japan 1 302
4 Ryouji Sai March 29, 2009 Wrestler's Belief Tokyo, Japan 1 941
5 Masato Tanaka July 1, 2009 Wrestler's 4 Tokyo, Japan 2 1150
6 Toshiaki Kawada October 24, 2009 Wrestler's 6: Never Gonna Stop! Tokyo, Japan 1 1693
7 Kohei Sato April 11, 2010 Celebration from the Yasukuni Shrine "Yamato Shinshu Chikara Matsuri" Tokyo, Japan 1 912
8 Bambikiller July 11, 2010 ZERO ONE Knight STAND Tokyo, Japan 1 600 [3]
9 Daisuke Sekimoto September 9, 2010 Euro Vintage Action Tokyo, Japan 1 1784 [4]
10 Ryouji Sai March 6, 2011 10th Anniversary Tokyo, Japan 2 1192 The championship is renamed to the "AWA World Heavyweight Championship" during this reign.
11 The Sheik July 3, 2011 Destructive King 7th Anniversary of Death Commemoration Tokyo, Japan 1 1262 This match was also for The Sheik's NWA World Heavyweight Championship.
12 Kohei Sato November 6, 2011 Yarisugi Forever I Tokyo, Japan 2 872 The championship's name reverts back to the "Zero1 World Heavyweight Championship" during this reign.
13 Kamikaze February 1, 2012 ZERO1 Action 2012 Tokyo, Japan 1 300
14 Akebono March 2, 2012 11th Anniversary Show Tokyo, Japan 1 1932 [5]
— Vacated September 11, 2012 — — — —— [1]
15 James Raideen August 4, 2013 Fire Festival 2013: Final Day Tokyo, Japan 1 2384 Defeated Masato Tanaka in the finals of the 2013 Fire Festival to win the vacant title.
16 Kohei Sato March 30, 2014 11th Yamato Shinshu Chikara Matsuri Tokyo, Japan 3 981
17 Masakatsu Funaki July 6, 2014 Wrestle-1's Shōgeki: Impact Tokyo, Japan 1 751
18 Kohei Sato September 19, 2014 Tenkaichi Special Tokyo, Japan 4 4084
19 Hideki Suzuki November 1, 2015 Live event Tokyo, Japan 1 1472
20 Kohei Sato March 27, 2016 Live event Tokyo, Japan 5 3643
21 Masato Tanaka March 26, 2017 14th Yamato Shinshu Chikara Matsuri Tokyo, Japan 3 2814
22 Yusaku Obata January 1, 2018 Kinga Shinnen Tokyo, Japan 1 1534
23 Masato Tanaka June 3, 2018 Shinsei Zero1 Sapporo First Landing ~ No Gravity Warrior Sugi Sapporo First Visit Sapporo, Japan 4 1740 [6]
24 Daisuke Sekimoto November 24, 2018 ZERO1 Dream Series ~ Nenotsuki No Jin ~ Tenka-Ichi Junior Tournament 2018 Tokyo, Japan 2 2946
25 Yuji Hino September 14, 2019 16th ZERO1 Tenka-Ichi Championship Decision 2019 Tokyo, Japan 1 1694 [7]
26 Kohei Sato March 1, 2020 19th Anniversary Show Tokyo, Japan 6 630 [8]
27 Chris Vice May 3, 2020 Chojin Matsuri In Samurai! TV Tokyo, Japan 1 1162 [9]
28 Hayato Tamura August 27, 2020 New ZERO1 Tokyo, Japan 1 1272 [10]
29 Masato Tanaka January 1, 2021 ZERO1 Happy New Year 2021 Tokyo, Japan 5 2261 [11]
30 Takashi Sugiura August 15, 2021 Pro Wrestling Noah's Kawasaki GO! Kawasaki, Japan 1 2933 This was a Winner Takes All match, in which Sugiura also defended the GHC National Championship. [12]
31 Masato Tanaka June 4, 2022 Osu Premium One Team ZERO1 Shinjiro Otani Aid! Get Up As Many Times As You Want Tokyo, Japan 6 3563 [13]
32 Chris Vice May 26, 2023 ZERO1 Fibromyalgia Charity Show Tokyo, Japan 2 154+1 [14]

Combined reigns
Record tying six-time champion, Kohei Sato
Two-time and current champion, Chris Vice

As of October 27, 2023.

† Indicates the current champion
Rank Wrestler No. of
reigns		 Combined
defenses		 Combined days
1 Masato Tanaka6141,505
2 Kohei Sato6121,111
3 Daisuke Sekimoto210472
4 Takashi Sugiura13293
5 Chris Vice †23270+
6 James Raideen14238
7 Ryouji Sai23213
8 Akebono12193
9 Toshiaki Kawada13169
Yuji Hino14169
11 Yusaku Obata14153
12 Hideki Suzuki12147
13 Yuji Nagata13137
14 Hayato Tamura12127
15 The Sheik12126
16 Masakatsu Funaki1175
17 Bambikiller1060
18 Kamikaze1030
Shinjiro Otani1230

Belt design

The standard Championship belt has three plates on a black leather strap.

See also

References
  1. "ZERO1-MAX World Heavyweight Championship title history". TitleHistories.com. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
  2. "船木の「世界ヘビー級王座をW-1王座と統一する」発言を受け、大谷「ベルトを奪い返すためにW-1に乗り込みます！」". Battle News (in Japanese). 2014-08-14. Retrieved 2014-08-14.
  3. Cagematch : ZERO1 ZERO-ONE KNIGHT STAND ~ Wasshoi!! (in German)
  4. Risultati ZERO1 09/09 (Sekimoto campione WHW) - Puroresu Mission R Newsboard
  5. "ZERO1, NOAH, Osaka & 19pro Results for March 2, 2012". Retrieved 2012-03-02.
  6. Dark Angelita (June 6, 2018). "Zero1:"Shinsei Zero1 Sapporo First Landing" Masato Tanaka se corona". superluchas.com (in Spanish). Retrieved May 26, 2023.
  7. Daly, Wayne (September 14, 2019). "ZERO-1 Results: 16th Tenka Ichi Junior Championship Decision – Tokyo, Japan (9/14)". wrestling-news.net. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  8. Daly, Wayne (March 9, 2020). "ZERO1 Results: 19th Anniversary Show Part 2 – Tokyo, Japan (3/8)". wrestling-news.net. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  9. Daly, Wayne (May 3, 2020). "ZERO1 Results: Choujin Festival In Samurai! TV – Chiba, Japan (5/3)". wrestling-news.net. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
  10. Pro Wrestling Zero1 (August 27, 2020). 新生ZERO1 2020年08月27日(木) 試合開始19時00分（18時30開場）. z-1.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved September 19, 2021.
  11. "NAITO TALKS, ZERO1 KICKS OFF THE YEAR, ALL JAPAN, FREEDOMS, NOAH AND MORE FROM JAPAN". PWInsider.com. 2021-01-01. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  12. Pro Wrestling Noah (August 15, 2021). 2021年08月15日 （日） KAWASAKI,GO! 2021. noah.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  13. "ZERO1 Osu Premium One Team ZERO1 Shinjiro Otani Aid! Get Up As Many Times As You Want". Retrieved 2023-09-24.
  14. Kreikenbohm, Philip (May 26, 2023). "ZERO1 Fibromyalgia Charity Show". cagematch.net. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
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