Wrestlers Who You Likely Didn't Know or Forgot Held A Title In A Promotion (All Japan Pro Wrestling)

Wrestlers Who You Likely Didn't Know or Forgot Held A Title In A Promotion (All Japan Pro Wrestling)
October 27, 2022

By Ryan Porzl

As I've shown in previous articles, 2022 is a milestone year for many promotions and one of the biggest is the Japanese based All Japan Pro Wrestling. Beginning in 1972, the promotion is best known for it's magical period of the 1980s and 1990s which featured talent and matches that are spoken in great awe. While it hasn't been as big as it was over the past 20 years, it provides another great product with great talent and matches that are actually on par with the top promotions. Over the decades, the promotion has had a who's who as champions including natives like Giant Baba, Jumbo Tsuruta, Genichiro Tenryu, The Four Pillars of Heaven, Keiji "the Great Muta" Mutoh, Satoshi Kojima, and Kensuke Sasaki along with foreigners or gaijins like Stan Hansen, Bruiser Brody, Terry Gordy, and Steve Williams. However, there's plenty more where that came from as they are not only some notable champions but many you may have forgotten or had no idea they held a championship. We'll conclude our look back on milestone anniversaries this year by looking at All Japan with this article looking at wrestlers you probably didn't know or forgot held a champion.

Note: I don't own any of the pictures as I found them on Google and Puroresusystem.fandom.com.

Shinya Hashimoto

Title Held: Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship

What better way to start than with not only one of the greatest legends in wrestling history but also a man who was actually more known for his time in New Japan Pro Wrestling. A trainee of the New Japan dojo, Hashimoto is best known for his time in New Japan Pro Wrestling where he competed from 1984 till his release in 2000. During his sixteen year run, he was best known for being one of New Japan's Three Musketeers alongside Keiji "The Great Muta" Mutoh and Masahiro Chono who dominated the promotion during the 1990s with Hashimoto enjoying three reigns as IWGP Heavyweight Champion and main evented more than a half dozen stadium shows that drew in the 60,000 range. After his New Japan run, Hashimoto spent the remainder of his career in the Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE promotion that he founded before his death in 2005. While working in ZERO-ONE, Hashimoto would start and interpromotional war with All Japan which by that point was headed by Mutoh and it be here where Hashimoto captured his fifth and final world championship. On February 23, 2003 during All Japan's Excite Series tour, Hashimoto would challenge The Great Muta for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship and would go on to score the win and All Japan's prized three belts. Hashimoto would hold the championship for 171 days or a little under six months where he made two successful title defenses. His first would be against Arashi on April 12th during the Champion Carnival 2003 tour and his second defense would be against Satoshi Kojima on June 13th during the Super Power Series 2003 tour before vacating the championship on August 13, 2003 after suffering a shoulder injury.

Umaga (Jamal)

Title Held: World Tag Team Championship

Umaga was apart of wrestling royalty as a member of the Anoa'i Samoan wrestling family. During his decade plus career, he was a successful journeyman who mostly became known for his two stints in WWE with the first being from 2002-2003 as Jamal in the tag team 3 Minute Warning with cousin Rosey and then for his most famous run from 2006-2009 as "the Samoan Bulldozer" Umaga. However, between his two runs in WWE, Umaga would make a name for himself in All Japan Pro Wrestling under his Jamal name where he was a member of TAKA Michinoku's RO&D (Roughly, Obsess, and Destroy) stable. After enjoying some success including winning the 2004 January 2 Korakuen Hall Battle Royal and the 2004 World's Strongest Tag Determination League, Umaga would quickly snatch gold in 2005. On January 16, 2005 during All Japan's New Year's Shining Series 2005, Umaga teamed with Taiyo Kea to face New Japan's Hiroshi Tanahashi and Yutaka Yoshie for the vacant World Tag Team Championship. In the end, Umaga and Kea would score the win and the vacant championships. Umaga and Kea would hold the belts for 323 days and would make three successful title defenses. Their first would be on February 2nd against Keiji Mutoh and Kohei Suwama during the Excite Series 2005 tour, their second defense would be on March 20th against Johnny Stamboli and Chuck Palumbo during the Hold Out 2005 tour, and their third defensse would be on July 17th against TARU and Giant Bernard (A-Train/Tensai) during the Summer Action Series 2005 tour before they vacated the titles on December 5, 2005 due to Umaga resigning with WWE.

Hayabusa and Jinsei Shinzaki

Hayabusa and Jinsei Shinzaki

Title Held: All Asia Tag Team Championship

Both Hayabusa and Shinzaki are fairly well known around the world. Hayabusa was trained in the FMW dojo and spent his whole career there serving as their ace from 1995 to his career ending neck injury in 2001. Meanwhile, Shinzaki has achieved some of his biggest success in Michinoku Pro which he's since taken over and many long time American fans might remember him as Hakushi for his 1994-1996 WWF run. Long time ECW fans have seen this team before when they challenged Rob Van Dam and Sabu for the ECW World Tag Team Championship at ECW Heatwave 1998. After making sporadic appearances for All Japan during the late 90s, Hayabusa and Shinzaki would finally win a championship. On February 13, 1999 at All Japan's Fan Appreciation Day, Hayabusa and Shinzaki would challenge Tamon Honda and Jun Izumida for the All Asia Tag Team Championship and would emerge victorious. Hayabusa and Shinzaki would hold the gold for 113 days and make one successful title defense. Their one successful defense would be on March 19th at FMW's Making of Legend in Sapporo - FMW 10th Anniversary against Masato Tanaka and Tetsuhiro Kuroda before losing the titles to NO FEAR (Takao Omori and Yoshihiro Takayama) on June 4, 1999 at All Japan's Super Power Series 1999 tour.

Ultimo Dragon

Title(s) Held: World Junior Heavyweight Championship (2x), All Asia Tag Team Championship

When you think about the greatest junior heavyweight wrestlers in wrestling history, it's impossible not to include Ultimo Dragon. Like fellow legend Gran Hamada, Dragon trained in the New Japan dojo but due to his size, went to Mexico where he became a star specifically for the Universal Wrestling Association. By the 90s, he was highly sought out achieving big success in New Japan and WAR as well as in the United States for WCW winning championships in each promotion. His biggest moment came between Starrcade 1996 on December 29, 1996 to Wrestling World 1997 on January 4, 1997 when he held a record ten championships simultaneously. After a brief retirement due to injury in the late 90s and a cup of coffee run with WWE from 2003-2004. For over a decade after that, Dragon became a freelancer and beginning in 2013, began making appearances for All Japan and it didn't take long for him to win gold. On December 14, 2013, at All Japan's Fan Appreciation Day, Dragon took on Yoshinobu Kanemaru for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship and went on to score the win and one of the few junior heavyweight championships that eluded him. Dragon would hold the championship for 165 days and made two successful title defenses. His first defense would be on January 2, 2014 at All Japan's New Year Wars 2014 tour against Atsushi Aoki and his second would be on February 23rd at All Japan's Okinawa Impact 2014 Vol. 1 against Kotaro Suzuki before losing the championship to Aoki on May 29, 2014 at All Japan's Super Power Series 2014 tour.

Less than a year later, Dragon would return to championship status as he, ironically, formed a tag team with Kanemaru and the two would challenge Mitsuya Nagai and Takeshi Minamino of Dark Kingdom on March 22, 2015 during All Japan's Dream Power Series 2015 tour and went on to win the titles. Dragon and Kanemaru would hold the belts for 206 days and made one successful title defense which would be on May 6th during All Japan's Super Power Series 2015 tour against Jun Akiyama and SUSHI before voluntarily vacating them on October 14th after losing a match to Isami Kodaka and Yuko Miyamoto.

Nearly two years later, Dragon would win a third championship when he challenged TAJIRI for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship on August 27, 2017 at All Japan's 45th Anniversary Show and defeated the fellow legend to become a two time junior heavyweight champion. Dragon would hold the championship for 55 days and make one successful defense on September 18th against Billy Ken Kid during All Japan's Royal Road Tournament tour before losing the championship back to TAJIRI on October 21, 2017 at All Japan's Jun Akiyama and Takao Omori 25th Anniversary show.

Gunn (right) with Johnny Ace

              

Bart Gunn

Title Held: World Tag Team Championship

Bart Gunn is a name a lot of long time wrestling fans remember for his six year run in the WWF from 1993-1999 where he achieved his biggest success as part of the Smokin' Gunns tag team with fictional brother Billy with the two winning the WWF Tag Team Championship three times. After the team broke up, Gunn formed the New Midnight Express with Bob Holly and won the NWA World Tag Team Championship before taking part and winning the infamously disastrous Brawl For All toughman competition. On the path to victory in the BFA, Gunn would notably legit knock out wrestling legend and presumed favorite "Dr. Death" Steve Williams in the quarterfinals. While the competition did nothing for Gunn's career in the WWF, it opened a door wide open in Japan. Towards the end of his WWF run, Gunn began working for All Japan in late 1998 before eventually transitioning there full time. All Japan was the place where Williams became a legend in the country and with the Japanese knowing Williams' tough guy reputation and Gunn knocking him out, it immediately made Gunn a star upon his arrival and he quickly joined Johnny Ace's Movement stable (a group of gaijin/foreign wrestlers) with the two forming a tag team and it would be in this team where Gunn returned to tag team champion status. On June 9, 1999, Gunn teamed with Ace to challenge Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama for the World Tag Team Championship during All Japan's Super Power Series 1999 tour and would walk away tag team champion. Gunn and Ace would hold the belts for 44 days but made no successful defenses before losing them to NO FEAR on July 23, 1999 during the Summer Action Series 1999 tour.

Brian Adams (left) and Bryan Clark (right)

Kronik

Title Held: World Tag Team Championship

Love them or hate them, there's no denying the tag team known as Kronik had a short but interesting run. Consisting of big men Brian Adams and Bryan Clark, both entered the business in the late 1980s and first became mostly known for their WWF runs in the 90s with Adams wrestling as Crush on and off from 1990-1997 while Clark wrestled as Adam Bomb from 1993-1995. After working in WCW for a few years in the late 90s with Adams as himself and Clark as Wrath, the two formed Kronik in 2000 where they both competed under their real names. In WCW, the team would be considered one of the few highlights in a disastrous final year for WCW while Kronik won the WCW World Tag Team Championship two times. After WCW was bought out by WWF and Kronik would have a failed cup of coffee return that year, the two would do a shot for World Wrestling All-Stars before jumping to All Japan in 2002. Despite only working a handful of matches, they made their run count and captured one more championship. On July 17, 2002, at All Japan's Summer Action Series 2002 tour, Kronik challenged Keiji Mutoh and Taiyo Kea for the World Tag Team Championship and came out on top to win the championships. Kronik would hold the belts for 85 days and made one successful defense against Mike Barton (Bart Gunn) and Jim Steele at All Japan's Royal Road 30 Giant Battle in Budokan 2nd Battle on August 30th before vacating the championships on October 10th when the team cancelled their bookings after Adams decided to pursue a boxing career which never came to be due to injury.

Kevin (left) and David (right)

David Von Erich

            

Kevin and David Von Erich

Title(s) Held: All Asia Tag Team Championship and United National Championship (David)

Most wrestling fans are familiar with the Von Erich family for their incredible success and stardom to their tragedies. Each family member became memorable for one reason or another and that includes the two oldest in Kevin and David. In spite of both being legends, Kevin is probably best known as the Von Erich brother still alive and made it to his 35th birthday while David was considered the one to possibly go the farthest only to be one of wrestling's greatest "what ifs" as he passed away abruptly only months before he was likely to ascend to the NWA throne. Obviously, both brothers, at their peak, were best known for competing for their father Fritz Von Erich's World Class Championship Wrestling promotion where they were among some of the biggest megastars in wrestling during the early 1980s. Despite this, both also made trips to other NWA territories and one was All Japan where they held a title. On May 23, 1981, during All Japan's Super Power Series 1981 tour, The Von Erichs would challenge and defeat the team of Great Kojika and Motoshi Okuma to win the All Asia Tag Team Championships in a 2 out of 3 falls match. The Von Erichs would hold the belts for 19 days and made no successful defenses before losing them to Akio Sato and Takashi Ishikawa on June 11, 1981 on the same tour.

David wouldn't be done yet as he captured one more championship. On February 3, 1984, David would face long time rival Michael Hayes for the NWA United National Championship during a World Class event and went on to emerge victorious. David would hold the championship for a week and made no defenses before tragically passing away in Japan while touring for All Japan on February 10, 1984 at the age of 25 due to acute enteritis (though there have been rumors and speculation about it possibly being due to a drug overdose).

Mr. Gannosuke

Title Held: All Asia Tag Team Championship

The promotion FMW will go down as one of the most controversial and ground breaking promotions in wrestling history as it helped pioneer the deathmatch style of wrestling and went on to enhance or launch the careers of many wrestling legends including Atsushi Onita, Hayabusa, Kodo Fuyuki, Megumi Kudo, and Ricky Fuji to name some. One of the promotion's biggest stars was Mr. Gannosuke who was an important part of FMW's later history with his on-again/off-again story with friend Hayabusa with the two having their times as a team and other times as blood rivals. After FMW closed in 2002, Gannosuke became a journeyman working a variety of promotions and during this time, would wind up with All Japan gold. On December 25, 2003, at ZERO-ONE's Rebel Z 2003 tour, Gannosuke would team with FMW alumni Tetsuhiro Kuroda to face the team of Jun Kasai and Tengu Kaiser for the vacant All Asia Tag Team Championship and went on to earn a late Christmas gift by emerging victorious with the gold. Gannosuke and Kuroda would hold the championships for 8 days and made no successful defenses before losing the belts to Great Kosuke (Satoshi Kojima) and Shiryu (Kaz Hayashi) on January 2, 2004 during All Japan's New Year Giant Series 2004 tour.

SANADA (Seiya Sanada)

Title(s) Held: GAORA TV Championship, World Tag Team Championship, and All Asia Tag Team Championship (2x)

These days, SANADA is enjoying his biggest exposure as a member of the New Japan Pro Wrestling roster where he's had his share of success. However, before he competed for New Japan, he was working for All Japan during the late 2000s/early 2010s where he was seen during the Mutoh era as a future star for the promotion. After spending years paying his dues, SANADA began to taste All Japan gold with his team with Manabu Soya. On August 29, 2010, at All Japan's Pro Wrestling LOVE in Ryogoku Vol. 10, SANADA and Soya took on TARU and Big Daddy Voodoo (Viscera, more on him in a bit) for the All Asia Tag Team Championship and went on to win the belts. SANADA and Soya would reign as champs for 204 days and made two successful defenses. Their first would be on November 6th against KONO and Minoru of Voodoo Murders during All Japan's Pro Wrestling LOVE in Taiwan tour and their second successful defense would be on January 3, 2011 against Tamon Honda and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi during All Japan's New Year's Shining Series 2011 tour before losing the titles to Strong BJ (Daisuke Sekimoto and Yuji Okabayashi) on March 21, 2011 at Pro Wrestling LOVE in Ryogoku Vol. 11.

SANADA and Soya wouldn't be down for long as they eventually received a rematch against Strong BJ for the All Asia Tag Team Championship on June 19, 2011 at All Japan's Pro Wrestling LOVE in Ryogoku Vol. 12 and would avenge the loss by regaining the gold. SANADA and Soya would reign as champions for 126 days and made one successful defense. Their one successful defense was against Kaz Hayashi and Shuji Kondo on August 21st at All Japan's Summer Impact 2011 tour before losing the belts back to Strong BJ on October 23, 2011 at Pro Wrestling LOVE in Ryogoku Vol. 11.

After SANADA and Soya went their own ways, the two would find themselves on opposite sides in 2012 for a richer prize that SANADA briefly held. On May 20, 2012, SANADA would team up with Joe Doering to challenge GET WILD (Manabu Soya and Takao Omori) for the World Tag Team Championship at All Japan's 40th Anniversary Year Rise Up Tour 2012 tour and walked away as champions. SANADA and Doering would hold the championships for 28 days and made no successful defenses before losing the belts back to GET WILD on June 17, 2012 during the same tour.

After three tag titles, SANADA would be granted an opportunity at a singles title when All Japan debuted the GAORA TV Championship and SANADA would enter a tournament to crown the first champion. After defeating Yuji Okabayashi and Tomoaki Honma, SANADA face Yasufumi Nakanoue in the finals on October 7, 2012 at All Japan's 40th Anniversary Tour 2012 tour and made history by becoming the inaugural champion. SANADA would hold the championship for 232 days and made seven successful title defenses. His first would be on October 21st in a rematch against Nakanoue on the same tour, his second would be on December 11th against Kazushi Miyamoto on All Japan's 40th Anniversary Final Tour 2012 tour, his third would be on January 3, 2013 at All Japan's New Year Shining Series 2013 tour against Honma, his fourth would be on March 10th against Masayuki Kono at All Japan's Hold Out 2013 tour, and his last three defenses would be between May 24-26 at Atlantic Grand Prix Wrestling events in Canada against Rene Dupree before finally losing the championship to Dupree on May 27, 2013 at an AGPW event.

The Patriot

Title(s) Held: All Asia Tag Team Championship

Though he only wrestled for around nine years, the Patriot had a career that was as colorful as his gimmick. In the United States, he originally gained fame as the Trooper and was in the AWA where he was their final tag team champion. He then traveled to the GWF in Texas where he began using the Patriot gimmick and was a top star there becoming a two time North American Heavyweight Champion and former Television Champion. He's probably best known for his run in WCW from 1994-1995 as part of the tag team "Stars n' Stripes" with Buff Bagwell with the two holding the WCW World Tag Team Championships two times and for his cup of coffee run in the WWF in 1997 where he feuded with Bret Hart and challenged for the WWF Championship. However, during his career, he would also make his home in Japan from 1992-1997 for All Japan and became a popular gaijin there while also winning a championship. On June 2, 1993, Patriot would team with the Eagle to challenge Kenta Kobashi and Tsuyoshi Kikuchi for the All Asia Tag Team Championship at All Japan's Super Power Series 1993 tour and would emerge victorious. Patriot and Eagle would hold the belts for 99 days and made one successful defense against Kikuchi and Jun Akiyama on August 31st during the Summer Action Series 1993 II tour before losing the championships to the Can-Am Express (Doug Furnas and Phil "Dan Kroffat" LaFon) on September 9, 1993 during the same tour.

Super Strong Machine

Title(s) Held: All Asia Tag Team Championship

Junji Hirata is one of the most respected talents of his era and though he enjoyed success as himself, he became more known as his masked persona of Super Strong Machine, a gimmick that the WWF even mimicked in 1986 with Andre the Giant, Bill Eadie, and Blackjack Mulligan. Machine would spend the majority of his 40 year career in New Japan mostly excelling as a tag team wrestler but in 1984, he would defect to All Japan as he took part in an exodus led by Riki Choshu. After spending two years with All Japan, Machine would finally achieve championship success, ironically in the tag team division. On October 30, 1986, Machine would team with Ashura Hara to challenge Mighty Inoue and Takashi Ishikawa for the All Asia Tag Team Championship and would go on to win the championships. Machine and Hara held the titles for around five months but made no successful defenses before the championships were vacated in March 1987 after Machine followed Choshu back to New Japan.

Spivey (left) with Stan Hansen

Dan Spivey

Title(s) Held: World Tag Team Championship

Spivey is another who didn't have the longest career but he had an interesting one. To many longtime American fans, Spivey achieved notoriety during his WWF and NWA/WCW runs in the late 1980s as a replacement to Barry Windham in the US Express, his Wrestlemania 2 battle royal appearance, and as a member of the Varsity Club. However, he'll likely be forever remembered for his 1995 cup of coffee run in the WWF as Waylon Mercy. However, between those runs, Spivey spent much of his career in Japan, specifically for All Japan as he would be one of many to be a partner of the legendary Stan Hansen and like many of those teams, they became tag team champions. On April 18, 1991, during All Japan's Champion Carnival 1991 tour, Spivey teamed with Hansen to take on the Miracle Violence Connection (Steve Williams and Terry Gordy) for the World Tag Team Championship and went on to defeat them for the championships. Spivey and Hansen would hold the gold for 79 days and make two successful defenses. The first being against Jumbo Tsuruta and Akira Taue on June 1st during All Japan's Super Power Series 1991 tour and the second would be on June 7th against Mitsuharu Misawa and Toshiaki Kawada on the same tour before losing the belts back to Williams and Gordy on July 6, 1991 during All Japan's Summer Action Series 1991 tour.

Ikeman Jiro (Jiro Kuroshio)

Title(s) Held: GAORA TV Championship

In recent times, American fans have begun to notice Ikeman Jiro for his appearances on WWE's NXT developmental brand while longtime fans of his probably know him best in his native Japan for the Wrestle-1 promotion where he won his share of championships and competed for the Wrestle-1 Championship. During his time in Wrestle-1, Jiro would make appearances for All Japan and in 2016, won his first non Wrestle-1 championship. On November 27, 2016, during All Japan's New Explosion event, Jiro challenged Yohei Nakajima for the GAORA TV Championship and went on to win the belt. Jiro would hold the belt for 80 days but made no successful defenses before vacating the championship on February 15, 2017 due to injury.

  

Rico

Buchanan

                   

Buchanan and Rico

Title(s) Held: All Asia Tag Team Championship

Longtime WWE fans should remember Buchanan and Rico. Buchanan enjoyed a near six year run in WWE between 1997-2003 as Recon of the Truth Commission, as John Cena's sidekick B-Squared, and as Bull Buchanan teaming with Big Boss Man and later winning the WWF Tag Team Championship as part of the Right to Censor. Rico was a star in WWE's developmental territories like Ohio Valley Wrestling before he made it to the main roster, usually portraying flamboyant characters but he too won tag team gold, winning both the RAW and Smackdown Tag Team Championships. After both we're released, they made their ways to All Japan and both joined TAKA Michinoku's RO&D stable where they formed their team and once again became tag team champions. On February 2, 2005, during All Japan's Excite Series 2005 tour, Buchanan and Rico would team up to challenge Mitsuya Nagai and Masayuki Naruse for the All Asia Tag Team Championship and went on to win the belts. Buchanan and Rico would reign as champs for 114 days but made no successful defenses before the titles were vacated due to Rico retiring.

Viscera (right) with TARU

Viscera (Big Daddy Voodoo)

Title(s) Held: All Asia Tag Team Championship

Like some on this list, love him or not, there's no denying Viscera has had a colorful career. Though successful in the Puerto Rican based World Wrestling Council as their Universal Champion and in Memphis for USWA as their heavyweight champion, he achieved his biggest success in WWF/WWE on and off from 1993-2008 and while he wasn't praised for his matches and is considered one of the worst King of the Ring winners, he made his mark and became a barrier breaker for black talent being one of, if not the first, to achieve certain things from King Of The Ring to Hardcore Champion to being one of the first black wrestlers to main event a one-on-one match on Pay-Per-View to being the first black wrestler to challenge for the WWF Championship one-on-one on Pay-Per-View. After leaving WWE for the last time, Viscera would travel the world with one of his stops being All Japan where he competed as Big Daddy Voodoo and was a member of the Voodoo Murders. It would be here where he captured his last major championship. On April 29, 2010, during All Japan's Growin' Up 2010 tour, Viscera teamed with Voodoo Murders leader TARU to challenge Akebono and Ryota Hama for the All Asia Tag Team Championship and would emerge victorious while claiming the championship. Viscera and TARU would reign as champs for 122 days and made one successful defense when they defeated Hiroshi Yamato and Shuji Kondo on July 1st during All Japan's Cross Over 2010 tour before losing the belts to SANADA and Manabu Soya on August 29, 2010 at All Japan's Pro Wrestling LOVE in Ryogoku Vol. 10.

Hawk (left) and Animal (right)

The Road Warriors

Title(s) Held: NWA International Tag Team Championship

Well, what can I say that hasn't already been said about the Road Warriors. Arguably wrestling's greatest team as during their prime, they had it all from incredible larger than life looks, charisma, and a rough n' tough style. From 1983-1992, the Road Warriors were untouchable and had a prime that few could touch from legendary rivalries to big matches on big shows to championship victories. During their prime, they also frequently toured for All Japan between 1985-1989 and like almost everywhere else they went, they captured gold. On March 12, 1987, during All Japan's Excite Series 1987 tour, the Warriors would challenge Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro Tenryu for the NWA International Tag Team Championship and went on to win the championships. The Warriors would hold the gold for 456 days and made four successful defenses with their first being on April 4th, during a Jim Crockett Promotions event against the Midnight Express V3, the second would be on May 2nd during a Jim Crockett Promotions event against Four Horsemen members Ric Flair and Lex Luger, the third would be on June 9th during All Japan's Super Power Series 1987 tour against Jumbo Tsuruta and Hiroshi Wajima by count out, and the fourth would be on October 30th during All Japan's Giant Series 1987 tour against Jumbo Tsuruta and Yoshiaki Yatsu by double count out before losing the belts to Tsuruta and Yatsu by count out during All Japan's Super Power Series 1988 tour.

Naomichi Marufuji

Title(s) Held: World Junior Heavyweight Championship

When you think about the best wrestlers of the 21st century, you have to include Naomichi Marufuji. Marufuji will be forever known for his work in Pro Wrestling NOAH and basically being the promotion's heart and soul during the past decade. Despite his NOAH success being his most notable stuff, he made appearances for New Japan, Ring of Honor, and Impact. However, what some may have forgot or didn't know, Marufuji actually got his start in All Japan and worked there for his first two years. Years after his departure, he made his return to All Japan in 2008 and while there, he'd win a title many thought he was destined to win a decade prior before the NOAH exodus changed things. On September 28, 2008, during All Japan's Flashing Tour 2008 tour, Marufuji challenged Ryuji Hijikata for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship and went on to win the championship. Marufuji would hold the championship for 131 days and made four successful defenses. His first defense would be on October 25th at NOAH's Autumn Navigation 2008 tour against KENTA in a title vs. title match (KENTA was NOAH's GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion) that went to a 60 minute draw, the second was on November 3rd at All Japan's Pro Wrestling LOVE in Ryogoku Vol. 6. against Shuji Kondo, the third defense would be on November 27th at NOAH's Winter Navigation 2008 tour against Tsuyoshi Kikuchi, and his fourth defense would be on January 11, 2009 at NOAH's Naomichi Marufuji Produce Shiranui ~ Tame against NOSAWA Rongai before losing the championship to Kaz Hayashi on February 6, 2009 at All Japan's Excite Series 2009 tour. 

Dibiase (left) with Stan Hansen (right)

Ted Dibiase

Title(s) Held: World Tag Team Championship, PWF Tag Team Championship (2x), NWA National Championship

Ted Dibiase is one of those guys that I can ask what can I say that hasn't already been said? From the mid 1970s to the early 1990s, Dibiase was one of wrestling's greatest technical wrestlers and one of the all time great heels. He'll obviously be forever remembered for his Million Dollar Man persona in the WWF from 1987-1993. Though best known for his WWF run, Dibiase was a big name in many places from Mid-South Wrestling/Universal Wrestling Federation and Georgia Championship Wrestling to name some but another place he enjoyed big success in was All Japan Pro Wrestling where he formed a legendary team with Stan Hansen. Dibiase's first taste of All Japan gold would occur on October 14, 1983 during All Japan's Giant Series 1983 tour when he was set to face Jerry Lawler in a tournament final for the vacant NWA United National Championship but ultimately went on to win the championship via forfeit. Dibiase would reign for 106 days and made two successful title defenses, both against Genichiro Tenryu. The first would be the same night he won on October 14th during the Giant Series 1983 tour and his second would be on October 23rd on the same tour with the second match ending in a double count out before losing the championship to Michael Hayes at a Georgia Championship Wrestling event on January 28, 1984.

A year later, Dibiase would once again hold a championship but his win was him being awarded a championship. In early 1985, Bruiser Brody left All Japan for New Japan while he and Stan Hansen were the PWF World Tag Team Champions. With Brody gone, Dibiase would become Hansen's partner and be awarded the belts on July 30, 1985. Dibiase and Hansen would hold the gold for 703 days and made three successful title defenses all against Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro Tenryu. The first would be on August 31st during All Japan's Decisive Battle! Dynamite Wars 1985 tour, the second would see the two teams go to a double count out on July 27, 1986 during All Japan's Summer Action Series 1986 tour, and the third would be another double count out on April 7, 1987 during the Champion Carnival 1987 tour before losing the championships to Tsuruta and Tiger Mask II (Mitsuharu Misawa) on July 3, 1987 during the Summer Action Series 1987 tour.

Dibiase wouldn't be down for long as he would regain the PWF Tag Team Championships a little over a week later. On July 11, 1987 during All Japan's Summer Action Series 1987 tour, Dibiase and Hansen would rematch Jumbo Tsuruta and Tiger Mask II for the PWF World Tag Team Championship and would emerge as two time PWF World Tag Team Champions. Dibiase and Hansen would hold the belts for 19 days but made two successful defenses. The first would be on July 17th when they defeated Shinichi Nakano and Yoshiaki Yatsu during the same tour and the second would be a double count out against Genichiro Tenryu and Ashura Hara during the same tour before the championships were vacated on July 31, 1987 when Dibiase left for the World Wrestling Federation.

After being gone for six years, Dibiase returned to All Japan in 1993 towards the end of his in-ring career and not only got the band back together with Hansen, the two would taste gold together one more time. On September 3, 1993 during All Japan's Summer Action Series II 1993 tour, Dibiase and Hansen challenged the Holy Demon Army (Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada) for the World Tag Team Championship and went on to win the belts. Dibiase and Hansen would hold the gold for 71 days and made one successful defense. The defense would be on October 14th during All Japan's Giant Series 1993 tour in a rematch against Taue and Kawada before the championships were vacated on November 13, 1993 so the championships could be on the line for the 1993 World's Strongest Tag League. 

Yoshihiro Takayama

Title(s) Held: Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, World Tag Team Championship, All Asia Tag Team Championship

This is one I questioned putting up but Takayama has been everywhere so it could be forgotten by many. Yoshihiro Takayama will go down in the wrestling business for many reasons included his classic matches, his success, and being one of the toughest guys in the history of the business especially after his classic slugfest against Don Frye in PRIDE FC. For much of his career, Takayama was a freelancer and journeyman achieving success everywhere but prior to that and during it, he land in All Japan where he captured many championships. On June 4, 1999 during All Japan's Super Power Series 1999 tour, Takayama would team with Takao Omori as part of the tag team NO FEAR would face Hayabusa and Jinsei Shinzaki for the All Asia Tag Team Championship and went on to capture their first tag team championships. Takayama and Omori would hold the belts for 82 days but made no successful defenses before losing them to Mitsuharu Misawa and Yoshinari Ogawa during the Summer Action Series II 1999 tour on August 25, 1999.

While reigning as All Asia Tag Team Champs, Takayama and Omori wouldn't be done as they strike more gold. On July 23, 1999, they challenged Johnny Ace and Bart Gunn for the World Tag Team Championship and went on to win the belts thus dominating both set of tag team titles. Takayama and Omori would hold these belts for 33 days but once again made no successful defenses before losing those titles to Misawa and Ogawa on August 25, 1999 during the Summer Action Series II tour.

A decade after his tag title victories, Takayama returned to All Japan and win the big prize. On March 14, 2009 during All Japan's Pro Wrestling LOVE in Ryogoku Vol. 7, Takayama would challenge The Great Muta for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship and went on win the three belts. With the win, Takayama became only the second wrestler (after Kensuke Sasaki) to have held the three major men's world titles in Japan having previously held New Japan's IWGP Heavyweight Championship and NOAH's GHC Heavyweight Championship. Takayama would reign as champ for 196 days and made two successful defenses. His first would be against friend Minoru Suzuki during All Japan's Rise Up 2009 tour on May 30th and his second would be against Suwama on August 30th at Pro Wrestling LOVE in Ryogoku Vol. 8 before losing the belts to Satoshi Kojima on September 26, 2009 during All Japan's Flashing Tour 2009 tour..

Kenny Omega

Title(s) Held: World Junior Heavyweight Championship

What better way to end then with a guy like Omega. Few wrestlers are probably as controversial or at least debated as Kenny Omega. To some, he's considered the best wrestler in the world as of this writing while to others, he's an overrated embarrassment. Regardless of where you stand or if you're in the middle, nobody can deny Omega has made a name for himself and achieved tremendous success. One of the places he'd find championship success would be in All Japan. On October 23, 2011, Omega would challenge KAI for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship and went on to claim the gold. Omega would hold the belt for 217 days and made five successful title defenses. His first would be on November 27th during DDT's God Bless DDT 2011 against Minoru Tanaka, his second would be on January 3, 2012 during All Japan's 40th Anniversary Year New Year Shining Series 2012 tour against Hiroshi Yamato, his third would be on February 3rd during All Japan's 40th Anniversary Year Excite Series 2012 tour against Kaz Hayashi, his fourth would be on March 20th during All Japan's Pro Wrestling LOVE in Ryogoku Vol. 14 against Shuji Kondo, and his fifth defense would be on April 1st during DDT's April Fool 2012 against Shigehiro Irie before losing the championship back to KAI on May 27, 2012 during All Japan's 40th Anniversary Year Rise Up Tour 2012 tour.