J-Crown
The J-Crown, or formally the J-Crown Championship, was a professional wrestling unification championship in Japan. It comprised eight different junior heavyweight titles from various wrestling promotions, brought together under one umbrella.
The J-Crown was established in 1996 by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). It was designed to elevate the junior heavyweight division and showcase the top talent in Japan and internationally.
The eight championships unified under the J-Crown were:
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
- NWA World Welterweight Championship
- British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Championship
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
- UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship
- WAR International Junior Heavyweight Championship
- WWF Light Heavyweight Championship (version predating the later WWE Light Heavyweight Championship)
- WWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship
The inaugural J-Crown Champion was The Great Sasuke, who won a tournament to unify the titles. Other notable J-Crown champions include Ultimo Dragon, Shinjiro Otani, and Jushin Thunder Liger.
The J-Crown was defended across different promotions, including NJPW, WAR (Wrestle Association R), and Michinoku Pro Wrestling, further enhancing its prestige and reach.
The J-Crown was dissolved in 1997 when the WWF (now WWE) reclaimed its Light Heavyweight Championship. Ultimo Dragon, who held all eight titles at the time, was forced to relinquish the WWF title, leading to the dissolution of the J-Crown unification. The other championships eventually reverted to their respective promotions.
While the J-Crown existed for a relatively short period, it is remembered as a significant and innovative concept in professional wrestling history, demonstrating inter-promotional cooperation and spotlighting the junior heavyweight style.