The Global Junior League is a round-robin tournament held by Pro Wrestling NOAH. The purpose of the tournament is to determine the promotion's top junior heavyweight wrestler. It was originally designed to be an annual event starting in 2009, but the second tournament did not take place until 2015 and a third tournament did not take place until 2018. The tournament is a two-block round-robin tournament, much like New Japan Pro Wrestling's Best of the Super Juniors tournament, in which each block's two highest scorers face off in the semifinals. A victory is worth two points, a draw was worth one, and a loss zero; each match has a thirty-minute time limit. Being a professional wrestling tournament the outcome of the matches and the tournament itself are not determined through pure athletic competition but through pre-determined outcomes to matches.
History and format[]
The tournament was formed in 2009 by Pro Wrestling NOAH. It was much like New Japan Pro Wrestling's Best of the Super Juniors tournament that is a round-robin style tournament where a wrestler scores points, in which each block's two highest scorers face off in the semifinals. A victory is worth two points, a draw was worth one, and a loss zero; each match has a thirty-minute time limit. The tournament was originally called the Junior Heavyweight League. The first ever tournament was for the vacant GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship after the champion KENTA was sidelined with a knee injury. The tournament included outside participants Delirious from Ring of Honor and Jushin Thunder Liger from New Japan Pro Wrestling. Delirious was awarded place in the semifinal because original block A runner-up Kotaro Suzuki had to withdraw with a flu. Yoshinobu Kanemaru defeated Jushin Thunder Liger to win the tournament and the vacant GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion.
After six-years of break the tournament returned and was renamed to Global Junior Heavyweight League. It was again contested in round-robin tournament divided into a two-block system used in many other puroresu tournaments. In this format the top two scorers in each block advance to the semifinals, at which point single-elimination rules take effect. During the round-robin portion, a win is worth two points, a draw is worth one, and a loss zero; all matches have a 30-minute time limit, though in the past it has been twenty minutes. The winner of the tournament receives an opportunity to wrestle for the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship. The number of wrestlers that took part in the tournament increased since the last time. In the 2015 tournament, the GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Taichi didn't took part of the tournament. The winner of the tournament Daisuke Harada received his GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship shot at the Great Voyage 2015 in Yokohama. He would fail to capture the champion after the interference from Taichi's Suzuki-gun stablemates Taka Michinoku and El Desperado. On August 5, 2018, YO-HEY asked NOAH's President Masayuki Uchida for the return of the tournament, which NOAH later announced its return to be scheduled from September 8 to October 4. Kotaro Suzuki would make his return to NOAH after five years, to take part in the tournament. On October 4, Suzuki defeated YO-HEY in the finals to win the 2018 Global Junior League.
List of winners[]
| Tournament | Year | Winners | Total Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Heavyweight League | 2009 | Yoshinobu Kanemaru | 1 |
| Global Junior Heavyweight League | 2015 | Daisuke Harada | 1 |
| Global Junior League | 2018 | Kotaro Suzuki | 1 |
| 2019 | HAYATA | 1 | |
| 2020 | Daisuke Harada | 2 |
2009[]
The first tournament, named simply Junior Heavyweight League, was held from October 15 to October 31 over nine shows, and featured two blocks of five. Foreign participation included Delirious from Ring of Honor and Jushin Thunder Liger from New Japan Pro Wrestling. The winner, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, also won the vacant GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship. Delirious was awarded place in the semi-final because original block A runner-up Kotaro Suzuki had to withdraw with a flu.
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Katsuhiko Nakajima | 6 | Jushin Thunder Liger | 5 |
| Kotaro Suzuki | 5 | Yoshinobu Kanemaru | 4 |
| Delirious | 4 | Atsushi Aoki | 3 |
| KENTA | 3 | Taiji Ishimori | 2 |
| Ricky Marvin | 2 | Genba Hirayanagi | 0 |
| Block A | Delirious | Katsuhiko Nakajima | KENTA | Kotaro Suzuki | Ricky Marvin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delirious | X | Nakajima (15:05) |
Delirious (18:54) |
Suzuki (13:52) |
Delirious (14:20) |
| Katsuhiko Nakajima | Nakajima (15:05) |
X | Draw (30:00) |
Draw (30:00) |
Nakajima (12:07) |
| KENTA | Delirious (18:54) |
Draw (30:00) |
X | Suzuki (17:28) |
KENTA (1:59) |
| Kotaro Suzuki | Suzuki (13:52) |
Draw (30:00) |
Suzuki (17:28) |
X | Marvin (9:04) |
| Ricky Marvin | Delirious (14:20) |
Nakajima (12:07) |
Kenta (1:59) |
Marvin (9:04) |
X |
| Block B | Atsushi Aoki | Genba Hirayanagi | Jushin Thunder Liger | Taiji Ishimori | Yoshinobu Kanemaru |
| Atsushi Aoki | X | Aoki (13:11) |
Draw (30:00) |
Ishimori (13:54) |
Kanemaru (17:32) |
| Genba Hirayanagi | Aoki (13:11) |
X | Double countout (9:19) |
Double countout (7:09) |
Double countout (7:45) |
| Jushin Thunder Liger | Draw (30:00) |
Double countout (9:19) |
X | Liger (13:08) |
Liger (14:45) |
| Taiji Ishimori | Ishimori (13:54) |
Double countout (7:09) |
Liger (13:08) |
X | Kanemaru (15:56) |
| Yoshinobu Kanemaru | Kanemaru (17:32) |
Double countout (7:45) |
Liger (14:45) |
Kanemaru (15:56) |
X |
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| A1 | Katsuhiko Nakajima | Pin | |||||||
| B2 | Yoshinobu Kanemaru | 10:17 | |||||||
| B2 | Yoshinobu Kanemaru | Pin | |||||||
| B1 | Jushin Thunder Liger | 18:53 | |||||||
| B1 | Jushin Thunder Liger | Pin | |||||||
| A2 | Delirious | 10:45 | |||||||
2015[]
The second tournament, now named Global Junior Heavyweight League, took place from July 18 to August 5, 2015. The tournament included outside participation from AAA Bengala and from New Japan Pro Wrestling Sho Tanaka. The winner was Daisuke Harada but failed to defeat the defending GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Taichi on September 19.
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Daisuke Harada | 10 | Atsushi Kotoge | 8 |
| El Desperado | 8 | Taiji Ishimori | 8 |
| Kenoh | 8 | Taka Michinoku | 6 |
| Zack Sabre Jr. | 8 | Hajime Ohara | 6 |
| Yoshinari Ogawa | 6 | Bengala | 6 |
| Sho Tanaka | 2 | Super Crazy | 6 |
| Hitoshi Kumano | 0 | Genba Hirayanagi | 2 |
| Block A | Daisuke Harada | El Desperado | Hitoshi Kumano | Kenou | Sho Tanaka | Yoshinari Ogawa | Zack Sabre Jr. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daisuke Harada | X | Harada (5:23) |
Harada (10:06) |
Harada (13:29) |
Harada (8:33) |
Harada (11:58) |
Sabre (12:12) |
| El Desperado | Harada (5:23) |
X | Desperado (7:53) |
Desperado (13:31) |
Desperado (10:19) |
Ogawa (1:05) |
Desperado (11:06) |
| Hitoshi Kumano | Harada (10:06) |
Desperado (7:53) |
X | Kenoh (9:03) |
Tanaka (9:01) |
Ogawa (8:41) |
Sabre (9:47) |
| Kenoh | Harada (13:29) |
Desperado (13:31) |
Kenoh (9:03) |
X | Kenoh (13:50) |
Kenoh (13:28) |
Kenoh (7:33) |
| Sho Tanaka | Harada (8:33) |
Desperado (10:19) |
Tanaka (9:01) |
Kenoh (13:50) |
X | Ogawa (3:32) |
Sabre (10:07) |
| Yoshinari Ogawa | Harada (11:58) |
Ogawa (1:05) |
Ogawa (8:41) |
Kenoh (13:28) |
Ogawa (3:32) |
X | Sabre (11:46) |
| Zack Sabre Jr. | Sabre (12:12) |
Desperado (11:06) |
Sabre (9:47) |
Kenoh (7:33) |
Sabre (10:07) |
Sabre (11:46) |
X |
| Block B | Atsushi Kotoge | Bengala | Genba Hirayanagi | Hajime Ohara | Super Crazy | Taiji Ishimori | Taka Michinoku |
| Atsushi Kotoge | X | Kotoge (8:49) |
Kotoge (8:36) |
Ohara (12:41) |
Crazy (11:05) |
Kotoge (14:58) |
Kotoge (10:44) |
| Bengala | Kotoge (8:49) |
X | Hirayanagi (6:22) |
Bengala (6:15) |
Bengala (3:24) |
Ishimori (10:48) |
Bengala (7:40) |
| Genba Hirayanagi | Kotoge (8:36) |
Hirayanagi (6:22) |
X | Ohara (8:29) |
Crazy (5:29) |
Ishimori (7:44) |
Michinoku (7:33) |
| Hajime Ohara | Ohara (12:41) |
Bengala (6:15) |
Ohara (8:29) |
X | Crazy (10:16) |
Ishimori (7:15) |
Ohara (11:31) |
| Super Crazy | Crazy (11:05) |
Bengala (3:24) |
Crazy (5:29) |
Crazy (10:16) |
X | Ishimori (12:27) |
Michinoku (8:26) |
| Taiji Ishimori | Kotoge (14:58) |
Ishimori (10:48) |
Ishimori (7:44) |
Ishimori (7:15) |
Ishimori (12:27) |
X | Michinoku (9:07) |
| Taka Michinoku | Kotoge (10:44) |
Bengala (7:40) |
Michinoku (7:33) |
Ohara (11:31) |
Michinoku (8:26) |
Michinoku (9:07) |
X |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Daisuke Harada | Pin | ||
| B1 | Atsushi Kotoge | 16:35 | ||
2018[]
The tournament after a four year break the Global Junior Heavyweight League returned, would take place from September 8 to October 4, 2018. The tournament would include two outside participant from Pro Wrestling Zero1 Ikuto Hidaka and the returning Kotaro Suzuki who would return five years after leaving the promotion. In this year's tournament, reigning GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Daisuke Harada took part of the tournament.
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Kotaro Suzuki | 8 | YO-HEY | 8 |
| Daisuke Harada | 6 | Ikuto Hidaka | 7 |
| Hitoshi Kumano | 6 | Hi69 | 6 |
| Tadasuke | 6 | Minoru Tanaka | 6 |
| Seiya Morohashi | 2 | HAYATA | 3 |
| Hajime Ohara | 2 | Junta Miyawaki | 0 |
| Block A | Daisuke Harada | Tadasuke | Hajime Ohara | Hitoshi Kumano | Seiya Morohashi | Kotaro Suzuki |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daisuke Harada | X | Tadasuke (15:31) |
Harada (19:04) |
Harada (12:06) |
Harada (8:47) |
Suzuki (16:31) |
| Tadasuke | Tadasuke (15:31) |
X | Tadasuke (6:54) |
Kumano (9:59) |
Tadasuke (9:53) |
Suzuki (10:18) |
| Hajime Ohara | Harada (19:04) |
Tadasuke (6:54) |
X | Kumano (12:24) |
Morohashi (10:05) |
Ohara (10:11) |
| Hitoshi Kumano | Harada (12:06) |
Kumano (9:59) |
Kumano (12:24) |
X | Kumano (11:52) |
Suzuki (14:33) |
| Seiya Morohashi | Harada (8:47) |
Tadasuke (9:53) |
Morohashi (10:05) |
Kumano (11:52) |
X | Suzuki (9:19) |
| Kotaro Suzuki | Suzuki (16:31) |
Suzuki (10:18) |
Ohara (10:11) |
Suzuki (14:33) |
Suzuki (9:19) |
X |
| Block B | Hi69 | Minoru Tanaka | HAYATA | YO-HEY | Ikuto Hidaka | Junta Miyawaki |
| Hi69 | X | Hi69 (19:41) |
Hi69 (9:53) |
YO-HEY (13:11) |
Hidaka (14:47) |
Hi69 (2:49) |
| Minoru Tanaka | Hi69 (19:41) |
X | Tanaka (11:33) |
YO-HEY (14:57) |
Tanaka (12:38) |
Tanaka (5:55) |
| HAYATA | Hi69 (9:53) | Tanaka (11:33) | X | Double Pin (12:36) |
Hidaka (11:11) |
HAYATA (4:45) |
| YO-HEY | YO-HEY (13:11) |
YO-HEY (14:57) |
Double Pin (12:36) |
X | Draw (30:00) |
YO-HEY (8:02) |
| Ikuto Hidaka | Hidaka (14:47) |
Tanaka (12:38) |
Hidaka (11:11) |
Draw (30:00) |
X | Hidaka (8:03) |
| Junta Miyawaki | Hi69 (2:49) |
Tanaka (5:55) |
HAYATA (4:45) |
YO-HEY (8:02) |
Hidaka (8:03) |
X |
| Final | ||||
| A1 | Kotaro Suzuki | Pin | ||
| B1 | YO-HEY | 17:00 | ||
2019[]
The 2019 Global Junior League took place from June 27 to July 27, 2019, and included one outside participant from International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom Chris Ridgeway.
| Block A | Block B | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Tadasuke | 8 | HAYATA | 7 |
| Yoshinari Ogawa | 6 | Kotaro Suzuki | 7 |
| YO-HEY | 6 | Chris Ridgeway | 6 |
| Daisuke Harada | 5 | Hajime Ohara | 4 |
| Minoru Tanaka | 5 | Hi69 | 4 |
| Junta Miyawaki | 0 | Hitoshi Kumano | 2 |
| Block A | Minoru Tanaka |
Yoshinari Ogawa |
Daisuke Harada |
Tadasuke | Junta Miyawaki |
YO-HEY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minoru Tanaka |
X | Tanaka (11:33) |
Draw (30:00) |
Tadasuke (10:14) |
Tanaka (8:43) |
YO-HEY (12:40) |
| Yoshinari Ogawa |
Tanaka (11:33) |
X | Ogawa (9:47) |
Ogawa (13:19) |
Ogawa (9:54) |
YO-HEY (14:14) |
| Daisuke Harada |
Draw (30:00) |
Ogawa (9:47) |
X | Tadasuke (15:01) |
Harada (6:52) |
Harada (15:20) |
| Tadasuke | Tadasuke (10:14) |
Ogawa (13:19) |
Tadasuke (15:01) |
X | Tadasuke (8:57) |
Tadasuke (10:41) |
| Junta Miyawaki |
Tanaka (8:43) |
Ogawa (9:54) |
Harada (6:52) |
Tadasuke (8:57) |
X | YO-HEY (8:57) |
| YO-HEY | YO-HEY (12:40) |
YO-HEY (14:14) |
Harada (15:20) |
Tadasuke (10:41) |
YO-HEY (8:57) |
X |
| Block B | Kotaro Suzuki |
Hi69 | Hajime Ohara |
HAYATA | Chris Ridgeway |
Hitoshi Kumano |
| Kotaro Suzuki |
X | Suzuki (8:59) |
Suzuki (10:09) |
Draw (30:00) |
Ridgeway (8:38) |
Suzuki (10:32) |
| Hi69 | Suzuki (8:59) |
X | Ohara (10:20) |
Hi69 (11:27) |
Ridgeway (13:08) |
Hi69 (9:39) |
| Hajime Ohara |
Suzuki (10:09) |
Ohara (10:20) |
X | HAYATA (15:59) |
Ohara (9:20) |
Kumano (13:35) |
| HAYATA | Draw (30:00) |
Hi69 (11:27) |
HAYATA (15:59) |
X | HAYATA (14:30) |
HAYATA (13:08) |
| Chris Ridgeway |
Ridgeway (8:38) |
Ridgeway (13:08) |
Ohara (9:20) |
HAYATA (14:30) |
X | Ridgeway (10:01) |
| Hitoshi Kumano |
Suzuki (10:32) |
Hi69 (9:39) |
Kumano (13:35) |
HAYATA (13:08) |
Ridgeway (10:01) |
X |
| Block B Decision | Final | ||||||||
| A1 | Tadasuke | Pin | |||||||
| B1 | HAYATA | Pin | B1 | HAYATA | 19:12 | ||||
| B2 | Kotaro Suzuki | 15:59 | |||||||
2020[]
The 2020 Global Junior League took place from January 10 to January 30, and includes one outside participant from Michinoku Pro-Wrestling Dick Togo. After Noah was acquired by CyberAgent, it was announced the finals of the tournament would be streamed on DDT's internet streaming service DDT Universe.
| Block A | Block B | Block C | Block D | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yoshinari Ogawa (c) | 4 | Dick Togo | 4 | Hajime Ohara | 4 | Daisuke Harada | 4 |
| HAYATA | 2 | Kotaro Suzuki | 4 | Atsushi Kotoge | 4 | Minoru Tanaka | 3 |
| Nosawa Rongai | 2 | Tadasuke | 2 | YO-HEY | 2 | Nioh | 3 |
| Junta Miyawaki | 0 | Haoh | 2 | Hitoshi Kumano | 2 | Chris Ridgeway | 2 |
| Block A | HAYATA | Yoshinari Ogawa |
Nosawa Rongai |
Junta Miyawaki |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HAYATA | X | Ogawa (18:33) |
Double Countout (6:43) |
HAYATA (9:48) |
| Yoshinari Ogawa |
Ogawa (18:33) |
X | Double Countout (10:29) |
Ogawa (8:08) |
| Nosawa Rongai |
Double Countout (6:43) |
Double Countout (10:29) |
X | Nosawa (9:23) |
| Junta Miyawaki |
HAYATA (9:48) |
Ogawa (8:08) |
Nosawa (9:23) |
X |
| Block B | Kotaro Suzuki |
Tadasuke | Haoh | Dick Togo |
| Kotaro Suzuki |
X | Suzuki (7:39) |
Suzuki (9:20) |
Togo (15:09) |
| Tadasuke | Suzuki (7:39) |
X | Haoh (7:49) |
Tadasuke (12:46) |
| Haoh | Suzuki (9:20) |
Haoh (7:49) |
X | Togo (9:21) |
| Dick Togo |
Togo (15:09) |
Tadasuke (12:46) |
Togo (9:21) |
X |
| Block C | Atsushi Kotoge |
YO-HEY | Hajime Ohara |
Hitoshi Kumano |
| Atsushi Kotoge |
X | Kotoge (15:41) |
Ohara (14:20) |
Kotoge (10:56) |
| YO-HEY | Kotoge (15:41) |
X | Ohara (13:49) |
YO-HEY (13:53) |
| Hajime Ohara |
Ohara (14:20) |
Ohara (13:49) |
X | Kumano (13:39) |
| Hitoshi Kumano |
Kotoge (10:56) |
YO-HEY (13:53) |
Kumano (13:39) |
X |
| Block D | Daisuke Harada |
Chris Ridgeway |
Minoru Tanaka |
Nioh |
| Daisuke Harada |
X | Harada (10:56) |
Draw (30:00) |
Draw (30:00) |
| Chris Ridgeway |
Harada (10:56) |
X | Tanaka (11:34) |
Ridgeway (13:39) |
| Minoru Tanaka |
Draw (30:00) |
Tanaka (11:34) |
X | Nioh (14:24) |
| Nioh | Draw (30:00) |
Ridgeway (13:39) |
Nioh (14:24) |
X |
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| A1 | Yoshinari Ogawa | Sub | |||||||
| B1 | Dick Togo | 8:31 | |||||||
| B1 | Dick Togo | Pin | |||||||
| D1 | Daisuke Harada | 19:43 | |||||||
| C1 | Hajime Ohara | Pin | |||||||
| D1 | Daisuke Harada | 15:45 | |||||||
Gallery[]
