Pro Wrestling ZERO1 Joins the United Wrestling Network
“Last week I mentioned the addition of an International promotion that will be joining United Wrestling Network and today I can make it public. We’ve come to terms with ProWrestling Zero1 Japan（プロレスリング ゼロワン） and together we will reestablish the tradition of talent sharing between Japan and the United States…” David Marquez recently posted on Facebook.
ZERO1 Pro Wrestling was founded by former NWA World Heavyweight Champion Shinya Hashimoto, who left New Japan Pro Wrestling to create something different in the Japanese Wrestling Scene. Similarly to many of the promotions of the United Wrestling Network, ZERO1 has had ties to the NWA from 2002 to 2004 and again briefly in 2011. Many of their championships are still called NWA although the organization has zero connection to the National Wrestling Alliance today. Zero1 holds a heavyweight tournament every summer in the last week of July called the “Fire Festival” (Himatsuri) where the winner holds the “Fire Sword” (a katana) for a whole year until the next summer’s tournament. They also hold a Yasukuni Shrine show every April and a yearly junior tournament called the “Tenkaichi Jr.”
Last night ZERO1 held a show that crowned new International Lightweight Tag Team Champions in Ikuto Hidaka and Takua Sugawara. Kotaro Suzuki successfully defended his Double Crown Jr. Heavyweight Championship against Sean Guinness who had won the Tekaichi Jr. Tournament. And in the main event Masato Tanaka successfully defended his World Heavyweight Championship against Shogun Okamoto. For full results visit puroresuspirit.net.
Interestingly enough both Kenta Kobashi and Masahiro Chono were were both announced to be nominating a wrestler of their choice to compete in this year’s Fire Festival. Real Japan’s Super Tiger appeared as he stated that he wants to compete in this year’s Fire Festival. This years ‘Fire Festival’ is set to begin in July. ZERO1’s next show will be May 27th in Furukawa City, at the Furukawa Gym in Ibaraki.