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All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. It is one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation as of [[2005].
History
The promotion was founded by Shohei "Giant" Baba and the Momota brothers, sons of Rikidozan. The group held their first card in October 1972.
Titles
AJPW currently promotes the following championship belts:
- AJPW Triple Crown
- AJPW Double Tag Titles
- PWF Jr. Heavyweight Title
- All Asia Tag Team Titles
Titles previously promoted by the company include the PWF (World) Heavyweight Title, NWA International Heavyweight Title, NWA United National Title (the three constituent belts of the Triple Crown), and the All Asia Heavyweight Title.
Wrestlers
In the thirty two years since its inception, AJPW has featured many legends of the squared circle on their shows. These include:
- Jumbo Tsuruta
- Gen'ichiro Tenryu
- Mitsuharu Misawa
- Toshiaki Kawada
- Kenta Kobashi
- Stan Hansen
- Ric Flair
- Jun Akiyama
Current Ownership
Following her husband's death in January 1999, Motoko Baba inherited control of the company. Mitsuharu Misawa had been serving as company President and chief booker, but the two frequently clashed over how the promotion should be run, and in May 2000 Misawa and almost all the roster of Japanese wrestlers quit the company to start Pro Wrestling NOAH with Baba's original business partners the Momota brothers. Mrs. Baba responded by bringing Gen'ichiro Tenryu back into the company, 10 years after he quit under similar circumstances to Misawa.
In 2001, at the end of a year long cross promotional angle with New Japan Pro Wrestling, three of New Japan's top stars, Keiji Mutoh, Satoshi Kojima and Kendo Ka Shin, defected to All Japan. Muto was rewarded by Mrs. Baba with the job as President of the company, and eventually all the Baba family stock was transferred to Muto.
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