In 1988, on the heels of the massive popularity of the junior division and IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title, a singles tournament was established to determine the strongest junior heavyweight. And each year, it produces some of the best matches found anywhere. Assuming the reigning IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion doesn’t also win the tournament, the eventual winner puts himself in top contention for the title. Although originally titled Top of the Super Jr., the tournament was renamed to Best of the Super Jr. in 1994.
1988 (1/4/88 to 2/7/88)
1. Shiro Koshinaka [41]
2. Hiroshi Hase [41]
3. Nobuhiko Takada [40]
4. Owen Hart [39]
5. Kazuo Yamazaki [38]
6. Keiichi Yamada [31]
7. Kuniaki Kobayashi [24]
8. Hiro Saito [24]
9. Tony St. Clair [14]
10. Tatsutoshi Goto [9]
11. Masakatsu Funaki [8]
12. Norio Honaga [0]
Final: Shiro Koshinaka beat Hiroshi Hase (16:43) with a Dragon suplex hold.
1991 (4/15/91 to 4/30/91)
1. Norio Honaga [8]
2. Jushin Thunder Liger [8]
3. Pegasus Kid [8]
4. Negro Casas [8]
5. Owen Hart [6]
6. David Finlay [4]
7. Flyin’ Scorpio [0]
Semi Final: Norio Honaga beat Pegasus Kid by pinfall.
Semi Final: Jushin Thunder Liger beat Negro Casas by pinfall.
Final: Norio Honaga beat Jushin Thunder Liger (21:54) with a cross-arm suplex hold.
1992 (4/16/92 to 4/30/92)
1. El Samurai [14]
2. Jushin Thunder Liger [12]
3. Norio Honaga [12]
4. Negro Casas [10]
5. Pegasus Kid [10]
6. David Finlay [6]
7. Eddie Guerrero [4]
8. Flyin’ Scorpio [2]
9. Koji Kanemoto [2]
Semi Final: Jushin Thunder Liger beat Norio Honaga by pinfall.
Final: Jushin Thunder Liger beat El Samurai (21:15) with an avalanche-style Frankensteiner.
1993 (5/26/93 to 6/14/93)
1. Pegasus Kid [14]
2. Black Tiger [12]
3. Jushin Thunder Liger* [12]
4. El Samurai [12]
5. Dean Malenko [12]
6. Flyin’ Scorpio [12]
7. David Finlay [10]
8. Norio Honaga [10]
9. Lightning Kid [8]
10. Shinjiro Otani [4]
11. Masao Orihara [4]
* Liger missed his semi final match due to injury.
Semi Final: Dean Malenko beat Black Tiger with a Texas Cloverleaf hold.
Semi Final: El Samurai beat Flyin’ Scorpio with a horizontal cradle.
Semi Final: El Samurai beat Dean Malenko with a horizontal cradle.
Final: Pegasus Kid beat El Samurai (18:44) with an avalanche-style powerbomb.
1994 (5/26/94 to 6/13/94)
1. Jushin Thunder Liger [14]
2. Super Delfin [14]
3. El Samurai [12]
4. Wild Pegasus [12]
5. Black Tiger [12]
6. Dean Malenko [12]
7. Shinjiro Otani [10]
8. Tokimitsu Ishizawa [8]
9. David Finlay [8]
10. TAKA Michinoku [4]
11. Masayoshi Motegi [2]
Final: Jushin Thunder Liger beat Super Delfin (18:29) with an avalanche-style Fisherman buster.
1995 (6/23/95 to 7/13/95)
1. Wild Pegasus [10]
2. Shinjiro Otani [10]
3. Black Tiger [10]
4. Koji Kanemoto [10]
5. Dean Malenko [8]
6. Gran Hamada [8]
7. Brian Pillman [8]
8. El Samurai [8]
9. Alex Wright [8]
10. Norio Honaga [4]
Semi Final: Wild Pegasus beat Black Tiger (16:37) with an avalanche-style tombstone piledriver.
Semi Final: Shinjiro Otani beat Koji Kanemoto (15:24) with a Dragon suplex hold.
Final: Wild Pegasus beat Shinjiro Otani (19:16) with an avalanche-style tombstone piledriver.
1996 (5/24/96 to 6/12/96)
Block A:
1. El Samurai [10]
2. Wild Pegasus [10]
3. Tatsuhito Takaiwa [8]
4. Franz Schumann [?]
5. Emilio Charles Jr. [?]
6. Mr. J.L. [?]
7. Koji Kanemoto [?]
Block B:
1. Black Tiger [10]
2. Jushin Thunder Liger [8]
3. Shinjiro Otani [6]
4. Dean Malenko [6]
5. Norio Honaga [?]
6. Tokimitsu Ishizawa [4]
7. Villano IV [?]
Semi Final: Black Tiger beat Wild Pegasus (20:17) with an avalanche-style brainbuster.
Semi Final: Jushin Thunder Liger beat El Samurai (15:11) with a la magistral.
Final: Black Tiger beat Jushin Thunder Liger (18:44) with an avalanche-style brainbuster.
1997 (5/16/97 to 6/5/97) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Koji Kanemoto [5]
2. Jushin Thunder Liger [4]
3. Tatsuhito Takaiwa [4]
4. Gran Naniwa [3]
5. Dr. Wagner Jr. [2]
6. Doc Dean [2]
7. Chavo Guerrero Jr. [1]
Block B:
1. El Samurai [5]
2. Shinjiro Otani [4]
3. Chris Jericho [4]
4. Hanzo Nakajima [3]
5. Yoshihiro Tajiri [3]
6. Scorpio Jr. [1]
7. Robbie Brookside [1]
Final: El Samurai beat Koji Kanemoto (23:51) with an avalanche-style reverse DDT.
1998 (5/16/98 to 6/3/98)
Block A:
1. Dr. Wagner Jr. [4]
2. Jushin Thunder Liger [3]
3. El Samurai [3]
4. Shinjiro Otani [2]
5. Tatsuhito Takaiwa [2]
6. Masakazu Fukuda [1]
Block B:
1. Koji Kanemoto [4]
2. Shiryu [3]
3. Kendo Kashin [3]
4. Felino [2]
5. Nanjyo Hayato [2]
6. Yuji Yasuraoka [1]
Final: Koji Kanemoto beat Dr. Wagner Jr. (26:17) with a Tiger suplex.
1999 (5/19/99 to 6/8/99) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Koji Kanemoto [8]
2. Gran Hamada [6]
3. Jushin Thunder Liger [6]
4. Masaaki Mochizuki [4]
5. Tatsuhito Takaiwa [4]
6. Super Shocker [2]
Block B:
1. Kendo Kashin [8]
2. Shinjiro Otani [7]
3. El Samurai [5]
4. Dr. Wagner Jr. [4]
5. Minoru Tanaka [4]
6. Masao Orihara [2]
Final: Kendo Kashin beat Koji Kanemoto (13:15) with an avalanche-style cross armbreaker.
2000 (5/19/00 to 6/9/00) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Tatsuhito Takaiwa [8]
2. Gran Hamada [6]
3. Koji Kanemoto [6]
4. El Samurai [4]
5. Dr. Wagner Jr. [4]
6. Shinya Makabe [2]
Block B:
1. Shinjiro Otani [10]
2. Minoru Tanaka [6]
3. Kendo Kashin [6]
4. Katsumi Usuda [4]
5. Kid Romeo [2]
6. Minoru Fujita [2]
11th Place Match: Shinya Makabe beat Minoru Fujita (7:19) with a German suplex hold.
9th Place Match: Dr. Wagner Jr. beat Kid Romeo (8:33) with a Michinoku Driver II.
7th Place Match: El Samurai beat Katsumi Usuda (8:57) with an avalanche-style reverse DDT.
5th Place Match: Kendo Kashin beat Koji Kanemoto (7:52) with a cross armbreaker.
3rd Place Match: Minoru Tanaka beat Gran Hamada (8:01) with a cross kneelock.
Final: Tatsuhito Takaiwa beat Shinjiro Otani (18:35) with a lariat.
2001 (5/18/01 to 6/4/01) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Jushin Thunder Liger [10]
2. El Samurai [6]
3. Silver King [6]
4. Chris Candido [4]
5. Gran Naniwa [4]
6. Wataru Inoue [0]
Block B:
1. Minoru Tanaka [8]
2. Super Shocker [6]
3. Dr. Wagner Jr. [6]
4. AKIRA [6]
5. Shinya Makabe [4]
6. Katsuyori Shibata [0]
Final: Jushin Thunder Liger beat Minoru Tanaka (26:12) with a brainbuster.
2002 (5/18/02 to 6/5/02) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Koji Kanemoto [4]
2. Jushin Thunder Liger [4]
3. Katsuyori Shibata [3]
4. Black Tiger [3]
5. Masahito Kakihara [3]
6. Curry Man [2]
7. Jado [1]
Block B:
1. Minoru Tanaka [4]
2. El Samurai [3]
3. Gedo [3]
4. Masayuki Naruse [3]
5. AKIRA [3]
6. Tiger Mask [3]
7. Wataru Inoue [2]
Final: Koji Kanemoto beat Minoru Tanaka (14:12) with a Dragon suplex hold.
2003 (5/23/03 to 6/11/03) (Full results)
Block A:
1. AKIRA [10]
2. Takashi Sugiura [8]
3. Jushin Thunder Liger [8]
4. Minoru Fujita [8]
5. Ebessan [4]
6. Gedo [4]
7. Ryusuke Taguchi [0]
Block B
1. Koji Kanemoto [8]
2. Masahito Kakihara [8]
3. Tiger Mask [8]
4. Masayuki Naruse [6]
5. El Samurai [4]
6. Jado [4]
7. Stampede Kid [4]
Semi Final: Masahito Kakihara beat AKIRA (8:28) with a neck lock.
Semi Final: Koji Kanemoto beat Takashi Sugiura (12:48) with an ankle hold.
Final: Masahito Kakihara beat Koji Kanemoto (15:33) with the Kaki Cutter.
2004 (5/22/04 to 6/13/04) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Jushin Thunder Liger [9]*
2. American Dragon [9]
3. Masahito Kakihara [9]
4. Koji Kanemoto [7]
5. El Samurai [7]
6. Big Boss MA-G-MA [7]
7. Wataru Inoue [4]
8. Ryusuke Taguchi [4]
Block B:
1. Tiger Mask [12]
2. Ultimo Dragon [11]
3. Heat [10]
4. Masayuki Naruse [10]
5. Rocky Romero [7]
6. Garuda [3]
7. Katsuhiko Nakajima [2]
8. Curry Man [1]
* Liger was forced to withdraw due to a spinal injury. Kanemoto advanced in third place instead.
Round 2: Koji Kanemoto beat Ultimo Dragon (5:30) with a la magistral cutback.
Round 2: Heat beat Masahito Kakihara (12:52) with the HEAT clutch.
Semi Final: Koji Kanemoto beat American Dragon (13:34) with a heel & kneelock.
Semi Final: Tiger Mask beat Heat (15:14) with a backslide.
Final: Tiger Mask beat Koji Kanemoto (11:26) with a Tiger suplex hold.
2005 (5/21/05 to 6/19/05) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Minoru [8]
2. Koji Kanemoto [8]
3. Hirooki Goto [6]
4. El Samurai [6]
5. Masahito Kakihara [6]
6. Stampede Kid [4]
7. Jado [4]
Block B:
1. Gedo [10]
2. Tiger Mask [8]
3. Jushin Thunder Liger [8]
4. Wataru Inoue [6]
5. Black Tiger [4]
6. Katsushi Takemura [4]
7. Akiya Anzawa [2]
Semi Final: Tiger Mask beat Minoru (12:03) with a Tiger suplex hold.
Semi Final: Gedo beat Koji Kanemoto (10:54) with the Gedo clutch.
Final: Tiger Mask beat Gedo (16:03) with a Tiger suplex hold.
2006 (5/27/06 to 6/18/06) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Jushin Thunder Liger [10]
2. Minoru [8]
3. El Samurai [7]
4. Ryusuke Taguchi [7]
5. Jado [6]
6. Sangre Azteca [2]
7. Fuego [2]
Block B:
1. Wataru Inoue [10]
2. Tiger Mask [8]
3. Koji Kanemoto [7]
4. Gedo [5]
5. Black Tiger [4]
6. Hirooki Goto [4]
7. GENTARO [4]
Semi Final: Minoru beat Wataru Inoue (18:42) with the HEAT clutch.
Semi Final: Tiger Mask beat Jushin Thunder Liger (10:27) with a front cradle.
Final: Minoru beat Tiger Mask (22:52) with the Minoru Special.
2007 (6/1/07 to 6/17/07) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Wataru Inoue [10]
2. Milano Collection AT [8]
3. Tiger Mask [8]
4. Jushin Thunder Liger [8]
5. Taichi Ishikari [4]
6. Yujiro [4]
7. Prince Devitt [0]
Block B:
1. Ryusuke Taguchi [10]
2. Minoru [8]
3. Koji Kanemoto [7]
4. Gedo [5]
5. El Samurai [4]
6. Tetsuya Naito [4]
7. BxB Hulk [4]
Semi Final: Milano Collection AT beat Ryusuke Taguchi (12:47) with the Victoria Milanese.
Semi Final: Wataru Inoue beat Minoru (14:45) with the Triangle Lancer.
Final: Milano Collection AT beat Wataru Inoue (19:37) with the Victoria Milanese.
2008 (5/31/08 to 6/15/08) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Ryusuke Taguchi [8]
2. Wataru Inoue [8]
3. Minoru [4]
4. Jushin Thunder Liger [4]
5. Tatsuhito Takaiwa [4]
6. Yujiro [2]
Block B:
1. Tiger Mask [10]
2. Koji Kanemoto [6]
3. Jimmy Rave [6]
4. Tetsuya Naito [4]
5. AKIRA [4]
6. Prince Devitt [0]
Semi Final: Wataru Inoue beat Tiger Mask (9:03) with the Oracion Flame.
Semi Final: Koji Kanemoto beat Ryusuke Taguchi (9:22) with an ankle hold.
Final: Wataru Inoue beat Koji Kanemoto (27:50) with a modified Triangle Lancer.
2009 (5/30/09 to 6/14/09) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Prince Devitt [8]
2. Atsushi Aoki [8]
3. Tiger Mask [6]
- Milano Collection AT [6]
- AKIRA [6]
- Jado [6]
7. Black Tiger [2]
Block B:
1. Koji Kanemoto [8]
2. Kota Ibushi [8]
3. Jushin Thunder Liger [6]
4. Ryusuke Taguchi [6]
5. Tsuyoshi Kikuchi [6]
6. Taichi [4]
7. YAMATO [4]
Semi Final: Koji Kanemoto beat Atsushi Aoki (6:27) by referee stop.
Semi Final: Prince Devitt beat Kota Ibushi (8:14) with the Shingata Prince’s Throne.
Final: Koji Kanemoto beat Prince Devitt (19:55) with a modified ankle hold.
2010 (5/30/10 to 6/13/10) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Kota Ibushi [12]
2. Prince Devitt [10]
3. Davey Richards [10]
4. Jushin Thunder Liger [8]
5. KUSHIDA [8]
6. La Sombra [6]
7. Gedo [2]
8. Tiger Mask [0]
Block B:
1. Taiji Ishimori [10]
2. Ryusuke Taguchi [10]
3. AKIRA [8]
4. Kenny Omega [8]
5. Koji Kanemoto [8]
6. Fujita “Jr.” Hayato [6]
7. Tama Tonga [4]
8. Nobuo Yoshihashi [2]
Semi Final: Prince Devitt beat Taiji Ishimori (6:56) with the Bloody Sunday.
Semi Final: Kota Ibushi beat Ryusuke Taguchi (10:14) with a Firebird splash.
Final: Prince Devitt beat Kota Ibushi (14:34) with the Bloody Sunday.
2011 (5/26/11 to 6/10/11) (Full results)
Block A:
1. Prince Devitt [14]
2. Davey Richards [12]
3. Kenny Omega [10]
4. Koji Kanemoto [8]
5. Tiger Mask [8]
6. Fujita “Jr.” Hayato [6]
7. TJP [6]
8. Taichi [4]
9. Jado [4]
Block B:
1. Kota Ibushi [12]
2. Ryusuke Taguchi [10]
3. The Great Sasuke [10]
4. KUSHIDA [10]
5. TAKA Michinoku [8]
6. Mascara Dorada [8]
7. Jushin Thunder Liger [8]
8. Gedo [4]
9. Daisuke Sasaki [2]
Semi Final: Kota Ibushi beat Davey Richards (11:17) with a Firebird splash.
Semi Final: Ryusuke Taguchi beat Prince Devitt (8:29) by pinfall.
Final: Kota Ibushi beat Ryusuke Taguchi (20:22) with a Phoenix splash.
2012 (5/27/12 to 6/10/12) (Full results)
Block A:
1. PAC [10]
2. Prince Devitt [10]
3. Jushin Thunder Liger [8]
- KUSHIDA [8]
- Taichi [8]
- Rocky Romero [8]
- Angel de Oro [8]
8. Gedo [6]
9. BUSHI [6]
Block B:
1. Low Ki [16]
2. Ryusuke Taguchi [10]
3. Brian Kendrick [10]
4. Alex Kozlov [10]
5. Tiger Mask [8]
6. TAKA Michinoku [8]
7. Daisuke Sasaki [4]
8. Jado [4]
9. Hiromu Takahashi [2]
Semi Final: Ryusuke Taguchi beat PAC (10:38) with the Dodon.
Semi Final: Low Ki beat Prince Devitt (8:00) with a Sharpshooter.
Final: Ryusuke Taguchi beat Low Ki (17:01) with a Milano–saku Dodon’s Throne.