Pro Wrestling Zero1
| Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX logo | |
| Acronym | ZERO1-MAX |
|---|---|
| Founded | March 2001 |
| Style | Strong style |
| Headquarters | Japan |
| Founder(s) | Shinya Hashimoto |
| Owner(s) | First On Stage Productions |
| Formerly | Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE |
Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX, formerly known as Pro Wrestling ZERO-ONE, is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion founded in 2001. It was affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance until late 2004. The promotion's name seems to refer to the year it was created.
The promotion was founded by former New Japan Pro Wrestling stars Shinya Hashimoto and Shinjiro Ohtani. Over the years, they attracted talent from both New Japan and the independents, such as Tatsuhito Takaiwa, Masato Tanaka, Takao Omori and former RINGS fighter Wataru Sakata.
ZERO1-MAX has had working agreements with Pro Wrestling NOAH, All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, RIKIPRO, HUSTLE, and Dragondoor (now El Dorado) which enabled its wrestlers to challenge for and hold the other promotions' titles. Hashimoto won the Triple Crown heavyweight title, while Takaiwa held NOAH's GHC junior heavyweight title. ZERO1-MAX top Junior tag team of Ikuto Hidaka & Minoru Fujita placed 2nd in the 2005 "Differ Cup" tag tournament run by NOAH and won the NOAH GHC Junior tag team champions in March 2006.
ZERO1-MAX's structure was, until recently, very much like Genichiro Tenryu's old WAR promotion: the focus on the top star (in this case, Hashimoto), with other talent ranking below him. This is no longer the case however as Shinjiro Otani runs the promotion much different than Hashimoto.
On November 30, 2004 Hashimoto gave up ownership of the promotion, telling the press that due to financial problems he had decided to step away from the company. Hashimoto had been very injured physically that whole past year and needed surgery, but looked to be heading back to New Japan Pro Wrestling after recovering.
The promotion continued without any delays, stoppages or cancellations. A new parent company "First On Stage" was formed consisting of President Yoshiyuki Nakamura, Ring Announcer Oki Okidata, Shinjiro Otani and a company named Baltic Curry. The promotion was re-named Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX with Otani and Nakamura taking over the general operations.
Several foreign wrestlers also work, or have worked for the promotion. For example: Low Ki, A.J. Styles, Samoa Joe, Steve Corino, Spanky, Paul London, Alex Shelley, Sonjay Dutt, Sylvester Terkay, Super Crazy, Matt Striker, C.W. Anderson, Colt Cabana, CM Punk, Tom Howard, Ryan Sakoda and Aaron Aguilera.
Among the major changes to the federation's structure was the revival of the old AWA World Heavyweight Title and becoming the AWA's Japan member. The owner of their NWA promoting liscense, New Japan Pro Wrestling, took the license back for their own use.
On July 11, 2005 former owner and top star, Shinya Hashimoto, died suddenly of a brain aneurysm at the age of 40.
ZERO1-MAX 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 yearly Junior Tournament called the "Tenka-Ichi Jr tournament."
ZERO1-MAX also currently does interpromotional matches with the American wrestling promotion, Pro Wrestling WORLD-1, owned by American ZERO1-MAX regular and agent Steve Corino. WORLD-1 is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Championships
Roster
See: Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX roster