Note: I made an edit in lieu of changes.

Since I did the Top 10 IWGP Heavyweight Championship, I might as well do this. All Japan Pro Wrestling is one of my favorite promotions of the 90s. The promotion was known for putting on some of the greatest matches in wrestling history. The AJPW Triple Crown Championship was the unification of the PWF World Heavyweight Championship, NWA United National Championship, and the NWA International Heavyweight Championship. Ever since it’s unification, it became a major staple in All Japan Pro Wrestling, with it becoming the focus of many matches and feuds. So here’s me listing the Top 10 Triple Crown Champions. If your fave didn’t make it, I apologize.

Honorable Mentions (in no order)

“Dr. Death” Steve Williams – Not to be confused with the other Steve Williams (Steve Austin’s former real life name). Anyway, Dr Death was known for being one of the toughest wrestlers in the ring. During his time in AJPW, he was the top foreigner, beating the crap outta anybody who comes in his way. After putting on a great and enduring match with Kenta Kobashi, he deserved his shot at the three belts. In 1994, he ended Mitsuharu Misawa’s legendary reign, and become the third foreigner (After Terry Gordy and Stan Hansen) to win the belts. His sole reign was only 86 days, and his only defense was against Kobashi. He’s on here because how built up he was for the title. RIP Dr Death.

Kensuke Sasaki – Kensuke Sasaki is known for being one of the few wrestlers who’s been a top star in all three puroresu promotions and his impactful wrestling style. He was the first wrestler to have held all three puroresu top titles: The IWGP Heavyweight Championship, The AJPW Triple Crown Championship, and the GHC Heavyweight Championship. He defeated Minoru Suzuki in 2007 for the three belts for his only reign and held it for 247 days, which is longest single reign of the title. He only defended it twice before losing it to Suwama.

Vader – Vader was a feared individual. He was vicious, powerful, and deadly. He could beat the crap outta somebody and could move like a cruiserweight. He held titles from many promotions around the world. In 1998, he joined AJPW, and proved to fans and critics that he was still the dangerous force he was in back in his first stint in Japan. A year later, he won the vacant Triple Crown Championship, a title he would win twice. He only held it for a combined 177 days, but these reigns were considered a comeback for him as he came from a terrible stint in the WWF that nearly hurt his reputation. Not only that, he was the first wrestler to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and the Triple Crown. He still put on some good matches with wrestlers like Misawa. RIP Vader who passed away in 2018.

Minoru Suzuki – Suzuki is one of the few wrestlers who are successful in professional wrestling and MMA. He is considered a founder of MMA as he founded Pancrease and became a big name in MMA. He returned to pro wrestling in 2003 and remained in it since. In 2006, He joined AJPW and won the Triple Crown a year later. He was one of the few wrestlers that the held the belts for almost a year in a reign, although he was a few days short from a year. He has defended the title against a number of wrestlers, which included Tajiri, Kojima and Yuji Nagata. He held it twice for a combined reign of 476 days, putting him in the tenth place. During his reigns, he proved to everybody that he’s the badass that people know. He’s now the leader of the top heel puro stable Suzuki-gun.

Here’s the list

10. Sastoshi Kojima – Sastoshi Kojima was one of AJPW’s success stories during the Keiji Mutoh era. Fed up with the lack of a push and their obsession with MMA, Kojima left NJPW became a huge success in AJPW. After successful runs as a tag team champion, his push as a singles main eventer began. In 2005, he beat Toshiaki Kawada for the Triple Crown Championship. His first reign was a remarkable 502 days (the third longest reign) and had 8 defenses under it, the third most. During that time, he held the rival title IWGP Heavyweight Championship, being the first wrestler to hold the two titles simultaneously. He also held it a second time in 2009, although not as amazing as his first one, but a nice reign. He held the title twice and had a combined reign of 678 days, which is the fifth most in the company. He has since returned to NJPW.

9. Suwama – The violent giant himself, Suwama is one of the major aces of the company in modern times. After becoming part of the top heel stable Voodoo Murders, Suwama turned against in 2008 and began focusing on the Triple Crown, in which he won the same year. As he reigned with the title, he destroyed anyone who got in his way. He was also the first wrestler to wear the current version which is three belts into one. He has a record of six reigns and held the belt during AJPW’s strongest and weakest times. One of his reigns, he also held the World Tag Team Championship, being the first person in over 12 years to hold all five belts, His combined reigns of 918 days is the now third most in the company. Suwama is still tearing up AJPW with his stiff style, especially with his tag team Violent Giants with Shuji Ishikawa.

8. Genichiro Tenryu – Considered to be one of most grumpiest wrestler in the ring, Tenryu proved to everyone that his status a veteran didn’t slow him down. Some of y’all may know him from that tag team he had with Koji Kitao (who recently passed) against Demolition (RIP Crush). Anyway, Tenryu was well known for his two stints in AJPW: from the late 70s to 1990 and from the 2000s. He was the second Triple Crown after defeating the inaugural champion Jumbo Tsuruta, as he feuded with him and put on great matches with him over the title. After a decade of estrangement from the company, he returned in 2000 to help rebuild the company after most of the roster left the company due to the dismissal of Mitsuharu Misawa and formed Pro Wrestling Noah. Then, he became the first Triple Crown Champion after the exodus since the title was vacated due to then champion Kenta Kobashi being part of that exodus, gaining his second title. He was only 50 when he regained the title. He later lost that title in an amazing match with Keiji Mutoh a year later. He eventually won it a third and final time in 2002 before losing it again to Keiji Mutoh (as Great Muta). His latter titles told people that his age doesn’t slow him, and that he can still perform like he was 20 years later. He held the three reigns for a combined reign of 548 days, the seventh most. He was also the first native to have held the IWGP Heavyweight Tile and the Triple Crown. Remarkable huh?

7. Keiji Mutoh/Great Muta – To many people he’s known as the Great Muta. To many others he’s known Keiji Mutoh. But anyway, this legend needs to no introduction. After being a mainstay in New Japan, he began making appearances in All Japan in 2001 to help the fledgling company after the Noah exodus in a cross company storyline. The storyline made him become a dominating force in both companies, winning the IWGP and World Tag Titles, and most importantly the Triple Crown. In the case of the latter, he beat Genichiro Tenryu in a great match to win the title. His first reign with the title saved AJPW from going down. He fully switched to AJPW and helped rebuild the company, starting the Pro Wrestling Love Era. He then won the titles two more times, alternating between himself and Great Muta. In his third reign (as himself), he also held the IWGP title, but as the Great Muta, becoming the second person to hold the two titles simultaneously. His combined reigns are 547 days, the eighth most. He’s also the first person to have held the IWGP Title, Triple Crown, and NWA World Championship. A legend. He’s now the founder of Wrestle-1 after his departure from AJPW due to many unfortunate circumstances.

6. Stan Hansen – Stan Hansen is one of the most well known and greatest foreign wrestlers in Japan, being more known in Japan than his homeland. He was known for stiff, wild brawling style that he was feared and respected for. Although Terry Gordy (RIP) was the first foreign Triple Crown Champion, Hansen was the first successful foreign champion (his first reign came from beating Gordy). He had four reigns with the title, for a combined reign of 505 days, the ninth most. During his reigns, he had astounding defenses and matches, knocking out anybody in his way. Beware of him, and his Lariat.

5. Kento Miyahara – Kento Miyahara transformed AJPW and Triple Crown so much these last few years. When AJPW hit rock bottom after the departure of Keiji Mutoh and company, he was considered the ace in the hole that brought em out. Putting the title on him was the best thing that AJPW did in recent years. He was young, charismatic, and full of talent. He was only 26 when he won the belt, making him the youngest champion ever. When he won the belt, AJPW turned around. His first reign increased business sales for AJPW and AJPW had shows at big arenas. Even though his reign ended a bit prematurely after a whompin 464 days with 8 defenses (tied for the third most), he went after the title three more times, in which he’s still the reigning champion. His current reign got him 9 defenses (the second most). Hopefully, if he’ll keep this up, he’ll have the most defenses of the title. His combined 4 reigns of 1,072+ days is the second most in the company which is remarkable for a young wrestler. He has had amazing defenses and put on great performances. He’s sometimes compared to NJPW’s Hiroshi Tanahashi, due to them being the saviors of the their respective companies, their lucharesu style, and how their looks are similar. He’s still soldering on.

4. Toshiaki Kawada – One of the Four Pillars of Heaven, Kawada was stiffing the crap out of his opponents. He’ll kick the mess outta ya, drop you with a Dangerous DDT or Backdrop, or destroy you with his rarely used but deadly maneuver Ganso Bomb. During his tenure as Triple Crown, he had amazing matches with wrestlers like Kobashi and Misawa. Even though his first four were short lived, in most cases due to injuries, he still had credible defenses. His fifth reign is where he showed out a lot. His fifth reign was 529 days (the second longest reign) and amassed a record of 10 defenses. He defended the belts against wrestlers in and out of the promotion and in tournaments that helped strengthened the credibility of the title, showing his credibility as one of the aces of the company. His combined reigns are 743 days, which is the fourth most. He stayed with AJPW from the beginning of his career, during the Noah exodus to his departure in 2005, now he has a Ramen restaurant.

3. Jumbo Tsuruta – This list would be nothing without the first Triple Crown Champion. Jumbo is considered to be one of AJPW’s best wrestlers before the Four Pillars era in the 90s, being the ace from the 70s, 80s, and early 90s. He also wrestled in United States, winning the AWA World Heavyweight Championship and having matches with Ric Flair. He became the Triple Crown Champion by unifying the PWF, NWA International Heavyweight, and NWA United National Championship and the rest is history. During his tenure as Triple Crown Champion he had many great matches and defenses with the likes of Misawa, Tenryu, Hansen, and Riki Choshu. He reigned with the title three times in a combined reign 659 days, the sixth most. His unification of the three titles symbolized the beginning of the classic era of New Japan and the rise of the new stars such as the aforementioned pillars. He died in 1999 from complications from kidney cancer. RIP Jumbo.

2. Kenta Kobashi – Kenta Kobashi is one of the greatest in ring performers in wrestling. He is the perfect wrestler. This man has so many moves and can perform in so many ways. He could move like cruiserweight, demonstrate amazing power, put on a technical clinic, be psychological, and demonstrate fighting spirit. There are so many great matches he has under his belt that it’s suprising. He’s also an amazing underdog story. He started off losing matches that was made to build him up and have the fans to support him, which worked. After success as a tag team and singles wrestler, going through many great matches and winning championships, he won the Triple Crown for the first time in 1996, defeating Akira Taue. He still put on great matches and became one of the aces of the company. He won it three times, defending it against and fought with the likes of Misawa, Kawada, Jun Akiyama, Takayama, and Vader. He has a combined reign of 431 days, the 11th most. He was the last Triple Crown Champion before the Noah exodus as he departed to Noah and became a bigger star over there, despite injuries, until his retirement in 2013. Kobashi is god.

And #1 is…

#1 Mitsuharu Misawa – This man needs no introduction. This man had an impact on not only in Japan, but the entire wrestling world. This dude is the wrestling GOAT. This guy had so many great matches, that when you think of a great match, his name will likely appear. Anyway, after a six year tenure as the second Tiger Mask, Misawa began making his focus on getting the Triple Crown, challenging then Champion Jumbo Tsuruta. He had many boughts with him, with him winning some, and Jumbo winning some. He was unable to overthrow Jumbo as the champion, but his endurance made him a definite contender. In 1992, he beat Stan Hansen (who beat Jumbo for the title) for the Triple Crown for the first time. His first reign with the title was for 705 days, the longest reign in history. He won it again four more times, defending and feuding with it with wrestlers like Kobashi, Kawada, Vader, Dr Death, and Akiyama. He holds the record of most combined reigns with the title at 1,799 days. His tenure with the belts made the company into what it was in the 90s. His impact was so amazing that Giant Baba gave him the position as president when he died in 99. He was removed from his position a year later by Baba’s widow, which prompted him to leave the company he built with the majority of the then roster to form Pro Wrestling Noah, which the biggest puro promotion in the 2000s. He later died in the ring in 2009. Despite his death, his legacy still lives on. RIP Misawa-san.