Pro Wrestling Japan

**Website** | PWJWrestling.com

**Pro Wrestling Japan** (プロレスジャパン *Puroresujapan*) (**PWJ**) is a Japanese independent professional wrestling promotion based in Kyoto, Japan. It was founded in 2005 and since March 2017, has been a member of the Indie Wrestling Federation, maintaining working relationships with Berzerk Championship Wrestling (BCW), Los Angeles Wrestling (LAW), Lucha Libre Mágica (LLM) and Club UK Wrestling.

Since September 2008, PWJ has produced a self-titled two-hour weekly television show which airs live in Japan and on tape-delay in the United States as *PWJ Fight Night*. The company introduced a second live show, the one-hour *Joshi Japan*, in May 2012. A third show, the one-hour *PWJ: Underground*, debuted in November 2015. Since 2019, *Underground* switched to a half-hour format and since 2021 has aired exclusively in the United States.

## History

### Early years as independent promotion (2005–2017)

Originally formed in June 2005, Pro Wrestling Japan was a small indie promotion for its first few years, holding shows in humble venues across Kyoto Prefecture. By 2008, the promotion was selling out house shows across Japan and had debuted their self-titled weekly television show. The promotion moved into the Japan Hall in Kyoto in August 2012. From mid-2013 until August 2015, PWJ had a working relationship with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) that saw TNA wrestlers appear on *Pro Wrestling Japan* along with PWJ stars appearing on *Impact Wrestling*.

PWJ debuted a second television show, *Joshi Japan*, in May 2012 focused exclusively on the female talent on the roster. A third show, *PWJ: Underground*, debuted in November 2015. The one-hour show mainly featured low and mid-card wrestlers as well as independent wrestlers. Beginning in 2019, *Underground* switched to a half-hour format and now featured dark matches from *Pro Wrestling Japan.* The program was cancelled by Nippon TV in March 2021 but continues to air on YouTube exclusively in the United States.

### Indie Wrestling Federation member (2017–present)

 Pro Wrestling Japan joined the Indie Wrestling Federation on March 19, 2017 when they co-hosted the BCW/PWJ SuperShow from the Japan Hall. *Pro Wrestling Japan* debuted in the United States in June 2018 under the title *PWJ Fight Night*, airing on YouTube. The program moved to the IWF Network in the United States on April 27, 2019.

#### COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021)

Amidst from the Japanese onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, in accordance with recommendations from the Japanese Ministry of Health, PWJ decided to cancel all scheduled shows from March 1 through March 15. On March 10, PWJ announced that they were cancelling all shows through March 22, which meant that they cancelled the *PWJ 138* PPV.

On April 8, PWJ would cancel more events from April 11 through May 4, which mean the *PWJ 139* PPV was cancelled as well. On May 6, PWJ cancelled the *PWJ 140* PPV. On June 9, PWJ announced their return with a special show called *Together Forever* on June 15 and the return of their PPV schedule, with the previously cancelled *PWJ 138* now taking place on July 12. With the return of tapings of *Pro Wrestling Japan*, matches were held at the Kyoto City Gymnasium without fans in attendance. The pay-per-view events would feature a small crowd of vaccinated guests in socially distanced seating sections. This practice would continue throughout the end of the year, with a limited crowd of 250 fans were permitted to television tapings as of March 2021.

## Programming

### Pay-Per-Views

Pro Wrestling Japan hosts a monthly pay-per-view that, unlike most professional wrestling promotions, features a numerical title but otherwise features no other distinctive branding. Most events have between eight and ten matches, with five to six airing on PPV and three to four airing on a free preliminary card.