Greatest 18 Club title???

[edgehead1984]

What is this title and who held it. Who is the greatest 18???

[BadNews]

the Greatest 18 title was supposed to be a shooting belt. it was introduced in 1978 as the WWF Martial Arts Title and awarded to Inoki.
I'm not sure when it was renamed but in 89 one of the russians (dun remember the name) Inoki brought in took it from him for a brief period.
In 90 or 91 Inoki gave the belt to Choshu, who lost it to Muto in 92. Muto then retired it because the IWGP belt was more important to him and it was forgotten.

I have no clue why it was called 'Greatest 18' title however

[edgehead1984]

the Greatest 18 title was supposed to be a shooting belt. it was introduced in 1978 as the WWF Martial Arts Title and awarded to Inoki.
I'm not sure when it was renamed but in 89 one of the russians (dun remember the name) Inoki brought in took it from him for a brief period.

Ohhh.

The Russian was Shota Chochochivili.

[Peru-Yakuza]

Ohhh.

The Russian was Shota Chochochivili.

He wasn't even Russian. He is from Georgia (the republic, not the U. S. state).

[BadNews]

cool, good to know. Name sounds Georgian as well. But whats the name mean (Greatest 18, not Chouchouchivili)?
BTW, who were those, um, Soviets? As in, were they legit fighters or something? i remember a guy called Hashimikov took the IWGP belt from Vader...

Hey, how come you ask for the lineage and then mysteriously know one of the guys? Are you having us Edgehead?

[edgehead1984]

Hey, how come you ask for the lineage and then mysteriously know one of the guys? Are you having us Edgehead?

Because I know the title as the WWF Martial Arts Championship, not the greatest 18 title. Sorry if I confused anybody, but Badnews, you cleared up the situation.

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Chouchouchivili, from Georgia (then a part of Soviet Union), won the Martial Arts title from Inoki, not the G18 title.

At the 30th anniversary of Inoki's career, New Japan founded The Greatest 18 Club, which basically turned out to be New Japan's failed version of Hall of Fame that consisted of the 18 wrestlers. They recognized a new title which was supposed to be as prestigeous as the IWGP title(why!?). They recycled the old WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight championship belt. It was initially awarded to Choshu, who later lost to Muta. Then, Thesz's infamous affiliation with UWF International started, and Muta simply abandoned the title (did not unify the title with IWGP title).

The confusion started when some fans in North America misunderstood they were the same title just because they use the same belt. As result, those two title were listed as the same title in Will & Duncan's book. They were not the same title and never regarded so in Japan.

The members included Inoki, Sakaguchi, Hiro Matsuda, Strong Kobayashi, Kintaro Ohki(KIM Il), Karl Gotch, Lou Thesz, Muhammad Ali, Willem Ruska, Nick Bockwinkel, Bill Robinson, Stan Hansen, Andre the Giant, Tiger Jeet Singh, Johny Valentine, Johnny Powers, Bob Backlund, and Hulk Hogan.

Later, Singh's heel run in New Japan started, and they "kicked him" out and replaced with Dusty Rhodes. Of course, I'm sure some of the members were unaware of their names being used. It was an interesting idea until they actually created a new title.

[BadNews]

i'm a forgivin man edgehead, no worries.

What happened to the Martial Arts Title then Hisa? When did Inoki stop defending it? And was the Greatest 18 Title also based on shoot-like structured matches with rounds etc. or was it a pure wrestling title?

[edgehead1984]

Chouchouchivili, from Georgia (then a part of Soviet Union), won the Martial Arts title from Inoki, not the G18 title.

At the 30th anniversary of Inoki's career, New Japan founded The Greatest 18 Club, which basically turned out to be New Japan's failed version of Hall of Fame that consisted of the 18 wrestlers. They recognized a new title which was supposed to be as prestigeous as the IWGP title(why!?). They recycled the old WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight championship belt. It was initially awarded to Choshu, who later lost to Muta. Then, Thesz's infamous affiliation with UWF International started, and Muta simply abandoned the title (did not unify the title with IWGP title).

The confusion started when some fans in North America misunderstood they were the same title just because they use the same belt. As result, those two title were listed as the same title in Will & Duncan's book. They were not the same title and never regarded so in Japan.

The members included Inoki, Sakaguchi, Hiro Matsuda, Strong Kobayashi, Kintaro Ohki(KIM Il), Karl Gotch, Lou Thesz, Muhammad Ali, Willem Ruska, Nick Bockwinkel, Bill Robinson, Stan Hansen, Andre the Giant, Tiger Jeet Singh, Johny Valentine, Johnny Powers, Bob Backlund, and Hulk Hogan.

Later, Singh's heel run in New Japan started, and they "kicked him" out and replaced with Dusty Rhodes. Of course, I'm sure some of the members were unaware of their names being used. It was an interesting idea until they actually created a new title.

Thanks, Hisa.

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

What happened to the Martial Arts Title then Hisa? When did Inoki stop defending it?

The last title match was when Inoki regained from Chouchouchivili on 89/05/25 in Osaka. The Greatest 18 Club was founded in the following year.

And was the Greatest 18 Title also based on shoot-like structured matches with rounds etc. or was it a pure wrestling title?

Regular pro-wrestling title.

[Haiku Warrior]

Wrestling Information Archive has RIki Choshu & Muta listed as WWF martial arts champions. Is he wrong? Because he credits your website Hisa.

What I'm getting out of this conversation is that there were 3 WWF MA Champs... Inoki, Russian, Inoki. There were two Greatest 18 champs: Choshu & Muta. Right?

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

I have neither WWF Martial Arts title or Greatest 18 Club title on my website. Since I got many questions on these titles previously, I guess I just simply add those short lists.

And yes for the second paragraph. 3 champs for MA, 2 for G18.