Open the Owarai Gate Championship

Literally, Open the Comedy Gate. For this title, wins and losses don’t matter. The competitor that amuses fans the best is the champion. Fans are polled after the match, whoever receives the most applause is the real winner. The title was conceived during Stalker Ichikawas' first trip to the US in May 2007, on request of the Pro Wrestling Guerrila commissioner. Stalker Ichikawa, as first champion, was given a ticket for 10 free successful defenses. However, before the defense vs. Kikutaro, the ticket was destroyed, forcing him to defend on his own merit. The title became known for the fierce rivalry between Stalker and Jackson Florida. The title was eventually captured by Kikutaro, known as the top comedy wrestler in the world. He held the title hostage for almost one and a half years, before returning it in April 2011.

CHAMPION HISTORY

1st Champion - Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa (7 Defenses)

1st - 6/10/2007 Fukuoka, Hakata Star Lanes
Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa (0:14 Small Package after Low Blow) Don Fujii
Restart: Don Fujii (5:30 KO) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Free Ticket Defense
2nd - 6/14/2007 Hyogo, SITE KOBE
Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa (3:41 Double Fall) Johnson Florida
*Free Ticket Defense
3rd - 8/5/2007 Sendai, ZEPP SENDAI
Don Fujii (5:39 Pinned after Low Blow using Referee Yagi) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Free Ticket Defense
4th - 9/8/2007 Osaka, Osaka Prefectural Gym #2
Ryo Saito (10:39 Pinned after Failed Space Rolling Elbow) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Free Ticket Defense
5th - 9/14/2007 Tokyo, Korakuen Hall
Shachihoko Machine (3:18 SHACHIHOKO after Failed Hurricanrana) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Free Ticket Defense
6th - 9/22/2007 Tokyo, OtaCity General Gymnasium
Kikutaro (3:56 Shining Kikuzard) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Stalkers' Mother Appealed to the Crowd to Let Stalker win
7th - 10/7/2007 Aichi, Nagoya Telepia Hall
 Jackson Florida (7:02 Pinned after Failed Space Rolling Elbow) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Jackson felt sorry for Stalker, so he let him defend

2nd Champion - CIMA

10/8/2007 Shizuoka, Twin Messe Shizuoka
3 Way Match: CIMA (8:29 Schwein) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa{L}; K-ness
*Title change via fan judgement

3rd Champion - Jackson Florida (2 Defenses)

10/17/2007 Hyogo, SITE KOBE
CIMA (0:54 Thrust Kick) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
2b. Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa (0:05 Low Blow & Schoolboy) CIMA
2c. CIMA (7:06 Small Package) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*2nd defense for CIMA via fan judgement, however, for various reasons he forfeited the title to Jackson Florida
1st - 11/18/2007 Fukuoka, Hakata Star Lanes
Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa (8:00 KO'd after Failed Diving Knee) Jackson Florida
*Fan judgement defense
2nd - 1/14/2008 Aichi, Nagoya Telepia Hall
Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa{W}, Shachihoko Machine{W} (5:04 La Magistral with Shachihoko Clutch) Jackson Florida
*Fan judgement defense

4th Champion - Masaaki Mochizuki

1/19/2008 Aichi, Nagoya Telepia Hall
Jackson Florida{W}, Turboyan{W} (6:13 DQ for Ref Attack) Masaaki Mochizuki
*Fan judgement title change to Mochizuki

5th Champion - Jackson Florida (4 defenses)

2/2/2008 Fukuoka, Ukiha-chi Yoshii Athletic Center
3 Way Match: Masaaki Mochizuki{W}, Jackson Florida{W} (7:48 Ringout) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa{L}
*Fan judgement defense
1st - 2/15/2008 Hyogo, SITE KOBE
Jackson Florida (4:41 Cane Assisted Backslide) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement defense
2nd - 2/16/2008 Gifu, Gifu Chamber of Commerce Event Hall
Jackson Florida (7:29 Cane Assisted Backslide) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa{L}; K-ness
*Fan judgement defense
3rd - 2/24/2008 Fukui, Fukui City Gym
Jackson Florida (7:02 Space Rolling Elbow Jibaku) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement defense
4th - 4/20/2008 Mie, Tsu City Gym
Open the Owarai Gate 3 Way Match: Cyber Kong (10:39 Pineapple Bomber->2 Person Fall) Jackson Florida{L}, Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa{L}
*Fan judgement defense

6th Champion - Johnson Florida

7/11/2008 Tokyo, Shin-Kiba 1st RING~NEX 2 Year Anniversary
Jackson Florida (13:41 Ringout) Johnson Florida
*Fan judgement title change

7th Champion - ICHIKAWA (2 Defenses)
*ICHIKAWA stole the title belt on 7/21, after attempts to reach the belt commissioner failed, he was just named champion

1st - 8/2/2008 La Puente, California - AWS
-Open the Owarai Gate: ICHIKAWA (9:20 La Magistral) Sexy Sonny Samson
*Fan judgement defense
2nd - 8/3/2008 Anaheim, CA - WPW
Rosa Salvaje{W}, King Ali Baba (22:25 Body Slam) ICHIKAWA{L}, Super Porquiero
*Stalker succeeds in 2nd due to confusing matchmaking, because the Owarai Gate is a singles title and this was a tag match

8th Champion - Jackson Florida (4 Defenses)

8/16/2008 Toyama, Toyama Techno Dome
K-ness (7:28 Both Pinned after Failed Diving Knee & Screw Kanchou) ICHIKAWA{L}; Jackson Florida{L}
*Fan judgement title change to Jackson
1st- 8/23/2008 Hokkaido, Sapporo Teisen Hall
Ryo Saito (10:15 Reversed Figure 4) Jackson Florida
*Fan judgement defense
2nd - 9/28/2008 Fukui, Sun Dome Fukui
 K-ness (9:46 Crab Hold) Jackson Florida; Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa{L}; Shachihoko Machine
*Fan judgement defense
3rd - 1/18/2009 Osaka, Osaka Prefectural Gym #2
Jackson Florida (4:06 Cane Assisted Backslide) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement defense
4th - 2/22/2009 Mie, Matsusaka-shi Synthesis Gym
Jackson Florida (4:34 Cane Assisted Backslide) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement defense

9th Champion - Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa

3/16/2009 Kumamoto, Kumamoto North Gym
Jackson Florida (7:40 Cane Assisted Backslide) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement defense

10th Champion - Kinta Tomoaka

3/20/2009 Hyogo, Kobe Sambo Hall
Masaaki Mochizuki (5:50 Power Bomb) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement title change to Referee Kinta Tamaoka. He immediately vacated the title

11th Champion - Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa

3/29/2009 Fukui, Fukui-shi Gym
Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa (5:14 Cane Assisted Backslide Cutback) Jackson Florida
*Fan judgement title change to Ichikawa

12th Champion - Anthony W. Mori (1 Defense)

4/4/2009 Aichi, Nagoya Telepia Hall
Anthony W. Mori (5:50 Reverse Figure 4) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa 
*Fan judgement title change to Mori
1st - 4/15/2009 Tokyo, Korakuen Hall
Anthony W. Mori (5:00 Reverse Figure 4) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa{L}; Jackson Florida 
*Fan judgement defense

13th Champion - Kikutaro (3 Defenses)

5/15/2009 Tokyo, Korakuen Hall
Anthony W. Mori (6:17 Eleganton) Kikutaro
*Fan judgement title change to Kikutaro
1st - 6/11/2009 Tokyo, Korakuen Hall
Kikutaro (5:26 DQ) Don Fujii
*Fan judgement defense
2nd - 6/26/2009 Osaka, Kansai TV Nandemo Arena
Kikutaro (4:18 Elbow Drop) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement defense
3rd - 6/27/2009 Shizuoka, Shimizu Marine Building
Kikutaro (6:06 Elbow Drop) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement defense

14th Champion - Don Fujii

4/10/2011 Mie, Messe Wing Mie
3 Way Match: Kikutaro (12:17 Shining Kikuzard) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa{L}; Ryo Saito
*Fan judgement title change to Referee Don Fujii

15th Champion - Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa

8/21/2011 Fukuoka, Hakata Star Lanes
Don Fujii (0:11 Choke Slam) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
Restart: Karaoke Machine (4:26 From Stalker Failed German Suplex Hold) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement title change to Ichikawa
1st & 2nd - 9/2/2011 Hyogo, Kobe Sambo Hall
Falls Count Anywhere Match & Open the Owarai Gate: Don Fujii (0:16 Body Slam) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement defense
Restart: Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa (6:02 DQ for Referee Attack) Don Fujii
*Fan judgement defense
3rd - 9/24/2011 Niigata, Hive Nagaoka
CIMA (8:54 Ground Cobra Twist) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement title change to CIMA, however he refused to take the title. He gave it back to Stalker.
4th - 10/27/2011 Ishikawa, Nanao Shiroyama Gym
Jackson Florida (8:46 Backslide with Cane) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement defense

16th Champion - Rich Swann

11/5/2011 Gifu, Gifu Chamber of Commerce
2. Open the Owarai Gate: Swann Hansen (0:19 Western Lariat) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
2b. Open the Owarai Gate: Swann Hansen (8:01 Western Lariat) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement title change to Swann

The title was stolen by Naoki Tanizaki. He eventually mailed it back to the DG office.

17th Champion - Kenichiro Arai

8/2/2012 Tokyo, Korakuen Hall
Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa (11:33 Safety Style Tiger Suplex Hold) Kenichiro Arai
*Fan judgement title change to Arai
1st - 10/21/2012 Osaka, BODYMAKER COLOSSEUM
Kenichiro Arai (7:49 Crucifix Hold) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement defense

18th Champion - Kikutaro (2 Defenses)

12/20/2012 Tokyo, Korakuen Hall
Open the Owarai Gate Singing Duel: Kenichiro Arai (3:36 Inside Cradle) Kikutaro
*Kikutaro becomes the 18th Champion via fan judgement in the singing portion of the contest
1st - 1/17/2013 Tokyo, Korakuen Hall
Best of 3 Falls - No Time Limit: Kikutaro vs. Cyber Kong
-Kong (0:30 Pinned After Blocked Bodyslam) Kikutaro
-Kong (3:34 Pinned after Blocked Samson Clutch ) Kikutaro
*Fan Judgement Defense
2nd - 2/7/2013 Tokyo, Korakuen Hall
Kikutaro (0:47 Gave Up due to Nerves) Naoki Tanizaki
Naoki Tanizaki (0:04 Sleeper Hold) Kikutaro
Naoki Tanizaki (2:11 Sleeper Hold) Kikutaro
*Fan judgement defense

18th Champion - Ryo "Jimmy" Saito

3/7/2013 Tokyo, Korakuen Hall
Ryo "Jimmy" Saito (7:15 Pinned after DDT by Referee Yagi) Kikutaro
*Fan Judgement title change
1st - 3/31/2013 Gifu, Gifu Chamber of Commerce
Ryo "Jimmy" Saito (16:42 Pinned after Lariat from Referee Yagi) Hollywood Stalker Ichikawa
*Fan judgement defense