The Women of Honor World Championship was a women's professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by the American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH). It was originally established as the Women of Honor Championship on December 15, 2017, and inaugural champion was Sumie Sakai. It was renamed as the Women of Honor World Championship in 2018, and then retired on January 1, 2020, with Kelly Klein as the final champion. The title was subsequently replaced by the ROH Women's World Championship.

History

Inaugural and longest reigning champion, Sumie Sakai

At Final Battle, December 15, 2017, it was announced that a tournament to crown the first Women of Honor Championship holder would start on January 20, 2018. The tournament featured female ROH regulars, called the ROH Women of Honor and female wrestlers from then ROH partnered all Japanese female wrestling promotion from Japan World Wonder Ring Stardom (Stardom) as well.

On April 7, 2018, Sumie Sakai became the inaugural champion by defeating Kelly Klein in the 16-women tournament finals at Supercard of Honor XII in New Orleans, LA. During her reign, the title was renamed to Women of Honor World Championship at the Ring of Honor Wrestling tapings on August 25, 2018.

During Sakai's reign in 2018 the title was defended in the United Kingdom at ROH Honor United.

Also during year 2019 of this title's existence, the Women of Honor World Championship was defended in Japan at a Stardom event by Mayu Iwatani after she defeated Kelly Klein for the title at ROH pay-per-view Bound By Honor (during Klein's first reign and became champion for the first time in her career) in addition to ROH shows, pay-per-views, and events. On February 24, 2019 the Japanese stardom pay-per-view event took place and Mayu Iwatani was successful at retaining the title in her first title defense. Also on that night the match was the main event.

Kelly Klein became the first and only 2 & 3-time ROH Women of Honor Champion. During Kelly Klein's third reign, ROH producer Joey Mercury left the promotion. In a series of tweets, Mercury said ROH doesn't have a concussion protocol and Klein had to wrestle while injured. Klein agreed with Mercury and ROH let her go after her contract expired on December 31, 2019. Two months later, the creation of a new title was announced, the ROH Women's World Championship after the ROH Women of Honor World title was deactivated on January 1, 2020.

Inaugural championship tournament (2017–2018)

Qualifying matches

Ring of Honor Wrestling tapings – January and February of 2018 (And probably in November & December of 2017 as well.) (2300 ArenaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania)

No.ResultsStipulations
1Jessie Brooks defeated Gabby Ortiz (5:45)Women of Honor Championship Qualifying Match
2Brandi Rhodes defeated Stella Grey (5:50)Women of Honor Championship Qualifying Match

Tournament bracket

First Round ROH Wrestling / Women of Honor tapingsQuarterfinals ROH Wrestling / Women of Honor tapingsSemifinals ROH Wrestling / Women of Honor tapingsFinal Supercard of Honor XII April 7, 2018
Mandy LeonPin
Madison Rayne7:30
Mandy Leon9:09
Kelly KleinKO
Jessie Brooks8:21
Kelly KleinPin
Kelly KleinSub
Mayu Iwatani9:00
HZK11:48
Mayu IwataniPin
Mayu IwataniPin
Deonna Purrazzo9:28
Deonna PurrazzoSub
Holidead6:18
Kelly Klein7:46
Sumie SakaiPin
Jenny Rose8:37
KagetsuPin
Kagetsu7:36
Sumie SakaiPin
Hana Kimura8:00
Sumie SakaiPin
Sumie SakaiPin
Tenille Dashwood7:53
Stacy Shadows9:14
Tenille DashwoodPin
Tenille DashwoodPin
Brandi Rhodes7:29
Karen Q7:28
Brandi RhodesPin

Belt design

The belt design has black leather with a pink & purple back design of the leather. It has a pink & purple outlined crown at the top of the center plate with the logo WOH in the middle of the center plate. Also under the WOH sign of the original design of the title it has the word Women of Honor and under that it has the word champion both with pink & purple squared backgrounds behind the gold wordings closing the wordings in short squares also with gold center & side plates with pink & purple outlined roses & flowers indented in the title for a very feminine approach, with two sections of the world on its side plates (2-side plates, 1-center plate).

Reigns

Over the championship's one-year history, there have been six reign between four champions. Sumie Sakai was the inaugural champion, while Kelly Klein was the last. Klein held the record for most reigns at three. Sakai's reign is the longest at 251 days, while Angelina Love's reign is the shortest at 15 days. Sakai is the oldest champion at 46 years old, while Mayu Iwatani is the youngest at 25 years old.

Names

NameYears
Women of Honor ChampionshipDecember 15, 2017 – August 25, 2018
Women of Honor World ChampionshipAugust 25, 2018 – January 1, 2020
Key
No.Overall reign number
ReignReign number for the specific champion
DaysNumber of days held
No.ChampionChampionship changeReign statisticsNotesRef.
DateEventLocationReignDays
Ring of Honor (ROH)
1Sumie SakaiApril 7, 2018Supercard of Honor XIINew Orleans, LA1251Defeated Kelly Klein in the finals of a 16-woman single-elimination tournament become the inaugural champion. During her reign, the title was also renamed to the Women of Honor World Championship.
2Kelly KleinDecember 14, 2018Final BattleNew York City, NY158This was a Four Corner Survival match, also involving Madison Rayne and Karen Q.
3Mayu IwataniFebruary 10, 2019Bound By Honor: Night 2Coral Gables, FL155
4Kelly KleinApril 6, 2019G1 SupercardNew York City, NY2174
5Angelina LoveSeptember 27, 2019Death Before Dishonor XVIISunrise, NV115
6Kelly KleinOctober 12, 2019Glory By Honor XVIINew Orleans, LA381
DeactivatedJanuary 1, 2020Kelly Klein was stripped of the championship after ROH did not renew her contract. The title was replaced with the ROH Women's World Championship.

Combined reigns

RankWrestlerNo. of reignsCombined days
1Kelly Klein3313
2Sumie Sakai1251
3Mayu Iwatani155
4Angelina Love115

See also

External links

  • at Cagematch.net