10 Wrestling Championship Reigns That Didn't Fit The Wrestler
2. Jun Akiyama As DDT Ironman Heavyweight Champion
One of the staples of modern Japanese wrestling, Akiyama is AJPW's General Manager after a prestigious, highly-decorated career, appearing predominantly for AJPW and NOAH.
In the ring, Akiyama was a tag team specialist, multiple time World Champion, and a true innovator, inventing the Blue Thunder Bomb and wrist-clutch exploder suplex. He also amassed a reputation of having a very serious style, which sat comfortably in the world of puroresu. With all that said, seeing him winning a championship that sits at a level of parody almost seems unfathomable.
In April 2014, Akiyama and partner Yoshinobu Kanemaru lost their AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championships at a DDT Wrestling show. That same night, Akiyama "accidentally" won his first of three DDT Ironman Heavyweight Championships, a title that's kinda like WWE's Hardcore Championship, only with the silliness upped by 1000. Winners of the title include a ladder, several stuffed animals, a dachshund, a referee, and a child. Adding five-time World Champion Jun Akiyama to that list somehow sticks out more.
In fairness to Akiyama, he himself wanted to take a step back a little in his professional wrestling career and keep in the midcard. Admirable for sure but I still don't think fans were quite prepared for that large a step.