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Toyonobori
, known in sumo and professional wrestling as or simply by his ''shikona'' , was a Japanese professional wrestler and sumo wrestler. Sumo career Toyonobori performed as a sumo wrestler from 1947 to 1954. Professional wrestling career Japanese Wrestling Association (1954–1966) After retiring as a rikishi from sumo, Toyonobori became a professional wrestler. He debuted on December 12, 1954 with the Japanese Wrestling Association, which was the top wrestling promotion in Japan from 1953 until 1972 and the only male significant Japanese wrestling promotion from 1953 until 1966, when its predominance began to be challenged by International Wrestling Enterprise. The top wrestler of the JWA was Rikidōzan, the founder of the promotion; he dominated the Japanese wrestling scene. As a result, few Japanese wrestlers were able to get into the spotlight. The more recognizable among them was Toyonobori himself, who dominated the tag team scene in Japan, forming a successful tag team wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
All Asia Tag Team Championship
The is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). Originally, it was the top tag team title in the JWA, but its status became secondary once the NWA International Tag Team Championship was brought from the United States. It is currently one of two tag team titles in AJPW, along with the World Tag Team Championship. It is also the current oldest active title in Japan. The current champions are ELPIDA ( Yuma Anzai and Rising Hayato). History The title was created on November 16, 1955, in the Japan Wrestling Association (JWA) when King Kong Czaya and Tiger Joginder Singh defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan and Harold Sakata in a tournament final. It was abandoned in 1973 when the JWA closed, but was later revived in 1976 by AJPW in response to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) announcing the creation of its own version of the title. Reigns There have been a total of 125 official reigns and 34 vacancies, with the first 27 reigns fr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Japanese Wrestling Association
The , also known as the Japan Pro Wrestling Association and the Japanese Wrestling Association (JWA), was the first professional wrestling promotion to be based in Japan. It operated from 1953 to 1973. History JWA under Rikidōzan (1953–1963) Rikidōzan, a former ''rikishi'' (sumo wrestling practitioner) who had debuted as a Western-style professional wrestler in 1951, decided in 1953 to establish a territory that would represent the National Wrestling Alliance in Japan. In those early days, Japanese professional wrestlers came from out of the sumo or judo ranks; former sumotori usually used their shikona (Rikidōzan, Azumafuji Kin'ichi, Azumafuji, Toyonobori, etc.) while former judokas usually used their real names or modifications of them (Masahiko Kimura, Michiaki Yoshimura, etc.) Rikidōzan pushed himself as the top star of the promotion, first battling other Japanese wrestlers such as Kimura and Toshio Yamaguchi, but found a strong niche in feuds with American wrestlers ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
WWA World Heavyweight Championship (Los Angeles)
The WWA World Heavyweight Championship, also known simply as the World Heavyweight Championship, was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the Los Angeles, California-based Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA). The title was established as an offshoot of the NWA World Heavyweight Championship when Édouard Carpentier became recognized as world champion in Los Angeles, when the promotion was then known as the North American Wrestling Alliance. The championship was renamed with the promotion in 1961, and was abandoned in 1968 after WWA joined the NWA and was renamed NWA Hollywood Wrestling. There were multiple world titles contested in Indianapolis' World Wrestling Association, the World Wrestling Association in Mexico and in the World Wrestling Association of Korea, which are all omonime promotions of the original WWA and which all consider themselves to be the true WWA or its true heir. Title history See also *List of early world heavyweight champions i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tokyo Pro Wrestling
Tokyo Pro Wrestling is the name of two unrelated Japanese professional wrestling promotions. Despite their common name, they did not share management, promotional style, or talent in any way. Original Tokyo Pro Wrestling The original Tokyo Pro Wrestling operated from 1966 to 1967. In mid-1966, Japan Wrestling Association president (corporate title), president Toyonobori, Michiharu Toyonobori resignation, resigned his position and left the promotion, taking along with him some tarento, talent, including Katsuhisa Shibata (father of current All Elite Wrestling star Katsuyori Shibata) and the future Rusher Kimura (Masao Kimura). Antonio Inoki, who was coming back from a long excursion to the United States, chose to join him and create a new venture, Tokyo Pro Wrestling. Tokyo Pro's biggest rising star was Inoki, who feud (professional wrestling), feuded with Johnny Valentine over the "United States" heavyweight title (as Valentine had held in California, Michigan and Ontario, he w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rikidōzan
(born Kim Sin-rak; ; November 14, 1924 – December 15, 1963), better known as Rikidōzan (), was a Korean-born Japanese wrestler who competed in sumo and professional wrestling. He was known as The Father of Puroresu (professional wrestling), and was one of the most influential persons in professional wrestling history. Initially, he had moved from his native country Korea to Japan to become a ''rikishi'' (sumo wrestler). He was credited with bringing the sport of Professional wrestling in Japan, professional wrestling to Japan at a time when the Japanese needed a local hero to emulate and was lauded as a national hero. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017, becoming the first Zainichi Korean inductee and the third puroresu star to be inducted after Antonio Inoki and Tatsumi Fujinami. He was killed in a Street fighting, street fight with a member of the Sumiyoshi-ikka in 1963. Biography Early years Momota, who was born Kim Sin-rak, was born in Kankyōnan-dō, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
International Wrestling Enterprise
was a professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1966 to 1981. Founded by Isao Yoshihara, it was affiliated with the American Wrestling Association in the United States and also had tie-ins with promotions in Canada and Europe. In 1972, it became the first Japanese promotion to bring European wrestler André the Giant to the country. The promotion cooperated with All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and later, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW); the three promotions later came together for an interpromotional event, organized by ''Tokyo Sports'', held at Budokan Hall on August 26, 1979. When IWE closed its doors in 1981, Inoue, Hara, Tsurumi, and Fuyuki joined AJPW, while Kimura, Hamaguchi and Teranishi joined NJPW as a stable that formed the first "invasion" angle in history, later copied by the Japanese UWF, Japan Pro-Wrestling, and the nWo in WCW in America. The promotion is also credited for making Rusher Kimura a major star in Japanese Puroresu and holding Japan's first st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shozo Kobayashi
Shozo "Strong" Kobayashi (, 25 December 1940 – 31 December 2021), also known by the stage name Strong Kongô, was a Japanese professional wrestler and actor. He is known for his appearances with International Wrestling Enterprise and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, as well as his appearances on television series including ''Choudenshi Bioman'' and ''Takeshi's Castle''. Early life Born in Hongō, Tokyo, at the age of three Kobayashi's family was evacuated to Ōme, Tokyo, as a result of World War II. As a youth he participated in weight training and bodybuilding, training at the Korakuen Gym. After leaving high school, Kobayashi worked for Japanese National Railways at Inagi-Naganuma Station until being spotted at a bodybuilding event and recruited as a professional wrestler in 1966 at the age of 25. Professional wrestling career Kobayashi trained as a professional wrestler under Isao Yoshiwara and Matty Suzuki at the International Wrestling Enterprise Dojo. He made his debut on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
IWA World Heavyweight Championship (International Wrestling Enterprise)
The was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship of the Japanese professional wrestling promotion known as . It was the first Japanese heavyweight title to be billed as a World title, and in the 1970s and early 1980s it was one of the most important titles in Japan. The title died with the promotion in 1981 but was later revived by Goro Tsurumi for his independent Kokusai Promotion. There have been eighteen reigns between twelve wrestlers, and three vacancies. Title history Combined reigns See also *NWA World Heavyweight Championship The NWA World's Heavyweight Championship is a men's professional wrestling Professional wrestling championship#World championships, world heavyweight championship owned and promoted by the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), an American professiona ... * PWF Heavyweight Championship * NWA International Heavyweight Championship * NWF Heavyweight Championship References External linksIWA World Heavyweight ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Giant Baba
, best known by his ring name , was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter, and professional baseball player. He is best known as a co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), a promotion he founded in 1972 along with Mitsuo Momota and Yoshihiro Momota, the sons of his mentor Rikidōzan. For the first 10 years of its existence, Baba was the top star of All Japan, while also serving as the booker, promoter, head trainer and president of the promotion from its inception in 1972 till his death in 1999. Baba was also responsible for recruiting much of the talent for All Japan, and was the public face of the promotion for much of his lifetime. Considered one of the most beloved Japanese wrestlers ever, Baba was a national hero with a level of popularity in Japan comparable to that of Hulk Hogan in the United States. '' The 2006 Top 100 Historical Persons in Japan'' survey ranked Baba the 93rd greatest person in the history of Japan, as voted for by the general public. A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kuramae Kokugikan
was a building situated in the Kuramae neighborhood of Taitō, Tokyo which was built by the Japan Sumo Association and opened in 1954. Its construction was decided to replace the old bomb-damaged Ryōgoku Kokugikan. It closed its doors in 1984. The building was torn down and sporting events were transferred to the second Ryōgoku Kokugikan. The place is now the site of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Sewage. History The Sumo Association has owned the site of the former Tokyo Technical High School at the base of Kuramae Bridge since before World War II. The construction plan for the new Kokugikan was underway since around 1940 but was suspended due to the war. After the war, the old Kokugikan was occupied by the allied forces enforcing the ''budo ban,'' forcing the Japan Sumo Association to hold tournaments and Sumo venues in shrines and baseball stadiums. Due to resource shortages after the war, the beginnings of the arena were built using the scraps from the demol ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Antonio Inoki
(born ; 20 February 1943 – 1 October 2022) was a Japanese professional wrestler, Glossary of professional wrestling terms#school, professional wrestling trainer, martial arts, martial artist, politician, and Promoter (entertainment), promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA). He is best known as the founder and 33-year owner of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is considered to be one of the most influential professional wrestlers of all time, and one of the biggest key influences on MMA in Japan and internationally. After spending his adolescence in Brazil, Inoki began his professional wrestling career in the 1960s for the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance (JWA) under the tutelage of Rikidōzan. After he changed his in-ring moniker to Antonio Inoki in 1963, a Homage (arts), homage to accomplished Italian wrestler Antonino Rocca, Inoki became one of the most popular stars in Professional wrestling in Japan, Japanese professional wrestling. He is credited wi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Grady Johnson
James Grady Johnson (February 5, 1940 – June 23, 2006) was an American professional wrestler, best known by his ring name, "Crazy" Luke Graham. As Luke Graham, Johnson was part of the Graham family, a stable of wrestlers. All members were billed as kayfabe brothers. He worked extensively for various National Wrestling Alliance territories as well as the World Wide Wrestling Federation, where he was a three-time tag-team champion and the inaugural WWWF World Tag Team Champion (alongside Tarzan Tyler). Professional wrestling career Johnson made his debut in 1961 in National Wrestling Alliance's Mid-America territory. He began his career as the Kayfabe brother of Dr. Jerry Graham after fellow wrestler Frankie Cain (The Great Mephisto) suggested that they resembled each other. They began wrestling together in 1963 in Stampede Wrestling. Starting that summer, Graham would go on to have a series of matches against Chief Big Heart. Beginning in 1964 he started wrestling for the W ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
