Forty-nine years have just passed since professional style wrestling was introduced to Japan from the United States (amateur style wrestling was introduced to Japan in the early 1930's). Its popularity increased when Rikidozan, a famous Sumo wrestler, became a pro wrestler and the father and superhero of "Puroresu" in the 1950's-1960's (Sumo is considered to be the national sport since Samurai's era [600-1868]). In October 2000, a total of 28 offices and groups will have 154 shows all over Japan.
On Sunday, September 30, 1951, the first pro wrestling show in Japan was held at the Ryogoku Memorial Hall (old Sumo Hall) in Tokyo. Joe Louis (former World Heavyweight Boxing champion) and seven wrestlers (including Bobby Bruns from Iowa and Harold Sakata [a.k.a. Tosh Togo / Odd-Job from the James Bond 007 movie Goldfinger] from Hawaii) had wrestling shows in Tokyo for two months until November to entertain U.S. servicemen during the Korean War (1950-1953). Rikidozan, real name Mitsuhiro Momota, who quit as a Sumo wrestler the year before, started training to be a pro wrestler, and he had his very first match against his trainer, Bobby Bruns, at the Ryogoku Memorial Hall on Sunday, October 28, 1951 (10 minutes time up draw).
On Friday, September 30, 1960, Shohei "Giant" Baba and Kanji "Antonio" Inoki debuted as professional wrestlers at Taito Gym in Tokyo. Baba beat Yonetaro Tanaka (5:15), and Inoki lost to Kintaro Ohki (Kim ILL) (7:06). They had been scouted by Rikidozan.
Baba gave up a career as a professional baseball pitcher (Tokyo Giants and Taiyo Whales) because of an injury. His boss, Rikidozan, sent him to Fred Atkins and The Great Togo, who trained and managed him in the United States from July 1961 to March 1964. They had strong connections with powerful promoters like Fred Kohler (Chicago), Frank Tunney (Toronto), and Al Haft (Ohio). Then, Baba could challenge all the Big Three World Heavyweight Champions for a month in 1964: NWA (Lou Thesz) at the Olympia Stadium in Detroit, Michigan on Saturday, February 8; WWWF (Bruno Sammartino) at Madison Square Garden in New York on Monday, February 17; and WWA (Freddie Blassie) at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on Friday, February 28 in 1964. It was an epoch-making thing. Baba became such a big star, drawing huge money in the USA, and it was very good for him to touch the heyday of The Original Nature Boy, Buddy Rogers, and get a wide view of American style pro wrestling by facing Sammartino, Bobo Brazil, Antonino Rocca, and many more.
Inoki and his family emigrated to Brazil by ship in February 3, 1957. He won regional championships for the shot put, discus, and javelin, and also won All Brazilian Championships in the shot put and discus in 1959. He was scouted by Rikidozan and came back to Japan in April 10, 1960. He was sent to the United States in March 1964 and wrestled in Hawaii, Central States, Tennessee, California, and the Pacific Northwest until March 1966. He teamed with Hiro Matsuda and learned American style wrestling.
Rikidozan carried the irresistible Puroresu boom with the daybreak of television in Japan. He founded Nippon Pro Wrestling (JWA / Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance) on Thursday, July 30, 1953. JWA was the first fulltime professional wrestling company in Japan, and they had their first show at Kuramae Kokugikan (old Sumo Hall) in Tokyo on Friday, February 19, 1954. Unfortunately, Rikidozan, 39 years old, was stabbed by a Japanese Mafia in a nightclub in Akasaka, Tokyo on Sunday, December 8, 1963, and he died one week later.
JWA had still enjoyed huge success with Baba, Inoki, Ohki, Seiji Sakaguchi, etc., in the 1960's-1970's. JWA was one of the strong members of the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) in those days. However, JWA's heads abandoned their company to dissipation.
Inoki and New Japan Pro had their first show at Ota Ward Gym in Tokyo on Monday, March 6, 1972. Karl Gotch beat Inoki (15:40) in a main event. Baba and All Japan Pro had their first show at Machida City Gym in Tokyo on Saturday, October 21, 1972. Bruno Sammartino & Terry Funk beat Baba & Thunder Sugiyama in a main event. Since then, Japanese Puroresu's wheels have always revolved upon its two big axes (Inoki & New Japan Pro and Baba & All Japan Pro) for years.
Inoki retired as a professional wrestler at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday, April 4, 1998, and Baba died of liver trouble in Tokyo on Sunday, January 31, 1999. Since then, in the Japanese wrestling business, New Japan Pro keeps running alone. All Japan Pro kept having great quality matches, but they suddenly lost their consciousness. Mitsuharu Misawa, who has had conflicts with Mrs. Motoko Baba, and 24 other wrestlers and 18 office workers left her All Japan Pro and formed their new company, named Pro Wrestling NOAH, in the middle of July.
New Japan Pro will have two Tokyo Dome shows, on Monday, October 9, 2000 (a Japanese public holiday, Health-Sports Day), and on Thursday, January 4, 2001. Toshiaki Kawada will face Kensuke Sasaki on October 9. Then, All Japan Pro will have a Tokyo Dome show on Sunday, January 28, 2001. Wrestling history says New Japan Pro has eaten out and dumped other offices after having interpromotional business, but who knows how Mrs. Baba thinks. It is not only her strength, but her weakness that she has run her company for the memories of his husband she loved first.
Next year will be the 50th anniversary for our Japanese Puroresu; however, it will be in a state of chaos.
Please address all comments to Masanori at
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