DID FRED BLASSIE KILL OLD MEN ?

Rikidozan created a pro-wrestling boom in the mid-50's, but many people criticized it as a low-grade show. And then, that matter happened. It was the most sensational scandal in the early days of Japanese pro-wrestling. When some old men were watching the TV program of pro-wrestling, they died of shock.

In 1962, Rikidozan wrested WWA Championship from Fred Blassie in Los Angeles, and Blassie challenged Rikidozan in Tokyo. Fred bit the champion, and the close-up of Riki's bloody face was put on the air. Many Japanese people was deeply shocked, and some old men died. Some people say that the opponent was The Great Togo.


Well, It seems that WWA was a doubtful and a questionable organization. May be Rikidozan wanted to challenge Lou Thesz and wished to get NWA Championship, but he helplessly joined hands with WWA, because the pro-wrestling world of Japan was still too young. Rikidozan and his successor Toyonobori got the WWA belt, but they were often troubled with the mystery of Los Angeles.

Fred Blassie was called 'The Vampire' in Japan, but as a matter of fact, he was a gentleman and he liked Japan very much. Afterwards he married with Japanese woman. As a wrestler, he fought against Baba in 1972, and he moved to NEW JAPAN in 1974. And he was known by Japanese fans as a manager of Muhammad Ali, Stan Hansen, and Hulk Hogan.

DON LEO JONATHAN IN JAPAN

I am surprised that many wrestling fans often refer to my site for Don Leo Jonathan. I'm sorry but I have hardly written about Jonathan, because I have a little knowledge of him. Don Leo Jonathan went to Japan for the first time in 1958, and he challenged Rikidozan. Of course, in those days I was not born yet.

In the 60's, Jonathan fought against Giant Baba, but I was still a baby. And he joined in KOKUSAI (International) PRO-WRESTLING in the 70's. He fought with Andre in there, but the TV program of KOKUSAI was not put on the air in my hometown. In short, I didn't know him.

I saw Jonathan for the first time in 1975. Giant Baba invited many famous wrestlers, and he held a big wrestling event 'The World Open League'. Now I have four videos of Jonathan in that league. But I think his fights were not good. May be he was already old veteran, and he could not show hard moves.

Don Leo Jonathan vs. Anton Geesink

The former judo champion Geesink was scouted by Baba, and he joined in ALL JAPAN. But he was very bad at wrestling. I think he could not understand the rules of wrestling. Geesink is a bad guy for us, because he anger the big boss Baba and he introduced a colored jacket in judo world. That was the worst match for me.


Don Leo Jonathan vs. Abdullah The Butcher

The Butcher used Elbow Drop, and he took a fall from Jonathan easily. Jonathan did nothing !!
This was the real worst match.

Don Leo Jonathan vs. The Destroyer

The Destroyer tried Figure Four Leg Lock several times, but Jonathan refused it and did nothing !! This was also the worst match.


Don Leo Jonathan vs. Dory Funk Jr.

Dory was a good friend of Baba, and he did his best for this big event. But Jonathan could not move swiftly. They fell from the ring, and the referee declared a double count-out. That was certainly the worst match. (ha-ha)


These are all the videos of Jonathan I have. After all I saw his bad fights only, and I don't know his best days. His last fight in Japan was in 1978. I was surprised that his name appeared in a program of NEW JAPAN in 1982, but he didn't come to Japan.

GIANT BABA VS. JACK BRISCO

Giant Baba vs. Jack Brisco
ALL JAPAN, NWA World Championship Match
Dec. 2 1974 Kagoshima Kenritsu Taiikukan (Kagoshima)


This is one of the biggest matches in the history of Japanese pro-wrestling. Giant Baba established ALL JAPAN in 1972, and he invited many famous wrestlers from NWA. At that time ALL JAPAN was like a brunch shop of NWA. As his rival Antonio Inoki couldn't join hands with  big organizations in USA, Baba gained an advantages over Inoki in the business war. Now, Baba wished to get the most authoritative belt. He thought there would be a good chance, because Jack Brisco was comparatively good at defensive wrestling. Baba's power should have overwhelmed his opponent.

At the first round, Baba showed wonderful power and took a fall from Brisco with Russian Leg Sweep. But in the next round, Brisco used his special move, Figure Four Leg Lock, and Baba helplessly gave up. And the most important last round started. Baba attacked Brisco harshly with Drop Kick, but Brisco counterattacked Baba's leg and ran to the rope. Baba tried his secret move Running Neck Breaker Drop in an instant. Brisco was hard hit on his back of the head, and referee Joe Higuchi beat the ring three times !!

When Jack Brisco died in 2010, Japanese news media hardly reported it. May be many people forgot him. But for us (PURORESU boys in the 70's) Brisco was a strangely impressive wrestler. He sometimes visited to Japan as a world champion or a former champion, but he always lost in any important matches. He was wrested the NWA belt by Baba (afterwards he got back it). He fought against Jumbo Tsuruta as a challenger of United National Championship in 1976, and he lost to Jumbo. And in 1979, he moved to NEW JAPAN and challenged Antonio Inoki, but the result of it ...

Especially this video of NWA championship is often put on the air even now, and it is giving bad impression of Brisco to young Japanese fans. I think that is very pitiful thing for the former great champion.

PRO-WRESTLING OF JAPAN TOPICS, SUMMER 2013

ANTONIO INOKI RETURNED TO THE DIET

Antonio Inoki, the superstar of PURORESU, won the election in Jul. 2013, and he became a member of the House of councilors again.

Inoki had been elected in 1989, and he said "I want to try Octopus Hold on the Diet." Nobody understood what he said, but that statement drew laughter from Japanese people. Inoki worked for 6 years as a member of the House of councilors. In his term, he was troubled with many scandals.

And now, Inoki went back to the Diet after an interval of 18 years. Can he display his full talent this time ?


KEIJI MUTO WITHDREW FROM ALL JAPAN

Keiji Muto (The Great Muta) held a different opinion from the office, and he withdrew from ALL JAPAN in Jul. 2013.

ALL JAPAN was established by Giant Baba in 1972, but when Baba died and Mrs. Baba got a leadership in 1999, Mitsuharu Misawa (Tiger Mask 2) and many wrestlers withdrew from the organization. Before long ALL JAPAN turned in financial difficulties.

In 2002, Muto took up the president of ALL JAPAN. Wrestling fans were very surprised it, because Muto had been a pupil of Antonio Inoki and a top wrestler of NEW JAPAN. Muto did his best as the president and a wrestler, but he resigned from the president on account of some troubles in 2011.

Muto wished to get back the stocks of ALL JAPAN, but he failed it and left the company.


A BEST SELLER BOOK OF A GREAT JUDO MAN

A unique book of non-fiction is a best seller in Japan. Its title is 'Why didn't Masahiko Kimura kill Rikidozan ?', the author is Toshiya Masuda, published by Sinchousya.

Now, Masahiko Kimura's name is a legend. He was a judo champion in the 40's, and he was called the god of judo. After the World War 2, Kimura became a pro-wrestler and he formed a tag team with Rikidozan. But Kimura had to act a part of a defeated. Because he was dissatisfied it, he challenged Rikidozan in 1954.

Rikidozan defeated Kimura at that match and he established his post of the leader of wrestling world. But they say that was a very mysterious match. Some people says that was a fixed match, but Rikidozan broke his promise and he suddenly lynched Kimura.

The author Masuda is well disposed to Kimura. This is an another history of PURORESU.

TERRY FUNK SURELY RETIRED IN JAPAN

The Funks vs. Stan Hansen, Terry Gordy
ALL JAPAN
Aug. 31 1983 Kuramae Kokugikan (Tokyo)


I wonder why Terry Funk was a favorite with Japanese fans in the 80's. Truly, young boys and girls went crazy on him. May be they liked Terry's innocent fight style and his honesty. But I am surprised that Terry is known as a cruel heel in USA. In Japan, that is an unbelievable thing. For Japanese boys and girls, Terry was an absolute baby face and a great hero. And in 1980, when he declared to retire three years after, Japanese fans got up a panic.

In 1970, Terry visited to Japan with Dory for the first time. At that time the biggest organization in Japan was Japan Pro-wrestling. The Funks wrested International tag title from Baba and Inoki in 1971. And the next year, when Baba established All Japan, Terry took part in it with Dory. The Funks showed a terrible bloody pro-wrestling with The Butcher and The Sheik in The Open Tag League '77, and Terry's popularity reached a peak.

That was a memorial match of Terry's retirement. Of course Terry formed a tag team with his brother, and their opponents were powerful young stars, Hansen and Gordy. Hansen was a pupil of The Funks in his rookie days. Though Hansen had been active in New Japan, Dory and Terry hired him away to All Japan. Since then, a good guy Hansen acted the part of a heel, and he supported Terry's popularity in Japan.

And in this match, Terry showed wonderful Rolling Clutch Hold and took a fall from Gordy !! Terry cried and shouted for the spectators, "I'm very happy, good bye Japanese fans, sayonara !!" That was a memorable scene in the history of Japanese pro-wrestling. At this day Terry surely retired. As you know, Terry came back again and again. Even now he is fighting on rings of independent organizations. But I want to believe that memorable scene was not a phantom.