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.

THE FIRST STAR OF WOMEN'S WRESTLING WORLD

I think I have to refer to the history of women's pro-wrestling in Japan. In this country, women's pro-wrestling developed in the way of its own. This field was born immediately after World War 2. But many people regarded it as a low-grade show. Suddenly one girl appeared and started a revolution in the early 70's. Her name was Mach Fumiake. At that time I was an elementary school student (that's very old story), and Mach's wonderful fight style was very impressive for me.

Mach Fumiake

Mach Fumiake had wished to become a singer. She appeared on a famous TV program 'A Star Is Born', an audition of young singers, but she failed. At the same day, a little girl Momoe Yamaguchi passed in the audition. Afterwards Momoe became a super star singer in Japan. Mach could not become a singer, but as she was very tall, and she was good at judo and karate, All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling scouted her. When Mach Fumiake defeated Jumbo Miyamoto and wrested a champion belt, she was only 16 years old !!

Mach's appearance gave the wrestling world many things. TV program of women's pro-wrestling was put on the air regularly since then. The management of All Japan Women's Pro turned for the better. And Mach established a style of star wrestlers. She released a record and sang a song on the ring. (Her dream came true !) Afterwards many star wrestlers followed in her footsteps, and in the 70's and 80's, many wrestling fans (little girls) wished to become a wrestler. I think Mach created a base of women's wrestling boom.

Mach Fumiake was active as a star wrestler only two years, and she suddenly turned to a TV personality. She appeared on a quiz show and some motion pictures. Now her name as a wrestler is a legend of the history of women's pro-wrestling. And a super star singer, Momoe Yamaguchi retired in 1981. In my mind, Mach and Momoe are two little girls even now !!

LIMITATION OF BLOODY PRO-WRESTLING

The Sheik stabbed Terry's arm with a fork !

I think that Pro-Wrestling in Japan had a basic pattern of a confrontation between good and bad. Japanese wrestlers were always baby face, and they fought against bad foreigners. Heel wrestlers were mainly Americans. They showed very cruel fouls, and Japanese hero, Baba or Inoki or others always defended their titles narrowly. That was a basic story of PURORESU.

The first bad Japanese might have been Umasosuke Ueda. He was a pupil of Rikidozan, in short he had been a friend of Baba and Inoki. But when Ueda took part in NEW JAPAN, he formed a tag team with Tiger Jeet Singh. Ueda and Singh repeated harsh fouls, and they savaged Seiji Sakaguchi and Strong Kobayashi (North American Tag Champion team) every week. It was very shocking scene that Japanese bloodied Japanese !

In ALL JAPAN, the cruelest heel team was Abdullah The Butcher and The Sheik. They often showed hard fights with The Funks, and the bloody match in The Open Tag League in 1977 is regarded as one of the best bouts in the history of Pro-Wrestling of Japan. But at the same time, it was true that these bloody Pro-Wrestling reached a limitation. We wrestling fans were certainly tired of cruel fights.

And it was natural that new stars appeared on the ring of Japan. Stan Hansen learned wrestling from Inoki, and he completed his special move Western Lariat. Bruiser Brody showed good fight with Baba, and we were surprised at his wonderful power. Hansen and Brody were not baby face nor heel. So to say, they were strong guys. I think when they appeared, the history of Pro-Wrestling in Japan changed intensely.

THE FEAR OF IRON CLAW

Giant Baba vs Fritz Von Erich
JAPAN PRO, International Championship Match
Dec. 3 1966 Nippon Budoukan (Tokyo)


In the 60's, since Rikidozan suddenly died, Giant Baba was the main prop of the wrestling world of Japan, and Baba fought against many great wrestlers as the strongest champion. Many impressive foreign wrestlers visited to Japan. The Destroyer showed us wonderful Figure Four Leg Lock. Terrible violent fighters, Bruiser and Risowski. Great champions, Sammartino, Kiniski, and Dory Funk Jr. Bobo Brazil was the only man who wrested International title from Baba. And another memorable wrestler is The Iron Claw, Fritz Von Erich.

Before the starting bell rang, Erich suddenly kicked Baba harshly. Erich's kick was very hard, and they say it was like a horse's. Baba was damaged by that, but his young power was splendid. Baba counterattacked skillfully, and he somehow took a fall with Karate Chop. But in the intermission, Erich kicked Baba terribly again.

At the second round, at last Erich used his special move Iron Claw. Baba twisted in agony, and he instantly gave up. Afterwards Baba told that Erich's Iron Claw was so hard that no one could escape from it. So that he surrendered at once, and he preserved his physical strength for the last round. That was a clever tactics.

Baba attacked Erich hard with kick and chop in the last round. Erich tried to use Iron Claw again, but Baba chopped Erich's forehead, and they fell from the ring. Baba struck his opponent on the hand with a chair. Erich got angry, and he took a chair, too. When Erich beat Baba harshly, the referee Shikina Oki declared Erich lost with a foul. Baba narrowly defended International Championship, but Erich was always superior in this match. I think Fritz Von Erich was one of the most terrible challenger for Baba.

CRUSHER ATTACKED BABA

Giant Baba vs. Crusher Risowski
JAPAN PRO, International Championship Match
Dec. 6 1967 Tokyo Taiikukan


They say this was one of the cruelest matches in the history of pro-wrestling of Japan. Rikidozan, the father of pro-wrestling in Japan suddenly died in 1963, and a new star Giant Baba became International Champion. Baba fought against many great wrestlers until he became independent in 1972, for example Bruno Sammartino, Bobo Brazil, Gene Kiniski, Dick The Bruiser, etc. But in a sense Crusher was the most terrible challenger for Baba. Crusher did not have beautiful moves. He only kicked, and punched his opponent. Nevertheless he gave us very deep impression. I think Crusher was a great and strange wrestler.

At the first round, Crusher suddenly kicked Baba's vital spot, and he took a fall easily. In the intermission, Crusher kicked and kicked Baba violently. That was a shocking scene. But more shocking situation came true at the next round. Baba knocked the enemy's head against an iron post, and Crusher was bloodied harshly. The close-up of him was very cruel, and instantly many mothers in Japan turned off TV sets. Baba won the second round with a wonderful Drop Kick. And at the last round, they struggled bloodily, and they drew on a count-out.

This match is now regarded as a legend by wrestling fans in Japan. And in the next year, Jan. 3  1968, Baba fought against Crusher again. But in the same day, another legend was born in Tokyo. Kokusai Pro-Wrestling, a rival organization of Japan Pro, held a big event in Nichidai-Koudou (former sumo hall). Kokusai invited Lou Thesz, and they tried to make a young champion for themselves. But Lou Thez refused this selfish story. The expected young star, Great Kusatsu was fainted by Thesz with Back Drop at the first round. So that Kokusai failed to get a big chance, and Japan Pro won the business war.

THE STRONGEST TAG TEAM CAME TRUE

Antonio Inoki, Seiji Sakaguchi vs. Lou Thesz, Karl Gotch
NEW JAPAN
Oct. 14 1973 Kuramae Kokugikan (Tokyo)

Antonio Inoki established NEW JAPAN in 1971, but he could not invite famous American wrestlers. Inoki fought against his master Karl Gotch several times, and it was the only big card in the early days of NEW JAPAN. Though his company was facing financial difficulties, wrestling fans supported his hard fights. And Lou Thesz, who was a referee of the master and pupil's match, came back and formed the strongest tag team with Gotch. On one hand, a former judo champion Seiji Sakaguchi joined in Inoki's party. So that the marvelous tag match came true.

The team of 'The Ironman' Thesz and 'God' Gotch was a great wall for the young Japanese team. In the first round, Sakaguchi attacked Thesz with Bear Hag, but Thesz showed beautiful Back Drop and took a fall from Sakaguchi. Afterwards Thesz told that he had been injured on his shoulder and so that he could not use a perfect Back Drop. But I think that was very terrible move, and I can not believe he was 56 years old.

In the second round, Thesz attacked Inoki with Back Drop again. Inoki twisted his body, and Thesz was damaged his back of head. Sakaguchi used his special move Atomic Drop !! And the Japanese team took a fall conversely. May be Inoki wanted to fight against his master Gotch, and Gotch thought same thing. In the last round, they showed hard fight and many wonderful moves. They tried to take a back each other, and when Inoki avoided skillfully, Gotch fell from the ring. As Gotch returned on the mat, Inoki used Drop Kick. Gotch tried German Suplex, but Inoki took this chance, and he defeated his master with Japanese Leg Roll Clutch Hold !!

Now, wrestling fans in Japan regard this match as one episode of a myth. Probably it was the only match that The Ironman and God formed a tag team. I think they didn't like tag match comparatively.