MEMORIES OF BRUISER BRODY

the team of super monsters

I am tracing the Brody's career in USA, but I am often depressed to meet bad episodes. He seemed to have a complex personality and a severe pride. In Japan, he is regarded as one of the most successful wrestlers. When he came to Japan for the first time in 1979, he showed a hard fight against Giant Baba, and instantly he became the ace of foreign wrestlers of ALL JAPAN. Though his gimmick was 'King Kong', we forgot it at once, and we admired his powerful fight-style and wonderful Drop Kick. A gimmick is meaningless on the ring of Japan.

In the early 80's, as the top wrestler in Japan, Brody contended for International Championship with Dory and Tsuruta. Especially Tsuruta was the biggest rival of Brody. In 1983, Brody was taken the belt by Tsuruta, but I was deeply impressed with Brody's power and stamina. It must not be forgotten that his friend Stan Hansen moved to ALL JAPAN and they formed a tag team. They 'the team of super monsters' created a big boom in Japan.

Brody's last glory (1988)

Brody suddenly moved to NEW JAPAN in 1985, and this affair was reported in the TV news program. We expected him to fight hard against Antonio Inoki, but at that time Inoki was already an old-timer, and Brody was too proud to accept a loss, their fights were not good. Inoki lost to his pupils, Singh, Hansen, Hogan, and Vader, but he could not be defeated by Brody, because Brody was the rival of Baba and Tsuruta. After all, his movement to NEW JAPAN was a failure. After a lot of troubles, he returned to ALL JAPAN in 1987.

The second ALL JAPAN days of Brody was very short, but there was a splendid glory. He fought against his friend Hansen for the first time in a tag match, and that was the memorable scene for wrestling fans. He defeated his rival Tsuruta in March 1988, and he wrested the belt of International Championship after a long time. At the same time as it, he cried with joy, and he hugged the president Lord Blears and spectators in the hall.

DORY FUNK JR. vs. HORST HOFFMAN

Dory Funk Jr. vs. Horst Hoffman
ALL JAPAN, The World Open League
Dec. 15 1975 Miyagi Sports Center (Sendai)

In this league series many unbelievable cards came true, and this match was the representative fight of it. Dory was the top wrestler of NWA and the former world champion, and on one hand Hoffman was a famous wrestler in Europe and the able technician of AWA. There were some mysterious and random things in this series, but it was truly Baba's merits that they showed us these fights of dream one after another. You think about Inoki's hardship that he couldn't invite any famous wrestler in those days.

I saw Hoffman for the first time in this league. He had fought on the ring of KOKUSAI (INTERNATIONAL) PRO-WRESTLING, but KOKUSAI's matches were not on the air in my hometown. I think it is difficult to estimate his true ability. Though he was surely a technician, he might have not adapted himself to the fight-style of ALL JAPAN. As a German wrestler, the most impressive person was Roland Bock who defeated Inoki regardless of the fact that Bock hardly visited to Japan.

Dory took a fall with Clutch Hold

At the first half, there was a quiet movement like an amateur wrestling match. Dory locked Hoffman's neck persistently, and Hoffman tried to escape from it with all his might. When they stood, Dory used Double Arm Suplex and Russian Leg Sweep. Hoffman counterattacked by Side Suplex and Back Drop. Like the reputation, Hoffman's Suplex was exact and speedy. Dory attacked with Arm Bar, and turned to Clutch Hold. A wonderful finish.

That was a good fight that they showed their specialty to their hearts' content. After that Hoffman took part in ALL JAPAN, but he could not gave us a deep impression. I think the reason was that he could not make impressive stories. Dory and Terry were also technician like Hoffman, but they created the intense stories that they were hated by The Butcher, The Shiek, and Hansen. A display of emotion is a very important part of PURORESU in the same way of showing technique and strength.

POWER OF BACK DROP (2)

Inoki's Back Drop

There is a view that the origin of Back Drop was a judo trick 'Uranage' (throwing backward). If that is true, it is reasonable that Japanese wrestlers are good at this move. To tell in historical, of course the best specialist of Back Drop is Lou Thesz, and in Japan, the first person who come into my mind is Antonio Inoki. Inoki's special moves in his youth had been Cobra Twist, Octopus Hold, and Front Neck Chancery. Since he established NEW JAPAN, he often used Back Drop in big matches as the finishing move. Inoki got back NWF Championship from Singh with this move in 1975. And he defeated Willem Ruska, the former judo champion, by a succession of Back Drop in 1976.

Inoki's Back Drop drew a beautiful bridge, and in the sense of it, Inoki was a successor to Lou Thesz. Tatsumi Fujinami who is a pupil of Inoki used beautiful and speedy Back Drop. They were orthodox specialists, but Riki Chosyu, the rival of Fujinami, used very hard Back Drop which was different from Thesz's. Chosyu added a twist at landing. It may had been suggested by his senior Masa Saito's move. Saito was active in USA for a long time as a free-lancer.

Baba's Back Drop

Surprisingly, Giant Baba also often used Back Drop in the 70's. Because he could not draw a bridge, he took opponent's leg and fell down backward. It was a disaster for an opponent, for Baba was a very tall man. Baba defended the NWA belt from Race with that terrible move.

Naturally, that take-a-leg-style Back Drop was the favorite move of the Funk brothers. Because of it, that was used by many wrestlers of ALL JAPAN, and that became the orthodox style of Back Drop of ALL JAPAN. Especially the wrestlers of what is called the Funk family were showing it. Harley Race, Stan Hansen, Ted DiBiase, Dick Slater, Jumbo Tsuruta, to say nothing Dory and Terry. That Funk-style was comparatively easy without making a bridge, but it was not good-looking. In 1983, Baba invited Thesz to Japan, and Thesz taught Tsuruta his classical-style Back Drop.

ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER vs. DON LEO JONATHAN

The Butcher's Elbow Drop !!

Abdullah The Butcher vs. Don Leo Jonathan
ALL JAPAN, The World Open League
Dec. 15 1975 Miyagi Sports Center (Sendai)

I watched Don Leo Jonathan several times in the 70's, but his fights were always tedious. To tell extremely, He appeared to show his wonderful body, and he did nothing at all. It was truly 'a miser's gold buried in the ground'. He was teaching us this proverb. However, he is valued by wrestling fans as one of great wrestlers. I am often bewildered by the gap of value, but when someone says he was a good wrestler, he always adds "if he had a volition". After all, everybody is thinking same thing.

I heard that Jonathan came to Japan for the first time in 1958. At that time, probably he was a talented young wrestler, and may be he had a nice vividness. There were many legends of him that he lifted Andre with Back Breaker or he caught Baba's kick and threw him away with one hand. I also saw a part of his power, but he was bad at making stories. I wanted to see his burning emotion and his grudge match.

Look my body !! (You lost already !!)

This card may have become a grudge match, at least there was a possibility of it. As a wrestler Jonathan's rank was higher, but The Butcher was the most popular heel in Japan. The Butcher attacked Jonathan before the starting bell as usual, but today's Jonathan counterattacked harshly, and instantly The Butcher's forehead was bloodied. Jonathan beat many times with his fists, and The Butcher seemed to be damaged. I thought Jonathan was showing us his higher rank which was different from The Butcher.

Jonathan aimed to finish, his wonderful Drop Kick struck The Butcher. And he tried to use Sunset Flip. (a marvelous motor nerve !!) The Butcher avoided it easily. As Jonathan was exhausted, Abdullah used his special move, Flying Elbow Drop !! The referee Joe Higuch beat the ring three times. It was the end. I thought about Jonathan as usual "Do you have a desire to win ?"orz

POWER OF BACK DROP

Inoki defeated Ruska with Back Drop (1976)

I will mention Back Drop, but at the beginning, I don't know whether this name of move is right. I'm sorry, but I can't understand English at all, (^^; and I have to go ahead timidly. At any rate, I want to tell about the special trick of Lou Thesz 'Back Drop', at least we call it in that name in Japan. Someone taught me it is called 'Belly to Back', but I think that means German Suplex Hold. In Japan, Thesz's Back Drop and Karl Gotch's German Suplex are regarded as the two greatest special moves of pro-wrestling.

Because I am too young (in fact I'm not so young), I could not see the best days of Lou Thesz. However, I watched the wonderful veteran Thesz several times. When Antonio Inoki established NEW JAPAN, Thesz visited to Japan and formed a tag team with Gotch. They, what is called the team of gods, fought against Inoki and Sakaguchi in 1973. And as a single player, Thesz fought with Inoki in 1975. At that time Lou Thesz was over 50 years old, probably nearly 60, but these fights were very impressive for me, an elementary school student.

They say Thesz's Back Drop made a beautiful bridge, and I think so, too. And I remember that Thesz often used another Back Drop which was very low and speedy. That speedy Back Drop was not striking comparatively, but I thought it was more powerful, and Thesz may have aimed at knock out with that trick. Every time Thesz used the low and speedy Back Drop, I felt my spine go cold.

THEME TUNES OF WRESTLERS

Tsuruta vs. Mascaras (1977)

When wrestlers appear in the hall and go to the ring, now it is usual that there are a loud music and showy special effects which stir up spectator's excitement. But in old days these things were nothing at all, wrestlers appeared aimlessly, and we watched them with breathless interest. I rather liked that strange tension before a starting bell without any music.

I think that wrestlers' theme tunes at going to the ring began in Japan. I don't know when it started, but the first impressive match of it was the fight of Jumbo Tsuruta and Mil Mascaras in 1977, in Denen Colosseum, the dear open air stadium. At that time the theme of Mascaras 'Sky High' and Jumbo's theme 'Chinese Kung-fu' sounded in the stadium, and we were surprised at that fresh atmosphere.

After that, almost wrestlers became to have their own theme tunes, and music became an important part of wrestling. Inoki's theme 'The Fighter of Fire' (Ali The Greatest), Riki Chosyu's 'Power Hall', Hansen's 'Rising Sun' and so on, there were many impressive tunes. And my favorite was the theme of the Funk brothers 'Spinning Toe Hold', performed by Creation. Every time I hear this tune, I go back to my childhood.

About the theme music, Giant Baba was very unique. His theme was the theme of the TV program of ALL JAPAN, and that was also the theme of sports programs of Nihon TV. In short, Baba may have thought nothing about music, but somehow that theme tune became him very well. Hearing this music, I recollect Baba's hard fights with Hansen and my pleasing high-school days. Afterwards Baba changed his theme, but absolutely the former tune was better !!

GIANT BABA vs. ABDULLAH THE BUTCHER

Giant Baba vs. Abdullah The Butcher
ALL JAPAN, The World Open League
Dec. 13 1975 Fukui-shi Taiikukan (Fukui)

This match was the main event in Fukui. It was telecast on live TV, and when this fight started, the remaining time of the program was very short. I wondered if I could see the result of this important match. But the announcer Kuramochi told coolly that Terry Funk had wrested the NWA belt from Jack Brisco in USA, and Giant Baba had lost to Dory in the previous match.

This league series had some mysteries, and that was the biggest mystery. The fight between Baba and Dory was the golden card of ALL JAPAN. Why wasn't it on the air ? May be the ace and the president of the organization could not lose on the TV program, and the ace of foreign wrestlers also had to save his honor. At any rate, of course nobody (except for the spectators in the hall) didn't see that mysterious match that Dory defeated Baba, and nobody knows what had happened in that match.

When The Butcher entered, unexpectedly Baba began to attack before the starting bell. That was the tactics that The Butcher always showed. Today Baba may have wished to make a preemptive attack, or he may have had the special reason to hurry to win. (^^; Baba harshly kicked The Butcher's forehead many times. Presently Abdullah was bloodied terribly. The announcer told that the remaining time of the program was three minutes. The Butcher crossed his arms and defended himself from Baba's kicks. And he threw Baba for the outside of the ring.

The outside of the ring was the home world of The Butcher. He bit Baba's forehead and used Head Butt many times over. Though Baba was damaged, he knocked The Butcher's head against the iron post, and promptly he came back on the ring. At the same time, the referee Joe Higuchi declared that the winner was Baba on a count-out. And the TV program finished. (ha-ha) I enjoyed this match after a long time, and I admired that Baba and The Butcher were professionals and they expertly made a good match in a short time.