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.

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.

ANTONIO INOKI'S TACTICS

Antonio Inoki vs. Bill Robinson (1975)

Giant Baba deployed human-wave tactics, in contrast to this, Antonio Inoki had nothing in his hands. Conversely speaking, creative power was the special weapon of Inoki. He needed foreign wrestlers and a champion belt. Both of them came true when he joined hands with a local organization NWF. Inoki wrested (or bought) NWF World Championship from Johnny Powers. But it was miserable that Powers was the only famous wrestler NEW JAPAN could invite in the early days of this party. Inoki created the personality of a madman for Tiger Jeet Singh. When Inoki and his wife (a famous actress) shopping in Tokyo, suddenly Singh attacked them !! And Inoki was scolded by the chief of police. (^^;

Inoki fought against Bill Robinson in December, 1975. That was the first big match of NEW JAPAN, and after that, famous wrestlers began to come up to the ring of NEW JAPAN. Brute Bernard, Hans Schmidt, Hollywood Blonds, Johnny Valentine, Andre The Giant, etc. And then somehow Inoki joined hands with WWF, and he invited Bob Backlund, Pedro Morales, and Stan Hansen. Inoki took the WWF belt from Backlund, and kept it in a short time. On one hand, Inoki started to fight unusual matches as the martial arts champion. He defeated Willem Ruska, the former judo champion, and he drew with Muhammad Ali.

Inoki was fainted by Hogan's Ax Bomber (1983)

Though Inoki had drawn many criticisms, his spirit of a challenger was very unique. He often said "Baba's wrestling is a fake, my fight is the real !!", but in fact, Inoki seemed to have a respect for Baba. Inoki might have been had an inferiority complex, because he was a son of a poor farmer, but Baba had been a pitcher of Tokyo Giants. Inoki got a lot of believers, many superstars appeared in NEW JAPAN like Stan Hansen, Hulk Hogan, and Tiger Mask, and the popularity of NEW JAPAN exceeded ALL JAPAN's in the early 80's.

And Inoki held the big tournament IWGP in 1983, and He fought against Hulk Hogan at the final match. Hogan attacked Inoki harshly, and Inoki was so tired that he could not stand up to the monster's moves. At last Inoki was fainted by the special move of Hogan 'Ax Bomber'. It was a shocking and a very cruel scene, but that was the peak of Inoki's genius of story making. Because of decline of his power, meaningless fights and unclear judgement increased, and finally spectators got anger and started a riot in 1984.

PURORESU AND PRO-WRESTLING

Antonio Inoki vs. Lou Thesz (1975)

In Japan pro-wrestling is called PURORESU, that is Japanese-style pronunciation of 'pro-wres'. PURORESU is different from pro-wrestling in USA, there is no gimmick, and there are few heel wrestlers. The wrestlers of PURORESU show their technique and strength like an amateur wrestling or a judo match, and they express their emotions within it. That might be influenced by the fight-style of Lou Thesz or Dory Funk Jr. Moreover, because Japan is not a multiracial nation, a racial gimmick is not understood. So that the unique style of PURORESU developed.

There was a typical pattern in the 60's and 70's. An unknown wrestler (what is called a mystery strong man) visits to Japan, and Japanese hero Baba or Inoki intercepts him. He may be a good wrestler or a fake, we don't know it until we see the real. But this pattern broke down when Hansen and Brody appeared. Since they fought with Baba, Inoki, and Tsuruta, we became to wish hard fights which are on a high level. For example, there is an innocent wrestler who is a local hero in USA, and his special trick is a simple Fist Drop. If he accidentally visits to Japan, he should be booed harshly.

Baba got NWA title from Brisco (1974)

The popular heel wrestlers in Japan were only two, Tiger Jeet Singh and Abdollah The Butcher. They pierced to act the cruelest heels like madmen, and they had technique and strength of wrestling, too. Singh defeated Inoki with terrible Brain Buster, and The Butcher won The Champion Carnival twice. But since in the 80's, they (especially The Butcher) seemed to aim at being lovable heels. But I don't know what is that. (^^;

It was the special feature of PURORESU that there were the authorities of big organizations in USA. Baba did his best to get the NWA belt, and he accomplished it three times. Inoki also wrested WWF Championship from Bob Backlund. But in the early 80's, NWA and other organizations in USA started to grow weak, Baba and Inoki began to made their own titles. I think that our good days of PURORESU ended at that time.

OHNITA AND DEATH MATCH

Atsushi Ohnita

In the 70's and 80's, there were two big organizations in the wrestling world of Japan, Giant Baba's ALL JAPAN and Antonio Inoki's NEW JAPAN. In other words, a wrestler who was fired by Baba or Inoki could not fight in Japan as a rule.

Atsushi Ohnita was a young wrestler of ALL JAPAN, and he was popular with wrestling fans as a vivid new star. He was often compared with Tiger Mask of NEW JAPAN, but Ohnita didn't use flying attacks, and he was comparatively rough and awkward. Ohnita got NWA International Jr. Championship from Chavo Guerrero, but when he fought with Hector Guerrero, he was injured his knee, and Baba advised him to retire.

Though Ohnita had not a penny (not an yen ?), he established his own organization FMW. There was Megumi Kudou, a popular woman wrestler, but most of the wrestlers were persons out of employment, to tell the truth FMW was a third-class party.

the barbed wire and electric bomb death match

After a while Ohnita found a way out of the difficulty, that was a death match. And then he thought of a new epoch-making style, the barbed wire and electric bomb death match !! (You don't think about it deeply.) Because of it, FMW suddenly became a popular party. As a result of the success of FMW, there were so many independent organizations in the 90's. That was a very strange scene.

And Ohnita repeated retiring and returning like Terry Funk (ha-ha), he was active as a wrestler and a TV personality, at last somehow he became a member of the Diet. I couldn't understand what had happened !!

THE BEST YEAR OF WRESTLING IN JAPAN

Tiger Mask vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi

It is only my personal opinion, I think that the most exciting year of wrestling in Japan was the year of the Tiger Mask boom, in short, that was in 1982. I am a crazy fan of ALL JAPAN, but to my chagrin, NEW JAPAN was more popular than ALL JAPAN with wrestling fans. In those days I was a high-school student, and I was watching marvelous fights on TV with all my heart. The TV program of NEW JAPAN was on the air at eight on Friday night, and ALL JAPAN was at half past five on Saturday evening.

The popularity of NEW JAPAN reached the peak, because there was a Tiger Mask boom. Even a person who didn't know wrestling paid attention to Tiger's fights. A new star Tatsumi Fujinami kept WWF International Championship, and his rival Riki Choshu said to Fujinami "I don't want to play a part of a loser !" and challenged Fujinami. The ace of NEW JAPAN, Antonio Inoki established a new championship 'IWGP', Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, Adrian Adonis, and Dino Bravo took part in that league. And The Butcher moved to NEW JAPAN from ALL JAPAN.

On the other side, I was enjoying ALL JAPAN's fights, too. Though The Butcher went away, Stan Hansen suddenly joined in, fought against Baba very hard, and formed a terrible tag team with Brody. The popularity of the Funk brothers was in excellent, but Hansen said to them "You are fossils of Texas !!" Famous wrestlers came from USA one after another, a young star Jumbo Tsuruta challenged great champions, Race, Nick, and Flair. In that year, Tsuruta defeated Race for the first time with Flying Body Scissors Drop.

I liked young and a little unreliable Tsuruta. In the next year, He got International Championship from Brody. And in 1984, he defeated Nick and wrested the belt of AWA, at last he became one of the great wrestlers.

THE EARLY DAYS OF NEW JAPAN

Sakaguchi and Inoki, The Golden Tag Team

Because I am a believer of ALL JAPAN, I don't know so much about NEW JAPAN. I was only watching the TV program of NEW JAPAN, 'World Pro-Wrestling' on every Friday in my childhood. In a word, NEW JAPAN was short of wrestlers. The ace and the president of the organization was a star wrestler Antonio Inoki, and Seiji Sakaguchi, a former Judo champion joined in. They formed 'the golden tag team', but there were few foreign wrestlers, because Inoki could not joined hands with NWA.

The biggest match in the early days of NEW JAPAN was the fight between Inoki and Strong Kobayashi who had belonged to KOKUSAI (International) PRO-WRESTLING. Because a serious fight among Japanese had not been done for a long time, spectators got excited very much. In this match Inoki defeated Kobayashi with wonderful German Suplex Hold.

Inoki's German Suplex Hold !!

Except Lou Thesz and Karl Gotch, the special guests, the only famous wrestler was Johnny Powers. And talking about other wrestlers, Tiger Jeet Singh, Inoki's new rival was unknown in USA, and the ace of foreigner may have been Killer Karl Krupp. The McGuire brothers, the team of very fat men also appeared, and they offered us funny topics. In 1975, Brute Bernard and Hans Schmidt, old veterans took part in NEW JAPAN, and then famous wrestlers started to join in. Johnny Valentine, Andre The Giant went up to the ring, too. The end of that year Inoki fought with Bill Robinson. At that time, Inoki's party seemed to appear a clear form.

And then Inoki fought against Willem Ruska, a former Judo champion of Olympic games. Inoki began 'the fights with followers of another schools', and the biggest opponent of that was Muhammad Ali.

TITLES OF ALL JAPAN

Since ALL JAPAN was established, PWF Championship was the most important title of the organization. That was what is called the flag ship title, and big boss of ALL JAPAN, Giant Baba was keeping it for a long time. The wrestlers who got the title from Baba were Killer Tor Kamata, Harley Race, and Stan Hansen. The Butcher and Bill Robinson also put the belt on their waists.

United National Championship was a title for a young star wrestler. That was the symbol of Jumbo Tsuruta. It was very impressive that Jumbo defended the title from Mill Mascaras in 1977, in Denen Colosseum, Tokyo. And the team of master and pupil, Baba and Tsuruta kept International Tag Championship.

I think it was very simple and good days that wrestlers were contending for these three titles in the end of 70's. In 1981, Baba re-established International Championship that Rikidozan had wrested from Lou Thesz and the symbolic title of the ace of Japan. But at that time Baba was too old, Tsuruta was too young, and Dory and Brody fought hard for the belt. And then in the 80's, Baba created a new title, PWF Tag Championship. To tell the truth, I didn't understand of meaning of that title.

This is my later thoughts, because NWA grew weak, may be Baba had to make his own authority, and he made many titles one after another. Afterwards these titles were unified, but simple and good days had gone, I may have lost my passion for wrestling a little.

THE WORLD OPEN LEAGUE

Talking of a league series, the most famous one might be The World League which was held by Rikidozan since 1959. But I don't know about it well, because I had not been born at that time. Afterwards NEW JAPAN held The World Big League, but ALL JAPAN did not opened a league series for a long time. May be Baba was careful with fights among Japanese wrestlers.

However, ALL JAPAN suddenly held a surprising league series in 1975. That was The World Open League, and many famous wrestlers took part in that league. I am introducing them, but even writing down their names is a very hard work.

Giant Baba, Jumbo Tsuruta, Kintaro Ohki (ALL JAPAN)
Rusher Kimura, Great Kusatsu, Mighty Inoue (KOKUSAI)
Hiro Matsuda (free lance)

They are Japanese wrestlers. The wrestlers of KOKUSAI (International) took part in the event, that was enough to surprise us, and moreover, foreigner wrestlers were very marvelous members.

Dory Funk Jr, Abdullah The Butcher, Harley Race, Dusty Rhodes, Baron Von Raschke, Horst Hoffman, The Destroyer, Dick Murdoch, Don Leo Jonathan, Pat O'Conner, Mr. wrestling, Ken Mantel, and Anton Geesink !!

What's this ? That was exceeding the limit. Baba gathered that unbelievable members with great joy, but in contrast to this, Inoki was having a hard time, because he could not join hands with NWA, and he could not invite a famous wrestler. Of course, I was a believer of ALL JAPAN, and I was enjoying Baba's unlimited luxurious pro-wrestling !!

NWF AND JOHNNY POWERS

Now, the name of NWF may not have any meaning for almost people, but a part of Japanese remember the name with their dear memories. Because when Antonio Inoki established NEW JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING, he joined hands with NWF, and somehow he could step forward as a great wrestler.

NWF was only a local organization which was made by Pedro Martinez and Johnny Powers against NWA, but it recognized the world champion. That was good fortune for Inoki. He could not invite American wrestlers, and he could not do a title match. NWF gave Inoki both of them at a time.

Inoki defeated Powers and got NWF World Championship, but they say Powers sold the belt to Inoki. In fact, the best days of Powers may have been in the middle of 60's. At any rate, Johnny was the only famous wrestler in early days of NEW JAPAN, and a series of fights between Inoki and Powers was the only good card.

After all, Johnny Powers was taken his all titles, NWF by Inoki, North American Tag by Inoki and Sakaguchi, and North American single (What's that ?) by Sakaguchi. After that, Powers could not fight on rings of USA, because he had sided with notorious Pedro and had resisted NWA. That is a common opinion, but when he sold the championship to Inoki, he might lose his passion for pro-wrestling.

WHAT IS PWF ?

I often refer to PWF or PWF Championship, many people may think "what's that ?", and I don't know well, too. (Hey, you !)

In short, PWF is a management company of ALL JAPAN's titles, Baba established it in Hawaii in 1972, and the first president was Lord Blears. I remember that Blears often visited to Japan and read a declaration of a title match, but did he do any work as the president ? He may have enjoyed a sight-seeing in Japan.

PWF Championship was established in 1973, and very famous wrestlers participated in the championship tournament. Giant Baba, Bruno Sammartino, Terry Funk, Bobo Brazil, The Destroyer, Abdullah The Butcher, Pat O'Conner, Don Leo Jonathan, and Wilbur Snyder. Very marvelous members, don't you think so ? And Giant Baba won the championship.

PWF champion's belt is the same belt of Rikidozan's International (and WWA) title. Because Rikidozon was smaller than Baba, it was pretty tight for Baba. (Look the picture !!)

The special feature of PWF Championship is that it can move by a result on a foul. Because of it, Baba was taken the title by Killer Tor Kamata. Fighting against Race, Hansen, Dory, and other first-class wrestlers, Baba kept this belt for over ten years. literally PWF Championship was symbolic of Giant Baba.

HANS SCHMIDT DIED

Hans Schmidt is a very memorable wrestler for my generation. However, Schmidt was active in the 50's in fact, and I'm so young that I don't know his best days. Why do I remember him ? The reason is in a confusion of Japanese pro-wrestling in those days.

In 1971, Antonio Inoki was banished from JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING, and he established NEW JAPAN. But because JAPAN PRO had already joined hands with NWA, Inoki could not invite American wrestlers. He noticed Canada and small territories in USA. And then Tiger Jeet Singh, Johnny Powers, and some other wrestlers fought against Inoki.

Then Hans Schmidt visited to Japan with Brute Bernard in 1975. They were the first famous wrestlers who joined in NEW JAPAN. To tell the truth, both of them were past their prime, but Inoki treated them as the aces of foreign wrestlers. In fact, their fighting spirits were very good.

Hans Schmidt was good at Back Breaker Drop, Japanese fans think that was created by Schmidt, and we call it Schmidt-style Back Breaker. In Japan, his nickname was the cook in hell, it might be from his cruel atmosphere and the gimmick of the Nazis.

GIANT BABA vs. UMANOSUKE UEDA

Giant Baba vs. Umanosuke Ueda

ALL JAPAN
Mar. 1983 Korakuen Hall (Tokyo)


JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING was established by Rikidozan and it prospered as the biggest party in Japan, but in the last of 60's it was in financial difficulties on account of indiscreet leaders. Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki tried to unite in fighting disorderly management. However, they were informed secretly, and the plan failed.

Inoki was banished from the organization as a ringleader, and then Baba was disappointed and left the party. JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING lost two superstars at a time. After a few month it failed. And they say that the informer was Umanosuke Ueda. (Nobody knows the truth.)

Ueda joined NEW JAPAN (Inoki's party) and formed a tag team with Tiger Jeet Singh. Every week they attacked Seiji Sakaguchi and Strong Kobayashi (NWF North American Tag champion team) harshly. Ueda and Singh infringed the rules many times over, Sakaguchi and Kobayashi received it like nonresistant. That became a specialty of NEW JAPAN. What wonderful champions they were !!

To be continued.

RIKIDOZAN'S TIME

Do you know RIKIDOZAN?
RIKIDOZAN is the father of wrestling of Japan.

RIKIDOZAN had been a famous sumo wrestler.
1951, He turned a professional wrestler, be trained in Hawaii, and played many matches in USA.
1953, He founded JAPAN PRO-WRESTLING ASSOCIATION, invited the SHARPE brothers.
They created big wrestling boom in Japan.

1958, RIKIDOZAN wrested INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP from LOU THESZ.
He was not only a great wrestler, but also an outstanding promotor.
Very big event, THE WORLD LEAGUE TOURNAMENT was opend, and many famous wrestlers were invited. LOU THESZ, THE DESTROYER, FRED BRASSIE, KARL GOTCH, etc.

RIKIDOZAN was the master of two great wrestlers, GIANT BABA and ANTONIO INOKI.
1963, He was stabbed by a ruffian, and died.