The Last Match: Japanese Legends

It's been a long time since I made a post about The Last Match and it's time to bring it back.  This time I'm digging deep and looking at some of the Legends of Japanese wrestling.

Rikidozan

December 7, 1963 JWA Hamamatsu, Japan
with Michiaki Yoshimura & The Great Togo wrestled Buddy Austin, Ilio DiPaolo, & The Destroyer to a 60 minute time limit draw

The Father of Puroresu debuted in 1951 was a former Sumo wrestler before making the change to the squared circle.  He established the promotion Nihon Puroresu Kyokai  or Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance and established a training school.  He captured many championships in the Japan and a few in the United States.

He died December 15, 1963 from peritonitis a week after being stabbed by Yakuza member Katsuji Murata in a Tokyo nightclub on December 8th.

Antonio Inoki

April 4, 1998 NJPW Tokyo Dome, Japan
defeated Don Frye

Inoki began his training with Rikidozan in 1960 at the age of 17.  What he is best know for is his June 26, 1976 shoot match against Muhammad Ali that was not good.  He is also known for founding New Japan Pro Wrestling in 1972.

In 1995 he stages the two day wrestling festival for peace in Pyongyang, North Korea that drew a combined 340,000 fans to the two events and saw Inoki defeated Ric Flair in their only match against each other.

A multiple time champion with titles from around the world he is also one of only a few people to be inducted into both he WCW & WWE Hall of Fame's.
 

Shohei "Giant" Baba

December 5, 1998 Tokyo, Japan
with Mitsuo Momota & Rusher Kimura defeated Haruka Eigen, Masanobu Fuchi, & Tsuyoshi Kikuchi

Trained by Rikidozan alongside Antonio Inoki both men debuted on the same night.  In 1972 several months after Inoki launched NJPW Baba opened his own promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling.  Holding several championships in Japan he was also a three time NWA World Heavyweight Champion.

Baba died January 31, 1999 at the age of 61 from cancer.

Toyonobori

February 20, 1973 NJPW Yokohama, Japan
defeated  Bruno Bekkar

A former Sumo wrestler he turned to professional wrestling in 1954 joining the JWA.  He became the second most popular wrestler in Japan behind Rikidozan, the two of them held multiple All Asia Tag Team Championships.

After Rikidozan's death Toyonobori and others would continue running JWA where he became the number one draw for a few years.  In 1966 he formed Tokyo Pro Wrestling but it folded in less than a year.  He announced his retirement in 1970 but came out of retirement two years later when Inoki launched NJPW to help provide name value for his cards.

He died on July 1, 1998 from heart failure.

Toyonobori is often overlooked in the history of Japanese wrestling for the layperson.  Most all have heard of Rikidozan and his two prize students Inoki and Baba who would go on to form the two biggest promotions in the history of Japan.  I can't find any of his matches on New Japan World but there are some on YouTube.

Thanks for reading, please leave a comment, read my other posts, and like my blogs Facebook page and while you're at it check out my weekly podcast Podcast of 1,000 Holds on the Nerdy Legion Podcast Network. 

Later Readers!

The Amarillo Territory: Japanese Invasion

Dan Black is a wrestling fan who grew up in Amarillo, Texas attending the matches at the Amarillo Sports Arena from 1969 - 1979.  Here are some of his memories;

Japanese Invasion 

On December 7, 1971, Terry and Dory Funk, Jr won the NWA International Tag Team Championship from Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki in Sapporo Japan. However, on May 18, 1972 Giant Baba brought the feared Seiji Sakaguchi to Amarillo to escort the belts back home. This title match was promoted several months out. 

Seiji Sakaguchi

It would be Baba's first appearance in Amarillo, however, "Big Saka" had given Junior a scare in the Amarillo Territory in the fall of 1970 and he was no stranger to the area. Japanese wrestlers had terrorized the local boys for years as the feared team of Pak Song and Al Kim nearly "killed" Terry Funk and Ricky Romero something the fans had not forgotten. This was about more than defending a championship.

A sold out historic Amarillo Sports Arena was nervous and buzzing at bell time. The Funks struggled with there bigger opponents early, both had attempted the dreaded double arm suplex but couldn't get either off the mat. Finally about 20 minutes in, Terry and Dory double teamed Baba with the suplex and Junior got the first fall. Big Saka used a knee drop to the throat to get the pin in the second. Around 40 minutes it appeared Dory was about to falter, he finally got the tag with Terry and suddenly the ring was full. 

Terry was flipped out the ring and Dory and Saka collided. Baba was covering Dory and Terry snuck in behind to drape Saka. Ref counts 1..2,Terry screams and referee Ken Farber, he's the legal man and Farber leaps over Baba/Junior and hits the mat for the three count on Saka. Titles secured!!! 

Hometown Boys prevail and National honor defended. It was a crazy night. Probably the most exciting tag match I ever seen in person. Of course, the next night the Funks lost the straps in Los Angeles, as I found out decades later. That match in LA is on YouTube in it's entirety. 

Dan Black