The Birth of Pro Wrestling in Japan

Japanese Professional Wrestling is known commonly as "Puroresu", from the English loanwords that shifted into the Engrish 'purofesshonaru resuringu'.  To explore Puroresu's earliest moments, would be to talk about Matsuda Torakichi, a sumo wrestler in the 1880s.  In 1883, he came to the United States and began to compete in the distinctly western sport, and promoters called him "Matsada Koragee Sorakichi", while spectators nicknamed him "Mat" or "The Jap".

Though Matsuda lost the majority of the most famous fights of his career, it was because he had gone up against some of the greatest wrestlers of the day, even those who were considerably larger than him.  Matsuda attempted to bring this American style of wrestling to Japan, but the style never caught on, and Matsuda died penniless in New York City at age 32.

This would not be the last failed attempt to bring American-style wrestling to Japan, and many more would come before and after World War II.  It was not until 1951 that Momota Mitsuhiro started on the path that would make him known as the Father of Puroresu.

The father of Japanese pro wrestling was actually not Japanese at all.  Kim Sin-nak was born in Japan-occupied Korea, until he was adopted into the Momota family as a child in order to undergo sumo training.  To avoid the strong discrimination against Koreans at the time, he claimed that he was born in Omura, Nagasaki, and his name was Momota Mitsuhiro.  He continued to use this name even after the Momota family had disowned him.  As a sumo wrestler, he was given the ring name "Rikidouzan", composed of kanji meaning 'strength', 'the way' (as in Taoism), and 'mountain'.  In his career as a sumo wrestler, he fought in twenty-three tournaments, with 135 wins and 82 losses, while achieving the third highest rank, sekiwaki.

In 1950, Rikidouzan gave up sumo.  While he cited financial reasons, the discrimination against Koreans could also have influenced his decision.  The next year, he made his professional wrestling debut in a ten minute draw against Bobby Bruns, the three-time holder of the MWA World Heavyweight Championship.  After this impressive debut, Rikidouzan skyrocketed to fame in Japan by beating one American wrestler after another.  When his American opponents came to Japan, they would assist him by portraying themselves as evil villains who cheated in their matches; in return, Rikidouzan would be booked as a villain when he wrestled in America.

Rikidouzan's fame grew, and so did a mutual respect with professional wrestler Lou Thesz.  In October of 1957, the two men fought a sixty-minute draw, which would become one of the top ten rated television programs of all time in Japan.  A month later, Lou Thesz would become the first man to hold the National Wrestling Alliance's International Heavyweight Championship.

Rikidouzan gained worldwide renown when he defeated Lou Thesz for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship, in August of 1958.  Lou Thesz sacrificed his own reputation to put Rikidouzan over, and it was an honor that Rikidouzan never forgot.  Rikidouzan would hold that title for the next five years.

In December of 1963, Rikidouzan was stabbed while partying in a Tokyo nightclub.  While he threw out the gangster who had attacked him, he refused medical attention and returned to the party.  An infection set in, and a week later, Rikidouzan died.

Though the Father of Puroresu was gone, his legacy would live on.  In his lifetime, Rikidouzan trained some of the men who would become legends of Puroresu; Giant Baba, Ooki Kintaro, and Antonio Inoki.  Inoki would pioneer the Japanese "Hard Style" of wrestling and go on to found New Japan Pro Wrestling, one of the largest promotions in Japan.  New Japan Pro Wrestling would become the home of many famous Japanese wrestlers, and also provide a stage for foreign wrestlers such as Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, Ric Flair, Owen Hart, and many more.  Even today, at age 60, Rikidouzan's son Momota Mitsuo continues to wrestle in the Pro Wrestling NOAH promotion.  Though Mitsuo never reached the height of fame his father enjoyed, he has been called Rikidouzan Jr, and the memory of what his father did for professional wrestling in Japan will not soon be forgotten.