NJPWは世界の架け橋 (A Bridge of NJPW to the World)

プロレスファンの夫婦がプロレスの魅力を日本語と英語でわかりやすく発信するブログ

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The 6th Match: History of Pro-Wrestling for beginners. (NJPW ‘70s – ‘80s)

Buenas noches!

Hi, I’m Choro. (^^)!

 

There are only 2 weeks left this year.

We will have Tokyo Olympic in 2020 but New year is more important for us! Lots of big matches are held during New year season and NJPW is not the only promotion doing this but other promotions also. We can say New year is the most exciting season for pro-wrestling fans!

 

I am going to explain you Japan’s pro-wrestling history.

Today’s lesson is about ‘70s- ‘80s. (we call this time “Showa era”)

 

In my previous article, I told you that pro-wrestling is fighting sports but also a drama. It is certainly exciting to see matches itself but, if you know the reason why this match was arranged, you will definitely enjoy it more.

 

NJPW was established in 1972 and is the oldest promotion.

The founder is Antonio Inoki who broke away from Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance. He is famous for a phrase, “1, 2, 3, daah!”

In the beginning, he struggled to organize it and was in danger of bankruptcy several times. However, he arranged matches with champions of other fighting sports such as boxing and Judo based on his belief, “Pro-wrestling is the strongest sports”

Within these several matches, one of Muhammad Ali’s, legendary champion of boxing heavy weight, was not forgettable one.

During late 70’s to early 80’s, 3 new stars were born. Inoki and those 3 made NJPW grew up big.

The first star is Tastumi Fujinami. He established a genre of Junior heavy weight in pro-wrestling. He was a highly skilled wrestler and created some of techniques you might have heard - Dragon Suplex, Dragon screw and so on.

Before his appearance, main images of wrestler were big and scary. He changed those images in good way by his good-looking and buff bodies with less fat. As he earned lots of woman fans, we sometimes liken him to the first idol wrestler. 

 

The second star is Riki Choshu. He was an elite wrestler and recruited by NJPW as an Olympic athlete of armature wrestling. He later fought against Tastumi Fujinami as a revolutionary fighter, Inoki for generational change and participated in other promotion’s match. Scorpion Deathlock was his technique, and his Lariat was better than anyone.

He made great impacts on pro-wrestling. Until his appearance, matches were mainly arranged with Japanese wrestlers vs. international wrestlers but he changed it and Japanese wrestlers’ matches are now common. He also created a stable and even developed two Platoons. He broke seniority rules, one aspects of Japanese culture and stood on top of the pro-wrestling. He proved that age was just a number and importance is real ability and popularity. This grabbed the interests of business-man who had been struggling with the seniority rules.

 

The third star is Tiger Mask. Current Tiger Mask is 4th generation. The first generation was very athletic and the most popular wrestler in the history. His popularity was more than Inoki, Fujinami and Choshu.

Now, junior heavy weight wrestlers such as Will Ospreay and Hiromu Takahashi perform like super humans, but Tiger Mask had been doing just as good as them or more in 40years ago.

 

I roughly summarized Showa era pro-wrestling and there are more I would like to talk but I’m done for the day.

 

 Next article will be late 80’s to 90’s.

 

Let’s call it a day!

SEE YOU NEXT TIME!