19st of Jap Brawn Routs Judo Science

Coventry Evening Telegraph 

Wednesday 16th March 1955

 KODOKAN, the cultural headquarters of judo, is apprehensive that the celebrated Japanese art of self-defence is on the decline - mainly as a result of the recent spectacular success of American all-in wrestling. 

 If this theory is correct, the man who must take the most blame is a 19st. Japanese wrestler named Rikidozan, who has won fame overnight. 

 Rikidozan (which means "Powerful Way Mountain") was once a judo man himself, but he deserted science to wrestle a tough team of American all-in wrestlers and defeated them at their own game. 

TV SUCCESS

 He has become Japan's first and only professional wrestling champion and is travelling to America to battle for the world championship. 

 On Japanese television, his bulky, bullet-headed figure had become a kicking, gouging, bone cracking symbol of Japanese sporting triumph. 

 He is cheered in the streets as he roars past red inter section-lights, wedged tightly into his immaculate cream Jaguar. A sort of Oriental Tony Galento, he roughs up dancers in Tokio's night cabarets, blocks traffic as he jogs around the Imperial Palace on work-outs, trains on sake and beer, and is reputed to eat 31b of raw beef and six raw eggs a day. 

CRUSHED THE EXPERTS

 Now Rikidozan has become publicly to deride judo and to prove his argument, has twice defeated leading Japanese exponents. 

 Masahiko Kimura, the polished all-Japan judo champion, was carried from the ring with a dislocated shoulder. 

 Toshio Yamaguchi, celebrated master of a thousand holds, crawled white-faced under the ropes in the third round with several broken ribs. 

 "Judo's a century behind the times" Rikidozan scornfully declares. 

 "It's only a Geisha frolic - not even a loosening-up sport for old men now."

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