(TIGER MASK/SAYAMA) Emergency Alarm
1st April 1986 Weekly Pro (Issue No 136) For Sayama, "Tiger Mask" was merely a step along the path toward pursuing authentic martial arts. He had accepted the role and performed it to his own satisfaction, but...what did Sayama say about the emergency? The popularity of professional wrestling has been declining compared to the momentum it had a few years ago. Why has it fallen? That is an important question for us. The days of complacency are over. The alarm bells are still ringing. New Japan: Once a Treasure Trove of Talent Here are two men. One reached the pinnacle of amateur wrestling, while the other rose to the top of professional wrestling. They shared one thing in common: both hailed from Yamaguchi Prefecture. They both joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling and became professional wrestlers. At the time they entered the promotion, Antonio Inoki was at the peak of his career. Most people who knocked on the dojo's door did so out of admiration or respect for Inoki. At th...
