(ALL JAPAN) Dressing Room

Weekly Pro

26th February 1985 (Issue No.81)

▽...The Road Warriors are exploding in popularity. Coincidentally, on Saturday the 9th, TV Tokyo's "World Pro Wrestling" will feature the Warriors in a major segment. TV Tokyo took advantage of this good timing to aim for a significant increase in viewership. It was welcomed by pro wrestling fans in the Tokyo metropolitan area as a brilliant hit, a first in a long time.

The program has also become a fixture in recent years. This means that pro wrestling fans watching from home are enjoying a total of three hours of pro wrestling coverage on both Friday and Saturday.

▽...With spring break approaching, the All Japan Pro Wrestling front office is busy supporting various events. It seems that the popularity of four wrestlers - G. Baba, J. Tsuruta, Tenryu, and Tiger Mask - is on the rise. There have also been offers from Brody and Stan Hansen, and those involved are busy coordinating schedules.

▽...Wrestlers who are outstanding in terms of strength, technique and stamina. They are like modern-day versions of "Kintaro-san." Among the wrestlers of All Japan Pro Wrestling, everyone has taken notice of the power of Mr. Ito, who is currently training in the United States. Now based in Tennessee, Masao Ito is a strong man who is committed to rough, tough fighting.

Note: Masao Ito was a former sumo wrestler. He quit sumo in 1966, and joined Japan Pro in 1972. The promotion collapsed in April 1973. After that he joined All Japan. Despite the glowing report above, by 1981 he was working the mid car. By 1984, he had returned to America and All Japan never asked him to return. The reason is not known, but it may have been due to the fact that it in 1986 he dropped out of sight. In 2016, Kendo Nagasaki and The Great Kabuki revealed that Ito had become a chef at a Japanese restaurant in Montreal.

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