(ALL JAPAN) "Backing up Baba's independence..." The first step in professional wrestling: ideal conditions for All Japan Pro Wrestling success
(December 1972)
Giant Baba's first event, which he launched with the aim of creating the "ideal pro wrestling*," got off to a better start than expected, proving that he remains the most popular wrestler in Japanese wrestling. However, this was not just due to his popularity with fans, but also to the support of Rikidozan's surviving family, the Momotas, the gift of the "golden belt" signifying Rikidozan's succession, as well as many other successes on the management side, such as cooperation with International Pro Wrestling and the invitation of top foreign wrestlers.
The bond between the Momota family and Baba, who reciprocated with gratitude. Rikidozan's two children will join him to help out.
It's already been nine years since Rikidozan's sudden death. It goes without saying that Rikidozan was the father of Japanese wrestling, and a great hero who was once known as the "demon of professional wrestling." Today's young wrestlers may not understand Rikidozan's incredible fighting spirit, as they have never seen him fight or even met him in person. However, it is impossible to talk about Japanese professional wrestling without mentioning him.
"It's been nine years already, hasn't it? They say ten years is a long time, but I still believe in Rikidozan as if it were just yesterday. I can't forget that powerful image. I love pro wrestling, so I still watch it a lot, but for some reason, Rikidozan's matches overlap with the real ones. Frankly, the matches these days no longer have the same flavor as they did in Rikidozan's time. There are four promotions in the small world of Japanese wrestling...but what's going on? No matter what happens, they are still Rikidozan's disciples, and they all ate from the same pot. Why don't they feel like they should join forces and carry on Rikidozan's legacy?"
This is the recollection of one veteran fan. It's certainly true: Japan's wrestling scene is currently in the midst of a "warring states period," and is in chaos.
At this very moment, big news was announced that caught the attention of pro wrestling fans. The news came from Giant Baba's All Japan Pro Wrestling, which is about to depart* so it caused quite a stir.
This is an extremely surprising fact and a shocking statement for Rikidozan fans. However, there are many witnesses to this, and it is clear from the fact that Japan Pro Wrestling actually settled the case by paying 20 million yen to the Momota family.
So why did the Momota family - the Rikidozan family, which could be called the "head family of Japanese wrestling" - become associated with the up-and-coming promotion, All Japan? Let's listen to the explanation from Rikidozan's eldest son, Yoshihiro. "To be honest, after my father, Rikidozan, passed away, we were forced to live a difficult life due to various issues. It wasn't Japan Pro Wrestling that helped us at that time, but Giant Baba. He helped the Momota family in every way, both emotionally and financially. So when Baba-san told us that he was going to carry on the wishes of his late teacher and start a new promotion, to realize his ideal of professional wrestling, the Momota family decided to fully cooperate. This was the unanimous decision of the Momota family, with not a single person opposed."
As Yoshihiro says, the Momota family's support is clearly evident. First, Rikidozan's widow, Keiko, and Yoshihiro joined All Japan Pro Wrestling as directors, and at the same time, Yoshihiro took on his first major role as ring announcer. Rikidozan's second son, Mitsuo, continued training even after leaving All Japan Pro Wrestling, and quickly became a wrestler. He's still just an opening act, but he's already garnering popularity among fans with his dynamic fighting style, befitting the "second generation of Rikidozan." As his eldest son, Yoshihiro, called out, "Red corner, Momota..." Mitsuo Momota dashed in. They exchanged glances, "Good luck," and "Older brother, do your best..." This strange brotherly love will surely move old fans to tears, making them think, "Oh, if only Rikidozan were still alive..."
The beloved trump card: the golden belt
These tangible and intangible benefits alone are extremely empowering for Baba's All Japan, as they forge ahead on the thorny path before them.
But that's not all.
At the last moment, the Momota family gave another big present, which could be considered a trump card.
It was decided that the golden championship belt, which had been kept as a Momota family heirloom. would be presented to All Japan.
A symbol of the glory that the late Rikidozan had built in one generation... to possess this priceless treasure...this was a joy that Baba could not have hoped for.
When Baba received the belt soaked in the blood and sweat of his late master, Rikidozan, All Japan Pro Wrestling was simultaneously given the label of being the legitimate successor to Rikidozan Pro Wrestling. In today's wrestling, where easy title matches are rampant, Baba's character can be seen in the fact that he is willing to put such an orthodox idea into practice.
He defeated five of the world's strongest wrestlers to win the golden belt for the first time.
He established a new title and became Rikidozan's successor in both name and reality.
Rikidozan's golden belt was presented to All Japan Pro Wrestling with the full cooperation of the Momota family. The presentation and unveiling took place on October 20th in the White Pearl Room of the Hilton Hotel, prior to the big party celebrating the launch of All Japan Pro Wrestling.
Baba couldn't help but express his joy, but his words were unexpectedly subdued.
"I'm so happy... I want to put this belt around my waist, step into the ring right now, and call myself champion. It's a belt of great value that Rikidozan Sensei obtained after so much hardship. But I thought carefully about the meaning of this belt and the position I'm in now. I've come to the conclusion that I shouldn't wear it right now. This belt was given to All Japan, and it doesn't belong to me personally. If that's the case, I have to win it with my own hands. In a way that satisfies the fans. That's what I realized."
As expected of Baba, a talented wrestler that Japanese wrestling is proud of, what he says makes sense. Baba has taken on the treasure that is Rikidozan's belt, but at the same time, it comes with great responsibility and obligation.
Indeed, Baba is currently "uncrowned" and unarmed, as he relinquished both the International Singles and Tag Team Championships he held when he left Japan Pro to become independent. In other words, Baba lost the championships without losing a single match. If he had retired, it would be a different story, but Baba is still a fully-fledged active wrestler. For that reason, it is not surprising that he would feel like "I want to put on this belt right now and become champion..." However, that would not make sense. Certainly, the belt, which is Rikidozan's great legacy, is wonderful and valuable. However, it is ultimately a championship belt, not the championship belt. Baba must have realized that while it has the form of a belt, there is no "championship" in it, and that is why he made the statement that he wanted it to be in a way that would satisfy the fans. So, how exactly will Baba make this belt his own? As part of his plan to do so, Baba first declared that he would "fight five strong opponents.". He made a truly tragic resolve. "Once I defeat five world-class opponents that I've carefully selected and that fans will agree on, I'll be able to wear this belt and call myself champion. Frankly, this belt belongs to no one. If I were to lose this championship, I'd be willing to hand it over to that wrestler. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to repay my late master. Anyway, I have no choice but to risk my life to win this belt..."
Baba is daring to challenge himself in a "handicap race."
Baba has to defeat five strong opponents to get the belt, but if his opponent beats him, he could take the belt from him immediately...This was a great strategy, and the big race took place as early as the first match of the opening Giant Series.
Defeating Funk, and opening the first gate
On October 22nd, in front of a crowd of over 6,000 people at Nihon University Auditorium in Ryogoku, Tokyo, Baba faced off in a fierce one-on-one battle with former WWWF World Heavyweight Champion "Human Power Plant" Bruno Sammartino. This was the first round of the battle for the golden belt. Of the six foreign wrestlers who came to Japan for the first series, Baba selected Bruno Sammartino and Terry Funk to compete for the belt. These two were undisputed favorites in terms of popularity, ability, and career.
The first match was against Sammartino.
The two rivals, with a long history of rivalry, engaged in a truly heated battle. In the first round, Baba's 32-mon Human Rocket Launcher self-destructed, putting Sammartino in the lead. Baba took the second round back, tying the score at 1-1. In the final, Sammartino successfully applied a reverse bearhug and Baba was on the brink of a crisis, but he kicked the corner post at the last moment and reversed the result with a pinfall. However, this was a rare double fall, and since both of Baba's shoulders were on the ground after pinning Sammartino, referee Joe Higuchi took simultaneous action and declared the match a no contest, and this commonplace match of the century ended in a 1-1 draw, with no clear winner.
Baba and Terry Funk clashed on the night of October 30th at the Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium in Nagoya. It was another fiercely heated battle between the "Giant" and the "Bronco."
On the first day, Terry took the lead with a powerful spinning leglock. However, Baba, as expected, was stubborn, and in the second match, he again fell prey to the fearsome move, but managed to turn the tables with a cobra twist at the last moment. This was a perfect execution, tying the score.
Baba, who was a step head with his intelligent strategy, put on a truly impressive performance in the third bout. He lulled Terry into a false start with a deadly brainbuster, then used his massive 145kg body to turn the tables for the win, defeating Terry 2-1 and breaking through the "First Round."
With this, Baba now has a record of a draw with Sammartino and a 2-1 victory over Terry.
Regarding the outcome of the fight with Sammartino, Baba himself said, "It's probably not possible in this series. Depending on the situation, I could go to America and do it, or it's also possible that Sammartino would come to Japan again."
Following this first series, Baba is determined to once again face two strong opponents in the second series, which begins on December 2nd. The names that have been mentioned as candidates are undisputedly, he Destroyer and Abdullah the Butcher. Destroyer is a former WWA World Champion and a highly regarded talent. Butcher also currently holds the NWF World Championship, so his prowess goes without saying. It's a rough road for Baba, but he must overcome it to win the prize belt.
According to reports, Baba will travel to the US around November 11th after the first series ends, and will travel around the country until late November. During this time, he is expected to settle things with Sammartino and then openly challenge a fifth opponent. Baba said quietly but full of fighting spirit, "I'm not particularly in a rush, but I'd like to get the title and the championship belt before the end of the year, if possible, and start the new year with it. I'll do my best anyway."
To be honest, the name of the title hasn't even been decided yet, but Baba is moving forward towards a title that is worthy to be won.
They agreed to realize the ideal of international participation, not loans. The cooperation between the two parties began with the Sugiyama trade.
Giant Baba's All Japan Pro Wrestling got off to a smooth start, starting with the pre-event party at Tokyo's Machida City Gymnasium on October 21st and the first show at the Nihon University Auditorium on the 22nd. The promotion has been performing better than expected in terms of attendance numbers, fan popularity, and viewership on Nippon Television, which broadcasts to 28 stations nationwide.
This is in part due to the efforts of Giant Baba, who serves as the company's flagship wrestler and also spearheads the team as president, but we cannot overlook the efforts of the affiliated wrestlers and staff who are giving their all to support Baba.
And one more thing that cannot be overlooked is the cooperation of rival promotion International Pro Wrestling, so when Baba said to him, "Why don't you come and try your luck at our company?" it's no wonder that Sugiyama was immediately interested.
In the Japanese wrestling world, where four promotions are competing, International Pro Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling were sworn rivals, and it was highly unthinkable that the two would cooperate with each other. However, Giant Baba's "insight" in striving to create his ideal form of pro wrestling and the "wise decision" of President Isao Yoshihara, who founded International Pro Wrestling with the aim of realizing his ideal form of pro wrestling even earlier than Baba, were brilliantly brought together by an invisible thread.
Baba's decision to set his sights on Thunder Sugiyama of International Pro Wrestling was a brilliant move. To be honest, Sugiyama had somewhat lost his opportunity to shine there. Going back to the beginning, Sugiyama was once coached by Baba during his time in Japanese professional wrestling. However, Sugiyama was a star on the international wrestling mat, so things weren't going to happen that easily. But with just one word, "That's fine," it was President Yoshihara who made the bold decision from a broad-minded perspective. Baba once coached Sugiyama during his Japan pro days. However, Sugiyama had no desire to become a star on the International wrestling stage.
But with a simple "That's fine," President Yoshihara made the bold decision based on a broader perspective.
It wasn't so easy to do.
But, when Yoshihara learned that Baba's All Japan Pro was short of wrestlers, he showed a clear willingness to cooperate, willingly lending out two of his wrestlers, Murasaki and Tsurumi. Given these circumstances, when rumors began to spread that Baba would be making a special appearance in an International Pro Wrestling match, some people said, "That was in return for borrowing a wrestler. Baba borrowed a wrestler from International with the promise that he would participate himself."
However, it's not that simple. In fact, both Baba and Yoshihara have categorically denied it. So what is the reason? The only thing I can think of is that the two men share a common ideal for professional wrestling. "Of course, people will say all sorts of things. But I don't have such petty thoughts as, "I owed you something, and I've repaid you now". My goal in participating in International Pro Wrestling is to make the fans happy. That's my goal. The pro wrestling world needs to be more forward-looking from now on."
This is what Baba said, and President Yoshihara completely agrees.
Possibility of a joint event
In any case, Baba will be making special appearances in two matches at International Pro Wrestling's Big Winter Series in Tokyo and Mito.
This is a big gift for International Pro Wrestling fans, and it's likely that this kind of cooperative approach will continue in the future. "Depending on the circumstances, it may be possible in the near future for both promotions to merge and hold an event. If that becomes a way to provide service to the fans, then wouldn't that be a good thing...?" President Yoshihara said. This is certainly a major step forward, and it could be the first step toward creating an ideal model of coexistence and prosperity in our world of pro wrestling, a time of warring states that threatens to destroy both sides.
The foreign wrestlers for the next series, chosen for their "quality over quantity" approach, are Destroyer and Butcher, the rivals for the belt.
All Japan Pro Wrestling's opening, the first of it's kind, the "Giant Series", has far exceeded expectations and has been met with positive reviews.
The driving force behind this success is, without a doubt, the impressive lineup of foreign wrestlers, carefully selected with an emphasis on "quality over quantity." The lineup for the second Giant Series, which begins on December 2nd, is also a more casual one, with only six wrestlers, but each one has their own unique characteristics, so there's plenty to see.
Naturally, the two main wrestlers are are the "white-masked demon king" The Destroyer and the dark sorcerer Abdullah the Butcher. The Destroyer is a well-known superstar, so there's no need to reveal his true identity. He's visited Japan over a dozen times and knows the Japanese wrestling scene inside and out. He has a deep connection with Baba, and they have fought many deadly battles in the past over the WWA World Championship and the International Championship. While he's not particularly large as a wrestler, his speedy movements and sharp moves make him the best in the world. Recently, he has been calling himself Doctor X in AWA, and is showing his determination to defeat Gagne for the world title. As he is he is coming to the US and Japan with a burning desire to "defeat Baba," we can expect a very heated battle.
As for Butcher, fans have surely had plenty of experience of his incredible talent during his two previous visits to Japan. He is currently the NWF World Heavyweight Champion, and is even bigger in scale than Destroyer. Frankly, he doesn't have any flashy poetic techniques like Destroyer's figure-four leg lock, but his body itself is a "human development machine", so to speak, and contains terrifying power. To put it bluntly, he is the roughest of the world champions. This type of opponent is a tough one for Baba, and he has suffered many painful defeats in the past.
Following these two will be another talented wrestler, Cyclone Negro.
Until now, he has come to Japan under the name Caribs Hurricane as a masked wrestler, and it goes without saying that he is a talented wrestler. He once fought a fierce, long-running bout with Baba, and is known for his tenacious fighting style. He's a versatile fighter, adept at both rough and tough moves, and is known as a world-class master of the brainbuster. As the current Latin American Heavyweight Champion, it will be interesting to see what kind of fight he puts on.
Rufus Jones is also interesting. When he first came to Japan under the name Buster Lloyd, he was still a rookie with a youthful streak and simply charged forward as if a bullfight, but the Jones of today is completely different.
"Returning from Japan brings success," he's truly lived up to the saying, and has now grown into a respected main eventer in the Midwest. He challenged NWA World Heavyweight Champion Dory Funk Jr. at the NWA headquarters, Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, so his talent is the real deal. He has all the elements: speed, stamina, and technique, and he's young and powerful. If they were to team up with Butcher*, the Japanese wrestlers would be in trouble.
The remaining two, Karl von Steiger and Moose Morowski, have also visited Japan. Many will remember when the Steiger brothers came to Japan, but they were small but powerful fighters, while Morowski is large and powerful.
He came to Japan under the name of Doctor Death or Stan the Moose with International Pro Wrestling. His rush, which makes the most of his large frame with, is outstanding. Looking at these six wrestlers, they are a truly unique bunch. It will likely be a truly painful road to death for the undermanned Japanese wrestlers.
And there is another big challenge waiting for Baba.
That is, the battle for the golden belt, which saw Baba fight against Bruno Sammartino and Terry Funk in the opening Giant Series, will continue once again in this series. From the foreign fighters' side, Destroyer and Butcher will undoubtedly be the obvious choices. How Baba will fight against these two and how close he will get to winning the golden belt will be a very interesting topic for fans.
Good news! Baba's successor, Tsuruta, is introduced.
That man's name is Tomomi Tsuruta.
Needless to say, he was an active member of the Japanese amateur wrestling team at the Munich Olympics and in the Greco-Roman mixed martial arts over 100kg category. At 21 years old, he is 195cm tall and weighs 25kg, an incredible physique, and his master Baba has high expectations for him, saying, "He has a great body. Plus, he comes from amateur wrestling so he has a solid foundation. However, there is a shortage of manpower right now, so forcing him to step onto the professional mat straight away is not the path to success, so I would like to have him train intensively in America for a year or so, and develop him into a big star who will carry the next generation on his shoulders."
Notes
"Ideal pro wrestling": Sound familiar? Misawa used a very similar line when leaving All Japan to create Noah
"Depart": Just like Noah, the kanji used was for "setting sail".
Hilton Hotel: The Beatles stayed here when they visited Japan in the 1960s. Baba would use it as his base for interviews and press conferences. The building no longer exists, having been torn down in November 2006.
Tag with Butcher: Weekly Pro called their theoretical tag as being like an "odd couple". However, the phrase does not translate well as it means a dysfunctional but not so dysfunctional team.
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