Antonio Inoki (Part 4): International Wrestling Grand Prix

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Music.
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Hey everyone, welcome back to another edition of Write That Down.
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I'm your host Justin Nipper, I'm editor at FightGameMedia.com,
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staff writer at WrestlingObserver.com, F4WOnline.com, and I'll be joined shortly
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by my co-host, Japan's leading pro wrestling author, historian,
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broadcast journalist, the one and only Mr. Fumi Saito.
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So, you've made it to part four. Part four of our profile series on Antonio Noki has arrived.
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Today's show picks up where we left off last time During the mid-1970s, 1974, 1975,
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1976 We're going to kind of start around 1974 Yet again,
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go even deeper into Inoki's career And we're going to finish today's episode
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around 1985 During his career On this episode,
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we went over the nature of The New Japan and WWF relationship The business relationship
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that they had between Antonio Inoki and Vince McMahon Sr.
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And we're going to talk about how Giant Baba and Bruno San Martino and superstar
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Billy Graham all fit into that picture at the time.
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We also did a little deathmatch trivia involving Inoki and Lumanosu Gaweda,
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before we dived deep into Inoki's pretty famous, pretty well-known rivalry with
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Bob Ackland for the WWF World Heavyweight title, which he won.
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He did win it in Tokushima 1979.
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This happened. We talk about that too. We talk about the very dense and somewhat
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convoluted explanation of Inoki winning the title and then vacating the title,
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even though it was never recognized in North America.
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We'll get into that.
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We also cover not cover but we
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really talk about how important the japanese print media was
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during that time too and how important it
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was in spinning the angle to the japanese fan base because there were two different
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sets of realities you could say in japan for the japanese fan base and for uh
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in the states for what was going on in the states and what the fans were told
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and what the fans weren't told.
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Before the end of today's episode, we also talked about Inoki's rivalry with
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Stan Hansen and we also talked quite a bit about his storied history with Mr. Hulk Hogan.
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We talked about the infamous 1983 IWGP finals match between Inoki and Hogan
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and the controversial finish of,
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I also asked, and it's worth thinking about, did Hulkamania really start in
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Tokyo or did it start in New York?
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Listen to the episode and then decide for yourself. Okay, so next week, tune in for part five.
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It's going to be our final episode. We're going to talk about a lot of Yoki's
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late career and late 80s, into the 90s, what he did to wrestling in the late
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90s, early 2000s, what he did outside of pro wrestling at that time too.
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It's going to be another action-packed, very interesting episode That's for next week.
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Also, one announcement If you have questions for me or for Fumi It could be
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about anything It could be about a topic that we've talked about recently or in the past Or anything,
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Apropos of nothing Email me, justinnipper, K-N-I-P-P-E-R, at gmail.com, okay?
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Fumi and I are going to do a bonus question and answer episode for the Fight Game Media Patreon.
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So if you have something you'd like to ask for me, send me an email.
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We'll get it set up, and we're going to do a special question-and-answer-only
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show exclusively for the Fight Game Media Network Patreon.
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You can only listen to that if you are a patron.
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And if you already are a patron, thanks for being a patron, and you will have
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some bonus material coming your way very soon.
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So enough of me babbling. Let's get into some Antonio Inoki talk.
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Hello from Burbank. Hello from Tokyo.
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Okay, part four, Antonio Inoki Legacy today. We left off talking about WWE, WWWF, excuse me.
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Late 70s at the time, Antonio Inoki was involved. Man Senior was involved.
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Bob Backlund and Antonio Inoki had a series of matches And it led to some pretty
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big news in the late 70s, early 80s Yeah,
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But let's kind of recap what we talked about last week around 1974 is what we
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really focused on in the mid-70s. Okay.
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Vince McMahon Sr.
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Came to Japan and announced a new partnership with New Japan Pro Wrestling, of course, at the time.
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So he became the business partner. So Inoki finally had this strong connection
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with a major company in America.
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Up until then, Inoki had, you know, Koro Gatch, you know, as a book,
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you know, not a match booker, but the booker, booking talent,
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you know, they were bringing Koro Gatch's connection,
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friends, wrestlers from, like, from places in Florida or Koro Gatch's friends
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or the wrestlers from Europe or some wrestlers from Montreal,
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Tiger Gich Sing, of course, and Rugeot's people from Montreal. For Nick Levy.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah. Billy Robinson. Yeah, Jack Rugeot.
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Or you had Raymond Rugeot before he was famous as a WWE tag team.
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And yeah, those people were here.
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And yeah, and Maguire twins, of course, was an attraction.
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And Japanese against Japanese. Japanese superstar against Japanese superstar
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was a strong card for New Japan. Whereas Jan Baba always had all the superstars
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from America. And we talked about that last time.
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And the first WWF Worldwide Wrestling Federation champion who came to New Japan
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was not Bob Ackerman. Actually, it was Superstar Billy Graham.
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Yeah. It was 1978.
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February of 1978.
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It was at the Nippon Budokan Big Show for New Japan. the double main event.
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It was Anthony Inoki against Umanosuke Ueda, the five-inch nail deathmatch thing, if you remember.
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There was, you know, like a plywood with his five-inch nail sticking out and
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all around the ringside area.
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That if you fell from the ring, you die kind of thing.
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Like decades later, yes, people like Mr. Danger, Mr.
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Mitsuhiro Matsunaga against Leatherface, they actually went down to this five-inch
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nail mat and it was a deathmatch thing.
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But the very first, it's almost like a useless trivia,
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but the five-inch nail, the dangerous-looking
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deathmatch were introduced by umanosuke ueda it
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was inoki against him at the budokan and double feature
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was superstar billy graham as a champion and challenger was sakaguchi
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and it was more like introducing wwf champion into new japan ring and it was
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amazing because three years prior to that 1975 bruno san martino was brought
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in by giant barber and john barber and bruno san martino had very first.
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WWF title match in Japan.
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And that was, of course, you know, double count out. But the affiliate,
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you know, the business partnership was announced and like myself as a kid fan
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was excited, you know, because John Bob always had this strong connection with
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NWA, National Wrestling Alliance and AWA.
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People like Vern Garnier, Nick Bakunenko, all these, you know, AWA star would come in.
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Inok didn't have, you know, strong affiliate with american major
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company so it was really exciting that
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the one chance like i said channel 10 tv asahi
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inoki's new japan channel 4 ntv nippon
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tv all japan pro wrestling janet babble's company is like
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you have two network doing two different wrestling you know major company and
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broadcasted on prime time every week so we had two different kind in two different
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wrestling and bob always all kinds of American superstars you really read on magazines.
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Inoki didn't. But this time, yes, the partnership became strong and all the
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WWWF superstars started coming in.
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That was an exciting time. And for the record, in Japan, it was announced that
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the name of the company was changed from WWWF to just WWF.
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It was March of 1979.
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As a record yeah what i found
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pretty i guess you could say now it's unprecedented but the time you mentioned
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bruno sammartino having a match with giant baba despite the deal that you talked
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about earlier that enoki had with wwf what was interesting is though that the
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spring of 1974 vince mcmahon.
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Came to japan and shook hands with antony nok in the ring and made that made
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an announcement that they're becoming a partner and that very same month giant
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baba himself uh got on the plane and went to new york and worked madison square
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garden show just to find out what the deal was.
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Yeah then that 1974 spring jan baba made very very rare appearance first time in 10 years 1974,
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Baba had a single match against Gorilla Monsoon Madison Square Garden it was
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very political because John Baba had to find out, you know, because,
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McMahon family and Baba were friends then, so, but the deal was made that,
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New York superstar, you know, started coming in and, but still,
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Baba himself had to fly himself over to New York Madison Square Garden to find
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out what the deal was but the deal was already made, I think,
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The thing is, though, that TVS in New Japan paid a certain amount of money to
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become a partner with WWF at the time,
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whereas Giant Baba, with all the American NWA promoter affiliates,
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they never really paid money to book talent.
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It was more of a Giant Baba did a real old-fashioned handshake deal that Baba
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promised a certain amount of money to book American talent and come to Japan and make money.
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And the amount he promised was paid always.
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Then American wrestler would go home very happily ever after, something like that.
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But it was against Baba's idea to pay American company an annual amount to be the partner.
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But the business is business, I guess. that basically Inoki came in and got
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the deal with Vince McMahon Sr. and became partners.
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He needed that at the time. Are you following me?
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Yeah. So Baba wanted an equal business relationship with everyone else,
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whereas Inoki was just going a different route.
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Exclusively, yeah. Because Vince McMahon Sr.'s WWE was a place where they rotate
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all the superstars, 90-day turnaround.
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If you remember, one challenger come in to challenge your WWF champion and you
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challenge at Madison Square Garden and probably the first title match, they go over.
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The challenger would go over on count-out or something. The second match,
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no contest. And third match, the climb match.
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Max so usually three months deal with
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at the madison square garden that's your premier card then
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you go on the road like road show to go to boston or philadelphia or
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washington dc or exact almost like exact same
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card like i'm i'm talking about billy you
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know billy graham against middle maskers or billy
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billy graham against dusty rose billy graham against
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bob backland bob back wins the title and as
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the billy graham challenge him again and
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they go on the road and have like a 50 other times
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it was like a road show but uh madison square
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garden in wwfd was that new challenger
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coming every 90 days or so so you have
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all the new challenger remember as a kid like every
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90 days period that the new challenger coming
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and challenged bob background and after that program they
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would all fly to japan and work new japan that's right
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yeah yeah that was the pattern that was the cycle.
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Yeah so that it worked so perfectly and
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that the deal was made and it was
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1978 actually was that
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a january of 1978 bob back and finally beat superstar
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billy graham to become a champion and it was the time young tatsumi fujinami
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introduced a new division you know junior heavyweight title it wasn't so much
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in america but it was really big deal in in japan that young Fujinami, 24 years at the time.
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He came back to Japan as a superstar.
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He became, you know, WWF junior heavyweight champion, world champion.
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And made debut, you know, new debut in Japan, and became number two right underneath Anthony Inoki.
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It was a big deal. And it was like winning a championship at Madison Square
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Garden with, you know, with Four
00:14:25.124 --> 00:14:30.104
Nelson Dragon Suplex. and it was like the star was born type of thing.
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Music.
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And only four months after Bob Backlund beat Billy Graham to become the new WWF champion,
00:15:39.056 --> 00:15:49.556
Bob Backlund came to Japan in this June of 1978 and had WWF title and NWF,
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you know, kids championship,
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NWF title, double title match was held at the Budokan. It was the first meeting.
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There were three title match that year, 1978.
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Oh, I remember this clearly because the first title match I went there live, you know.
00:16:04.196 --> 00:16:10.136
Oh. And yeah, because it was NWF and WWF double title match, right?
00:16:10.436 --> 00:16:15.716
And I went over there with more innocent, you know, wrestling fan friend.
00:16:15.716 --> 00:16:20.156
And my friends were hoping that Inoki will get two titles, right?
00:16:20.576 --> 00:16:27.096
But I was more of a reading, magazine reading oriented fan by then that I knew
00:16:27.096 --> 00:16:28.656
title wasn't going to change hands.
00:16:29.496 --> 00:16:35.256
How old were you by this time i was in college 10th grade yeah yeah 10th grade
00:16:35.256 --> 00:16:41.656
so you knew the deal yeah but 10th grade 16 year old but i've been reading well
00:16:41.656 --> 00:16:45.756
i read all the wrestling magazines you know by then and you know back to back
00:16:45.756 --> 00:16:48.336
and twice and you know pretty much i was the.
00:16:49.276 --> 00:16:53.396
Doctor professional pro wrestling in school you know but you always have more
00:16:53.396 --> 00:16:56.416
innocent wrestling fan friends right because they believe that the title will
00:16:56.416 --> 00:16:57.696
change hands in japan and,
00:16:58.576 --> 00:17:04.556
Well, right when you hear NWF and WWWF double title match, you had to sense
00:17:04.556 --> 00:17:06.696
that, no, title wasn't going to change hands.
00:17:07.116 --> 00:17:13.556
Sure enough, it was the first meeting of Antonio Nokia and new champion Bob Backlund.
00:17:13.836 --> 00:17:17.336
And Bob Backlund was a very ideal wrestler for the Japanese market because he
00:17:17.336 --> 00:17:20.456
is a clean-cut athlete and really wrestles.
00:17:20.616 --> 00:17:24.096
And it's more like a Kuro Gachi, Billy Robinson type image. You know what I'm saying?
00:17:24.656 --> 00:17:27.496
Yeah i was going to ask what was the fan reaction or
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reception to backland compared to the other
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foreigners at the time oh like not like tiger
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g sing you know the complete heel it was like a bar back and like he carried
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himself as champion and come in all clean cut and short trunks wrestling boot
00:17:42.696 --> 00:17:49.016
no frills he just wrestles right sportsman oh yeah so he was like a I mean,
00:17:49.276 --> 00:17:51.256
perfect for Japanese market at the time.
00:17:51.536 --> 00:17:58.576
See, Inoki against 1969, and Dory Funk, Jack Briscoe, or just something.
00:17:59.516 --> 00:18:03.896
Oh, like 1975, Anthony Inoki against Billy Robinson. It was like a legendary.
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People want to see like a really good, clean wrestling match.
00:18:08.536 --> 00:18:14.396
And the new champion, new star, who just became WWF champion in America,
00:18:14.556 --> 00:18:17.276
and he was, what, 28, 29 years old at the time?
00:18:17.276 --> 00:18:21.856
Bob Ackerman was a perfect, perfect champion to have an important title match
00:18:21.856 --> 00:18:23.736
against Anthony Inoki at his prime.
00:18:24.136 --> 00:18:26.636
And the first meeting was two hours.
00:18:27.831 --> 00:18:31.711
Three four match right inoki technically beat
00:18:31.711 --> 00:18:34.451
bob backland it's it was like a two
00:18:34.451 --> 00:18:37.311
out of three four match and first four came in like in 40 minute mark
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and inoki had a count out for
00:18:40.271 --> 00:18:45.991
first fall and second fall they went to all the way to 60 minute time limit
00:18:45.991 --> 00:18:50.671
there was a it wasn't a drop two out of three four match inoki won the first
00:18:50.671 --> 00:18:56.131
fall but the time expired so technically one zero right But the title wouldn't
00:18:56.131 --> 00:18:57.771
change hands. Therefore,
00:18:59.791 --> 00:19:04.751
Inoki defended his NWF title, but could not win the WWF title.
00:19:04.991 --> 00:19:06.271
Well done. Does that make sense?
00:19:06.751 --> 00:19:13.171
Classic booking in that time. Yeah, I think so. It was almost very creative.
00:19:14.371 --> 00:19:18.771
Inoki beat new champion Bob Backlund, but couldn't win the title.
00:19:19.131 --> 00:19:22.971
Yeah, oh well. But well-paced 60 minutes.
00:19:22.971 --> 00:19:28.111
You know, so win-win situation that the bar back on a worthy champion that,
00:19:28.111 --> 00:19:36.511
you know, he couldn't beat him, but the title wasn't, I mean, both title was at stake,
00:19:36.851 --> 00:19:39.391
but they shook hand and left.
00:19:39.391 --> 00:19:44.791
And second match took place only like one or two months later.
00:19:44.851 --> 00:19:51.811
It was in July that only this time, WWF title at stake.
00:19:52.071 --> 00:19:57.951
And another two out of three, four match, they did 60-minute Broadway again.
00:19:58.351 --> 00:20:00.671
This time, one for each.
00:20:01.091 --> 00:20:03.211
So they progressed a little bit.
00:20:04.271 --> 00:20:09.111
Inoki took first fall with Octopus. Then Bob Backlund took second fall with
00:20:09.111 --> 00:20:15.511
his famous atomic drop, then went into a 60-minute time draw.
00:20:16.071 --> 00:20:21.091
So second match in July of 78, another draw, but Inoki couldn't win the title.
00:20:21.351 --> 00:20:26.451
And there was a third meeting, third meeting the same year, 1978, December.
00:20:26.731 --> 00:20:35.431
This time was Inoki beating only WWF title at stake. And Inoki again beat Bob
00:20:35.431 --> 00:20:37.751
Bakken with counter finish.
00:20:37.951 --> 00:20:42.311
Not the pinfall or submission in the ring, but Inoki, you know,
00:20:42.511 --> 00:20:46.151
they had a double knockdown, you know, over the top of...
00:20:47.231 --> 00:20:51.251
Thing, but Inoki came back to the ring just to beat the count of 20 in Japan, right?
00:20:51.731 --> 00:20:56.211
And Inoki beat Bob Ackerman with the count out thing, but still title don't
00:20:56.211 --> 00:20:58.031
change hand via count out.
00:20:58.391 --> 00:21:01.931
Therefore, Inoki beat him, but Bob Ackerman held the title again.
00:21:02.211 --> 00:21:09.131
So those were the 1978 three-match program, June, July, and December.
00:21:09.591 --> 00:21:13.891
But you couldn't do that forever, right? Right.
00:21:14.611 --> 00:21:21.831
Yeah, so So one year later, fourth meeting, November of 1979,
00:21:22.531 --> 00:21:28.911
it had to be sure thing that this time, Inoki was saying that if he couldn't
00:21:28.911 --> 00:21:31.591
win the title this time, he's not going to challenge back on again.
00:21:32.011 --> 00:21:37.531
So it was like a sure thing that the people felt that Inoki is winning WWF title
00:21:37.531 --> 00:21:38.911
for sure this time, right?
00:21:39.471 --> 00:21:46.771
And sure enough, November 30th in Tokushima, that Inoki beat Bob Buckland to
00:21:46.771 --> 00:21:50.851
become very first Japanese wrestler to be WWF champion.
00:21:51.571 --> 00:21:57.291
For the record, November 30th of 1979, Inoki beat him to become WWF champion.
00:21:57.631 --> 00:22:02.271
And he wore that, the purple virgin leather of Bob Buckland model belt.
00:22:02.731 --> 00:22:06.611
And first title, this is where it gets tricky and very interesting.
00:22:06.871 --> 00:22:11.331
And the booking was so creative that you have to follow me. And if you have
00:22:11.331 --> 00:22:13.031
any questions, you ask me, okay?
00:22:13.871 --> 00:22:21.791
So much details that they did it so well that just like.
00:22:23.015 --> 00:22:27.075
I'm not going to forget this one because it's so creative. November 30th,
00:22:27.495 --> 00:22:32.075
1979, Tokushima, Inoki beat Bob Ackman to become the very first Japanese wrestler
00:22:32.075 --> 00:22:34.395
to win a New York version of this WMF title, right?
00:22:34.815 --> 00:22:40.735
And one week later, December 6th, at the old Sumo Palace at the Kuramae,
00:22:41.355 --> 00:22:44.835
Inoki does have this first title defense, okay?
00:22:45.915 --> 00:22:51.775
It was, to make a long story short, it was no contest, you know, decision that.
00:22:53.015 --> 00:22:56.795
The Tiger Jitsin came in and destroyed the title match, right?
00:22:57.155 --> 00:22:59.535
And Tiger Jitsin started beating up Inoki.
00:23:00.135 --> 00:23:06.335
And in the middle of chaos, somewhat, somehow, that Bob Beckham pins damaged
00:23:06.335 --> 00:23:08.095
Inoki one to three, right?
00:23:08.515 --> 00:23:13.095
But minutes later, the decision was reversed.
00:23:13.395 --> 00:23:22.075
Referee said, there was no contest, no contest. Therefore, Inoki holds his WWE title.
00:23:22.075 --> 00:23:28.555
Whereas Bob Acker said no I beat Inoki clean so I get the title back controversial
00:23:28.555 --> 00:23:30.095
finish. Are you following me?
00:23:30.435 --> 00:23:33.515
It was disputed it wasn't a clean finish.
00:23:33.695 --> 00:23:37.115
There was still a company who really won. involvement and
00:23:37.115 --> 00:23:40.275
Inoki got beaten up and somewhat somehow Bob
00:23:40.275 --> 00:23:44.755
Acker in the middle of it pins Antonio Inoki and gets the belt for a few seconds
00:23:44.755 --> 00:23:50.675
but the referee reversed the decision as no contest right and Inoki keep the
00:23:50.675 --> 00:23:57.795
title because of this no contest decision and the champion will keep the title kind of thing.
00:23:58.175 --> 00:24:03.095
But Inoki wasn't, storylines okay? Inoki wasn't happy with this no contest decision,
00:24:03.435 --> 00:24:05.155
therefore he vacates the title.
00:24:05.475 --> 00:24:10.095
So he's like he never lost the title. He vacates WWF title. I don't want to
00:24:10.095 --> 00:24:13.215
hold the championship like this. Great storyline, right?
00:24:14.875 --> 00:24:19.775
And only 11 days later, this is where it gets really, really tricky.
00:24:20.215 --> 00:24:26.935
In Japan, WWF title was vacant because Inoki, without losing it in...
00:24:28.083 --> 00:24:30.723
In the ring inoki returned the title to wwf i don't
00:24:30.723 --> 00:24:33.563
want to hold the championship like this right and it
00:24:33.563 --> 00:24:36.803
was announced in japan that inoki bought
00:24:36.803 --> 00:24:39.703
back match the title up for grab will be
00:24:39.703 --> 00:24:45.843
held at the madison square garden december 17th 11 days later after this smoke
00:24:45.843 --> 00:24:51.803
you know kuramai small palace show so new japan crew and tv asahi crews get
00:24:51.803 --> 00:24:55.723
on the plane and then it was all planned that they were going to do the big
00:24:55.723 --> 00:24:57.443
taping at the Madison Square Garden.
00:24:57.783 --> 00:25:04.263
Not just in Nookie, but Fujinami would be defending his WWF Junior Heavyweight
00:25:04.263 --> 00:25:07.083
title against Johnny Rivera at Madison Square Garden.
00:25:07.403 --> 00:25:12.563
Also, Seiji Sakaguchi and Ricky Choshu as a NWA North American Tag Team title
00:25:12.563 --> 00:25:18.883
would be defended against Bad News Allen and the guy Jojo Andrews, if you remember.
00:25:19.483 --> 00:25:24.923
Well, but it was at the building, it was announced Japanese Tag Team Championship.
00:25:25.263 --> 00:25:31.043
No, he was North American Tag Team Champion in Japan, but those are the little
00:25:31.043 --> 00:25:35.843
details that the play-by-play announcer at the time was Vince McMahon, of all people, okay?
00:25:36.443 --> 00:25:40.043
And he pronounced Ricky Choshu as Ricky Koshu. Ricky Koshu.
00:25:42.603 --> 00:25:47.083
Anyhow, Seiji Sakaguchi and Ricky Choshu, North American Tag Team Champions at the time,
00:25:47.583 --> 00:25:51.383
who bring a belt to America in defending their
00:25:51.383 --> 00:25:54.703
title against bad news allen and jojo andrews two
00:25:54.703 --> 00:25:57.663
african guys and that was one title match and
00:25:57.663 --> 00:26:01.343
like i said fujinami against johnny and johnny
00:26:01.343 --> 00:26:04.623
rivera the wwf junior heavyweight title and in
00:26:04.623 --> 00:26:07.763
japan inoki and bob back was going to have that decision
00:26:07.763 --> 00:26:10.863
making last match that the title up
00:26:10.863 --> 00:26:13.703
for grab them for ww championship and when
00:26:13.703 --> 00:26:19.083
jab all the japanese press you know when all the japanese press got there vince
00:26:19.083 --> 00:26:24.943
mcmahon senior had a small short little press conference just for japanese press
00:26:24.943 --> 00:26:30.963
this is gets really really creative mr enoki will be defending his death.
00:26:32.342 --> 00:26:38.482
WWF martial arts heavyweight title against Great Hassan. That is Aiyan Sheik's another name. Okay.
00:26:39.462 --> 00:26:42.722
Therefore, there will not be Inoki Bakran title match tonight.
00:26:43.182 --> 00:26:48.522
Mr. Inoki will be defending his WWF martial arts title against Great Hassan. That's it.
00:26:48.962 --> 00:26:57.362
So, oh, okay. Then instead, Bob Bakran will be having a single match against Bobby Duncan.
00:26:57.362 --> 00:27:03.142
So Japanese press and photographers in the building at Madison Square Garden
00:27:03.142 --> 00:27:07.942
was led to believe that, right, title is still up for grab.
00:27:08.182 --> 00:27:12.722
Title is vacant, and title is still up for grab. And the title match that night
00:27:12.722 --> 00:27:19.222
would be Bob Backlund against Cowboy Bob Duncan instead of Enoki against Backlund.
00:27:19.442 --> 00:27:26.442
Okay, title is still up for grab. And at the building, Bob Backlund and Bobby
00:27:26.442 --> 00:27:31.362
Duncan main event was announced by Howard Finkel, Texas Deathmatch.
00:27:31.922 --> 00:27:38.682
Texas Deathmatch. Nothing was announced about this title up for grab because
00:27:38.682 --> 00:27:43.742
people in New York City in 1979 did not know the title changed hand in Japan.
00:27:44.222 --> 00:27:46.282
Well, New York's travel was less slower then, right?
00:27:47.542 --> 00:27:50.722
You would never find out. I mean, it was just two different worlds.
00:27:50.722 --> 00:27:58.022
Yeah, or maybe fanzine or more people with a little information or the wrestling,
00:27:58.022 --> 00:28:01.062
you know, like a tight wrestling fan with pen pals, you know,
00:28:01.122 --> 00:28:02.182
writing each other things.
00:28:02.562 --> 00:28:05.742
I mean, that was like way decades before the internet, okay?
00:28:06.682 --> 00:28:12.962
Yeah. But anyhow, that Bob Ackerman and Bobby Duncan match happened.
00:28:13.402 --> 00:28:17.562
At the building, it was announced by Howard Finkel, Texas deathmatch, right?
00:28:18.222 --> 00:28:21.842
And sure enough, Bob Backlund came in without the championship belt because
00:28:21.842 --> 00:28:23.282
it was a Texas Deathmatch, right?
00:28:24.062 --> 00:28:26.422
But it was announced in Japan.
00:28:27.262 --> 00:28:31.762
The title was still vacant, and this is a title up for grab,
00:28:32.082 --> 00:28:33.382
Bob Backlund against Bobby Duncan.
00:28:34.322 --> 00:28:41.142
And Texas Deathmatch took place, and Bob Backlund beat Bobby Duncan, and winner.
00:28:41.382 --> 00:28:45.622
And in Japan, Bob Backlund regained the title.
00:28:45.622 --> 00:28:50.482
And Anthony Inoki against great Hassan Ayan Sheik took place Inoki defended
00:28:50.482 --> 00:28:54.962
his WWF martial arts title and was the end of the story.
00:28:56.042 --> 00:29:01.842
So Inoki and crew, TV, Asahi Crew Sakaguchi, Riki Choshu, Fujinami all went
00:29:01.842 --> 00:29:06.102
to Madison Square Garden they taped their match and it was televised in Japan
00:29:06.102 --> 00:29:10.622
the following week and Bob Barker and Bobby Duncan match,
00:29:10.802 --> 00:29:16.922
Bob Barker became WWF champion again and Anthony Inoki He defended his WWF martial
00:29:16.922 --> 00:29:18.802
arts title against Greg Hassan.
00:29:19.982 --> 00:29:24.742
Iron Sheik, yeah, he's still WWF martial arts champion and so on.
00:29:24.842 --> 00:29:28.642
Fujinami defended his WWF junior heavyweight title and Sakaguchi and Ricky Choshu
00:29:28.642 --> 00:29:32.182
successfully defended their North American Tag Team Championship.
00:29:32.482 --> 00:29:35.542
That was like 90-minute primetime special.
00:29:36.322 --> 00:29:43.462
And this whole issue of Inoki not happy with decision and relinquished the title
00:29:43.462 --> 00:29:48.742
and the title became vacant and the title up for grabs thing was all forgotten.
00:29:49.982 --> 00:29:54.382
That is a lot of information. Does that make sense? Yeah, but it was... I think so. Yeah?
00:29:55.842 --> 00:30:02.222
Yeah. It's okay. So I think the one thing I want to just correct me if I'm interpreting it wrong,
00:30:02.382 --> 00:30:10.242
but so WWF told the Japanese press one thing about the Texas Deathmatch that
00:30:10.242 --> 00:30:12.782
it was for... No, no, it was announced in America.
00:30:13.342 --> 00:30:19.222
Okay, it was announced in America. Yeah, because at the Madison Square Garden,
00:30:19.222 --> 00:30:27.882
This title being vacant and this championship up for grab thing was never announced in America.
00:30:28.082 --> 00:30:32.662
It was simply a Texas Test Match main event at the Madison Square Garden,
00:30:32.802 --> 00:30:33.982
Bob Backlund against Bobby Duncan.
00:30:34.302 --> 00:30:39.142
For Japanese press, it was still announced title up for grab.
00:30:39.382 --> 00:30:43.662
But it was not Inoki, Bob Backlund match.
00:30:43.862 --> 00:30:50.042
Instead, it was Bob Backlund against Bobby Duncan match. for the title that Inoki had vacated.
00:30:52.062 --> 00:30:57.262
Inoki title change never happened in America, therefore the title being vacant
00:30:57.262 --> 00:30:58.922
thing never have occurred in America.
00:30:59.522 --> 00:31:05.082
Right. It was just explained to Japanese fans, therefore Japanese audience.
00:31:05.842 --> 00:31:09.602
Are you following me? Very interesting. It would never happen again because
00:31:09.602 --> 00:31:12.882
of how information travels. Information travels now, right.
00:31:13.122 --> 00:31:23.162
Split second. November 30th in Tokushima on television match Inoki clearly beat
00:31:23.162 --> 00:31:29.662
Bob Beckham to become very first Japanese WWF champion and six days ago.
00:31:30.965 --> 00:31:34.245
Later at the kuramae old sumo palace inoki's very
00:31:34.245 --> 00:31:37.405
first title defense champion inoki against
00:31:37.405 --> 00:31:40.865
challenger former champion bob back on that happened and they
00:31:40.865 --> 00:31:47.885
had this controversy no contest finish that tiger jates jit sing ran in and
00:31:47.885 --> 00:31:54.225
b start beating up on inokin and somewhat somehow bob back and pins inoki and
00:31:54.225 --> 00:31:58.305
you know he holds the belt for a few seconds referee reversed the decision,
00:31:58.825 --> 00:32:05.825
and it's a no contest, therefore Inoki defends his title, and Inoki not happy
00:32:05.825 --> 00:32:08.365
about this ending, and I don't want to be champion like this,
00:32:08.645 --> 00:32:12.765
he relinquished the title therefore the title becomes vacant that's information
00:32:12.765 --> 00:32:17.065
and story lying in Japan and in Japan it was announced the following 11 days
00:32:17.065 --> 00:32:22.705
later at the Madison Square Garden, like a global scale title match story,
00:32:23.105 --> 00:32:27.585
that the title up for grab again Bob Bakken against Inoki will be happening
00:32:27.585 --> 00:32:30.205
at the Madison Square Garden. We all believed it.
00:32:30.725 --> 00:32:38.705
Then at the December 17th, 11 days later at the Madison Square Garden,
00:32:38.865 --> 00:32:41.965
when all the photographers in here announced that Mr.
00:32:42.045 --> 00:32:46.965
Inoki will be defending his martial arts title against great Hassan Ayan Shik tonight.
00:32:47.285 --> 00:32:51.745
Therefore, there will be no Inoki against Bob Backlund match tonight here at the building.
00:32:51.745 --> 00:32:59.585
And sure enough, Bob Backon, actually, Bob Backon Bobby Duncan match was Texas
00:32:59.585 --> 00:33:05.665
Test match because it was the to be continued thing from the previous month. Bobby Duncan.
00:33:07.073 --> 00:33:11.493
Duncan was challenging Bob Beckland. There was some controversy,
00:33:11.773 --> 00:33:14.413
no contest, double juice kind of match.
00:33:14.833 --> 00:33:19.353
And to make the conclusion of Bob Beckland and Bobby Duncan match,
00:33:19.513 --> 00:33:21.233
it was Texas Deathmatch.
00:33:21.793 --> 00:33:26.353
That was like that in New York. And Tyro never changed hands in America.
00:33:26.353 --> 00:33:28.793
And people did not know about it.
00:33:29.113 --> 00:33:32.373
And no Tyro was ever vacant, nothing.
00:33:32.373 --> 00:33:38.733
It was Texas Deathmatch main event announced by Howard Finkel, okay?
00:33:39.373 --> 00:33:43.233
So for New York people's eyes, Bob Backen never lost a title and was a champion still then.
00:33:43.573 --> 00:33:47.433
And for Japanese audience, yeah, the title was up for grab. And instead of having
00:33:47.433 --> 00:33:51.513
Yoki Bob Backen, the final match, it was announced at the building.
00:33:51.813 --> 00:33:55.653
Bob Backen, it would be Bobby Duncan, would be doing a match title up for grab.
00:33:56.053 --> 00:33:58.173
That was storyline for Japanese press.
00:33:58.753 --> 00:34:02.913
Now you're following me. it's pretty i mean
00:34:02.913 --> 00:34:06.173
i just can't imagine something like that happening today
00:34:06.173 --> 00:34:11.273
just because of how the environment what it's turned into oh god no not today's
00:34:11.273 --> 00:34:19.513
i'm 1979 you're talking about 40 years ago you know i mean most people more
00:34:19.513 --> 00:34:25.393
people don't know enoki rather than know enoki over here.
00:34:26.113 --> 00:34:33.133
Ultimately so it's just amazing how you can sort of oh that was like wash the
00:34:33.133 --> 00:34:37.253
history most creative you know title.
00:34:38.273 --> 00:34:46.853
Lineage story though because Inoki did not exactly lose championship but was
00:34:46.853 --> 00:34:53.853
able to let go of the title without losing face and the fans bought it well I guess so and then.
00:34:55.091 --> 00:35:00.571
So I think who is guilty, I think Japanese wrestling press and sports paper
00:35:00.571 --> 00:35:03.311
and wrestling magazines are just as guilty. Does that make sense?
00:35:03.591 --> 00:35:08.211
Did they get a little creative with what was going on? It was, was there.
00:35:08.711 --> 00:35:15.871
Well, 1979, Gang Magazine and the Baseball Magazine, Pro Wrestling Magazine are still monthly.
00:35:16.451 --> 00:35:23.311
Okay. Not pro, weekly pro wrestling of baseball magazine, Sha,
00:35:23.571 --> 00:35:31.411
and weekly, the gang magazine wouldn't become weekly until summer of 1983.
00:35:33.191 --> 00:35:38.391
All these big, huge, you know, details, storyline happened within the month.
00:35:38.551 --> 00:35:43.731
So next month issue, like if it was a monthly magazine, it was already done
00:35:43.731 --> 00:35:45.731
by the time magazine come out.
00:35:45.731 --> 00:35:55.831
It was already old i guess and january comes in the new season yeah but for the record you know.
00:35:56.971 --> 00:36:00.651
Okie bob back on title match happened three months you know three more times
00:36:00.651 --> 00:36:07.451
april of 1980 in miami florida you know nwa territory but the bob backland still
00:36:07.451 --> 00:36:12.691
you know frequent travel that NWA Florida territory,
00:36:12.971 --> 00:36:17.631
but Bob Backlund occasionally came in and defended his WWF title.
00:36:17.951 --> 00:36:24.371
In April of 1980, there was Enoki against Bob Backlund title match in Miami, Florida.
00:36:24.871 --> 00:36:32.291
And back summer August of 1980 in Shinagawa, Tokyo, there was another Enoki
00:36:32.291 --> 00:36:33.711
against Bob Backlund title match.
00:36:33.971 --> 00:36:39.511
Then in 1981, I believe it was May of 1981 at the Mexico,
00:36:39.651 --> 00:36:45.131
El Treo there was Inoki against Bob Bakker match in Mexico there was just like
00:36:45.131 --> 00:36:50.411
almost a guest appearance so three more Inoki, Bob Bakker and Tyro match happened
00:36:50.411 --> 00:36:52.971
but Tyro never changed hand after that,
00:36:53.751 --> 00:37:00.691
and Bob Bakker will be holding WWF Tyro until Iron Sheik, Hulk Hogan program right?
00:37:00.971 --> 00:37:07.251
All the way to end of what 83? and Inoki never challenged Bob Backlund after
00:37:07.251 --> 00:37:10.511
that in New Japan ring. See, Bob Backlund...
00:37:11.350 --> 00:37:14.670
Still had a lot of tours with New Japan in the meantime, all the way to like 84.
00:37:15.010 --> 00:37:18.690
And it was always Bob Backlund against Dusty Rose, Bob Backlund against young
00:37:18.690 --> 00:37:25.370
Hulk Hogan, Bob Backlund against Heal Stan Hansen, Bob Backlund against Fujinami as a heavyweight.
00:37:25.710 --> 00:37:29.890
So Bob Backlund still came back to Japan and defended his WWF title,
00:37:30.130 --> 00:37:34.190
but the program with Inoki was pretty much dropped after that.
00:37:35.050 --> 00:37:40.450
Does that make sense? So this, you could say, is one of definitely one of Bob
00:37:40.450 --> 00:37:42.470
Backlund's career highlights this
00:37:42.470 --> 00:37:48.870
was i mean it's he's one of those he's interpreted a certain way over here,
00:37:49.570 --> 00:37:54.230
probably because yeah probably because of how hogan in national wwf v smcmahon's
00:37:54.230 --> 00:37:59.310
national expansion that the bob backland's legacy has been kind of overlooked
00:37:59.310 --> 00:38:04.130
see yeah he was the main guy at the madison square garden for what the six year
00:38:04.130 --> 00:38:08.590
period yeah just about yeah right before hogan was,
00:38:09.250 --> 00:38:15.090
back on your champion, your childhood champion? No, Hogan was. That was my dad.
00:38:16.430 --> 00:38:22.050
When he was in high school, he would tell me about New York,
00:38:22.190 --> 00:38:25.350
WWF, the East Coast, always had Babyface champion.
00:38:26.790 --> 00:38:29.510
Twice long reign with Bruno San Martino, of course.
00:38:29.830 --> 00:38:34.650
Then there was Pedro Morales era, and Billy Graham was the only heel champion
00:38:34.650 --> 00:38:37.590
who was a champion for any length of time.
00:38:37.590 --> 00:38:44.810
But they always had transitional heel champion like Ivan Koloff or Stan Stasiak
00:38:44.810 --> 00:38:48.350
or somebody like that to switch to another babyface champion.
00:38:48.930 --> 00:38:51.990
And Bob Beckham beating Billy Graham for the first time.
00:38:52.850 --> 00:38:55.730
Time was a big deal and he held the champion nearly six seven years
00:38:55.730 --> 00:38:59.170
and he his legacy has been so overlooked and
00:38:59.170 --> 00:39:01.950
bob alcan was i think more popular in japan because of his
00:39:01.950 --> 00:39:05.350
style like he worked you know he wrestled like carl gotch
00:39:05.350 --> 00:39:08.630
he wrestled like billy robinson and japanese fan
00:39:08.630 --> 00:39:11.290
really likes the wrestler wrestler does that
00:39:11.290 --> 00:39:14.390
make sense that and the the market that
00:39:14.390 --> 00:39:20.670
was wwf at the time they were so programmed to i mean what it was was monsters
00:39:20.670 --> 00:39:25.170
versus big baby faces in the main event it was always a bit over the top in
00:39:25.170 --> 00:39:29.470
the heavyweight championship division yeah and then this is like a literally
00:39:29.470 --> 00:39:33.350
baby face bob backland will beat all these monster heels,
00:39:34.050 --> 00:39:37.090
right and and the the style that bob backland
00:39:37.090 --> 00:39:40.450
wrestled was something that you'd probably see out west
00:39:40.450 --> 00:39:43.730
or somewhere down south and in the crockett territories
00:39:43.730 --> 00:39:47.250
in minnesota but that style of more wrestling
00:39:47.250 --> 00:39:50.790
wrestling wrestling's wrestling yeah he
00:39:50.790 --> 00:39:53.710
he kind of fit in certain areas of the
00:39:53.710 --> 00:39:56.790
territories at the time but it just for some reason
00:39:56.790 --> 00:39:59.650
a lot of fans it didn't connect with the new
00:39:59.650 --> 00:40:02.850
york audience yeah bruno san martino was like a italian
00:40:02.850 --> 00:40:07.230
hero pedro morales was a puerto rican hero you know hero and by back on the
00:40:07.230 --> 00:40:12.030
era he was all american boy huh my dad said a lot of people called him howdy
00:40:12.030 --> 00:40:15.990
doody remember howdy doody by background yeah because he's so white you know
00:40:15.990 --> 00:40:21.170
yeah like a midwestern boy yeah so white was like a real cute butt right.
00:40:22.430 --> 00:40:28.610
Yeah and like like you know came from like an amateur background you know and uh he was,
00:40:29.490 --> 00:40:32.630
perfect fit and he was favorite wwf champion
00:40:32.630 --> 00:40:35.870
in 70s and early 80s japanese fans you
00:40:35.870 --> 00:40:39.250
know they still talk highly about bob backland's legacy if
00:40:39.250 --> 00:40:42.890
you remember about backland was invited back to UWF you
00:40:42.890 --> 00:40:45.770
know because he was a believable wrestler you know
00:40:45.770 --> 00:40:49.750
he showed up in Tenryu's promotion
00:40:49.750 --> 00:40:53.550
too that too yeah and also just imagine
00:40:53.550 --> 00:40:56.710
both guys at their prime
00:40:56.710 --> 00:41:00.130
time Bob Bakken against Fujinami in their
00:41:00.130 --> 00:41:03.950
prime wrestling match good matches Fujinami
00:41:03.950 --> 00:41:07.430
was quite different before 1987 1988
00:41:07.430 --> 00:41:10.470
Bob Bakken at the baby face yeah in the early 80s
00:41:10.470 --> 00:41:13.390
in New Japan ring you know that's that the bob backland babyface against
00:41:13.390 --> 00:41:16.690
heel version of dusty rose bob backland
00:41:16.690 --> 00:41:23.430
against heel stan hansen bob backland against younger heel version of hulk hogan
00:41:23.430 --> 00:41:31.770
and it's a useless trivia but december 17th 1979 enoki appearance sakaguchi
00:41:31.770 --> 00:41:35.770
ricky choshu fujinami and that was the night hulk hogan.
00:41:37.295 --> 00:41:42.115
Heal Hulk Hogan made his debut against Ted DiBiase. Not the Million Dollar Man
00:41:42.115 --> 00:41:44.875
Ted DiBiase, but the young babyface Ted DiBiase.
00:41:45.735 --> 00:41:50.295
And young heel Hulk Hogan with manager Freddie Blassie, of course,
00:41:50.715 --> 00:41:53.235
that made his debut as Hulk Hogan.
00:41:53.535 --> 00:41:58.475
The name was given by Vince McMahon Sr., Hulk Hogan. Incredible Hulk Hogan.
00:41:59.055 --> 00:42:04.435
Big heel, like giant version of Billy Graham that made his debut that night.
00:42:04.915 --> 00:42:10.135
Very interesting night, huh? at that time he even talked like Billy Graham the
00:42:10.135 --> 00:42:14.715
way he talked the way he wrestled in the ring the cape,
00:42:14.895 --> 00:42:21.955
sunglasses sure he was very reminiscent of Billy Graham yeah like a larger version
00:42:21.955 --> 00:42:27.695
of Billy Graham updated version yeah and after that,
00:42:28.735 --> 00:42:35.875
recently people were making a lot of comments about Hulk Hogan's Rocky III appearance
00:42:35.875 --> 00:42:39.275
a couple years later that it happened during AWA.
00:42:39.435 --> 00:42:48.415
No, that the actual movie filming took place during this era, 1981-82-ish.
00:42:48.835 --> 00:42:51.035
By 1982, he was already in AWA.
00:42:52.115 --> 00:42:57.095
Rocky had to be filmed sometimes during the 1981 period, I think.
00:42:57.595 --> 00:43:01.875
Because Hulk Hogan remembered that the conversation was under the giant that
00:43:01.875 --> 00:43:06.255
don't forget being a professional wrestler and,
00:43:07.235 --> 00:43:16.155
yeah and just like don't lose it Andre and Hogan was always close like as a friends and Vince,
00:43:17.175 --> 00:43:18.155
McMahon Sr.
00:43:18.595 --> 00:43:22.595
Did not like the idea that his wrestler going to movies you know but Andre said
00:43:22.595 --> 00:43:26.995
go ahead and this will be a big break for you yeah so that portion was kind
00:43:26.995 --> 00:43:29.275
of overlooked but anyhow that,
00:43:30.035 --> 00:43:34.835
Hogan was already in the background you know it was really interesting that
00:43:34.835 --> 00:43:38.015
how Koga makes his debut with New Japan.
00:43:38.335 --> 00:43:43.895
First, as a young tag team partner of Stan Hansen, who was already a big,
00:43:43.995 --> 00:43:45.295
huge superstar with New Japan.
00:43:45.595 --> 00:43:54.655
In 1980, you have to think that this early 1980 version of Antoninoki,
00:43:55.035 --> 00:43:57.855
just invincible. Nobody beats Antoninoki in Japan, right?
00:43:59.540 --> 00:44:03.980
Stan Hansen beat Inoki for this NWF title.
00:44:04.620 --> 00:44:07.940
And they exchanged the play catch with this title.
00:44:08.300 --> 00:44:13.220
That made Stan Hansen really household name in Japan, beating primetime Anthony
00:44:13.220 --> 00:44:14.820
Inoki to become NWF champion.
00:44:15.080 --> 00:44:21.780
So he was almost replacing Andre the Giant as a top Gaijin American talent in New Japan ring.
00:44:22.540 --> 00:44:27.060
You know, I think around this time too, a lot of the fellows we're mentioning right now,
00:44:27.060 --> 00:44:30.200
hogan andre backland inoki i
00:44:30.200 --> 00:44:33.020
think there was a match it's probably floating around on youtube
00:44:33.020 --> 00:44:35.800
but it's with all all these four
00:44:35.800 --> 00:44:38.800
were you know regularly pretty regularly wrestling each
00:44:38.800 --> 00:44:41.820
other at around the time too for new japan and some
00:44:41.820 --> 00:44:45.240
of those historic yeah some of these historical matches you found
00:44:45.240 --> 00:44:47.840
in new japan world archives you know
00:44:47.840 --> 00:44:50.820
today's new japan world that the network service
00:44:50.820 --> 00:44:54.400
thing you you know you search in oki's 70
00:44:54.400 --> 00:44:57.720
matches the early 80s match you'll have in
00:44:57.720 --> 00:45:03.480
oki against backland and andre match bob backland matches all in there not all
00:45:03.480 --> 00:45:07.100
every single one of them but important matches are in there yeah a lot of the
00:45:07.100 --> 00:45:14.200
ones that we're talking about yeah yeah today's fans don't don't go into this
00:45:14.200 --> 00:45:17.240
you know new japan world archive and find you know matches, it's all for.
00:45:18.520 --> 00:45:20.620
Middle-aged male wrestling fans.
00:45:20.780 --> 00:45:23.500
Today's fans don't go back and watch Inoki matches.
00:45:24.240 --> 00:45:26.420
He's like a grandpa over everybody, right?
00:45:27.600 --> 00:45:30.780
Going back and watching his matches, he's one of those wrestlers that,
00:45:31.020 --> 00:45:33.520
oh, you learn so much. It's not dated.
00:45:33.740 --> 00:45:38.320
It's not as dated as you'd think. You can go back and watch Blackland and Inoki
00:45:38.320 --> 00:45:41.160
and they're not that outdated.
00:45:41.800 --> 00:45:47.480
The content of matches and how they build is the long match,
00:45:47.600 --> 00:45:48.460
title match kind of thing.
00:45:49.160 --> 00:45:54.560
The formula is still there. That works today. They didn't do anything too outrageous
00:45:54.560 --> 00:45:58.020
where it would look silly in the future. You know what I mean?
00:45:58.640 --> 00:46:02.360
And also, they were doing, you know, to make people mad,
00:46:02.580 --> 00:46:08.140
they were doing this Tiger Jeet Sing as your wild card, you know,
00:46:08.340 --> 00:46:12.180
that he was not even involved in the title match, but he does the run-in to
00:46:12.180 --> 00:46:16.440
destroy the title match to make people mad and put heat on Tiger Jitsing.
00:46:16.580 --> 00:46:18.320
Oh, God, he destroyed a tiger.
00:46:19.813 --> 00:46:23.273
Match, put a big hit on Tiger Cheech Sin instead of putting a hit on Inoki or
00:46:23.273 --> 00:46:25.453
Bakun. The formula is clearly there.
00:46:25.773 --> 00:46:31.073
And also, I have to point out the deal that Giant Baba, on the other hand,
00:46:31.253 --> 00:46:37.813
all Japan, Giant Baba had a three NWA World Heavyweight Champion reign, okay?
00:46:38.373 --> 00:46:44.893
And when Inoki beat Bob Bakun for the first time to become the very first Japanese
00:46:44.893 --> 00:46:49.573
wrestler to hold WWF title, I said it was November of 1970.
00:46:51.393 --> 00:46:59.753
That's right exactly one month before that October 31st of 1979 Baba beat Harley
00:46:59.753 --> 00:47:05.353
Race in Nagoya to become NW World Heavyweight Champion, so they had to do this,
00:47:06.113 --> 00:47:10.953
I'm pretty sure that just as soon as Baba found out that Inoki is going over
00:47:10.953 --> 00:47:13.033
on Bob Backlund to win the title in Japan,
00:47:13.953 --> 00:47:19.593
Baba had to bring Harley Race over to Japan one month before that,
00:47:19.793 --> 00:47:23.033
just so he becomes NWA world champion,
00:47:24.533 --> 00:47:26.153
and that's televised.
00:47:26.453 --> 00:47:30.573
I mean, it's like rivalry between two network stations, two different companies,
00:47:30.833 --> 00:47:32.793
Old Japan and New Japan and Baba and Inoki.
00:47:32.973 --> 00:47:38.933
This rivalry is so severe that so serious that Baba had to beat Harley Race
00:47:38.933 --> 00:47:41.093
in Japan, televised match to become,
00:47:41.913 --> 00:47:47.653
NWA world champion before, like make sure one month before Inoki beats Bakun
00:47:47.653 --> 00:47:49.673
to become WWF champion. It's not interesting.
00:47:50.013 --> 00:47:54.313
So it was a strategic move as well as, you know, creative move.
00:47:54.953 --> 00:47:59.113
Yeah, but the difference between Baba and Inoki is that, though.
00:48:00.893 --> 00:48:05.633
Okay, first time Baba beat Jack Briscoe to become very first Japanese wrestler
00:48:05.633 --> 00:48:06.973
to become NWA world champion.
00:48:08.073 --> 00:48:12.533
He defends the title once, but at the end of the tour, no TV,
00:48:12.873 --> 00:48:15.213
you know, televised match. that
00:48:15.213 --> 00:48:20.853
Jack Briscoe beats Baba to get the title back, and he goes home, right?
00:48:21.593 --> 00:48:27.773
This time, after Baba beat Harley Race for the second time, one month before
00:48:27.773 --> 00:48:32.173
Inoki Bakunin thing, that Baba becomes NWA World Champion for the second time.
00:48:33.253 --> 00:48:39.493
But only seven days later, at the Amagasaki, not a big city, right?
00:48:39.913 --> 00:48:45.793
But Amagasaki, November 7th, Race beats Baba to get the title back, then goes home.
00:48:46.613 --> 00:48:52.033
They did that following year, 1980, September of 1980, at the Saga.
00:48:52.453 --> 00:48:59.753
Jan Baba beats Harley Race again. For the third time, he becomes NWA World Heavyweight Champion.
00:49:00.093 --> 00:49:07.273
Sure enough, five days later, the Otsu of all places, Race beats Baba again.
00:49:08.191 --> 00:49:12.991
And basically returning a title to Harley Race and Race go home happy.
00:49:13.631 --> 00:49:18.311
So Baba always returned the title in that ring.
00:49:18.991 --> 00:49:21.651
Baba beats the champion to become NWA champion, but
00:49:21.651 --> 00:49:25.331
the Harley Race or Jack Risco always
00:49:25.331 --> 00:49:33.651
beat Baba again at the end of the tour and the handshake was good that Baba
00:49:33.651 --> 00:49:40.811
basically returned his title and that Harley Race regained the title again and
00:49:40.811 --> 00:49:43.351
he goes back to America like nothing happened.
00:49:43.811 --> 00:49:50.511
But NWA record, it shows that an official record that Giant Baba won NWA World
00:49:50.511 --> 00:49:52.971
Heavyweight Championship three times, it was in record.
00:49:53.211 --> 00:49:59.671
Whereas Inoki's reign as WWF champion was never acknowledged in America,
00:49:59.991 --> 00:50:01.551
therefore it's not in record.
00:50:01.551 --> 00:50:07.131
It's in Japanese record or built after magazine record yes Inoki became WWF
00:50:07.131 --> 00:50:14.231
champion in Japan once and the title was vacant and all these things is record but to this day.
00:50:15.851 --> 00:50:20.031
WWF record does not have Inoki as champion listed is that interesting?
00:50:20.391 --> 00:50:24.291
So there was Inoki way of handling business and there was Baba way of handling
00:50:24.291 --> 00:50:31.671
business and well read reading oriented Japanese wrestling fans, learn about the world.
00:50:32.811 --> 00:50:37.511
It's interesting enough that it's almost like a philosophy. Baba's way of handling
00:50:37.511 --> 00:50:42.131
things and Enoki's way of handling things, they're two different philosophies almost.
00:50:43.391 --> 00:50:49.011
Therefore, you learn something about the adult world or business world.
00:50:50.491 --> 00:50:56.711
That's Enoki. If you like the way Enoki handles his things or the way Baba handles his things.
00:50:57.251 --> 00:51:03.811
In a way, Baba losing the first title defense and returning title would kind
00:51:03.811 --> 00:51:08.751
of expose the business that the well-read,
00:51:09.331 --> 00:51:16.211
reading-oriented wrestling fans always figure out yes, Baba won the title from
00:51:16.211 --> 00:51:19.511
Harley Race, but he will be returning a title at the end of the tour.
00:51:19.711 --> 00:51:21.491
Sure enough, that's how it happens.
00:51:22.871 --> 00:51:25.891
Whereas Okie won
00:51:25.891 --> 00:51:28.691
the WWF title from Pacquiao and became the only and
00:51:28.691 --> 00:51:32.431
first WWE champion in history great Inoki
00:51:32.431 --> 00:51:35.331
didn't even lose the title he relinquished the title and
00:51:35.331 --> 00:51:38.571
then the title became vacant in very creative
00:51:38.571 --> 00:51:46.471
storyline and two title matches and one in Japan in the Madison Square Garden
00:51:46.471 --> 00:51:51.831
thing all taped and it's like a big big huge drama kind of thing almost and
00:51:51.831 --> 00:51:56.331
in larger scale too so you just have to figure out.
00:51:58.118 --> 00:52:01.778
On your own that you like, you know, you know, you know, Kiweo doing a title
00:52:01.778 --> 00:52:04.138
match or Baba is the right one.
00:52:04.358 --> 00:52:10.278
You know, like the honest businessman, like losing title at the end of the tour, like you should.
00:52:10.758 --> 00:52:15.318
And that's wrestling business. It's like, it's up to you, you know,
00:52:15.438 --> 00:52:20.498
who is the right way to do the business. Am I making any sense?
00:52:21.538 --> 00:52:26.318
Yeah, I think, okay. I don't know if it comes off this way to you,
00:52:26.318 --> 00:52:32.458
But to me, in these situations, Inoki does feel like the underdog in the situation
00:52:32.458 --> 00:52:35.638
for most of the 70s into the 80s.
00:52:36.458 --> 00:52:44.438
Yeah, yeah. Because Inoki couldn't have NWA World Title Championship match in New Japan ring.
00:52:44.658 --> 00:52:54.018
And for 70s into 80s, NWA National Wrestling Alliance until Vince McMahon's national expansion.
00:52:54.738 --> 00:53:01.358
NWA was the closest thing to undisputed world championship.
00:53:03.198 --> 00:53:12.098
And racing world. So when someone at All Japan made a choice to do the Harley
00:53:12.098 --> 00:53:17.838
Race program, was that Giant Baba who was pitching those strategies?
00:53:17.838 --> 00:53:20.958
Or was that coming down from the television station?
00:53:21.158 --> 00:53:26.558
Or who was really spearheading it? Because it seems like there's some kind of
00:53:26.558 --> 00:53:33.298
intent behind it, but it would explain the intent if we could know who made
00:53:33.298 --> 00:53:35.598
that decision. I believe it's both...
00:53:37.035 --> 00:53:41.535
Baba and NTV, Channel 4. Because T.B. Asahi and Anthony Inoki,
00:53:41.795 --> 00:53:48.255
just as soon as they find out that Inoki will be beating Buckland for the WWF title in Japan,
00:53:49.015 --> 00:53:54.895
Channel 4, NTV, and Giant Baba of Japan will bring in Hardy Race to beat him.
00:53:55.455 --> 00:53:58.535
That's a right, you know, it's a good business, right?
00:53:59.475 --> 00:54:04.095
One month, just exactly one month before this, you know, Inoki Backland title
00:54:04.095 --> 00:54:07.535
chain taking place, Baba will bring in Hardy Race to just to beat him.
00:54:07.875 --> 00:54:13.815
But at the end of the tour, Reiso beat him again, non-televised match to return the title.
00:54:14.695 --> 00:54:19.635
But all the reading-oriented wrestling fans in Japan will know all about it.
00:54:20.335 --> 00:54:25.155
That's how wrestling business works. I mean, kind of lose your fantasy mode, right? A little bit.
00:54:26.135 --> 00:54:34.455
Yeah. So it's like the long, I mean, like, if you watch, let's put it that way.
00:54:35.095 --> 00:54:40.555
If you watch wrestling long enough, I think a lot of the wrestling fans will
00:54:40.555 --> 00:54:45.375
think Baba is a better promoter than superstar Inoki.
00:54:46.775 --> 00:54:51.355
But the vast majority or the mainstream fans don't look at it that way.
00:54:51.595 --> 00:54:56.255
Inoki beating Baba Akira, New York champion, and relinquishing the title because
00:54:56.255 --> 00:54:59.375
he wasn't happy with how the title match went.
00:54:59.555 --> 00:55:03.175
And he has so much pride that he doesn't want to hold the title championship
00:55:03.175 --> 00:55:06.235
that way. and he relinquished the title. Great, great pride.
00:55:06.535 --> 00:55:10.395
The storyline worked for the general public.
00:55:11.095 --> 00:55:18.715
So this is always up to us who is a better promoter or a better producer or
00:55:18.715 --> 00:55:23.115
a more creative producer or who comes up as a more honest businessman.
00:55:23.315 --> 00:55:25.415
This has got two different issues already.
00:55:27.095 --> 00:55:35.235
Does that make sense? Yeah. But the partnership between New Japan and WWF, Vince McMahon Sr.
00:55:35.395 --> 00:55:39.715
Era was so strong that there was a, you know, you have All Japan,
00:55:39.975 --> 00:55:43.555
All Japan has champion carnival spring tournament, right?
00:55:44.175 --> 00:55:47.675
I mean, who's the best man to do this, you know, round robin tournament?
00:55:47.675 --> 00:55:52.575
There was a series at the tour called Madison Square Garden Series for a five-year
00:55:52.575 --> 00:55:56.875
period, 1978, 79, 80, 81, 82.
00:55:57.075 --> 00:56:00.615
Yeah, five-year period between 78 to 82.
00:56:00.975 --> 00:56:03.675
Madison Square Garden Series for New Japan.
00:56:04.035 --> 00:56:08.015
Every spring, they brought in people from W.A.
00:56:09.029 --> 00:56:14.209
The guest appearance of Bob Acklin, of course. You have Andre the Giant, you have Stan Hansen.
00:56:14.589 --> 00:56:17.889
They rotated like people like you have Tony Atlas, the Don Morocco,
00:56:18.109 --> 00:56:23.569
the René Goulet, the Nassau Big, but all these big stars from WWF come in and
00:56:23.569 --> 00:56:25.469
compete in championship tournament.
00:56:26.169 --> 00:56:32.669
And of course, Enochi usually wins, but the one year Andre the Giant won the
00:56:32.669 --> 00:56:34.509
championship, the final was,
00:56:34.729 --> 00:56:39.349
instead of Enochi, he was Andre the Giant against Kevlar Khan in one year.
00:56:39.869 --> 00:56:44.269
And there was, when the end of November and December comes, in Japan,
00:56:44.449 --> 00:56:47.489
you have tag team tournament season, right?
00:56:47.849 --> 00:56:51.389
Of course, all Japan's real world tag team tournament is such a big deal.
00:56:51.849 --> 00:56:56.449
And New Japan had this Madison Square Garden tag team league.
00:56:57.329 --> 00:57:02.509
It's a tag team version of Madison Square Garden series that they held this
00:57:02.509 --> 00:57:08.269
big tour between 1980 to 1984. So that's another five-year period.
00:57:08.689 --> 00:57:11.969
80, 81, 82, 83, 84. Yeah, five-year period.
00:57:12.329 --> 00:57:17.229
First year, the tag team of Inoki and Bob Backlund won the championship.
00:57:17.629 --> 00:57:19.429
That's ultimate babyface, right?
00:57:20.169 --> 00:57:24.009
Yeah. Yeah. Especially for the time. The two top champions.
00:57:24.929 --> 00:57:30.629
Oh, yeah. And that's 80. And 81, Andre the Giant and Randy Glade tag team won
00:57:30.629 --> 00:57:31.949
the tag team tournament.
00:57:32.509 --> 00:57:38.669
And 82 and 83, two consecutive years, Antonio Inoki and And now Babyface Hulk
00:57:38.669 --> 00:57:42.509
Hogan won the Tag Team Championship.
00:57:42.809 --> 00:57:48.509
I mean, not the championship, but the Tag Team Tournament, 82 and 83, two-year period.
00:57:49.309 --> 00:57:55.069
Inoki and Hulk Hogan won the tournament. And I think 84,
00:57:55.369 --> 00:58:00.689
Inoki, Fujinami, Tag Team, probably wasn't so important anymore because now
00:58:00.689 --> 00:58:06.429
we have this big, huge project of IWGP starts as of 1980.
00:58:07.669 --> 00:58:15.869
1980. Yeah, that idea. The first IWGP actual tournament won't take place until 1983.
00:58:16.649 --> 00:58:23.029
But the project started. You plant the idea. You plant the seed into people's head.
00:58:23.869 --> 00:58:27.389
International Wrestling Grand Prix will start.
00:58:27.709 --> 00:58:34.249
And this is to determine that undisputed who is the best wrestler in the world
00:58:34.249 --> 00:58:37.789
today, that the tournament will be held.
00:58:37.969 --> 00:58:41.169
All the existing championships will be relinquished.
00:58:41.549 --> 00:58:43.949
Inoki will vacate his NWF title.
00:58:45.632 --> 00:58:53.392
And Sakaguchi will be relinquishing and vacating his North American heavyweight title.
00:58:53.812 --> 00:58:58.652
Taiga Ji-Sing will be vacating his all-Asian championship.
00:58:59.232 --> 00:59:03.912
That you give up all the titles. Stan Henson will be giving up his 10-gallon
00:59:03.912 --> 00:59:06.032
hat because he's a cowboy, right?
00:59:07.972 --> 00:59:12.972
1981, Abdul-Butcher quit. Well, of course, you know, he got signed away.
00:59:12.972 --> 00:59:19.192
But that huge superstar, Abdul Abutja, quits all Japan and come into New Japan
00:59:19.192 --> 00:59:23.412
ring and relinquish his Caribbean heavyweight title. Is there such championship?
00:59:23.932 --> 00:59:29.572
Anyhow, he brought in some good-looking championship belt, and he relinquished
00:59:29.572 --> 00:59:31.972
the title because he wanted to be part of IWGP.
00:59:31.972 --> 00:59:43.732
With GP, and actually Inoki really vacated his NWF title, that was a marquee championship, right?
00:59:44.652 --> 00:59:48.812
For NWF title it was marquee title, marquee championship belt for,
00:59:48.872 --> 00:59:50.332
what, seven year period.
00:59:50.532 --> 00:59:57.192
Inoki defended his title and defended his championship against all the top names
00:59:57.192 --> 00:59:59.512
from all over the world and whatnot.
00:59:59.852 --> 01:00:05.552
He relinquished the title Therefore, this IWGP project will start.
01:00:06.612 --> 01:00:10.892
This will be the biggest thing in wrestling. 1980s fans all bought it.
01:00:11.752 --> 01:00:15.952
It would be better than NWF. It would be better than WWF. It would be better than NWA.
01:00:16.692 --> 01:00:20.232
That was the idea. It was fresh. It was a new idea.
01:00:21.172 --> 01:00:26.432
Yeah, yeah. And relinquishing the existing title. Oh, it's like, wow. It's a real deal.
01:00:27.112 --> 01:00:32.872
Yeah, real deal. Yeah, yeah. so they New Japan held all these tours and shows
01:00:32.872 --> 01:00:37.012
without any championship for a three year period you know there was you know,
01:00:37.832 --> 01:00:40.792
a single match program Inoki against
01:00:40.792 --> 01:00:45.272
Stan Hansen again something like Inoki against say Masked Superstar they did
01:00:45.272 --> 01:00:50.512
the main event without title without championship they did interesting now that
01:00:50.512 --> 01:00:55.992
I brought up the Masked Superstar another wrestler whose legacy has been overlooked
01:00:55.992 --> 01:00:58.832
he was a big superstar in Japan In that time, you know,
01:00:59.652 --> 01:01:02.412
late 70s into early 80s, Masked Superstar.
01:01:02.632 --> 01:01:06.052
Maybe he's more famous as demolition in America, right?
01:01:06.792 --> 01:01:08.792
Probably. As Axe.
01:01:09.692 --> 01:01:15.112
Axe of demolition. Axe, yeah, yeah, demolition. But Masked Superstar was a top superstar in Japan.
01:01:15.632 --> 01:01:19.612
When they didn't have championship belt to defend, there was like a single match,
01:01:19.732 --> 01:01:20.892
Inoki against Masked Superstar.
01:01:21.112 --> 01:01:26.492
Masked Superstar's mask was at stake. yeah so Inoki beat,
01:01:27.132 --> 01:01:31.572
Masked Superstar in the middle of the ring and unmasked him that was dramatic
01:01:31.572 --> 01:01:37.052
yeah then he came back as a Billy Crusher without mask for one tour and didn't
01:01:37.052 --> 01:01:42.312
go over that well so he went back to Masked Superstar shortly after that but so yeah.
01:01:43.436 --> 01:01:50.256
Nothing happens. And very first inaugural IWGP tournament happened finally in 1983.
01:01:50.876 --> 01:01:54.796
Like 40 shows, 40 days in a row, all over Japan, all big shows.
01:01:55.656 --> 01:02:01.836
Inoki, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan, Big John Studd, Otto Vance from Europe,
01:02:02.136 --> 01:02:10.056
Enrique Vera from Mexico, Akira Maeda coming back from Europe as a Europe heavyweight champion.
01:02:10.056 --> 01:02:15.336
So he's in the main event, you know, cluster. So Dick Murak, probably A.B.
01:02:15.396 --> 01:02:20.176
Adonis, Russia Kimura, all these top talent had this round-robin tournament.
01:02:20.596 --> 01:02:25.896
The final was, instead of having Andre the Giant, that was Antonio Inoki against
01:02:25.896 --> 01:02:29.976
soon-to-be larger-than-life superstar Hulk Hogan.
01:02:30.736 --> 01:02:37.216
That was the time. Stan Hansen already left for All Japan at the end of 1981.
01:02:38.196 --> 01:02:41.316
He was the full-time in All Japan in 1982. too
01:02:41.316 --> 01:02:44.756
that's when hulk hogan signed exclusive deal
01:02:44.756 --> 01:02:48.936
with old japan and turned baby face that
01:02:48.936 --> 01:02:51.576
was very smart you know because the smart on new
01:02:51.576 --> 01:02:57.336
japan's part but the hulk hogan studied inoki bob backland and stan hansen under
01:02:57.336 --> 01:03:02.956
the giant in japan you know what i'm saying if you go back and now that we can
01:03:02.956 --> 01:03:08.956
watch it so easily you can go back and you can see where he got the moves where he got his rhythm,
01:03:09.776 --> 01:03:12.816
a lot of yeah you should you should go back and see.
01:03:14.016 --> 01:03:18.076
Babyface Hulk Hogan against Abdurah the Butcher in New Japan and you know,
01:03:19.176 --> 01:03:23.456
doing hulking up right the first time three punch of course,
01:03:24.336 --> 01:03:27.356
Inoki's punch was comeback it was exactly like Inoki yeah
01:03:27.356 --> 01:03:30.776
and yeah it was Inoki was Inoki and
01:03:30.776 --> 01:03:33.816
Hulk Hogan 28 year old
01:03:33.816 --> 01:03:38.596
Hulk Hogan became tag team like a real big huge babyface Hulk Hogan wearing
01:03:38.596 --> 01:03:43.196
kimono and smart enough he had this black trunks and silver boots but he had
01:03:43.196 --> 01:03:49.796
ichiban kanji riding on his trunks like now he's local baby face right long
01:03:49.796 --> 01:03:51.536
blonde hair big sunglasses,
01:03:52.556 --> 01:03:58.896
yep and he worked like when when american wrestling fan hear how kogan's name
01:03:58.896 --> 01:04:03.216
is like always you know you associate with yellow trunks and yellow boots and
01:04:03.216 --> 01:04:06.696
big boots and leg drop one It's not like that.
01:04:07.216 --> 01:04:14.476
When he was working New Japan pretty much full time, he wrestled Japanese style. Really did.
01:04:14.836 --> 01:04:21.596
So these people have to go back and watch New Japan archive to find out how
01:04:21.596 --> 01:04:22.996
Kogan really did wrestle.
01:04:24.568 --> 01:04:27.748
He was pretty good he was really good actually so i
01:04:27.748 --> 01:04:30.588
have to defend him yeah yeah he i mean if you go back
01:04:30.588 --> 01:04:34.628
and watch the matches that he was in around this time they're
01:04:34.628 --> 01:04:38.688
not going to put somebody who can't wrestle in the ring with you know you know
01:04:38.688 --> 01:04:44.128
j the giant and stan hansen and bob back then you know he yeah i'm not saying
01:04:44.128 --> 01:04:47.828
he's like you know i'm not saying he's billy robinson or carl god but i'm I'm
01:04:47.828 --> 01:04:54.288
saying he was absolutely more than, what can I say?
01:04:55.768 --> 01:05:02.728
Above average for his height and size and for the time.
01:05:02.788 --> 01:05:08.108
And also, Hong Kong initially was introduced to Japanese ring back in 1980 as
01:05:08.108 --> 01:05:09.628
a prologue of Hiro Matsuda.
01:05:09.868 --> 01:05:14.008
This guy was trained by Japanese wrestler Hiro Matsuda. Kiro Matsuda is a coach
01:05:14.008 --> 01:05:18.188
of Hogan, Paul Orndorff, Ron Simmons, Lex Luger.
01:05:18.568 --> 01:05:21.568
He only trained big guys, talented big guys.
01:05:25.308 --> 01:05:29.448
Haukogun was always in kind of a right place at the right time kind of guy, of course.
01:05:29.628 --> 01:05:36.168
But Haukogun was so smart that just as soon as Stan Henson left for all Japan,
01:05:36.448 --> 01:05:39.208
he took that spot right away and signed a deal with New Japan.
01:05:39.208 --> 01:05:42.008
Like your contract with
01:05:42.008 --> 01:05:45.528
New Japan and turn babyface and they're
01:05:45.528 --> 01:05:48.628
on this real Hulk Hogan legacy
01:05:48.628 --> 01:05:51.828
starts with New Japan not with WWF
01:05:51.828 --> 01:05:57.448
that's what I'm talking about I think Hulkamania started in Tokyo not New York
01:05:57.448 --> 01:06:04.708
right and at the same time he was dividing his time with AWA Minneapolis and
01:06:04.708 --> 01:06:10.128
in Tokyo in Minneapolis he already had started the program, the challenger,
01:06:11.794 --> 01:06:16.014
against champion Nick Barkwinkle. They had great matches there, 80 to 83. Yeah.
01:06:16.394 --> 01:06:19.714
So they were doing that. He actually won the title beating Nick Barkwinkle in
01:06:19.714 --> 01:06:23.834
the ring and people leave the building thinking that the Hulk Hogan beat Barkwinkle for the title.
01:06:24.154 --> 01:06:27.914
He leaves, you know, then leave the building and next week on TV,
01:06:28.534 --> 01:06:34.274
somewhat, somehow, the decision was reversed and then the title was back to Barkwinkle.
01:06:34.454 --> 01:06:36.314
They did that like twice, three times.
01:06:36.934 --> 01:06:42.094
I think that's when people start losing faith in AWA though, you know, locally.
01:06:43.954 --> 01:06:48.634
It's a completely different route. Yeah, I think so.
01:06:49.434 --> 01:06:55.714
And how Colgan handled Varangania business real well, that he drew a lot of people.
01:06:56.054 --> 01:07:03.314
And AWA was booming in Midwest. Not just Midwest, but not just Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois,
01:07:03.834 --> 01:07:09.114
North Dakota, South Dakota, or Winnipeg, but they expanded to Salt Lake City,
01:07:09.114 --> 01:07:12.614
in Denver and all the way to San Francisco. Remember?
01:07:13.094 --> 01:07:17.434
AWA territory got so much bigger around that time period.
01:07:17.994 --> 01:07:21.074
And the main event was Nick Park against babyface Hulk Hogan.
01:07:21.614 --> 01:07:25.474
So Hulk Hogan was doing Hulkamania thing years before Hulkamania,
01:07:26.214 --> 01:07:27.434
which was very interesting.
01:07:27.654 --> 01:07:31.834
I mean, those portions of history are so overlooked. Yeah.
01:07:32.754 --> 01:07:36.334
Well, I mean, it's good that it's available now. You can watch it pretty much
01:07:36.334 --> 01:07:40.074
whenever if you have New Japan World. I'm sure you can pull things up or wwe
01:07:40.074 --> 01:07:45.594
network wwe network has awa archive now too so if.
01:07:47.209 --> 01:07:50.209
Interested in the real history of it because people only know
01:07:50.209 --> 01:07:54.389
wwe version of wrestling history right that was
01:07:54.389 --> 01:07:59.529
kind of like uh the second act the part two of his career but part one of hulkamania
01:07:59.529 --> 01:08:03.969
is are in those years i mean he was really popular he was really popular he
01:08:03.969 --> 01:08:08.689
was wrestling probably his best in-ring matches around that time his whole career
01:08:08.689 --> 01:08:12.529
i mean yeah i mean you you could see or he got his,
01:08:12.589 --> 01:08:15.149
not his, his, his, his routine.
01:08:15.589 --> 01:08:18.769
Cause you know, by the end, I'm not saying that in a negative way either.
01:08:18.869 --> 01:08:21.149
It's just what he, that's what he, all he had to do was do his routine.
01:08:21.409 --> 01:08:26.609
And also, AW television, Hulk Hogan was already saying that the Hulkamania is
01:08:26.609 --> 01:08:28.969
running wild as early as 1982.
01:08:29.489 --> 01:08:32.629
Hulkamania is running wild. If there wasn't the word Hulkamania,
01:08:32.829 --> 01:08:33.929
there was no WrestleMania.
01:08:34.949 --> 01:08:41.409
See, the word Hulkamania was there before the word WrestleMania was invented.
01:08:41.589 --> 01:08:45.709
Yeah and the partnership
01:08:45.709 --> 01:08:49.689
between new japan and and wwf
01:08:49.689 --> 01:08:52.909
lasted all the way to 1985
01:08:52.909 --> 01:08:57.849
that the national expansion started in 84 but the actual business partnership
01:08:57.849 --> 01:09:03.049
between wwf and new japan lasted all the way to like the summer of 1985 and
01:09:03.049 --> 01:09:07.189
that that time period the hulk hogan's last appearance with in New Japan for
01:09:07.189 --> 01:09:10.329
the next seven years was June of 1985.
01:09:10.689 --> 01:09:15.429
He came back as WDF's champion and defended his title against Fujinami,
01:09:15.489 --> 01:09:18.369
but he wasn't wearing yellow boots and yellow trunks.
01:09:18.509 --> 01:09:24.449
When he came back to Japan, even after WrestleMania 1, see, WrestleMania 1 was
01:09:24.449 --> 01:09:26.289
what, March 31st of 1985?
01:09:26.709 --> 01:09:31.029
So three months after that, he had this black trunks with Ichiban on it.
01:09:31.149 --> 01:09:34.429
He didn't wear yellow wrestling boots. Instead, he had a silver boots.
01:09:34.429 --> 01:09:39.009
So he had this Japanese attire, then he came back to Japan and defended his
01:09:39.009 --> 01:09:41.449
title against Fujinami as WWF champion.
01:09:41.869 --> 01:09:46.869
But shortly after that, all the WWF talent was pulled from New Japan.
01:09:47.789 --> 01:09:49.989
Vince McMahon said, no more Japan tour.
01:09:51.229 --> 01:09:57.669
All the WWF talent stopped coming over. Everybody was gone, but under the giant.
01:09:57.669 --> 01:10:03.789
And that's when New Japan had to sign deals with people like Fritz Von Erich
01:10:03.789 --> 01:10:06.989
World Class and Kevin Von Erich and Kerry Von Erich started coming to New Japan.
01:10:07.409 --> 01:10:12.029
And also Sakaguchi went over to Bill Watts and started bringing people like
01:10:12.029 --> 01:10:15.329
Steve Williams and young Rick Steiner and whatnot.
01:10:15.769 --> 01:10:19.589
And they had to sign deals with other companies at the time.
01:10:19.589 --> 01:10:27.829
So people like Konga the Barbarian, the young Kokina, Kokina before him.
01:10:29.484 --> 01:10:33.044
Yeah, years before he was Yokozuna. Yeah, all these younger,
01:10:33.264 --> 01:10:35.164
all like the Punisher, Dice Morgan.
01:10:35.604 --> 01:10:39.764
Later on, he becomes Undertaker. But all those younger, big body,
01:10:39.984 --> 01:10:46.064
heavyweight talent had to be recruited to Japan because the partnership between
01:10:46.064 --> 01:10:51.404
New Japan and WWF was pretty much finished at that point.
01:10:52.104 --> 01:10:56.504
Yeah, so they went separate way. Unbelievable thing about that in retrospect
01:10:56.504 --> 01:11:04.924
is that during that year 1985 Hulk Hogan was champion he was working in both in,
01:11:05.764 --> 01:11:09.024
WWE WWF and New Japan
01:11:09.024 --> 01:11:14.624
you know yeah all the way to like summer of 85 summer of 85 even after WrestleMania
01:11:14.624 --> 01:11:20.904
1 would that be like if Roman Reigns was IWGP champion for half the year and
01:11:20.904 --> 01:11:26.964
would spend half the time in Japan and then comes back and does Smackdown yeah I mean,
01:11:27.004 --> 01:11:29.484
it sounds pretty insane,
01:11:29.744 --> 01:11:32.224
but that's, I mean, that's Hulkamania.
01:11:32.424 --> 01:11:36.264
That's, I guess, where it was probably at. And personally, I'm pretty sure Hulk
01:11:36.264 --> 01:11:37.764
Hogan took Japan deal seriously.
01:11:38.064 --> 01:11:43.624
You know, he was superstar in Japan years before he was like larger than life
01:11:43.624 --> 01:11:45.524
superstar phenomenon in America.
01:11:46.644 --> 01:11:53.384
After this WrestleMania one period on that, the WWE became the world.
01:11:53.584 --> 01:11:59.424
That's the whole wrestling world. And Japan is like an isolated world, you know.
01:11:59.864 --> 01:12:04.984
And pretty soon, interestingly enough, we'll cover that in Jan Barber.
01:12:06.924 --> 01:12:12.764
Had a legacy, but Giant Baba cut the tie with American company too pretty soon
01:12:12.764 --> 01:12:19.604
because NWA was no longer big family territory thing that all these existing
01:12:19.604 --> 01:12:22.964
companies in America is closing their doors right and left, right?
01:12:23.844 --> 01:12:30.184
It pretty soon became Vince McMahon's WWF against Jim Crockett Jr.'s NWA Crockett promotion.
01:12:30.464 --> 01:12:35.064
Then pretty soon NWA Crockett promotion becomes WCW.
01:12:35.604 --> 01:12:39.424
Then you have late 80s into
01:12:39.424 --> 01:12:42.244
90s big two major league companies period in
01:12:42.244 --> 01:12:45.124
america and japan or japan baba's old
01:12:45.124 --> 01:12:49.104
japan in okie's new japan all existed separately yeah so
01:12:49.104 --> 01:12:55.864
that the landscape you know really changed around that time period 80s mid 80s
01:12:55.864 --> 01:13:02.744
late 80s into 90s completely changed i think right in the middle 85 is is where
01:13:02.744 --> 01:13:04.404
what you're talking about with
01:13:04.404 --> 01:13:08.804
holgan where we're And the relationship between WWF and New Japan ended?
01:13:09.124 --> 01:13:15.424
Yeah, I was already back in Japan and I visited Hogan at the KO Plus hotel and
01:13:15.424 --> 01:13:20.624
he was willing to have Japan tour, but the business deals became different.
01:13:20.624 --> 01:13:24.944
That he had so much, you know, schedules and other projects and Vince McMahon
01:13:24.944 --> 01:13:28.184
and how Kogan was the it thing,
01:13:28.404 --> 01:13:36.684
you know, for the next, what, six, seven-year period that it was the prime time WWE, you know, era,
01:13:36.944 --> 01:13:39.304
you know, and then how Kogan was the top talent,
01:13:39.704 --> 01:13:46.804
WrestleMania I, WrestleMania II, and SummerSlam, and that the SummerSlam being created,
01:13:46.944 --> 01:13:49.584
that the Survivor Series being created, that the Royal Rumble being created,
01:13:49.584 --> 01:13:54.724
that the closed circuit is no longer that the business model has changed into pay-for-view.
01:13:54.964 --> 01:13:59.244
That becomes the late 80s thing. And it's just American wrestling and Japanese
01:13:59.244 --> 01:14:00.744
wrestling became two different things.
01:14:01.104 --> 01:14:03.004
I mean, two different industries almost.
01:14:04.304 --> 01:14:10.444
And it's funny because Hogan became definitely the face of that generation for wrestling then.
01:14:10.664 --> 01:14:16.804
And Inoki stayed a part of the face of Japanese pro wrestling until a little bit later.
01:14:17.044 --> 01:14:21.984
Yeah, a little bit later. But the aging Inoki was not popular,
01:14:21.984 --> 01:14:25.884
you know, at the end of the 80s. Yeah.
01:14:26.344 --> 01:14:32.124
Because Fujinami, Miki Choshu, Akira Maeda all became main event within New
01:14:32.124 --> 01:14:34.604
Japan and wanted to have a single match program, right?
01:14:34.924 --> 01:14:37.164
And that's the only way. But instead,
01:14:37.364 --> 01:14:42.044
Inoki chose Masa Saito to be his opponent all the way to like 1987.
01:14:44.004 --> 01:14:50.024
IWGP tournament in spring. Like I said, how Kogan won the inaugural tournament winner in 83.
01:14:50.204 --> 01:14:54.764
But 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, that the tournament –.
01:14:56.383 --> 01:15:02.643
For another five-year period between 83 and 87. And at the end of 1987 tournament,
01:15:02.923 --> 01:15:05.003
the final was Inoki against Masa Saito.
01:15:05.503 --> 01:15:11.943
And Inoki, of course, naturally won. And IWGP became championship belt instead of tournament.
01:15:12.583 --> 01:15:17.403
Now you have, what, the 33, 35-year history of IWGP tournament,
01:15:17.643 --> 01:15:19.943
all the way to Kazuchika Okada.
01:15:20.243 --> 01:15:24.203
But Inagiwo, the initial heavyweight
01:15:24.203 --> 01:15:30.223
champion, And the IWGP became championship belt was spring of 1987.
01:15:30.623 --> 01:15:34.903
Inoki was the first champion. That lineage all the way to Kazuchika Okada for
01:15:34.903 --> 01:15:37.503
35-year history. Now there you have it.
01:15:38.543 --> 01:15:41.863
Now you know the rest of the story kind of thing.
01:15:42.483 --> 01:15:45.523
It's an ongoing story too. Yeah, yeah.
01:15:45.643 --> 01:15:50.303
But the IWGP heavyweight title has that kind of rich, rich history.
01:15:50.303 --> 01:15:55.823
And also the beginning, there was a big project that all the Japanese fans in
01:15:55.823 --> 01:15:59.143
the early 80s really believed it was going to be the biggest thing in wrestling.
01:16:00.023 --> 01:16:05.683
The IWGP. Yeah. And people thought Inoki, yeah, in the first tournament,
01:16:05.823 --> 01:16:09.023
Inoki was going to, you know, people thought he was going to beat Hulk Hogan
01:16:09.023 --> 01:16:13.023
to become the first winner of IWGP. Therefore, he will be the biggest thing in wrestling.
01:16:13.703 --> 01:16:19.623
Instead, Hulk Hogan beat Inoki and there was like another, uh you know he's
01:16:19.623 --> 01:16:26.003
a very creative booking don't you think the uh with a dq finish no enoki,
01:16:26.803 --> 01:16:31.943
was knocked out that's right yeah you know he went you know he went.
01:16:33.643 --> 01:16:36.723
Hospital and it was in evening news and still up
01:16:36.723 --> 01:16:39.583
to debate if if it was inoki just decided to
01:16:39.583 --> 01:16:42.483
lay there what was their accident that he really
01:16:42.483 --> 01:16:45.943
hit the head the head hard in the ring and knocked unconscious and
01:16:45.943 --> 01:16:51.503
he just up to debate even to this day that he did not tell even sakaguchi about
01:16:51.503 --> 01:16:56.703
it because everybody panicked in the ring and he wasn't acting everybody panicked
01:16:56.703 --> 01:16:59.203
and ambulance was called inoki
01:16:59.203 --> 01:17:03.123
was put in ambulance went straight to hospital it was in evening news,
01:17:03.643 --> 01:17:09.983
But was it still, doesn't say it was really like the big accident or anything like that.
01:17:10.083 --> 01:17:14.683
A lot of people still think Inoki decided to lay there without telling anybody about it.
01:17:15.223 --> 01:17:19.503
I mean, that's like one of the biggest mystery in modern wrestling history.
01:17:19.723 --> 01:17:27.723
That night, June of 1983, that the finish, the way Hulk Hogan panicked in the
01:17:27.723 --> 01:17:31.543
ring, it signifies that I don't think he was told.
01:17:31.543 --> 01:17:38.883
But it's up to debate I mean I don't have the answer either is that interesting?
01:17:40.343 --> 01:17:45.803
Very dramatic it's pretty controversial too I mean it's one of Inoki's few on
01:17:45.803 --> 01:17:47.983
the record losses technically,
01:17:49.143 --> 01:17:52.043
he's only lost to a handful of people but you have to think what ifs though
01:17:52.043 --> 01:18:00.003
what if Inoki won the initial inaugural IWGP tournament in June of 1983 to become
01:18:00.003 --> 01:18:04.583
the first tournament winner to be the IWGP tournament winner,
01:18:04.783 --> 01:18:07.823
that will be like the end of.
01:18:09.490 --> 01:18:18.150
But he made it very much like episode 1 by losing that match IWGP became even
01:18:18.150 --> 01:18:28.610
bigger by losing so my vote is that Inoki all by himself decided to lay there,
01:18:29.590 --> 01:18:36.370
I don't know really, it's still up to debate to this day was Inoki really knocked
01:18:36.370 --> 01:18:42.990
unconscious an ambulance was called It was in evening news and also the newspaper,
01:18:43.190 --> 01:18:45.790
regular newspaper, next morning that Mr.
01:18:45.890 --> 01:18:50.410
Inoki had an accident in the ring and he was knocked unconscious and went straight to the hospital.
01:18:50.970 --> 01:18:53.590
That took place too, yeah, as a record.
01:18:54.630 --> 01:19:02.210
Do you think that if Inoki had won or won over on… IWCP-12?
01:19:02.210 --> 01:19:06.630
Either that yeah or in any other,
01:19:07.450 --> 01:19:11.210
it doesn't have to be in that format if there's any situation if you step back
01:19:11.210 --> 01:19:18.550
and think about it in a more from this time period if Inoki let Hogan get over
01:19:18.550 --> 01:19:23.550
on him or not if Inoki just controlled the program do you think Hulkamania would
01:19:23.550 --> 01:19:26.390
have happened do you think the trajectory would have been different.
01:19:28.550 --> 01:19:32.310
Well sooner or later Inoki against Hulk Hogan Well, see, 82,
01:19:32.450 --> 01:19:39.430
83, you know, up until then, that Inoki and Hulk Hogan was tag team partners,
01:19:39.830 --> 01:19:42.810
winning the tag team tournament two years in a row, right?
01:19:42.970 --> 01:19:45.350
So there was history. There was some history between them. Yeah.
01:19:45.550 --> 01:19:51.870
And as of the beginning of this IWGP inaugural tournament, Hulk Hogan became
01:19:51.870 --> 01:19:57.110
single competitor and won all the, you know, the tournament matches and became
01:19:57.110 --> 01:19:58.630
the finalist of the tournament.
01:20:00.516 --> 01:20:04.836
And actually, Inoki was another finalist. Inoki against Hulk Hogan,
01:20:05.016 --> 01:20:07.276
the tournament final. Big, big match.
01:20:07.536 --> 01:20:10.996
And if Inoki won, it wasn't going to be that big of a news, right?
01:20:12.916 --> 01:20:18.876
If Inoki won, yeah, I mean... It's just another tournament. Yeah.
01:20:19.476 --> 01:20:24.116
And I think maybe fans would have lost faith because, listen,
01:20:24.216 --> 01:20:26.616
there was another really hot company right across the street.
01:20:26.616 --> 01:20:29.876
Yeah, because the three years in making an IWGP myth,
01:20:30.976 --> 01:20:34.836
and all the legend and the storyline all young fans believed in Japan at the
01:20:34.836 --> 01:20:39.236
time that IWGP was going to be the biggest thing in wrestling and Hinoki won
01:20:39.236 --> 01:20:44.316
and ended that was the end of it probably and by having Howe Kogan go over and
01:20:44.316 --> 01:20:49.116
Howe Kogan became larger than life in Japan for one thing and he wore that,
01:20:50.296 --> 01:20:56.376
initial very original IWGP championship belt in that ring and the photo exists
01:20:56.376 --> 01:21:02.496
and Howe Kogan to this day think I was the original IWGP champion. That's true, right?
01:21:02.976 --> 01:21:07.336
And also, following year in 1984, the second IWGP tournament,
01:21:07.796 --> 01:21:10.156
again, Antony Noki against Hulk.
01:21:11.796 --> 01:21:16.436
Was the final he already won the wwf championship then though you know what i'm saying remember,
01:21:16.996 --> 01:21:25.236
january of 1984 hulk hogan beat ian chic to become wwf wwf champion and hulkamaniac
01:21:25.236 --> 01:21:32.816
and the national expansion era already began but hulk hogan was still taking his japan dates,
01:21:33.556 --> 01:21:36.436
he was still traveling back and forth back and
01:21:36.436 --> 01:21:39.376
forth when when he was in america he does this
01:21:39.376 --> 01:21:42.196
yellow trunks hulk hogan hulk a maniac when he comes
01:21:42.196 --> 01:21:45.036
back to japan in 1984 he still wears black
01:21:45.036 --> 01:21:50.656
trunks with each one on it and part of new japan so he almost lived double life
01:21:50.656 --> 01:21:56.036
for like another two year period that was kind of normal for a lot of superstars
01:21:56.036 --> 01:22:00.356
that were traveling back and forth right they would come up until 1984 yes yeah
01:22:00.356 --> 01:22:03.836
i asked adrian adonis you know he told me that,
01:22:04.356 --> 01:22:07.256
his contract says Japan deal is separate.
01:22:09.776 --> 01:22:17.516
But after 1985, the real WrestleMania era began, and Vince McMahon pretty much
01:22:17.516 --> 01:22:22.736
stopped everybody from coming into Japan. So that was interesting.
01:22:23.476 --> 01:22:30.816
But for the record, the 1984 second annual IWGP tournament final was again Antonio
01:22:30.816 --> 01:22:32.836
Inoki against Hulk Hogan.
01:22:32.836 --> 01:22:38.496
This time, now superstar Ricky Choshu, along with Masa Saito,
01:22:38.676 --> 01:22:40.096
ran in and destroyed the match.
01:22:40.436 --> 01:22:45.816
And had the double count finish, and people got so mad, and they had to restart the match.
01:22:45.976 --> 01:22:51.056
And had another double count out, and people got so mad, started throwing things in the ring.
01:22:51.616 --> 01:22:58.056
And Ricky Choshu still did the running and gave big clothesline to Hulk Hogan.
01:22:58.056 --> 01:23:04.836
And Inoki, you know, quickly went back to the ring and beat Hulk Hogan or the count-out finish.
01:23:05.356 --> 01:23:11.596
And therefore, Inoki won the tournament. People got so mad at the Sumo Palace, they start the fire.
01:23:11.896 --> 01:23:14.216
Another big historical riot.
01:23:17.233 --> 01:23:19.973
People were so enthusiastic back then huh
01:23:19.973 --> 01:23:22.893
they were fired up you know japanese fans like
01:23:22.893 --> 01:23:25.633
you know they yeah because they don't boo you because you're here
01:23:25.633 --> 01:23:28.413
japanese fans will boo you because they don't like what
01:23:28.413 --> 01:23:32.073
they're seeing it's two different things right yeah
01:23:32.073 --> 01:23:35.393
but interestingly enough that the hawk maniacs started
01:23:35.393 --> 01:23:38.633
in america already in 1984 but hokonga
01:23:38.633 --> 01:23:41.973
was still making you know that uh pretty
01:23:41.973 --> 01:23:44.693
frequent trip to japan and work in
01:23:44.693 --> 01:23:47.833
two different places at the same time yeah it was
01:23:47.833 --> 01:23:50.613
a very interesting era to study it was
01:23:50.613 --> 01:23:54.133
kind of the last of that sort of
01:23:54.133 --> 01:23:58.093
era for i guess you could say free agent wrestlers
01:23:58.093 --> 01:24:01.033
because he wasn't locked up until 1985 or after that
01:24:01.033 --> 01:24:03.753
with the right right right and it won't come
01:24:03.753 --> 01:24:08.213
back until 1990 when they had uh wwf and
01:24:08.213 --> 01:24:11.693
new japan and all japan three company combined and
01:24:11.693 --> 01:24:16.153
had the tokyo dome wrestling summit remember yeah
01:24:16.153 --> 01:24:19.453
okay we'll talk about that at the final episode of
01:24:19.453 --> 01:24:22.913
antonio enoki episode five because uh yeah
01:24:22.913 --> 01:24:28.673
uh i think we did we covered a lot of ground today and i think he had a lot
01:24:28.673 --> 01:24:33.573
to do with today's history too i think it's another dense one but we've made
01:24:33.573 --> 01:24:40.293
it we're almost there so next time we'll pick up We're almost there. 1985.
01:24:40.813 --> 01:24:45.193
But we still have to start the Giant Baba legacy on until Inoki retires.
01:24:45.613 --> 01:24:47.813
Inoki retires in April of 1998.
01:24:48.693 --> 01:24:54.513
And that was the last time he had a real wrestling match in that ring with Folk Gear.
01:24:55.033 --> 01:25:00.993
And also, December of 1998, Giant Baba has his last match in his life.
01:25:01.153 --> 01:25:09.573
So both Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki had his first match in September of 1960. and both Inoki and Baal.
01:25:11.238 --> 01:25:16.858
Final match in 1998. I don't think it's an accident. It's kind of like their destiny. Yeah.
01:25:18.378 --> 01:25:21.818
All right. We'll cover that. We're going to cover that on the final episode.
01:25:22.598 --> 01:25:28.918
Yeah. Hope, yeah, we'll skip some years and eras and the episode back and forth, back and forth.
01:25:29.438 --> 01:25:33.278
I'm hoping that the people will follow by listening to what we're talking today.
01:25:33.558 --> 01:25:37.198
I hope we can fit the rest of his career into an episode too,
01:25:37.238 --> 01:25:42.118
because from late 80s, well, we're going to have to talk about a lot of non-wrestling
01:25:42.118 --> 01:25:45.018
situations Enoki was in too. He was very...
01:25:46.518 --> 01:25:51.178
There's nobody like him. Oh, the politician, being a politician. Being a politician.
01:25:52.518 --> 01:25:59.058
Businessman. Yeah, and then he saved the hostage from Iran and all that things. We'll have that.
01:25:59.418 --> 01:26:05.098
And also, of all places, he had a wrestling extravaganza at North Korea with,
01:26:05.118 --> 01:26:07.978
what, 130 people in that building.
01:26:08.358 --> 01:26:11.078
Enoki against Ric Flair thing. yeah we'll cover that
01:26:11.078 --> 01:26:15.358
okay we got another action-packed episode
01:26:15.358 --> 01:26:18.498
so get ready for it yeah but the real but when
01:26:18.498 --> 01:26:21.558
he had the north korea 130
01:26:21.558 --> 01:26:24.858
you know 180 000 people think you know he wasn't exactly
01:26:24.858 --> 01:26:28.718
active wrestler he was a politician he came back a couple times a year in his
01:26:28.718 --> 01:26:31.878
working shape just to have one or two matches a year that was like that for
01:26:31.878 --> 01:26:37.478
the last five years of his career yeah but the acting i mean like a full-time
01:26:37.478 --> 01:26:43.298
wrestler his the inoki's career practically ended around 1988.
01:26:44.178 --> 01:26:47.138
And there was a famous match with fujinami too around that time,
01:26:47.758 --> 01:26:54.918
yeah august 8th 1988 uh iwgp heavyweight champion fujinami inoki was a challenger
01:26:54.918 --> 01:27:00.458
and they did that 60-minute classic we'll have that next time all right yeah
01:27:00.458 --> 01:27:05.158
all right let's wrap So where can people ask you questions on online?
01:27:05.598 --> 01:27:11.338
Yeah, on Twitter, Fumihiko Dayo, F-U-M-I-H-I-K-O-D-A-Y-O, Fumihiko Dayo on Twitter,
01:27:11.538 --> 01:27:13.218
or just Fumisaito on Facebook.
01:27:13.458 --> 01:27:20.138
I'm also on Instagram, Fumisaito 2001, but I'm not in there that much. I prefer Facebook.
01:27:21.118 --> 01:27:23.618
I'm at Justin M. Nipper on Twitter.
01:27:24.738 --> 01:27:27.838
Get at us through Twitter. Get at us through the Patreon.
01:27:28.438 --> 01:27:32.938
Get at us. Yeah, let's take questions. Yeah. If you have any questions on Eno
01:27:32.938 --> 01:27:36.198
Kebaba or anything, shoot them at us. We'll take them.
01:27:36.538 --> 01:27:43.098
So, okay, let's get ready for the final part next week. So, for Fumi, so long from Tokyo.
01:27:48.400 --> 01:28:01.507
Music.