Rikidozan
(1924 - 1963)

		Real Name:	Kim Sin-Nak
		Japanese Name:	Mitsuhiro Momota
		Birth:	1924/11/14 in South Hamgyong, (North) Korea
		Because the Koreans were discriminated against in Japan, his real identity was kept secret for many years even after his death. It was always believed that he was born Mitsuhiro Momota in Ohmura, Nagasaki, Japan. Momota is the last name of his adopted parents in Nagasaki.
		Debut:	1951/10/28 Tokyo 10min time limit draw against Bobby Bruns on
		Last Match:	1963/12/07 Hamamatsu 60min time limit draw againt The Destroyer, Killer Buddy Austin, & Ilio DiPaolo, teaming with Great Togo & Michiaki Yoshimura
		Death:	1963/12/15 Tokyo, Japan
		Organizations:	JWA (53-63)
		Titles:	Pacific Coast Tag Team (San Francisco) Japanese Heavyweight NWA Hawaii Tag Team [2] All Asia Heavyweight NWA World Tag Team (San Francisco) NWA International Heavyweight All Asia Tag Team [4] WWA World Heavyweight (Los Angeles)
		Tournaments:	The 1st Annual World League (1959 JWA) The 2nd Annual World League (1960 JWA) The 3rd Annual World League (1961 JWA) The 4th Annual World League (1962 JWA) The 5th Annual World League (1963 JWA)
		Founder of Japan Wrestling Association. Inducted to Puroresu Hall of Fame in May, 1996

Rikidozan is the father of puroresu. He established the puroresu as a popular professional sport in Japan less than a decade after Japan lost the World War II. He, who continuously defeated Americans with his famous karate chop, was a hero for the Japanese people with depressed mind. Many of his students became big stars in the sport, including Shohei "Giant" Baba and Antonio Inoki, who are two of the greatest wrestlers in the history of puroresu, and Kintaro Ohki (Kim Ill), who was also a superstar in his home country South Korea.

Pictures

Articles

• "Death of a Hero" by Gavin Marshall - Wrestling Revue, April 1964