Antonio Inoki facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Antonio Inoki
Inoki in 2012
Member of the House of Councillors
In office July 23, 1989 – July 22, 1995
In office July 29, 2013 – July 28, 2019
Goodwill Ambassador of Palau
In office 2013–Unknown
Personal details
Born	Kanji Inoki (猪木寛至, Inoki Kanji) (1943-02-20)February 20, 1943 Yokohama, Empire of Japan
Died	October 1, 2022(2022-10-01) (aged 79) Tokyo, Japan
Political party	Democratic Party for the People (2019)
Other political affiliations	Sports and Peace Party (1989–1995) Japan Restoration Party (2013–2014) Party for Future Generations (2014–2015) Assembly to Energize Japan (2015–2016) Independents Club (2016–2019)
Spouses	Diana Tuck (separated after 1965) Mitsuko Baisho ​ ​ (m. 1971; div. 1987)​ A third wife ​ ​ (m. 1989; div. 2012)​ Tazuko Tada ​ ​ (m. 2017; her death 2019)​
Children	3, including Hiroko Inoki
Relatives	10 siblings, including Juichi Sagara Simon Inoki (son-in-law) Hirota Inoki (grandson) Naoto Inoki (grandson)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Antonio Inoki The Kamikaze Kanji Inoki Kazimoto Killer Inoki Kinji Onoki Little Tokyo Moeru Toukon Tokyo Tom
Billed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Billed weight	224 lb (102 kg)
Billed from	Tokyo, Japan
Trained by	Rikidōzan Karl Gotch
Debut	September 30, 1960
Retired	April 4, 1998

Antonio Inoki (born Kanji Inoki; February 20, 1943 – October 1, 2022) was a famous Japanese professional wrestler, martial artist, and politician. He was known for his exciting wrestling style and for promoting big wrestling events. Inoki was a twelve-time world champion in professional wrestling. He was also the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWF Heavyweight Champion.

Inoki spent his teenage years in Brazil. He started his professional wrestling career in the 1960s. He trained under the legendary Rikidōzan in Japan. Inoki quickly became one of the most popular stars in Japanese professional wrestling. He became one of Japan's most recognized athletes. This was especially true after his famous 1976 fight against boxing champion Muhammad Ali. This fight is seen as an early example of modern mixed martial arts.

In 1995, Inoki and Ric Flair were the main stars of two wrestling shows in North Korea. These events had huge crowds, with 165,000 and 190,000 fans. These are the biggest crowds ever for professional wrestling. Inoki had his last wrestling match on April 4, 1998. He was later added to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010.

Inoki also started his own wrestling company. In 1972, he founded New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He owned NJPW until 2005. Later, he started other wrestling promotions like the Inoki Genome Federation (IGF). He also helped create a karate style called Kansui-ryū.

In 1989, while still wrestling, Inoki became a politician. He was elected to the Japanese House of Councillors. During his first time in office, Inoki helped free Japanese people who were held hostage in Iraq. This happened before the Gulf War. He left politics in 1995 but was reelected in 2013. Inoki retired from politics in 2019.

Early Life and Moving to Brazil

Growing Up in Yokohama

Antonio Inoki was born in Yokohama, Japan, in 1943. His birth name was Kanji Inoki. He came from a well-off family. He was the sixth of seven boys and had four sisters. His father, Sajiro Inoki, was a businessman and politician. Sadly, his father passed away when Kanji was only five years old.

Inoki learned karate from his older brother when he was in sixth grade. By seventh grade, he was already very tall, about 5 feet 11 inches. He joined his school's basketball team. Later, he switched to track and field and became a shot putter. He even won a championship in shot put at a competition in Yokohama.

Life in Brazil

After World War II, Inoki's family faced tough times. In 1957, when he was 14, Inoki moved to Brazil. He went with his grandfather, mother, and brothers. His grandfather passed away during the journey to Brazil. In Brazil, Inoki continued his sports success. He won championships in shot put, discus throw, and javelin throw. He even won the All Brazilian championships in shot put and discus.

Antonio Inoki's Wrestling Journey

Starting His Career (1960–1971)

When Inoki was 17, he met the famous wrestler Rikidōzan in Brazil. Rikidōzan invited him to Japan to join the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance (JWA). Inoki became Rikidōzan's student. He trained hard in the JWA training hall. He learned from great trainers like Karl Gotch. One of his classmates was another future wrestling legend, Giant Baba.

After Rikidōzan passed away, Inoki wrestled alongside Giant Baba. They were a strong team called the "B-I Cannon." They won the NWA International Tag Team Championship four times. In 1969, Inoki won his first big tournament, stopping Giant Baba's winning streak. Inoki became a top star for wrestling shows on NET (now TV Asahi). He won the NWA United National Championship in 1971.

Founding New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1972–2005)

Inoki left JWA in 1971 and started his own company, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), in 1972. His first match in NJPW was against his former trainer, Karl Gotch. In 1975, he faced another legend, Lou Thesz.

Inoki had many famous matches. In 1976, he fought a Pakistani wrestler named Akram Pahalwan. This match became very intense and seemed real. Inoki won by injuring Pahalwan's arm. In 1977, he had a wild match against The Great Antonio. Antonio started hitting Inoki for real, and Inoki fought back with kicks and stomps until the match was stopped.

In 1979, Inoki defeated Bob Backlund to win the WWF Heavyweight Championship. However, this win is not officially recognized by WWE today.

Antonio Inoki wrestling with Ernie Ladd in June 1975

A very special event happened in 1995. Inoki and the North Korean government organized a "wrestling festival for peace" in Pyongyang, North Korea. These shows drew massive crowds, with 165,000 and 190,000 fans attending. The main event was a match between Inoki and Ric Flair, which Inoki won.

Inoki's wrestling retirement tour was called "Final Countdown." It took place between 1994 and 1998. He had rematches of his most famous fights. On April 4, 1998, Inoki had his last official match, defeating Don Frye. After this, he had a few exhibition matches. In 2005, Inoki sold his main share of New Japan Pro-Wrestling to a video game company called Yuke's.

After NJPW (2005–2019)

In 2007, Inoki started a new wrestling company called Inoki Genome Federation (IGF). In 2010, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) announced that Inoki would be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. This is a great honor for wrestlers. Inoki attended the ceremony and was inducted by Stan Hansen. In 2017, Inoki created another company, ISM, and later left IGF.

Antonio Inoki's Political Career

Serving in the House of Councillors

First Time in Office (1989–1995)

Following his father's path, Inoki entered politics in 1989. He was elected to the House of Councillors in Japan. He ran as a member of his own party, the Sports and Peace Party. This was a very high position for a professional wrestler to achieve in politics.

In 1990, Inoki traveled to Iraq on a special mission. He successfully talked with Saddam Hussein to help free Japanese people who were held hostage. This happened just before the Gulf War started. He even organized a wrestling event in Iraq to help free the hostages. He was reelected in 1992. However, he lost his seat in 1995 after some issues were reported in 1994. He stayed out of politics for 18 years.

Second Time in Office (2013–2019)

Inoki delivering a speech in North Korea, 2014. Inoki's regular visits to the country strained his relations with the Japanese Diet.

In 2013, Inoki decided to run for office again. He won the election and returned to Japan's Upper House as a Member of Parliament. In November 2013, he was suspended from the Diet for 30 days. This was because he made an unauthorized trip to North Korea. He visited to mark 60 years since the end of the Korean War. He met with important North Korean officials. This was Inoki's 27th visit to North Korea. He believed that talking was important to solve problems, especially regarding Japanese citizens who had been taken to North Korea.

Inoki joined different political parties during this time. In 2014, he joined the Party for Japanese Kokoro. In 2015, he helped create a new party called the Assembly to Energize Japan. He left this party in 2016 to become an independent member. In September 2017, Inoki again said that Japan should try harder to talk with North Korea. This was after North Korea launched missiles over Hokkaido. He made another controversial trip to North Korea. In June 2019, Inoki announced he was retiring from politics for good.

Mixed Martial Arts and "Strong Style"

Inoki's Unique Fighting Style

Antonio Inoki was part of a group of wrestlers who learned a special type of wrestling called "hooking and shooting." This was taught by Karl Gotch. Inoki called his own fighting method "strong style." This style used many moves from traditional wrestling and is a big influence on modern shoot wrestling.

Inoki faced many different types of fighters. He fought boxers, judo experts, karate masters, kung fu fighters, and sumo wrestlers. These matches were often very exciting. For example, he fought a karate expert named Everett Eddy. Inoki won by knocking Eddy out with a wrestling move. He also fought a tall Kyokushin karate fighter named Willie Williams. This match ended when a doctor stopped the fight.

Many of Inoki's matches were planned, but they are still seen as an important step towards modern mixed martial arts (MMA). Some people, like famous fighter Carlson Gracie, even said Inoki was "one of the best fighters he'd seen."

The Famous Fight with Muhammad Ali

Inoki's most famous fight was against heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali. This match happened on June 26, 1976, in Tokyo. Inoki had promised Ali a planned match. But Ali's team worried that Inoki might try to fight for real. Ali saw Inoki's grappling skills and became concerned.

New rules were added just two days before the match. These rules greatly limited what each fighter could do. For example, Inoki could only kick if one of his knees was on the ground. This rule changed the fight a lot. Ali only landed six punches on Inoki. Inoki stayed on his back for almost the whole 15 rounds, kicking Ali's legs repeatedly. The fight ended in a draw. Ali's legs were hurt from Inoki's kicks.

Promoting MMA Events

After he stopped wrestling, Inoki promoted many MMA events. These included shows like NJPW Ultimate Crush, which had both wrestling and MMA fights. He also held annual "Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye" shows on New Year's Eve. These events featured top wrestlers from NJPW fighting against famous MMA fighters. Inoki even had an exhibition match against MMA fighter Renzo Gracie in 2000. Future UFC champion Lyoto Machida started his MMA career under Inoki's guidance. Inoki also helped start a Brazilian MMA company called Jungle Fight.

Personal Life and Legacy

Family and Beliefs

Inoki married Diana Tuck in 1965, and they had a daughter. They separated two years later, and their daughter sadly passed away at age 8. Inoki then married actress Mitsuko Baisho in 1971. They had a daughter named Hiroko. They divorced in 1987. Inoki married a third time in 1989 and had a son. They divorced in 2012. In 2014, Inoki took Haroon Abid, the nephew of his old rival Zubair Jhara Pahalwan, under his care. Inoki's fourth wife, Tazuko Tada, passed away in 2019. Inoki had two grandsons, Hirota and Naoto Inoki. Hirota is a swimmer, and Naoto is training to be a professional wrestler and MMA fighter.

Inoki converted to Shia Islam in 1990 during a trip to Karbala, a holy city in Iraq. He was there to help free Japanese hostages. In Iraq, he was given the Islamic name Muhammad Hussain Inoki. He later described himself as both a Muslim and a Buddhist. In 2014, he said he was "usually a Buddhist."

Inoki owned a wrestling-themed restaurant in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Two islands are named after him: Inoki Friendship Island in Cuba and Inoki Island in Palau. In 2021, it was reported that Inoki used a wheelchair due to spinal problems.

Death and Tributes

Antonio Inoki passed away on October 1, 2022, at the age of 79. He died from a heart condition called systemic transthyretin amyloidosis.

Many wrestling promotions honored Inoki after his death. WWE paid tribute to him on their SmackDown show. New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) held a ten-bell salute for him at their events. Other Japanese wrestling companies also honored him. The baseball team Yokohama DeNA BayStars played Inoki's theme song, "Inoki Bombaye," at their games.

On October 4, NJPW announced that Inoki had been made the promotion's Honorary Chairman for Life before he passed away. On October 10, NJPW held another ten-bell salute for him. In December 2022, a memorial show called "Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye x Ganryujima" was held to honor him. The MMA promotion Rizin also held their Rizin 40 event as a memorial. In January 2023, NJPW's Wrestle Kingdom 17 event was held in tribute to Inoki. In June, NJPW, All Japan Pro Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling Noah held a special event called "All Together: Again" to celebrate Inoki's legacy.

In January 2023, Inoki was given the Order of the Rising Sun by the Japanese government. This is a very high honor. He was also awarded the Junior Fourth Rank in Japan's court ranks system. On June 9, October 1 was declared "Antonio Inoki Fighting Spirit Day" by the Japan Anniversary Association. In September, a statue of Inoki was unveiled at the Sojiji Temple in Yokohama.

America's All Elite Wrestling held an event called WrestleDream on October 1, 2023, to honor Inoki. This event is now held annually as a tribute to him. Two of Inoki's former students now run a wrestling promotion called Inoki Sports Management and a wrestling school called the L.A. Inoki Dojo.

Wrestlers Trained by Antonio Inoki

Championships and Awards

• Cauliflower Alley Club
  • Lou Thesz Award (2004)
• George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • Class of 2005
• International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame
  • Class of 2021
• Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance
  • NWA International Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Shohei Baba
  • All Asia Tag Team Championship (4 times) – with Michiaki Yoshimura (3) and Kintarō Ōki (1)
  • 11th World Big League
  • 1st and 2nd World Tag League with Kantaro Hoshino and Seiji Sakaguchi
• National Wrestling Federation
  • NWF Heavyweight Championship (4 times)
• New Japan Pro-Wrestling
  • IWGP Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • IWGP Heavyweight Championship (original version) (2 times)
  • NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles/Japan version) (1 time) – with Seiji Sakaguchi
  • NJPW Real World Championship (1 time)
  • NJPW IWGP League (1984, 1986, 1987, 1988)
  • NJPW Japan Cup Tag Team League (1986) with Yoshiaki Fujiwara
  • MSG League (1978–1981)
  • MSG Tag League (1980) with Bob Backlund
  • MSG Tag League (1982) with Hulk Hogan
  • MSG Tag League (1983) with Hulk Hogan
  • MSG Tag League (1984) with Tatsumi Fujinami
  • Six Man Tag Team Cup League (1988) with Riki Choshu & Kantaro Hoshino
  • World League (1974, 1975)
  • Greatest 18 Club inductee
  • Greatest Wrestlers (Class of 2007)
• NWA Big Time Wrestling
  • NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (1 time) – with Duke Keomuka
• NWA Hollywood Wrestling
  • NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles/Japan version) (1 time) – with Seiji Sakaguchi
  • NWA United National Championship (1 time)
• NWA Mid-America
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (1 time) – with Hiro Matsuda
• Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum
  • Class of 2009
• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Ranked No. 16 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 1995
  • Ranked No. 5 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003
  • Ranked No. 12, and 44 of the 100 best tag team of the "PWI Years" with Tatsumi Fujinami and Hulk Hogan, respectively, in 2003
  • Lifetime Achievement Award
  • Stanley Weston Award (2018)
• Pro Wrestling This Week
  • Wrestler of the Week (June 7–13, 1987)
• Tokyo Pro Wrestling
  • United States Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• Tokyo Sports
  • 30th Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Award (1990)
  • 50th Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Award (2010)
  • Best Tag Team Award (1975) with Seiji Sakaguchi
  • Best Tag Team Award (1981) with Tatsumi Fujinami
  • Distinguished Service Award (1979, 1982)
  • Lifetime Achievement Award (1989, 2022)
  • Match of the Year Award (1974) vs. Strong Kobayashi on March 19
  • Match of the Year Award (1975) vs. Billy Robinson on December 11
  • Match of the Year Award (1979) with Giant Baba vs. Abdullah the Butcher and Tiger Jeet Singh on August 26
  • Match of the Year Award (1984) vs. Riki Choshu on August 2
  • MVP Award (1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981)
  • Special Grand Prize (1983, 1987)
  • Technique Award (1985)
• Universal Wrestling Association
  • UWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
• World Championship Wrestling
  • WCW Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)
• World Wide Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Federation/World Wrestling Entertainment
  • WWF Heavyweight Championship (1 time, unrecognized)
  • WWWF/WWF World Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship (2 times, inaugural)
  • WWE Hall of Fame (Class of 2010)
• Wrestling Observer Newsletter
  • Promoter of the Year (2001)
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)

Decorations Received by Inoki

Award or decoration		Country	Date	Ref.
	Order of the Southern Cross	Brazil	December 20, 1974
N/A	Unnamed North Korean award	North Korea	September 2010
	Friendship Medal	Cuba	November 20, 2012
	Order of the Rising Sun	Japan	January 16, 2023
N/A	Junior Fourth Rank	Japan	January 16, 2023

See Also

• Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki

Images for kids

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  Inoki in 2012