Professional wrestling icon, Antonio Inoki, passes away at 79

Wrestling lost a legend with the passing of Antonio Inoki. News of his passing hit the industry late Friday evening, as he died at age 79 in Japan. Inoki is an individual that is beyond respected across professional wrestling, as his contributions hold fast both within the ring and beyond it. The phrase “there will never be another” is often used with describing individuals when their time passes, but Inoki is truly one that embodies what it meant to be one of a kind.

Inoki was both a famed professional wrestler and politician. His in-ring career spanned nearly four decades, beginning in 1960 and coming to an end in 1998. During that time, he would perform for many of the biggest promotions in the world including the WWF, WCW, NWA, and New Japan Pro Wrestling, the promotion which he created.

Along the way, he picked up multiple titles, including career-defining runs with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Some of his biggest rivals feature names that wrestling fans across generations will recognize, like Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Tiger Jeet Singh, and Abdullah the Butcher. He is probably most famous for his match against Muhammed Ali on June 26, 1976. The “fight” if it could be caused as such ended in a 3-3 draw after Ali became concerned with the true skills of Inoki, fearing that it could become a real fight that he could not win.

Inoki is credited with training many well-known professional wrestlers, including Shinsuke Nakamura, Rocky Romero, Masahiro Chono, and others.

Inoki’s contributions to politics also had a worldwide impact. He and Ali are not only liked for that 1976 contest, but in 1990 Inoki traveled to Iraq and negotiated with Saddam Hussein for the release of Japanese hostages before the start of the Gulf War. Showing that his fame eclipsed just professional wrestling and combat sports, making him an icon in Japanese history.

His fame led to him following his father’s footsteps in politics, where he served multiple stints in Japan’s House of Councillors up until his retirement in 2019.

Professional wrestling and combat sports as a whole rarely build famed personalities such as Inoki today. Not only did he embody what it meant to have a “fighting spirit” for many, but he represented a level of pride among his countrymen that hasn’t been replicated since. His persona was adapted in many forms of media including anime such as Baki the Grappler or Tiger Mask, and video games.

Antonio Inoki is one of those figures that represents much more than what occurs in a professional wrestling ring. The industry, and Japan, lost an important figure – one that will not be replicated and whose impact will not be duplicated.