Rikidozan (Kanji: 力道山) was a professional wrestler, known as the "Father of Puroresu" and one of the most influential men in wrestling history. He was credited with bringing the sport of professional wrestling to Japan at a time when the Japanese needed a local hero to look up to.

Born Kim Shin-rak (Hangul: 김신락; Hanja: 金信洛) in South Hamgyong, North Korea on November 14, 1924, he travelled to Japan and trained to be a sumo wrestler. Due to the discrimination against Koreans by the Japanese at the time, Shin-rak claimed that his name was Mitsuhiro Momota (Momota being the surname of the family from Nagasaki which adopted, but later disowned, him), and used the shikona of Rikidozan. Frustrated against neverending discrimination in matches and his dojo, he gave up sumo in 1950 and made his professional wrestling debut in 1951 with a ten minute draw against Bobby Bruns. He established himself as Japan's biggest wrestling star by defeating one American wrestler after another. This was shortly after World War 2, and the Japanese needed someone who could stand up to the Americans. Rikidozan thus became immensely popular in Japan. His American opponents 'assisted' him by portraying themselves as villains who cheated in their matches.

Rikidozan gained worldwide renown when he defeated Lou Thesz for the International Heavyweight Title in 1958. In another match, Thesz willingly agreed to "put over" Rikidozan at the expense of his own reputation. This built up mutual respect between the two wrestlers, and Rikidozan never forgot what Thesz did. He would go on to capture several NWA titles in matches both in Japan and overseas. Rikidozan also trained professional wrestling students, including soon-to-be wrestling legends Antonio Inoki and Shohei "Giant" Baba.

His signature move was the karate chop, which was actually based on sumo's harite, rather than actual karate. It is rumoured that he had been coached by fellow Korean Masutatsu Oyama, but he is more likely to have been coached by another Korean karateka, Nakamura Hideo .

With his success in pro wrestling, Rikidozan began acquiring properties such as nightclubs, hotels and boxing promotions. He established the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance (JWA), Japan's first professional wrestling promotion, in 1953. In 1963, he reportedly had an argument with a member of the Yakuza concerning the expansion of his "territories", after which he was stabbed in the torso. He died a week later of peritonitis.

One of his sons, Mitsuo Momota, followed his father into the ring in 1970 and still competes in Pro Wrestling NOAH, but was never able to earn the recognition that once made his father famous.

External Links

• http://www.wrestlingmuseum.com/pages/bios/halloffame/rikibio.html

  a film about his life