Kanji Inoki

Born: 1943-02-20

Muhammad Hussain Inoki (Arabic: مُحَمَّد حُسَيْن إينوكي‎, romanized: Muḥammad Ḥusayn ʻIinuki; born Kanji Inoki (Japanese: 猪木寛至, Hepburn: Inoki Kanji)), was a Japanese retired professional wrestler, martial artist, politician, and promoter of professional wrestling and mixed martial arts. He was best known by the ring name Antonio Inoki (アントニオ猪木, Antonio Inoki), a homage to fellow professional wrestler Antonino Rocca. Inoki is a twelve-time professional wrestling world champion, notably being the first IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the first Asian WWE Champion – a reign not officially recognized by WWE. Inoki began his professional wrestling career in the 1960s for The Japanese Wrestling Association under the tutelage of Rikidōzan. Inoki quickly became one of the most popular stars in the history of Japanese professional wrestling. He parlayed his wrestling career into becoming one of Japan's most recognizable athletes, a reputation bolstered by his 1976 fight against world champion boxer Muhammad Ali – a fight that served as a predecessor to modern day mixed martial arts. In 1995, with Ric Flair, Inoki headlined two shows in North Korea that drew 150,000 and 190,000 spectators, the highest attendances in professional wrestling history. Inoki wrestled his final match on April 4, 1998 against Don Frye and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010. Inoki began his promoting career in 1972, when he founded New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He remained the owner of NJPW until 2005 when he sold his controlling share in the promotion to the Yuke's video game company. In 2007, he founded the Inoki Genome Federation (IGF). In 2017, Inoki founded ISM and the following year left IGF. He is also the co-founder of the karate style Kansui-ryū (寛水流) along with Matsubayashi-ryū master Yukio Mizutani. In 1989, while still an active wrestler, Inoki entered politics as he was elected to the Japanese House of Councillors. During his first term with the House of Councillors, Inoki successfully negotiated with Saddam Hussein for the release of Japanese hostages before the outbreak of the Gulf War. His first tenure in the House of Councillors ended in 1995, but he was reelected in 2013. In 2019, Inoki retired from politics.


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The Bad News Bears Go to Japan

as Self
Released: 1978-06-30

In this third film version of the Bad News Bears series, Tony Curtis plays a small time...

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WWE The Brawl to End it All

as Antonio Inoki
Released: 1984-07-23

The Brawl to End It All was a professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling...

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World Wrestling Peace Festival

as Antonio Inoki
Released: 1996-06-01

The World Wrestling Peace Festival was a professional wrestling supercard event produced by...

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Vice Versa: Chyna

as Self
Released: 2021-06-17

The rise and fall of wrestler Joanie Chyna Laurer, whose life was cut short in 2016. Her...

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WCW Clash of The Champions XXVIII

as Antonio Inoki
Released: 1994-08-24

WCW World Heavyweight Champion Hulk Hogan defends against Ric Flair. "Stunning" Steve Austin...

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NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 1995

as Antonio Inoki
Released: 1995-05-03

The third Wrestling Dontaku was held on May 3, 1995, in Fukuoka, Fukuoka, at the Fukuoka Dome....

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WWE Hall of Fame 2010

as Antonio Inoki
Released: 2010-03-27

Sports Entertainment's most legendary superstars including Ted Dibiase, Stu Hart, and more enter...

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NJPW & WCW Collision In Korea

as Antonio Inoki
Released: 1995-04-28

Collision in Korea was the largest professional wrestling pay-per-view event ever that was...

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Life is a Battle

as uncredited
Released: 1970-12-30

Two born rivals plot a new start after a string of ups and downs.

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NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 1993

as Antonio Inoki
Released: 1993-05-03

Wrestling Dontaku 1993 was the first Wrestling Dontaku professional wrestling event produced by...

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The WWF's Most Unusual Matches

as Antonio Inoki
Released: 1985-01-01

Some of the most unusual matches in WWF History.

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In Search of Antonio Inoki

as Self (archive footage)
Released: 2023-10-06

A look into the life and career of the legendary wrestler Antonio Inoki

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Acacia

as Antonio Inoki
Released: 2010-06-12

"Acacia" revolves around Sekiji Ishida (Antonio Inoki) a former professional wrestler now a...

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Dark Side of the Ring

as Self
First aired: 2019-04-10

Finding truth at the intersection of fantasy and reality in the veiled world of professional...

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Vice Versa

as Self
First aired: 2020-03-10

Independent, immersive, and provocative documentary specials giving voice to radical and...

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