Antonio Inoki vs. The Great Antonio, 08.12.1977
Match #3 of the Thank you Antonio Inoki project.
NJPW Toukon Series II 1977 - Tag 33
Kuramae Kokugikan, Tokyo, Japan.
If you haven’t seen this match already, you should at least know its reputation.
It’s one of the most infamous matches Inoki ever had, as well as one of the most accessible. Plenty of other people have written about this match, specifically the shoot, so I don’t want to dwell too much on aspects like psychology here. Instead, maybe I can shine a better light on other tidbits and pieces of context while covering one of the most brutal beatdowns in wrestling history.
In the 70s, it was common for a promotion like New Japan to bring in foreign talent and book them against their top native talent. It was a reliable method to draw larger crowds that had been popularized decades earlier by Inoki’s mentor, Rikidozan. This started when he brought in the Sharpe brothers for a series of matches in 1954, eventually culminating in a tag match that also featured Masahiko Kimura. Taking place in front of thousands in attendance, and broadcasted live across the country, the match worked as a means of catharsis for many in Japan post-WWII, seeing one of their own who could best an invading American. As television grew more affordable and popular, so did Rikidozan’s reputation as a cultural icon, consistently defeating American wrestlers and lifting the spirits of a nation still recovering from the war. To this day, matches where Rikidozan faced the likes of The Destroyer and then-NWA World champion Lou Thesz are among the most-viewed television programs of all time.
Two decades later, and Rikidozan’s two greatest pupils would go on to form their own respective promotions: Giant Baba with All Japan Pro Wrestling, and Antonio Inoki with New Japan Pro-Wrestling. In regard to the former, Baba had secured a partnership with the NWA, allowed to book various NWA title matches on their shows and see a recurring group of foreigners ready to work month-long tours. Over the years, they would even see gaijins such as The Destroyer, Mil Mascaras and Funk Brothers become fan-favorites in spite of the Japanese vs. foreigner approach that still defined Japanese wrestling by that point.
As for New Japan, Inoki was the undisputed top star of the promotion, a clear successor to the role that Rikidozan had left and pushing the envelope for what was expected from that tried-and-true formula at the time. The first major feud of the promotion saw Tiger Jeet Singh slap Inoki’s wife in public, starting a brawl in public that would lead to several matches over the years between the two, catapulting Singh into one of the biggest heel draws in Japan. Inoki would continue facing several gaijins in marquee matches over the years, knowing full well that his audience were a proud, patriotic people, still wanting to see one of their own defeat a foreign invader.
The Great Antonio was no stranger to this.
Unlike most of the gaijin that Inoki would wind up facing in New Japan, The Great Antonio had already worked with Rikidozan while the JWA was still in operation. The former strongman embodied the role of a monstrous figure when brought to Japan, scaring off civilians and displaying incredible feats of strength that resulted in many sensational articles written about him, that in turn made for great business back then. He would come out to matches with a chain wrapped around his neck, as if he were a wild animal being led to the ring. Despite the stories we now know in hindsight of his attitude and boastfulness behind the curtain (rubbing literally everyone the wrong way), he was clearly a draw for the short period of time he was in Japan.
Fast-forward to late 1977, and he’s brought back by Inoki, billed as the same monster heel for a month-long tour, booked to win various handicap matches over mid-level wrestlers, before having to face the top star. Almost exactly like how he was used before. This match here is technically a rematch from their November 29th bout in Hiroshima, where Antonio had picked up the victory by disqualification. As far as I can tell, this was supposed to be the blow-off match.
Unfortunately, it’s an embarrassing affair altogether. Antonio no-sells everything Inoki does and proceeds to slap his fat, pasty self for the first minute or so. Everyone is understandably confused. Sloppy headlocks from the strongman are having to be put over on commentary as painful (for Inoki, not for those watching). Some fans even begin to openly laugh at the facade in front of them. Eventually he starts stiffing Inoki with clubbing blows to the back of the neck, and that turns out to be the biggest mistake of his life.
Fatty fucked around and found out.
I won’t go into detail, both because there’s not much to say than what’s already explicitly shown, and that my words can’t do this kind of spectacle justice. All you need to know is that the referee stops the match after Antonio becomes unresponsive, and that Inoki got all his payback in before the match was called off. This ended up being the final match of Antonio’s career, although he would end up working on various films and TV series under a more friendly and likeable persona. He was also quoted as saying he descended from extraterrestrials; however, it is unclear how much of this was impacted by Inoki beating him to a bloody pulp. If true, then it may be the greatest display of Inokiism ever recorded on video.
Verdict: I would only recommend this with Bill Burr’s commentary over it. He makes up for a lot of the dullness that happens before the shoot. I do tend to like stiffness and unpredictability in my wrestling. I also like for it to be actually cooperative and not bogged down by massive, selfish egos.