Kanji Inoki

1943-02-20

Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

Biography

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...