Wrestling Icon Antonio Inoki Dead at 79, Cause of Death Revealed

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) founder Antonio Inoki has passed away. The wrestling icon was 79. Inoki was not just a wrestler and promoter but also a politician and social activist.

According to NJPW's website, he passed away after a battle with acute cardiac amyloidosis. He had been struggling with the condition for over a year, the Japan Times reported.

Born as Kanji Inoki in 1943 in Yokohama, Japan, Inoki moved to Brazil with his family when he was 13 and worked at a coffee plantation.

He debuted as a professional wrestler at 17 while on a wrestling tour in Brazil, where professional wrestler Rikidozan, known as the father of Japanese pro-wrestling, saw him and eventually guided him into a career as a famous Japanese wrestler.

Inoki had been known in Japan for his larger-than-life personality, as well as his large chin. The wrestler had put on several legendary and iconic performances and was even inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame despite being closely tied to a rival promotion in NJPW.

Antonio Inoki: The International Wrestling Icon

Antonio Inoki is an icon outside Japan in more ways than one, especially in the 70s and 80s. He made cameo appearances in several Hollywood movies, including "The Bad News Bears Go to Japan." He also appeared in many commercials and magazines, both at home and abroad.

According to MMA Fighting, Inoki was also a practitioner of several martial arts, including boxing, judo, karate, and kung fu. He even had an iconic match against boxing legend Muhammad Ali in 1976 in what may have been the first mainstream mixed martial arts match in history, as Inoki was a grappler while Ali was a pure boxer.

Judo legend Gene LeBell served as a referee for that match and was promoted as a boxer against a wrestler with limited rules. These were put in place to ensure that neither athlete had an advantage.

Inoki had to kick and target the legendary Ali's dancing legs. As for Ali, he did manage to land six punches. While it did not live up to its billing, it served as a precursor to what will be the UFC in a few decades.

Inoki had a keen interest in MMA, serving as an ambassador for the now-defunct International Fight League. He founded the NJPW in 1972 and promoted MMA fights such as the Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye shows that traditionally took place on New Year's Eve.

The shows featured a number of high-profile fighters like Mirko Cro Cop, Don Frye, and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

Antonio Inoki: The Japanese Politician

The legendary wrestler also tried his hand in politics, winning a seat in the Upper House of the Imperial Diet of Japan twice. One in 1989 and one in 2013. However, his public service record managed to raise some eyebrows.

During on parliamentary session, Inoki famously asked how the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) would respond to an alien invasion. Even by Japanese standards, the question was considered absurd, with the media labeling it as just another publicity stunt.

However, his Ministry of Defense colleagues loved that questioning as it explored the "policy limitations of how the SDF could operate in response to a threat or invasion without any of the political baggage."

As a politician, Inoki had a keen interest in national defense and was even a member of the Upper House National Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee. His Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Foreign Affairs colleagues described him as "quieter than expected," "thoughtful," "respectful," "interested," and "engaging."

He also tried to broker peace between Japan and North Korea, having traveled to the infamous Hermit Kingdom around 38 times in his life. Antonio Inoki also successfully negotiated the release of 41 Japanese citizens held hostage following Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait.

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Written by: Rick Martin

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