Tokyo Pro Wrestling
 Logo 1994–1996 | |
| Acronym | TPW |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Tokyo |
| Founder | Michiharu Sadano |
Tokyo Pro Wrestling was the name of a Japanese professional wrestling promotion which operated from 1966 to 1967.
History
[edit]In mid-1966, Japan Wrestling Association president Michiharu Toyonobori resigned his position and left the promotion, taking along with him some talent, including Katsuhisa Shibata (father of current All Elite Wrestling star Katsuyori Shibata) and the future Rusher Kimura (Masao Kimura). Antonio Inoki, who was coming back from a long excursion to the United States, chose to join him and create a new venture, Tokyo Pro Wrestling. Despite the name, the promotion toured all over Japan during its existence.
Tokyo Pro's biggest rising star was Inoki, who feuded with Johnny Valentine over the "United States" heavyweight title (as Valentine had held in California, Michigan and Ontario, he was "recognized" as champion by Tokyo Pro so as to lose the belt to Inoki). Inoki's feud with Valentine cemented him not only as a rising star, but also as a tough wrestler who could take on anyone, any style, anywhere.
Nevertheless, problems between Toyonobori and his business backers led him and Isao Yoshiwara to dissolve the promotion in 1967 . Most of the roster joined International Wrestling Enterprise, which would promote on a larger scale in Japan and eventually become the third most important men's promotion, after New Japan and All Japan, which would appear in 1972.
Tokyo Pro-Wrestling is also the place where Haruka Eigen, who was still active into his 60s wrestling for Pro Wrestling Noah, debuted. He joined Inoki and Shibata in going back to JWA.
Alumni
[edit]
Natives[edit]
|
Foreigners[edit]
|
Championships
[edit]United States Heavyweight Championship
[edit]| No. | Overall reign number |
|---|---|
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | ||||
| 1 | Johnny Valentine | October 25, 1966 | Live event | Sendai, Japan | 1 | 25 | Defends Toronto version of the title against Antonio Inoki and is recognized as champion by Tokyo Pro Wrestling. | [1] |
| 2 | Antonio Inoki | November 19, 1966 | Live event | Osaka, Japan | 1 | 98 | [1] | |
| — | Deactivated | January 31, 1967 | — | — | — | — | Title retired when Tokyo Pro Wrestling closed. Inoki returns to Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance, while Valentine returns to Maple Leaf Wrestling and continues being recognized as champion as if the losses had never happened. | [2] |
NWA World Tag Team Championship
[edit]| No. | Overall reign number |
|---|---|
| Reign | Reign number for the specific champion |
| Days | Number of days held |
| No. | Champion | Championship change | Reign statistics | Notes | Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | Event | Location | Reign | Days | ||||
| 1 | Antonio Inoki and Hiro Matsuda | January 6, 1967 | IWE Pioneer Series | Osaka, Japan | 1 | 25 | Defeat the Kentuckians (Luke Brown and Grizzly Smith), Tokyo Pro claims the match is a defense of the Mid-America version of the NWA World Tag Team Championship, which Inoki and Matsuda originally won on January 24, 1966 in Memphis. All Tokyo Pro cards in January 1967 were jointly promoted with International Wrestling Enterprise, to which Matsuda belonged at the time. |
[3] |
| — | Deactivated | January 31, 1967 | — | — | — | — | Title retired when Tokyo Pro Wrestling closed. Inoki returns to Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance while Matsuda returns to the United States. | [3] |
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Antonio Inoki Results: 1966". puroresu.com. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ "Antonio Inoki Results: 1967". puroresu.com. Retrieved March 17, 2026.
- ^ a b "Antonio Inoki Results: 1967". puroresu.com. Retrieved March 17, 2026.