
Kanji Inoki
Known for ActingBorn 1943-02-20Died 2022-10-01Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
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.Read more
Movies & web series
★ 10.0View details →
WWE Hall of Fame 2010
2010 · Movie
★ 10.0View details →
WCW/New Japan Supershow III
1993 · Movie
★ 10.0View details →
WWE The Brawl to End it All
1984 · Movie
★ 9.0View details →
Most Unusual Matches
1985 · Movie
★ 8.5View details →
In Search of Antonio Inoki
2023 · Movie
NJPW
★ 9.0View details →
NJPW
1972 · Series
★ 8.2View details →
Dark Side of the Ring
2019 · Series
★ 7.8View details →
Vice Versa: Chyna
2021 · Movie
★ 8.0View details →
NJPW & WCW Collision In Korea
1995 · Movie
★ 8.0View details →
New Japan Pro Wrestling
1972 · Series
★ 4.8View details →
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan
1978 · Movie
★ 3.9View details →
Acacia
2010 · Movie

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Vice Versa
2020 · Series

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INOKI BOM-BA-YE 2001
2001 · Movie

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World Wrestling Peace Festival
1996 · Movie

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NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 1995
1995 · Movie

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WCW Clash of the Champions XXVIII
1994 · Movie

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NJPW Wrestling Dontaku 1993
1993 · Movie

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WCW/New Japan Supershow II
1992 · Movie

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WCW/New Japan Supershow: Rumble in The Rising Sun
1991 · Movie

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Clash of the Champions
1988 · Series
NJPW Ganryujima Island Deathmatch
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NJPW Ganryujima Island Deathmatch
1987 · Movie
WCCW Christmas Star Wars '85
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WCCW Christmas Star Wars '85
1985 · Movie
WWE Showdown at Shea '80
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WWE Showdown at Shea '80
1980 · Movie

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Kings of the Square Ring
1978 · Movie

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WWE Old School
1973 · Series

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Life is a Battle
1970 · Movie