Rikidōzan
Mitsuhiro Momota (Japanese: 百田 光浩) (born Kim Sin-rak; Korean: 김신락; November 14, 1924 – December 15, 1963), better known as Rikidōzan (力道山), was a Korean-born Japanese wrestler who competed in sumo and professional wrestling. He was known as The Father of Puroresu, and one of the most influential persons in professional wrestling history. Initially, he had moved from his native country Korea to Japan to become a rikishi (sumo wrestler). He was credited with bringing the sport of professional wrestling to Japan at a time when the Japanese needed a local hero to emulate and was lauded as a national hero. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017, becoming the first Korean inductee and the third puroresu star to be inducted after Antonio Inoki and Tatsumi Fujinami. He was killed in a street fight with a member of the Sumiyoshi-ikka in 1963.
| Rikidōzan | |
|---|---|
Rikidōzan with the Japanese Heavyweight Championship belt, 1954 | |
| Birth name | Kim Sin-rak (김신락) |
| Born | November 14, 1924 Kōgen District, Kankyō-nan Prefecture, Korea (now Hongwon, South Hamgyong, North Korea) |
| Died | December 15, 1963 (aged 39) Minato, Tokyo, Japan |
| Cause of death | Peritonitis, consequently resulting from manslaughter |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Rikidōzan Mitsuhiro Momota |
| Billed height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Billed weight | 110 kg (243 lb) |
| Billed from | Nagasaki |
| Trained by | Harold Sakata Bobby Bruns |
| Debut | October 28, 1951 |
| Rikidōzan Mitsuhiro | |
|---|---|
| 力道山 光浩 | |
| Personal information | |
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) |
| Weight | 116 kg (256 lb; 18 st 4 lb) |
| Career | |
| Stable | Nishonoseki |
| Record | 135–82–15 |
| Debut | May 1940 |
| Highest rank | Sekiwake (May 1949) |
| Retired | September 1950 |
| Championships | 1 (Makushita) 1 (Sandanme) |
| Special Prizes | Outstanding Performance (1) |
| Gold Stars | 2 (Azumafuji) |
| * Up to date as of May 2013. | |
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| Professional wrestling |
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