On this page, you find the full wrestling profile of Antonio Inoki, with his Career History, real name, age, height and weight, the Promotions he worked for, all the Face/Heel turns, the Championship Titles he won, his Finishers, Theme Songs, Tag Teams and Stables, his appearance changes through the years, and more.
Muhammad Hussain Inoki (born Kanji Inoki 猪木寛至) was born in Yokohama, Japan on February 20, 1943.
He died on September 30, 2022 at the age of 79.
He was the founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling, the Inoki Genome Federation, and various MMA/political ventures. He is considered a forerunner to MMA's worldwide popularity and is one of the biggest stars in Japanese wrestling history.
Antonio Inoki was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010 as an individual, in the NJPW Hall of Fame in 1990 as part of the NJPW Greatest 18 Club wing, in 2007 as part of the NJPW Greatest Wrestlers wing, in the WCW Hall of Fame in 1995 and in the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) in 2009 as part of the International wing.
Antonio Inoki Profile Index
Profile Info
- Gender Male
- Real Name Muhammad Hussain Inoki (born Kanji Inoki 猪木寛至)
- Ring Names
- Antonio Inoki ( October 12, 1966 - September 30, 2022)
- Kanji Inoki ( June 21, 1965 - February 14, 1966)
- Little Tokyo ( May 28, 1965 - June 20, 1965)
- Kazimoto ( November 9, 1964 - May 27, 1965)
- Little Tokyo ( June 30, 1964 - November 8, 1964)
- Tokyo Tom ( March 31, 1964 - November 8, 1964)
- Kinji Onoki ( June 6, 1964 - June 13, 1964)
- Antonio Inoki ( December 2, 1963 - October 31, 1964)
- Kanji Inoki ( September 30, 1960 - March 30, 1964)
- Born February 20, 1943
- Died September 30, 2022 (aged 79)
- Nationality
Japan - Birth Place Yokohama, Japan
- Billed From
- Tokyo, Japan
- Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
- Weight
- 224 lbs (102 kg)
- Nicknames Moeru Toukon (Fighting Spirit that Burns)
- Notes He was the founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling, the Inoki Genome Federation, and various MMA/political ventures. He is considered a forerunner to MMA's worldwide popularity and is one of the biggest stars in Japanese wrestling history.
Career History
-
Roles
- Promoter ( January 13, 1972 - March 23, 2018)
- Wrestler ( September 30, 1960 - April 4, 1998)
- President ( November 1, 1983 - June 30, 1989)
- President ( January 13, 1972 - August 25, 1983)
- Politician ( June 5, 2013 - June 1, 2019)
- Politician ( July 23, 1989 - July 1, 1995)
-
Promotions History
Promotion from to Promotion 
IGFMarch 8, 2007 March 23, 2018 Promotion 
NWAJune 29, 2007 December 31, 2008 Promotion 
NJPWApril 5, 1998 November 30, 2005 Promotion NJPWBrand
Heavyweight
January 13, 1972 April 4, 1998 Promotion NWASeptember 20, 1975 August 9, 1986 Promotion 
PPWFebruary 3, 1985 August 9, 1986 Promotion 
UWAFebruary 14, 1982 February 14, 1982 Promotion UWAApril 13, 1980 October 24, 1980 Promotion 
JWAAugust 14, 1967 December 13, 1971 Promotion 
IWEJanuary 5, 1967 January 31, 1967 Promotion NWAMarch 11, 1964 February 14, 1966 Promotion 
MID AMERICANovember 8, 1965 February 14, 1966 Promotion 
SWS TX, 
GACJune 21, 1965 February 8, 1966 Promotion 
SLWCJune 6, 1964 June 13, 1964 Promotion 
CSWMarch 31, 1964 June 12, 1964 Promotion 
BTW HAWAIIMarch 11, 1964 March 25, 1964 Promotion JWASeptember 30, 1960 December 7, 1963 -
Images History
Mar 2010
Apr 1997
Jun 1984
Jun 1976
Sep 1967 -
Face / Heel Turns
Alignment from to Face September 30, 1960 April 4, 1998
-
Finishers
- Bridging Fallaway Slam ( September 30, 1960 - April 4, 1998)
- Enzuigiri ( September 30, 1960 - April 4, 1998)
- Octopus Hold ( September 30, 1960 - April 4, 1998)
- Sleeper Hold ( September 30, 1960 - April 4, 1998)
-
Theme Songs
- Theme Song "Honō No Fighter" - Single ( May 30, 1963 - November 30, 2005)
Titles & Accomplishments
-
Halls of Fame
- WWE Hall of Fame - Year 2010, Individual
- NJPW Hall of Fame - Year 1990, NJPW Greatest 18 Club
- NJPW Hall of Fame - Year 2007, NJPW Greatest Wrestlers
- WCW Hall of Fame - Year 1995, Individual
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) - Year 2009, International
-
New Japan Pro Wrestling & World Wrestling Entertainment
New Japan Pro Wrestling
- 1 IWGP Heavyweight Championship
- 2 IWGP Heavyweight Championship
- 1 Real World Championship
- 5 NJPW MSG/NJPW Japan Cup Tag League (1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986) (2 with Hulk Hogan, 1 with Yoshiaki Fujiwara, 1 with Tatsumi Fujinami, 1 with Bob Backlund)
- 10 NJPW World/NJPW MSG/NJPW IWGP League (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988)
Japan Wrestling Association
- 4 NWA International Tag Team Championship (with Shohei Baba)
- 3 JWA All Asia Tag Team Championship (2 with Michiaki Yoshimura, 1 with Kintaro Ohki)
National Wrestling Federation
- 4 NWF Heavyweight Championship
NWA Big Time Wrestling
- 1 NWA Texas Heavyweight Championship
- 1 NWA World Tag Team Championship (Texas version) (with Duke Keomuka)
NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- 1 NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles/Japan version) (with Seiji Sakaguchi)
- 1 NWA United National Championship
NWA Mid-America
- 1 NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America version) (with Hiro Matsuda)
Universal Wrestling Association
- 1 UWA World Heavyweight Championship
-
Other Accomplishments
- NJPW IWGP League Winner (1984, 1986)
- NJPW Japan Cup Tag Team League Winner (1986 - with Yoshiaki Fujiwara)
- NJPW MSG League Winner (1978, 1979, 1980, 1981)
- NJPW MSG Tag League Winner (1980 - with Bob Backlund, 1982 - with Hulk Hogan, 1983 - with Hulk Hogan, 1984 - with Tatsumi Fujinami)
- NJPW World League Winner (1974, 1975)
- NJPW Six Man Tag Team Cup League Winner (1988 - with Riki Choshu & Kantaro Hoshino)
- JWA 11th World Big League Winner (1969)
- Cauliflower Alley Club’s Lou Thesz Award Winner (2004)
- 5° in PWI Years Top 500 (2003)
- PWI Lifetime Achievement Award Winner
- PWI Stanley Weston Award (2018)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame induction (class of 1996)
- WON Promoter of the Year (2001)
- Tokyo Sports' Lifetime Achievement Award Winner (1989)
- Tokyo Sports' 30th Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Award Winner (1990)
- Tokyo Sports' 50th Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Award Winner (2010)
- Tokyo Sports' Best Tag Team Award Winner (1975 - with Seiji Sakaguchi; 1981 - with Tatsumi Fujinami)
- Tokyo Sports' Distinguished Service Award Winner (1979, 1982)
- Tokyo Sports' Match of the Year Award Winner (1974 - vs. Strong Kobayashi on 03/19; 1975 - vs. Billy Robinson on 12/11; 1979 - with Giant Baba vs. Abdullah the Butcher & Tiger Jeet Singh on 08/26; 1984 - vs. Riki Choshu on 08/02)
- Tokyo Sports' MVP Award Winner (1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1981)
- Tokyo Sports' Special Grand Prize Winner (1983, 1987)
- Tokyo Sports' Technique Award Winner (1985)
- Japan Conferment of Honors Junior Fourth Rank (2023)
- Japan Conferment of Honors Order of the Rising Sun - Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon medal (2023)
Teams & Relations
-
Tag Teams & Stables
- Antonio Inoki & Tatsumi Fujinami - Tatsumi Fujinami ( April 22, 1978 - May 23, 1989)
- Golden Combi - Seiji Sakaguchi ( April 20, 1973 - April 19, 1988)
- B-I Cannon - Giant Baba ( September 22, 1967 - December 7, 1971)
- Family
- Simon Inoki - Son-in-law/Mukoyoshi ( January 1, 1997 - April 5, 2016)
