Tokyo Pro Wrestling Promotion

[KING LEO IV]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I read a publication about the history of pro wrestling across the globe, and it made mention of a promotion named "Tokyo Pro Wrestling." I believe the book stated that it was started in the late 1960s by Inoki & a few other guys from JWA.

Is this true? I know NJPW began in 1972, so how long was Inoki involved with the aforementioned promotion? Did anything significant happen during its run?

[kwilson83]

I'll tackle this one.

Due to differences with JWA, in 1966 Inoki left to star in a new promotion: Tokyo Pro Wrestling. They had their first card on October 12th, with Inoki main eventing against Johnny Valentine. Tokyo Pro also had at least one combined card with IWE before it closed down.

When Inoki went back to JWA on April 6th, 1967, it essentially marked the downfall of Tokyo Pro Wrestling. So while it didn't last long and did nothing overly noteable, it did help foreshadow that Inoki wasn't completely happy with JWA and of course he would leave in 1972 to form New Japan.

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Toyonobori was kicked out of JWA while he was the president and the top star, "stole" the young Inoki, and started Tokyo Pro with Inoki as the top star. Other guys who joined Tokyo Pro included Hisashi Shinma (long-time business manager of Inoki), Masa Saito, Masao (Rusher) Kimura, etc.

It didn't last long, and Tokyo Pro was practically merged with IWE by having "combined cards". Soon after, Tokyo Pro closed down and Inoki was brought back to JWA.

When Tokyo Pro closed, there was a big legal battle between Toyonobori, Inoki and Shinma. Ironically, Toyonobori and Shinma are two main guys who helped Inoki to start New Japan.

[El Pollo Guerrera]

So, there's no connection to the Tokyo Professional Wrestling company that ran shows in 96 with Sabu and Abdullah the Butcher?

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Not at all.