Fujinami vs. Choshu feud from the 80s

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Copied from an old thread in WrestlingClassics.com.

Originally posted by Eric Walls:
I have been reading/researching stuff on puroresu and this fued keeps coming up.

Can someone explain the fued to me? Who was involved? What were they fueding over? Exactly how did it change the face of puroresu?

You gotta understand some of Japanese culture to understand the feud.

In Japan, politics and seniority is usually more important than skill and knowledge. (I'm sure some people would say it's the same in the U.S., but let's just say Japan is so more than the U.S.)

Choshu, although he turned pro with a successful amateur record, didn't get much push. Fujinami, on the other hand, had always been "Inoki's boy" and was promised the top position in the future. After Fujinami moved up to the heavyweight division, he was still getting push by winning WWF International Heavyweight title, and there wasn't really a place for Choshu to fit in. Choshu went to Mexico and captured the prestigeous UWA World Heavyweight Title and claimed that he should now be on the same status as Fujinami. After coming back to Japan, he was still treated as "lower" than Fujinami, and it lead to the breakup between them during the 6man tag team match with Inoki against Abdullah, Bad News Allen, and SD Jones.

Choshu immediately became a big hero by breaking "the rule of the society". Known as "Revolutionary", he was one of the main factors for New Japan's golden era in early 80s.

Choshu was very popular as someone who is going for the top. Now, he really became the top guy in both the ring and politics within New Japan, and he obviously lost some popularity.

Exactly how did it change the face of puroresu?

It brought the meaningful feud between Japanese wrestlers. Until then, it was usually between Japanese faces and foreign heels. First, the popularity of the Funks, Mascaras Bros., and Steamboat changed the status of foreign wrestlers in All Japan(that foreigners don't always have to be heels), and then, the Choshu incident(?) lead to the popular fueds between Inoki's New Japan group, Rusher Kimura's former IWE guys, and Choshu's Revolution Army(later the original Ishingun, not to be confused with the Heisei Ishingun headed by Koshinaka).

[carpetbeggar]

Who were the other members of Riki Choshu's "Revolutionary Army?"

How long did have this faction together?

Also, the six man tag match where Choshu turned on Fujinami, who was their partner against Andre, Allen and Jones?
Did this turn happen in 1983?

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

The 6-man tag match took place on 1982/10/08 at Kourakuen Hall in Tokyo between Inoki, Fujinami, & Choshu and Abdullah, Allen, & Jones.

Kakumeigun (Revolution Army) had Saito as the leader with Choshu, Khan, and Kuniaki Kobayashi. Shin Kokusai Gundan (New IWE Army) had Kimura, Hamauguchi, and Isamu Teranishi. In spring of 1983, Hamaguchi turned on Kimura and started teaming with Choshu in the summer. Then, after Kimura left New Japan for the original UWF, Teranishi joined Choshu as well. Kakumeigun became Ishin Gundan, which had Saito, Choshu, Khan, Hamaguchi, Teranishi, Kobayashi, Yoshiaki Yatsu, and Tiger Toguchi (Kim Duk/Tiger Chang Lee).

Jahno.

[carpetbeggar]

Kakumeigun became Ishin Gundan, which had Saito, Choshu, Khan, Hamaguchi, Teranishi, Kobayashi, Yoshiaki Yatsu, and Tiger Toguchi (Kim Duk/Tiger Chang Lee).

Jahno.

Is "Khan" Killer Khan or somebody different?

Who were the main guys against this faction?
I assume it was Fujimani, Inoki and Sakaguchi?
Who were the others?

Also Tiger Chung Lee...did he only go by Tiger Toguchi in Japan or did he have other names?
Did he ever work in AJPW?

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Yeah, that's Killer Khan (real name: Masashi Ozawa).

Tiger Toguchi also wrestled as Kim Duk when he was a heel in All Japan.

Most of the Japanese guys who were not in the IWE Army or Ishin Gundan were considered as the main group. Inoki, Sakaguchi, Fujinami, Kengo Kimura, Tiger Mask, Akira Maeda, Osamu Kido, Kantaro Hoshino, Yoshiaki Fujiwara, etc...

[matt farmer]

Did the fact that Choshu was really Korean ever play into the story?

For me what really stood out about Choshu and Fujinami was their in ring work. People always point to Tiger Mask and Dynamite Kid, but really these two brought a high paced style of wrestling that had never been seen before. They had amazing chemistry in the ring together. And It was one of the first major "Japanese vs Japanese" fueds during that era.

[Hisaharu Tanabe]

Did the fact that Choshu was really Korean ever play into the story?

Not at all. I don't think it was significantly brought up in the public until Kitao mentioned it when he was fired by New Japan.