On Feb. 23, 1984 in Tokyo, Japan, "Jumbo" Tommy Tsuruta stunned the wrestling world when he defeated the great Nick Bockwinkel after 32 minutes to win the prestigious AWA title.

   As he went into the championship battle, very few people gave Tsuruta much of a chance to defeat Bockwinkel, but the Japanese star pulled off the upset of the year. In so doing, he placed his name right in the record books.

   Jumbo Tsuruta has been wrestling professionally since Oct. 31,1972. Prior to turning professional, Tsuruta was an outstanding amateur wrestler and represented Japan in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany.

   While growing up, Tsuruta's dream was to someday become a professional wrestler just like his boyhood idol, Giant Baba. While in college, Tsuruta was introduced to his hero, Baba, and told to pursue his goal with his whole heart and soul. After the Olympics were history, Tsuruta approached Baba once again with the hope of turning professional. For three months Baba worked with Tsuruta every day teaching him the differences in style between amateur and professional wrestling. Having absorbed Baba's teachings, Tsuruta was sent to Amarillo, Texas, where he trained under the watchful eye of Dory and Terry Funk. Tsuruta trained very hard and in time learned many of the scientific moves of Dory Funk as well as the roughhouse tactics of Terry Funk.

   After mastering the teachings of the Funks, Tsuruta had his first professional match in Amarillo, Texas, and then stayed in Western Texas for several more months before returning home to Japan to begin his career in front of his hometown fans. In his first bout in Tokyo Tsuruta defeated Moose Muraski and right then it was obvious that Tsuruta was ' headed for stardom.

   Since his start in the profession, Tsuruta has held the United National title, the International title as well as the International tag team title with Baba the Giant. He holds victories over many of today's Superstars including: Dory Funk Jr., Billy Robinson, Wahoo McDaniel, Harley Race, Terry Funk, Abdullah the Butcher, Jack Brisco, Ric Flair and Mil Mascaras. Prior to winning the AWA title, Tsuruta wrestled for the NWA title on several occasions, and came extremely close to winning this prestigious award. In fact, in a 1973 bout against then champion Jack Brisco, Tsuruta came within a whisker of upsetting Brisco and gaining the crown. In the last 10 years, the same thing has happened to Tsuruta every time he has wrestled for the crown. He has wrestled Terry Funk and Harley Race to draws with the NWA World's title on the line and had a disqualification victory over current NWA World's champion, Ric Flair. But today, Jumbo Tsuruta is basking in the limelight! By his victory over Nick Bockwinkel for the AWA crown, Jumbo Tsuruta has now even surpassed the legendary Baba the Giant and Antonio Inoki in the hearts of the Japanese fans. It took Tsuruta 12 years to get to (he top and is in his. prime now.

   Going into the Bockwinkel bout, Jumbo Tsuruta trained night and day for three weeks preparing himself for the battle of his life. He worked with fellow wrestler Baba the Giant and Dory Funk Jr. and listened to their every word. Tsuruta knew that this was his chance to earn the recognition that he had been craving. He didn't want it to slip right through his fingers.

   The match between Bockwinkel and Tsuruta was an outstanding display of wrestling moves and techniques. It was a textbook exhibit of the ins and outs of wrestling, with every move and hold applied flawlessly. At the 30-minute mark, however, Bockwinkel, in his effort to show his more agressive side, hurled ' Tsuruta out of the ring. Tsuruta immediately climbed back onto the ring apron. Bockwinkel was waiting. Grabbing Tsuruta around -the waist, the champ lifted I Tsuruta over the top of the ropes in an attempt to deliver his deadly suplex maneuver. But just as Bockwinkel was about to send Tsuruta crashing to the mat, the Japanese star jumped out of the hold. Tsuruta now found himself standing behind Bockwinkel, and in a flash, grabbed Bockwinkel from behind and applied his deadly German Suplex. The champ's shoulders were now trapped on the mat. Special guest referee Terry Funk counted, and at the count of three the usually subdued Japanese fans went wild. For the first time in history, the AWA title had changed hands in Japan.

   To prove that Jumbo Tsuruta's victory over Nick Bockwinkel wasn't a fluke, three days later in Osaka, Japan, Nick Bockwinkel and Jumbo Tsuruta were both counted out in a wild brawl. The following day, Nick Bockwinkel left Japan for the states without his prized AWA gold belt.

   Jumbo Tsuruta is now the twentieth champion in the history of thre AWA, As champion, Jumbo Tsuruta will definitely be facing quite a few top challengers. Already the AWA Commission has scheduled a full complement of title bouts in the Midwest for the new champion. After 12 years as a professional. Tommy "Jumbo" Tsuruta has made it to the top of his profession, and everyone at WRESTLING SCENE wishes the new champion a long and prosperous reign.