20 Most Infamous Real Life Wrestling Fights Of All Time
9. Earthquake Vs. Koji Kitao (1991)
In the early-90s the WWF partnered with Genichiro Tenryu's Super World of Sports in Japan in an ill-fated attempt at cross promotion that was designed to be mutually beneficial to both companies.
Every few months, the WWF would send talent to Japan to work on shows at the Tokyo Dome and other smaller venues around the country. In March of 1991, John 'Earthquake' Tenta was paired off with former sumo wrestling star Koji Kitao. Tenta had competed in sumo prior to becoming a pro wrestler where he has made a reasonable name for himself, whereas Kitao was one of the finest in the sport, reaching the highest rank of yokozuna.
A series of unsavoury incidents involving Kitao's 88-year-old stable-master (Kitao kicked him, for real, in the face) and his wife (who he shoved into a door) saw him expelled from sumo for life, forcing him to transition into professional wrestling as a result. Kitao had worked with Earthquake two nights earlier on a smaller show without any problems, but by the time they reached the Tokyo Dome he had decided he did not want to lose in a high profile match.
The disgraced sumo believed it harmed his reputation to lose to someone who was ranked lower than him in his former sport, even though it was a completely different discipline and nobody watching would ever associate the two. Kitao refused to sell from the off, causing Tenta to shove him in response. Kitao ignore that too and puffed out his chest. Confused, Earthquake continued to try and work with his belligerent opponent.
For a minute he complied, then all of a sudden he spat his dummy out again and stopped cooperating. The two battled in a sumo-style hand slapping flurry before Tenta lost his temper, screaming, "This is pro wrestling!" The rest of the match saw the pair circle each other and square up without any fists thrown.
Kitao eventually decided he was done so shoot kicked the referee, grabbed the microphone, and declared wrestling to be fake, then walked out of the match and out of pro wrestling for good.
Winner: A draw.