10 Most Damaging Figures In The History Of Wrestling

9. Antonio Inoki

Tripel H Stephanie McMahon Wrestlemania 33
WWE.com

Antonio Inoki masterminded New Japan Pro Wrestling for years. He also very nearly destroyed it.

Inoki's contributions to puroresu cannot be understated. He is the godfather of the strong style that has become the most popular wrestling genre in critical circles and the founder of the promotion - New Japan - that innovated it in an attempt to legitimise pro wrestling as a proper combat sport. Inoki was a keen martial-artist keener still to imbue his product with an unparalleled realism.

It worked for decades, when the beloved Inoki was at the forefront and in the background; though All Japan Pro Wrestling (a more Americanised, story-driven style) was more consistently popular in Tokyo, New Japan at its 1990s peak was the biggest company in the country. Oddly, even though Inoki's style of wrestling was tonally antithetical to Vince McMahon's, they shared one crucial similarity: counterproductive and alienating self-indulgence. He was inspired by the growing popularity of MMA to slant the product almost entirely in an approximation of it.

The rot had already set in by 1999, when virtual rookie Naoya Ogawa dethroned top star Shinya Hashimoto for the IWGP Heavyweight Title before bursting his face (and aura) in a bizarre shoot. Somehow, even though Hashimoto had been ruined, Inoki still pressed ahead with his puro/MMA hybrid pet project and sacrificed Hashimoto's replacement as top star - Yuji Nagata - to MMA sensation Mirko 'Pro Wrestler Hunter' Cro Cop. And Fedor Emelianenko.

He then awarded Bob Sapp with the IWGP Heavyweight Title. Yuke's had to save the company from bankruptcy after Inoki had driven over half over the audience away and relegated the TV time slot to the witching hour.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!