10 Wrestlers Punished In-Ring For Their Behaviour

Antonio Inoki: the founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling (and the considerably less revered Inoki Genome Federation) and one of the all time greats in the rich history of puroresu.

The Great Antonio: a Croatian-Canadian strongman, compulsive liar and alleged alien who claimed to be able to tear trees from the ground at 12.

This was a very odd pairing for the squared circle and one that proved unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. Taking place at Tokyo’s Sumo Hall on 8 December 1977, the Antonios were meant to work a surprisingly standard style of match. Inoki was a heroic babyface who frequently threw down with gigantic gaijin characters. Essentially a beast slayer long before a certain CrossFit bro put it on a t-shirt, Inoki took down the big men with skill and the support of the fans.

9,000 Inoki supporters settled in to watch an awkward contest in which the Great Antonio completely no sold Inoki’s offence. His general lack of reaction made the scripted nature of wrestling all too obvious during a time when exposing the business was still a cardinal sin.

Visibly frustrated, Inoki finally snapped when the Great Antonio clubbed the back of his neck several times. Tired of the embarrassment, the expertly trained Inoki unleashed his fighting skills with extreme prejudice. The Great Antonio was quickly reduced to a bloody heap and the match was called off before any more damage could be done.