9. Rikidozan
It is impossible to overstate the importance of Japanese wrestling to professional wrestling worldwide. Japanese wrestling has an almost symbiotic relationship with American wrestling, one that has served both countries incredibly well for many years. Many international stars have plied their trade in Japan and more than a few Japanese stars have sold a ticket or two in the West, but the history of professional wrestling in Japan has one name and one name only, Rikidozan. Without a doubt among the most influential professional wrestlers that ever lived, Korean born Kim Sil-Lak (later known as Mitsuhiro Momota) initially trained to be a sumo wrestler. He had some success, but gave up in 1950 due to a combination of anti-Korean sentiment and not earning much money from it. It was the immediate aftermath of World War 2 and the smoking craters that were once the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki served as constant reminders of Japans defeat at the hands of the allied forces. Like any true promoter, Rikidozan saw potential profit in this and so saw to it that (whilst obscuring his own origins) he was booked to destroy as many devious, cheating American wrestlers as possible with his devastating Karate Chop finisher. Of course, when booked in the US, Dozan would happily return the favour, playing a nasty Japanese heel for those same, now heroic, American wrestlers. The success of Rikidozan led to the creation of the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance (JWA), which he served as the companys first ever president. The JWA was the very first Japanese wrestling promotion, the one organization from which all others, either directly or indirectly, were created. So, when he is called the father of Japanese wrestling, the title is not only apt, but wholly accurate as well. Japans wounded pride, together with Rikidozans simple, but effective marketing strategy, fostered a tremendous amount of interest in the Japanese wrestling industry. It was an interest that culminated with Rikidozan upending the mighty Lou Thesz for the NWA International Championship in 1958. Between them, Thesz and Dozan put Japanese wrestling on the map that night. But Momotas influence doesnt end there... For decades, Japanese wrestling was dominated by its own (non-televised) version of the Monday Night Ratings War. It was a bitter all-out conflict between two mighty organizations, All Japan Pro Wrestling (led by Giant Baba) and New Japan Pro Wrestling (led by Antonio Inoki). AJPW was aligned with the NWA (National Wrestling Alliance) and NJPW was linked to the WWWF (the precursor to the WWE). These two companies and their figurehead mega-stars, formed the basis of Japanese wrestling for many, many years - and you know what? Rikidozan trained them both. Put simply, wrestling in Japan would not exist were it not for Rikidozan.