8 Biggest Ever Wrestler-Management Disputes In History

7. Antonio Inoki and The Japanese Wrestling Alliance

Here we have another trip to the Far East and another battle for power. Inoki was one of Japan's biggest stars and should his plan have come off, who knows what Japanese wrestling would be like today. Inoki was one half of the Japan Wrestling Alliance's Tag Team Champions in 1971 and wasn't satisfied with that. He was fired as it was revealed he was plotting to carry out a take over of the company. This wasn't out of the ordinary for Inoki who liked to do outlandish things. He legitimately tried to beat up Bruno Sammartino during a match, just to help build his own reputation. To put his takeover attempt in some sort of perspective, it would be like Goldust finding sufficient financial backing and launching a takeover bid for Vince McMahon's WWE. Inoki's dream to run his own wrestling promotion was realised soon after as he founded New Japan Pro Wrestling, the biggest promotion over there today. His first match in his new company was against Karl Gotch. His company became so big over there that the Japanese and Korean governments came together to hold a two-day wrestling festival for peace, using New Japan as a centre peace. Inoki defeated Ric Flair at the event in front of somewhere between 150,000-190,000 fans. Inoki, who is a WWE Hall of Famer, is a very interesting character. He is also very well known for his martial arts and work in politics. In 2012 he changed his name to Muhammad Hussain Inoki after revealing he had converted to Islam in 1990.