Post by Emperor Ihsahn on Aug 28, 2015 20:27:52 GMT -5
I Found this over on Reddit and thought that it needed to be shared, enjoy!
Tribute Video
Sandwiched between an era when pro-wrestling was the biggest sport in Japan where tens of millions watched weekly and the 90s golden generation of All Japan who influenced countless modern wrestlers since, was a wrestler who could evolve to the changing style of pro-wrestling and put the 'king' in 90s AJPW Kings Road storytelling-style. You will be hard pressed to find a wrestler with more longevity, talent and who could have amazing matches across three decades.
“Using the wrestling ring as his personal canvas, he created several masterpieces, each match better than the previous one. He helped pioneer Japanese wrestling, ushering in a more advanced, physically demanding and athletic style. There were no wasted movements with Tsuruta. Each move in a match meant something. Each match meant something. He was a master storyteller. Nobody could tell a story within the confines of a wrestling match better than Tsuruta.” - John F. Molinaro, author of The Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time.
A legit heavyweight who at 21 competed in the 100kg+ class at the 1972 Munich Olympics in Greco-Roman, he wanted to become a pro-wrestler from an early age with Giant Baba being his idol. He was trained by the Funks in Texas and blazed a trail through pro-wrestling from his debut. He challenged Dory Funk Jr. for the NWA Heavyweight Title less than two months after his debut.
“I would meet the new wrestler Mr. Baba had discovered... Mr. Baba liked this kid, and had sent him to Amarillo to learn the finer points of professional wrestling... As I entered the dressing room... "Mr. Funk," I heard someone say from behind. I turned and there he was, Tall, lean, and wearing a crew cut. I had to look up to him even though he was slightly slumped over. He said, "Mr. Funk, My name is Tommy Tu-Tsuruta, It is easier to say than my Japanese name, Tsuruta Tomomi. I have never wrestled a professional match before in my life. This is my first time, please take care of me." [...] He went on the become the best student of professional wrestling I have ever had. Tsuruta learned fast. [...] In his first year in professional wrestling, Tsuruta became a top star in the United States, something accomplished by only a few Japanese wrestlers including his boss, Giant Baba.” - Dory Funk Jr.
“The first time I met Tsuruta, he was wearing a pair of size-14 sneakers, a shirt and a pair of pants that had been worn too much. It was the best stuff he had. He was just an overgrown kid... Tsuruta took to pro wrestling like a duck to water, and it was immediately obvious he was destined for big things.” - Terry Funk.
Upon returning to Japan, Jumbo immediately became one of the top heavyweights in All Japan. He began teaming with Giant Baba, All Japan's owner and key draw, and within a year was competing for the NWA World Heavyweight Title again, this time facing Jack Brisco. He racked up wins against the likes of Bob Backlund, 'Mr Wrestling' Tim Woods, The Funks and Bob Orton Jr. During this period the company was booked in the NWA mould. NWA Champions would come into the company and face top company stars with finishes predominantly ending in draws or no contests.
"He and I just hit it off and developed a friendship. I worked out in the ring with him a couple of times even then. He showed me a few things. [laughing] Of course, then he went back to Japan and became one of the biggest stars for All Japan Pro Wrestling, one of the biggest stars in Japan during his prime... He broke the mould, so to speak. He wrestled more of an American-tradition style and actually won the hearts of the Japanese." - Ted DiBiase.
By late 1975 Jumbo's future as All Japan's star was in orbit. He faced Baba for the first time in a losing encounter and began competing in a series of 10 Special Challenge Matches against the likes of top stars of his era such as Rusher Kimura, Billy Robinson, Abdullah the Butcher and Harley Race. Throughout the series he grew hotter and hotter in the fan's eyes and won his first singles title, the United National Heavyweight, in 1976. Baba's booking Jumbo with these experienced veterans had its effect. Quickly he established himself as one of the best wrestlers of the time.
This match is a prime example of All Japan and Jumbo's style of the mid-late seventies. In 1980, to cement his success and signal him as Baba's successor, he was booked to win the 8th Champion Carnival (All Japan's G1 Climax). As the only previous winners were Baba and Abdullah this was a huge deal signaling his star status. Throughout the early 80s he feuded with long term rival Bruiser Brody and competed against Ric Flair for the NWA Heavyweight Title numerous times. Additionally he began picking up heavyweight belts in the NWA United National, NWA International Heavyweight and AWA World Heavyweight titles.
“This guy always gave 100%... Jumbo was a big guy, but he could move for his size... He was really good, everything he did looked good. He was in great shape also, could go on. I wrestled him a few times where they were one-hour matches and he was as good at the beginning as at the end of the sixty minutes." -Rick Martel.
– NWA International Title: Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (8/31/83)
Up until this point Jumbo's ringwork was based on a very NWA-style – slow paced matches, mat based, low thrills and with the presentation of being a serious athletic contest. However when Riki Choshu's 'Invading Army', a promotion vs. promotion program and spiritual precursor to NWO vs WCW, hit All Japan's style evolved into faster paced matches that can be best seen in the tag-team contests of the era. Jumbo reinvented himself and took to this change like a duck to water by continuing to put on exceptional matches. This period would end the traditional AJPW style of native vs. foreigner and establish huge popularity and TV deals for the company.
Tsuruta/Tenryu vs Choshu/Yatsu 1/28/86
An exciting match and one of the best tag-team matches ever with a style that's more Dynamite Kid/Tiger Mask than heavyweight contests of before. Dave Meltzer - '*****, if not, more'.
Now established as AJPW's main draw he would go on to feud with top foreign heel Stan Hansen, vie with heel Genichiro Tenryu for top native and begin nurturing the next generation by teaming with and wrestling Tiger Mask II (Mitsuharu Misawa). The 1980s ended with Baba deciding to unify Jumbo's NWA International Heavyweight title with Hansen's PWF and United National Heavyweight titles. What followed was a dramatic series of three matches with the first two ending without title changes before Jumbo won the third. The belts were unified and he became the first AJPW Triple Crown Champion.
Jumbo unifies the belts to become Triple Crown Champion.
As the 90s began a new generation of Japanese stars in Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada and Kenta Kobashi, called the 'young lions', began to rise. These upstarts would test the Kaibutsu (monster – Jumbo's later nickname), but the 17 year veteran would show the new generation that there was life in the old dog yet. Reinventing himself as an aggressive veteran who is clinging on to his top-tier status against the popular underdogs, he had four Dave Meltzer rated 5-star matches during this period against the three. In June 1990 he put over Misawa, which cemented his spot as soon-to-be top star.
Dave Meltzer 5-star match. The match that made Misawa. Do not listen to the hot crown finish with headphones on.
By this stage, the King's Road style pioneered by Jumbo and Tenryu in the late 80s was in full effect. What makes King's Road so compelling to a viewer is that matches do not exist on an island, rather each match opponents have previously had are interconnected and will reference each other with spots, sequences and finishes that build upon what has been previously done. Big and signature moves were additionally added to the earlier NWA style of slow starts where wrestlers felt each other out that building towards hot climaxes. In essence, Jumbo led the change from the 70s era of wrestling and brought it straight into the 90s.
Unfortunately in late 1992 Jumbo was diagnosed with Hepatitis B, which he struggled to recover from then until his retirement in 1999. He died on 20/05/2000 due to complications during a kidney transplant surgery.
"Jumbo was a great competitor. It's a shame that somebody's that's 49 years old didn't last...[His] matches were always good wrestling matches -- entertaining, convincing -- something that the business needs today." - Dick 'The Destroyer' Beyers
Jumbo Tsuruta's Dave Meltzer rated 5 Star matches:
1/28/86 Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu and Yoshiaki Yatsu
06/06/89 Jumbo Tsuruta vs Genichiro Tenryu
06/08/90 Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
10/19/90 Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue & Masanobu Fuchi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada & Kenta Kobashi
04/20/91 Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada & Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue & Masanobu Fuchi
05/22/92 Jumbo Tsuruta & Masanobu Fuchi & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi & Toshiaki Kawada
Tribute Video
Sandwiched between an era when pro-wrestling was the biggest sport in Japan where tens of millions watched weekly and the 90s golden generation of All Japan who influenced countless modern wrestlers since, was a wrestler who could evolve to the changing style of pro-wrestling and put the 'king' in 90s AJPW Kings Road storytelling-style. You will be hard pressed to find a wrestler with more longevity, talent and who could have amazing matches across three decades.
“Using the wrestling ring as his personal canvas, he created several masterpieces, each match better than the previous one. He helped pioneer Japanese wrestling, ushering in a more advanced, physically demanding and athletic style. There were no wasted movements with Tsuruta. Each move in a match meant something. Each match meant something. He was a master storyteller. Nobody could tell a story within the confines of a wrestling match better than Tsuruta.” - John F. Molinaro, author of The Top 100 Pro Wrestlers of All Time.
A legit heavyweight who at 21 competed in the 100kg+ class at the 1972 Munich Olympics in Greco-Roman, he wanted to become a pro-wrestler from an early age with Giant Baba being his idol. He was trained by the Funks in Texas and blazed a trail through pro-wrestling from his debut. He challenged Dory Funk Jr. for the NWA Heavyweight Title less than two months after his debut.
“I would meet the new wrestler Mr. Baba had discovered... Mr. Baba liked this kid, and had sent him to Amarillo to learn the finer points of professional wrestling... As I entered the dressing room... "Mr. Funk," I heard someone say from behind. I turned and there he was, Tall, lean, and wearing a crew cut. I had to look up to him even though he was slightly slumped over. He said, "Mr. Funk, My name is Tommy Tu-Tsuruta, It is easier to say than my Japanese name, Tsuruta Tomomi. I have never wrestled a professional match before in my life. This is my first time, please take care of me." [...] He went on the become the best student of professional wrestling I have ever had. Tsuruta learned fast. [...] In his first year in professional wrestling, Tsuruta became a top star in the United States, something accomplished by only a few Japanese wrestlers including his boss, Giant Baba.” - Dory Funk Jr.
“The first time I met Tsuruta, he was wearing a pair of size-14 sneakers, a shirt and a pair of pants that had been worn too much. It was the best stuff he had. He was just an overgrown kid... Tsuruta took to pro wrestling like a duck to water, and it was immediately obvious he was destined for big things.” - Terry Funk.
Upon returning to Japan, Jumbo immediately became one of the top heavyweights in All Japan. He began teaming with Giant Baba, All Japan's owner and key draw, and within a year was competing for the NWA World Heavyweight Title again, this time facing Jack Brisco. He racked up wins against the likes of Bob Backlund, 'Mr Wrestling' Tim Woods, The Funks and Bob Orton Jr. During this period the company was booked in the NWA mould. NWA Champions would come into the company and face top company stars with finishes predominantly ending in draws or no contests.
"He and I just hit it off and developed a friendship. I worked out in the ring with him a couple of times even then. He showed me a few things. [laughing] Of course, then he went back to Japan and became one of the biggest stars for All Japan Pro Wrestling, one of the biggest stars in Japan during his prime... He broke the mould, so to speak. He wrestled more of an American-tradition style and actually won the hearts of the Japanese." - Ted DiBiase.
By late 1975 Jumbo's future as All Japan's star was in orbit. He faced Baba for the first time in a losing encounter and began competing in a series of 10 Special Challenge Matches against the likes of top stars of his era such as Rusher Kimura, Billy Robinson, Abdullah the Butcher and Harley Race. Throughout the series he grew hotter and hotter in the fan's eyes and won his first singles title, the United National Heavyweight, in 1976. Baba's booking Jumbo with these experienced veterans had its effect. Quickly he established himself as one of the best wrestlers of the time.
Terry Funk (c) vs Jumbo Tsuruta – (06/11/76)
This match is a prime example of All Japan and Jumbo's style of the mid-late seventies. In 1980, to cement his success and signal him as Baba's successor, he was booked to win the 8th Champion Carnival (All Japan's G1 Climax). As the only previous winners were Baba and Abdullah this was a huge deal signaling his star status. Throughout the early 80s he feuded with long term rival Bruiser Brody and competed against Ric Flair for the NWA Heavyweight Title numerous times. Additionally he began picking up heavyweight belts in the NWA United National, NWA International Heavyweight and AWA World Heavyweight titles.
“This guy always gave 100%... Jumbo was a big guy, but he could move for his size... He was really good, everything he did looked good. He was in great shape also, could go on. I wrestled him a few times where they were one-hour matches and he was as good at the beginning as at the end of the sixty minutes." -Rick Martel.
– NWA International Title: Bruiser Brody vs. Jumbo Tsuruta (8/31/83)
Up until this point Jumbo's ringwork was based on a very NWA-style – slow paced matches, mat based, low thrills and with the presentation of being a serious athletic contest. However when Riki Choshu's 'Invading Army', a promotion vs. promotion program and spiritual precursor to NWO vs WCW, hit All Japan's style evolved into faster paced matches that can be best seen in the tag-team contests of the era. Jumbo reinvented himself and took to this change like a duck to water by continuing to put on exceptional matches. This period would end the traditional AJPW style of native vs. foreigner and establish huge popularity and TV deals for the company.
Tsuruta/Tenryu vs Choshu/Yatsu 1/28/86
An exciting match and one of the best tag-team matches ever with a style that's more Dynamite Kid/Tiger Mask than heavyweight contests of before. Dave Meltzer - '*****, if not, more'.
Now established as AJPW's main draw he would go on to feud with top foreign heel Stan Hansen, vie with heel Genichiro Tenryu for top native and begin nurturing the next generation by teaming with and wrestling Tiger Mask II (Mitsuharu Misawa). The 1980s ended with Baba deciding to unify Jumbo's NWA International Heavyweight title with Hansen's PWF and United National Heavyweight titles. What followed was a dramatic series of three matches with the first two ending without title changes before Jumbo won the third. The belts were unified and he became the first AJPW Triple Crown Champion.
Jumbo unifies the belts to become Triple Crown Champion.
As the 90s began a new generation of Japanese stars in Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada and Kenta Kobashi, called the 'young lions', began to rise. These upstarts would test the Kaibutsu (monster – Jumbo's later nickname), but the 17 year veteran would show the new generation that there was life in the old dog yet. Reinventing himself as an aggressive veteran who is clinging on to his top-tier status against the popular underdogs, he had four Dave Meltzer rated 5-star matches during this period against the three. In June 1990 he put over Misawa, which cemented his spot as soon-to-be top star.
Dave Meltzer 5-star match. The match that made Misawa. Do not listen to the hot crown finish with headphones on.
By this stage, the King's Road style pioneered by Jumbo and Tenryu in the late 80s was in full effect. What makes King's Road so compelling to a viewer is that matches do not exist on an island, rather each match opponents have previously had are interconnected and will reference each other with spots, sequences and finishes that build upon what has been previously done. Big and signature moves were additionally added to the earlier NWA style of slow starts where wrestlers felt each other out that building towards hot climaxes. In essence, Jumbo led the change from the 70s era of wrestling and brought it straight into the 90s.
Unfortunately in late 1992 Jumbo was diagnosed with Hepatitis B, which he struggled to recover from then until his retirement in 1999. He died on 20/05/2000 due to complications during a kidney transplant surgery.
"Jumbo was a great competitor. It's a shame that somebody's that's 49 years old didn't last...[His] matches were always good wrestling matches -- entertaining, convincing -- something that the business needs today." - Dick 'The Destroyer' Beyers
Jumbo Tsuruta's Dave Meltzer rated 5 Star matches:
1/28/86 Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro Tenryu vs. Riki Choshu and Yoshiaki Yatsu
06/06/89 Jumbo Tsuruta vs Genichiro Tenryu
06/08/90 Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
10/19/90 Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue & Masanobu Fuchi vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada & Kenta Kobashi
04/20/91 Mitsuharu Misawa & Toshiaki Kawada & Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta & Akira Taue & Masanobu Fuchi
05/22/92 Jumbo Tsuruta & Masanobu Fuchi & Akira Taue vs. Mitsuharu Misawa & Kenta Kobashi & Toshiaki Kawada
