Author: Kye Kennedy
It is not easy to pinpoint the exact moment when the extreme style of professional wrestling known as deathmatch wrestling began, though one of the earliest innovators of the style was undoubtedly Kendo Nagasaki. Not to be confused with the British professional wrestler of the same name, this Kendo Nagasaki, whose real name was Kazuo Sakurada, made his professional wrestling debut in 1971 for the Japan Wrestling Association (JWA). But he will be remembered as someone who established himself far from the comforts of the puroresu style that the JWA promoted. Here, we look at how one of the lesser-known…
Only a handful of professional wrestlers from Chile have made it to the international stage, but those who have aim to achieve the same grand heights as their compatriot, Stephanie Vaquer. Stephanie Vaquer’s work in Mexico, Japan, and the United States has earned her the recognition many aspire to. But few attain, and with that being said, the time between her discovery by the wider world and her rise to the forefront of professional wrestling has been remarkably short. Yet, with each appearance, she continues to amaze audiences and keep the world talking. From San Fernando, Chile, all the way…
For forty-two years, EMLL (Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre), later known as CMLL (Consejo Mundial De Lucha Libre), had ruled lucha libre in Mexico. Not only did the promotion put on spectacular shows each and every week and have performers who had reached celebrity status within the country. EMLL had impacted the culture of Mexico in such a way that every wrestling fan around the globe associates the country with the masked wrestlers and high flying that grew to become the standard inside of an EMLL ring. However, as professional wrestling has proven time and time again, every star needs…
On September 16, 2023, the world of professional wrestling celebrated a historic milestone as CMLL (Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre) marked its 90th anniversary with an incredible show at the sold-out Arena México with the Lutteroth family. Lutteroth Legacy | 90 Years of CMLL For nearly a century, CMLL has stood strong as a beacon of lucha libre excellence, captivating audiences with its breathtaking displays of athleticism and drama inside the squared circle. That being said, no company, no matter how old or how great, runs itself. Behind the scenes, an equally enduring dynasty has quietly overseen CMLL’s rise to…
In the colorful tapestry of professional wrestling history, one name has donned more colors across his face than most: Mil Mascaras. Masked in mystery, this larger-than-life figure transcended the squared circle to become a global wrestling sensation, captivating audiences with his extraordinary athleticism and unforgettable masked persona. With a career that spanned over five decades and a legacy that continues to influence the world of professional wrestling, Mil Mascaras was more than just a wrestler; he was a symbol of Mexican wrestling tradition, a pioneer of lucha libre, and a timeless symbol of heroism and intrigue. Mil Mascaras – The…
Every hero needs a villain, and All Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling (AJW) had quite the number of heroes. The all-female promotion, known for producing some of the greatest professional wrestlers in Japan and globally, experienced its golden age in the 1980s with the popularity of fan favorites like the Crush Gals rivaling even that of Hulkamania in the United States. Dump Matsumoto | AJW’s Queen Of Villains Yet, the same fans needed someone to boo just as loudly as they would cheer other wrestlers, and they found that individual in Dump Matsumoto. With extravagant hair, face paint, and an affinity for…
While you cannot judge every professional wrestler by the person that trained them, one might expect someone trained by the father of puroresu in Japan, Rikidōzan. To follow in his footsteps and become an icon of puroresu themselves. Yet, The Great Kojika’s path to becoming an icon was not so straightforward. The Great Kojika founded a home for deathmatch wrestling to flourish in 1995 when he became a co-founder of Big Japan Pro Wrestling, despite a wealth of knowledge in a completely different style of pro wrestling. His knowledge has led to Big Japan Pro Wrestling becoming one of Japan’s…
Not many professional wrestling promotions can claim to have revolutionized the landscape of professional wrestling in their country. Some, like WWE, became global phenomena, while others, like New Japan Pro Wrestling, cultivated icons of a hard-hitting style that spread overseas. Yet not all promotions reach these heights, and the best of those that don’t carve out their own niche in professional wrestling, which is where we find Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW). BJW navigated the turbulent world of Japanese professional wrestling in the 1990s during the boom of a bloody and violent style known as deathmatch wrestling. Navigating such a…
When professional wrestling fans think of men in masks walking through the ropes, they will usually think of the luchadores of Mexico who have made the art of performing under a mask a part of Mexican culture. Yet, there was a time when everyone in Britain thought of someone else whose name has since become a pivotal part of British professional wrestling history. That name was Kendo Nagasaki. Not a typical British name by any means but nevertheless it was one that fans piled into arenas across the isles to see whenever they could. Kendo Nagasaki’s mystique and mastery of…
There are not many professional wrestlers comparable to Kazuchika Okada in terms of his ability in the ring, his journey to the very top, and the way the fans respond to his presence. The sound of a coin drop signals to the fans that they are about to witness something special. No matter which version of Kazuchika Okada walks down the ramp, fans need only look at his catalog of matches to see why the tales of his success have reached all corners of the Earth. The story of the Rainmaker and New Japan Pro Wrestling continued long after the…