Kanji Inoki

Biography

Kanji Inoki was a Japanese professional wrestler and martial artist born on February 20, 1943. He founded New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in 1972 and became its 33-year owner, developing strong style and shoot style wrestling. A notable highlight of his career includes his 1976 fight against Muhammad Ali, a predecessor to modern-day mixed martial arts, which drew significant attention and recognition. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010.