When was the New Japan Pro Wrestling created?
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
New Japan Pro-Wrestling Co., Ltd.(新日本プロレスリング株式会社,Shin Nihon Puroresuringu Kabushiki-kaisha) (NJPW)[4] is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion based in Nakano, Tokyo. Founded in January 1972 by Antonio Inoki, the promotion was sold to Yuke's, who later sold it to Bushiroad in 2012. TV Asahi and Amuse, Inc. own minority shares of the company.[4] Naoki Sugabayashi has served as the promotion's Chairman since September 2013,[6] while Harold Meij has served as the President of the promotion since May 2018.[3]
Osamu Nishimura
Nishimura debuted for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in April 1991 after training in their Dojo. In 1994, he embarked on a tour of the United States, entering the Global Wrestling Federation in Dallas, Texas, winning its Light Heavyweight Championship on August 26, and eventually becoming the promotion's final champion. A day later, Nishimura was one of eight men chosen to take part in a tournament for the vacant NWA World Heavyweight Championship. In the infamous tournament promoted by Eastern Championship Wrestling (which featured winner Shane Douglas throwing the belt down after winning it), Nishimura was eliminated in the first round by Dean Malenko. In a second tournament hosted by Smoky Mountain Wrestling in November, Nishimura battled Lou Perez to a draw and both men were eliminated. Nishimura returned to Japan when his mentor Tatsumi Fujinami was forming an offshoot promotion called MUGA ("Selflessness"), which would base its style around traditional catch-as-catch-can wrestling. Nevertheless, the promotion did not catch on and Nishimura left the country once again, targeting Otto Wanz's Catch Wrestling Association, touring throughout Austria and Germany, eventually winning its Submission Shootfighting Championship.