Original Tokyo Pro Wrestling
The original Tokyo Pro Wrestling operated from 1966 to 1967.
In mid-1966, Japan Wrestling Association president Michiharu Toyonobori resigned his position and left the promotion, taking along with him some talent, including Katsuhisa Shibata (father of current New Japan Pro Wrestling star Katsuyori Shibata) and the future Rusher Kimura(Masao Kimura). Antonio Inoki, who was coming back from a long excursion to the United States, chose to join him and create a new venture, Tokyo Pro Wrestling.
Tokyo Pro's biggest rising star was Inoki, who feuded with Johnny Valentine over the "United States" heavyweight title (as Valentine had held in California, Michigan and Ontario, he was "recognized" as champion by Tokyo Pro so as to lose the belt to Inoki). Inoki's feud with Valentine cemented him not only as a rising star, but also as a tough wrestler who could take on anyone, any style, anywhere.
Nevertheless, problems between Toyonobori and his business backers led him and Isao Yoshiwara to dissolve the promotion in 1967 and replace it with Kokusai Puroresu Kaisha (International Wrestling Enterprise/International Pro Wrestling), which would promote on a larger scale in Japan and eventually become the third most important men's promotion, after New Japan and All Japan, which would appear in 1972.
Tokyo Pro-Wrestling is also the place where Haruka Eigen, who was still active into his 60's wrestling for Pro Wrestling Noah, debuted. He joined Inoki and Shibata in going back to JWA.
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