All Japan Pro Wrestling's gaijin (foreign) wrestlers have stayed at Ginza Tokyu Hotel in the center of Tokyo for many long years. The hotel is one of the oldest and most luxurious hotels around. However, the hotel will close its doors, and it will be torn down. One memorial place for the boys will draw the curtains on January 18, 2001.
Michael Buffer is known for saying the most recognizable catch phrase in the world of sports and entertainment, "Let's Get Ready to Rumble!" He has announced "K-1" in Japan. "K-1" is a sport in which competitors utilize standing techniques from such kakutogi (hand-to-hand combat) sports as karate, kickboxing, kung fu, kempo, and tae kwon do to determine the world's strongest martial artist. "K" stands for the first letter of these martial arts and kakutogi itself, and "1" represents both the event's single, open weight class and "number one." Japan's Seido Kaikan conceived the rules and fighting formula. K-1's popularity grew in Japan, Europe, and the United States in the mid-1990s. Several tournaments are held each year.
Bill Robinson is a wrestling coach at the UWF Snake Pit Japan Gym in Kouenji, Suginami in Tokyo now. Over a 25-year wrestling career in the UK, Canada, USA, and Japan, he had a lot of great matches and won various major titles. In Japan, he won the IWA (International Wrestling Association) Heavyweight title, the United National Heavyweight title, and the PWF (Pacific Wrestling Federation) Heavyweight title.
John Stanley Hansen was born in Knox City, Texas on August 29, 1949. He debuted as a wrestler on January 1, 1973 after being trained by Dory and Terry Funk. He has had over 120 Japan tours since his first tour in 1975. He will have his retirement ceremony at Tokyo Dome on January 28, 2001.
Ricky Patterson is from Birds Hill, Manitoba, Canada, and debuted as a wrestler in Winnipeg in 1982. He wrestled for New Brand Wrestling in Winnipeg with his brother, Barry, as the Hollywood Blonds; Al Tomko's Universal Wrestling Federation in British Columbia; Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling in Alberta; Emile Dupre's Atlantic Grand Prix in the Canadian maritime provinces; Bob Geigel's Central States area with Mike Stone as the Montana Cowboys; Mexico; Carlos Colon's WWC in Puerto Rico; and Wang Pyo "Jaguar" Lee's New Korea Wrestling. He, as Ricky Patterson, came to Japan for the first time for W*ING from January 2-8, 1993. He filled the Leatherface character in September 1993, while the original one, Corporal Mike Kirchner, was detained. Ricky is one of the nicest persons I've ever seen in business, and his mask was hand-made by his lovely wife.
Rickson Gracie, one of nine sons of Helio Gracie, and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu are the most popular drawing cards for Japanese Mixed Martial Arts shows since 1994. Japanese fighters and pro wrestlers have lost to Rickson in fight after fight for six years. Japanese pro wrestlers have to beat him because Mixed Martial Arts have made pro wrestling their footstool on many occasions.
About 45 years have passed since "Lucha Libre" was introduced to Japan, when Raul Romero, from Durango, Mexico, wrestled for Masahiko Kimura's International Pro Wrestling from April 17 to May 16, 1956. A large number of Luchadors (wrestlers) have come over the Pacific to Japan every year since then. Some of them have even lived in the dojo in Tokyo. They are very cheerful and live on like wild flowers in Japanese wrestling.
Giant Kimala (also known as Kimala II / Atkie Malumba / Botswana Beast / Uganda) has been a regular gaijin (foreign) wrestler for All Japan Pro Wrestling for ten years. He is one of the most underrated wrestlers. He was born in the suburbs of Macon, Georgia on February 19, 1964. He grew up as a basketball player and motocross lover and as a big wrestling fan.
"Pride Grand Prix 2000" Champion and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Mark "The Hammer" Coleman was born in Columbus, Ohio on December 20, 1964. "I'm always ready to fight any opponent to prove to the world that I'm always going to be a competitor."
Greco-Roman 69-kg Silver Medal winner at the 2000 Olympic Games, Katsuhiko Nagata is the younger brother of New Japan Pro Wrestling's Yuji Nagata. He is a fan of Puroresu and his brother.
August 2, 1999---Part 1
August 30, 1999---Part 2
December 13, 1999---Part 3
February 7, 2000---Part 4
July 17, 2000---Part 5
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