Antonio Inoki has passed away.
Antonio Inoki, the man who founded New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1972, has passed away at age 79.
Throughout his legendary career, Antonio Inoki shared the ring with names such as Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, and many other legends of the wrestling ring. Antonio Inoki also had an exhibition against Muhammad Ali in 1976, which many people consider a predecessor to the modern world of mixed martial arts.
Antonio Inoki was diagnosed with systemic transthyretin amyloidosis in recent years and, as reported by Yahoo Japan, has unfortunately passed away at 79.
Inoki would then enter the world of politics in 1989 and was elected to the Japanese House of Councillors. He served from 1989 until 1995 and would serve again from 2013 until 2019. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010
Many in the wrestling world including Tony Khan and Meiko Satomura have commented on the passing, with Meiko's tweet translating to "it feels like the end of an era."
RIP Antonio Inoki, a pioneer in the pro wrestling industry. Inoki’s influence and his achievements will live on forever in the wrestling world; he’s an inspiration to all of the dreamers. Thank you sir.
— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) October 1, 2022
一つの時代が終わったよう。
— 里村明衣子 meiko satomura (@satomurameiko) October 1, 2022
We send our condolences to Antonio Inoki's family, friends, and fans.
