This is part one of Fumi and Justin’s profile series on the one and only, the very special Antonio Inoki. This episode covers Inoki’s early years, growing up the youngest of 11 children, moving to Sao Paolo and losing his grandfather on the boat ride there, Rikidozan finding him in Brazil, working for Rikidozan’s JWA, debuting with Giant Baba, teaming with Baba, the rise and fall of Tokyo Pro Wrestling and later IWE International Wrestling, and finally the debut of NJPW in 1972, 50 years from the debut, which’ll be next month.

This will be part of plans to be a five-episode series on Inoki, so strap in.

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