View source for Tokyo Pro Wrestling

{{for|the women's promotion|Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling}}
{{short description|Professional wrestling promotion}}
{{Infobox wrestling promotion
|name        = Tokyo Pro Wrestling
|image       = File:Tokyo Pro Wrestling.gif
|caption     = Logo of Tokyo Pro Wrestling (1994–1996)
|acronym     = TPW
|established =
|folded      =
|style       =
|location    = [[Tokyo]]
|founder     =
|owner       =
|parent      =
|sister      =
|formerly    =
|website     =
}}
'''Tokyo Pro Wrestling''' is the name of two unrelated [[Japan]]ese [[professional wrestling]] promotions. Despite their common name, they did not share management, promotional style, or talent in any way.

==Original Tokyo Pro Wrestling==
The original '''Tokyo Pro Wrestling''' operated from 1966 to 1967.

In mid-1966, [[Japan Wrestling Association]] [[president (corporate title)|president]] [[Toyonobori|Michiharu Toyonobori]] [[resignation|resigned]] his position and left the promotion, taking along with him some [[tarento|talent]], including Katsuhisa Shibata (father of current [[All Elite 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 [[feud (professional wrestling)|feud]]ed 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 Pro Wrestling|All Japan]], which would appear in 1972.

Tokyo Pro-Wrestling is also the place where [[Haruka Eigen]], who was still active into his 60s wrestling for [[Pro Wrestling Noah]], debuted. He joined Inoki and Shibata in going back to JWA.
===Alumni===
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====Natives====
*[[Toyonobori]]
*[[Antonio Inoki]]
*[[Masa Saito|Masanori Saito]]
*[[Rusher Kimura|Masao Kimura]]
*[[Haruka Eigen|Masaru Eigen]]
*[[:ja:柴田勝久|Katsuhisa Shibata]]
*[[:ja:北沢幹之|Sankichi Takasakiyama (Shoji Kai)]]
*[[:ja:大剛鉄之助|Tsuyoshi Sendai (Tokyo Joe/Joe Daigo)]]
*[[:ja:大磯武|Takeshi Oiso]]
*[[:ja:田中忠治|Tadaharu Tanaka]]
*Mammoth Suzuki
*Mr. Suzuki/Matty Suzuki
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====Foreigners====
*[[Johnny Valentine]]
*[[Johnny Powers (wrestler)|Johnny Powers]]
*[[Sonny Myers]]
*[[Dean Ho (wrestler)|Dean Higuchi]]
*[[Stan Stasiak]]
*[[Steve Stanlee]]
*Lucky Simunovich
*Mysterious Medico (Lou Newman)

{{col end}}

==New Tokyo Pro Wrestling==
The new version of Tokyo Pro Wrestling was started by former [[All Japan Pro Wrestling]] and [[Super World of Sports]] wrestler [[Takashi Ishikawa]] in 1994, and it was one of the many independents that arose following SWS's collapse. In 1996 they found a businessman by the name of Kotaro Ishizawa who was willing to bankroll the promotion using his bike messenger business, which enabled Ishikawa to bring foreigners, namely [[Abdullah the Butcher]], [[2 Cold Scorpio]], and [[Sabu (wrestler)|Sabu]]. It was their peak year, when they were able to hold feuds against [[WAR (wrestling promotion)|WAR]] and [[UWFI]], but economic problems relating to Kotaro Ishizawa's business' collapse sent Tokyo Pro Wrestling on a downward spiral.

The promotion was briefly reborn as '''Shin''' (''New'') '''Tokyo Pro Wrestling''' but remained in an even bigger obscure status. One of its top trainees, [[Shigeo Okumura]], ended up spending more time competing for AJPW and eventually joined it in 2000, following the [[Pro Wrestling Noah]] split.

==See also==
{{Portal|Japan}}
*[[Professional wrestling in Japan]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.oocities.org/smokyrobmoore/jp092898.htm "The Damnedest Company", a description of the 90's Tokyo Pro Wrestling promotion, by Masanori Horie]
*[https://www.cagematch.net/?id=8&nr=2744 Original Tokyo Pro Wrestling statistics]
*[https://www.cagematch.net/?id=8&nr=557 90's Tokyo Pro Wrestling statistics]

{{Professional wrestling in Japan}}

[[Category:Japanese professional wrestling promotions]]
[[Category:1966 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:1967 disestablishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Defunct professional wrestling promotions]]