I continue to obsess over the suffering imposed on the Japanese hero, Inoki, in 1970’s Japanese wrestling. Every type of foreign monster, muscle-man, and mauler was unleashed on him, making him suffer all sorts of humiliations and agonies as his countrymen looked on. Sorry if you’re not into this old formula, but it’s my blog, my obsessions.
Here is Inoki getting beaten down by a brash American body-builder, the hard-bodied Superstar Billy Graham.
Graham represented everything that, I’m sure, the Japanese fans hated about America and Americans. He was boastful, powerful, arrogant, and domineering. He had the guns to back up his threats. He was the epitome of post-war American confidence and strength.
With his shocking bright blond hair and bronze over-sized body, his appearance must have really caused a stir in Japan. He wore flamboyant tie-dyed tights, and there was nothing anybody could do to stop him.
If you want to watch the video of this classic match (with commentary in Japanese), check it out on YouTube, part 1 and part 2.
Antonio Inoki, on the other hand, was the hero of his nation in those days, a national treasure. He may be smaller and weaker than the American, but he was depicted as a civilized, intelligent mat technician whose tricky moves could tame the most savage of beasts (which was anybody not from Japan.)
As the ultimate Baby Face, Inoki would dominate the early moments with slick holds like the Indian Deathlock, and would proceed to take a beating for most of the remainder of the match.
The story told during most of the match is the relative weakness of Inoki against the larger man. How could the hero ever overcome this outrageous imbalance of power and emerge victorious? For example, brave Inoki agrees to a Test of Strength against the super-power and is soon brought to his knees, his face at crotch level as the sadistic Westerner continues to crank on the pressure and bend back his hands.
At 2:30 into Part 2 of the video, the big man secures a crushing Bearhug on Inoki, who sells it beautifully, scrunching up his face and dropping to one knee and then laying down in near defeat.
Inoki spends a full minute in Graham’s grunting embrace. Some have criticized Inoki for being lazy, for not fighting to escape aggressively enough. I actually love it when Inoki gets all submissive and helpless.
And the American has no mercy on his Japanese victim, unleashing a war machine of offense. He hammers Inoki with clubbing forearm smashes, kicks him in the skull, and stomps on his throat with those big fancy boots.
Inoki eats all the offense and keeps coming back for more. I can’t understand the Japanese commentary but I’m sure they’re asking: “How much more abuse can poor Inoki take from this vicious American??”
The way this formula works, Inoki takes his beating like a man, suffering through about 15 minutes of relentless punishment from the “Gaijin” or foreign opponent. Then, he always slaps on his surprise finishing move and snatches victory from the jaws of defeat.
I suppose after their defeat in World War II, the Japanese people needed to heal. Inoki’s performances in the ring during the 1970’s gave them pride again, encouraged them to struggle and survive, and demonstrated that they could overcome more powerful adversaries.
After Inoki finally defeats the American, he is brutally attacked by another Gaijin — a sadistic Russian in a black Heel singlet. Inoki’s weakness and submissiveness is on full display again as the Russian puts his red boot to Inoki’s throat.
For whatever reason, I find this a turn-on: the unfairness of Inoki’s situation, the relentless abuse his bare flesh must endure from these cruel foreigners, the outrage I’m sure his fans are experiencing as they watch this torture scene.