The Resume

(November 14, 1924-December 15, 1963)
Birth name is Kim Sin-Nak
Wrestled, owned and booked for the Japan Pro Wrestling Association (JWA)
Former NWA International Champion, NWA Tag Team Champion, Japanese Heavyweight Champion, All-Asia Heavyweight Champion and WWA Heavyweight Champion

Why he might be annoying:

His name means 'rugged mountain road' and he got the name during his days as a sumo wrestler.
He made money off of World War II by having American wrestlers come into his promotion as heels so the fans can watch Rikidozan beat the Americans to exact revenge for leaving Japan in ruins after WW II.
In his promotion, he mostly pushed himself as the company's biggest star.
In a match where the JWA would crown their first Japanese heavyweight champion, he and his opponent that night, Masahiko Kimura, agreed that the match would end in a draw but Rikidozan double-crossed him by throwing real kicks and punches and won the match and the title.
In a match, Fred Blassie bit Rikidozan's head causing his to draw blood. It's said that 98 people watching the match actually had heart attacks during that scene and some even died.
He was tight with the Japanese mob and they squashed any competing promotions who got into Rikidozan's way.
His gangland-style stabbing, which led to the peritonitis that went on to kill him, caused wrestling's popularity and reputation in Japan to be at an all-time low.

Why he might not be annoying:

Many claim him to be the greatest and most important wrestler in the history of Japanese wrestling.
Although Korean, he was a cultural icon in Japan.
He made wrestling popular in Japan and helped popularize television in a country still reeling after World War II.
Throughout his time wrestling in the United States, he only lost 5 out of 260 matches.
His booking philosophy, having Americans wrestle as heels in the aftermath of WW II, worked; countless people went out and bought TV's just to watch the JWA.
His match with Lou Thesz in Japan in 1957 drew an astounding 87.0 rating.
He's the man who discovered and trained both Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba and established Dick Beyer as a star.
His rematch with Dick Beyer is recorded as the most watched match in history.
He's in the Wrestling-Observer Hall of Fame.
He died of peritonitis at thirty nine.

Credit: Reo Rogerz

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• I Died in 1963 (Ranked: 39)
• I Died in My 30s (Ranked: 39)
• I was Stabbed
• Known By a Single Name
• Look at Me, I Got My Hands on My Hips
• Look at Me, I've Got a Wrestling Belt
• NWA Hall of Fame (Ranked: 2011)
• NWA Tag Team Champs
• Pro Wrestlers [Male]
• Professional Wrestling Hall of Famers (Ranked: 2006)
• Profiles 10751-11000 (Ranked: 10951)
• Reo Rogerz's Profiles [Series 1]
• Wrestling Observers Hall of Fame (Ranked: 1996)
• WWE Hall of Famers (Ranked: 2017)

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 9 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 18 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 10 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 15 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 16 Votes: 81.25% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 10 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 63 Votes: 68.25% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 24 Votes: 70.83% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 36 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 89 Votes: 75.28% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 94 Votes: 71.28% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 346 Votes: 68.79% Annoying
In 2004, Out of 208 Votes: 63.94% Annoying