International Wrestling Enterprise
Professional wrestling promotion active from 1966 until 1981 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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International Wrestling Enterprise (国際プロレス, Kokusai Puroresu)[lower-alpha 1] was a professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1966 to 1981.[1] Founded by Isao Yoshihara, it was affiliated with the American Wrestling Association in the United States and also had tie-ins with promotions in Canada[2] and Europe. In 1972, it became the first Japanese promotion to bring European wrestler André the Giant to the country.[3] The promotion cooperated with All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and later, New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW);[4] the three promotions later came together for an interpromotional event, organized by Tokyo Sports, held at Budokan Hall on August 26, 1979.[5]
You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Japanese. (August 2012) Click [show] for important translation instructions.
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Acronym | IWE |
---|---|
Founded | October 1966 |
Defunct | September 30, 1981 |
Headquarters | Harada Building, 2-14-2, Takadanobaba, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan |
Founder(s) | Isao Yoshihara |
Parent | Tokyo Broadcasting System |
Split from | Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance |
Successor | IWA Kakutō Shijuku/International Wrestling Promotion (unofficial) |
When IWE closed its doors in 1981,[6] Inoue, Hara, Tsurumi, and Fuyuki joined AJPW, while Kimura, Hamaguchi and Teranishi joined NJPW as a stable that formed the first "invasion" angle in history, later copied by the Japanese UWF, Japan Pro-Wrestling, and the nWo in WCW in America. The promotion is also credited for making Rusher Kimura a major star in Japanese Puroresu and holding Japan's first steel cage match.[3] Isao Yoshihara eventually became a booker in New Japan, until his death in 1985.