All-Japan Pro Wrestling
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| Acronym | AJPW/AJP |
|---|---|
| Founded | October 21, 1972 |
| Style | Royal Road |
| Headquarters | Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan |
| Founder(s) | Shohei "Giant" Baba |
| Owner(s) | Jun Akiyama |
All Japan Pro Wrestling (オールジャパン・プロレスリング? Ōru Japan Puroresuringu, originally 全日本プロレス Zen Nihon Puroresu) (AJPW/AJP) is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972.
All Japan Pro Wrestling was once one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation, and although setbacks have beset the promotion in recent years, it has undertaken a comeback.
The promotion was founded by Shohei "Giant" Baba and the Momota brothers, Mitsuo and Yoshihiro, sons of Rikidōzan. Baba, a former professional baseball pitcher, joined the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance (JWA) in 1960. In October 1972, he left the JWA and formed his own group, All Japan. Their first card was on October 21, 1972 at Machida City Gym in Tokyo, Japan. The inaugural roster included Baba, Mitsuo Momota, Akio Sato, Samson Kutsuwada, Motoshi Okuma and Mashio Koma. Thunder Sugiyama, who had recently left International Wrestling Enterprise, also came along to help and brought some lower-level IWE wrestlers with him on a freelance basis. Some personalities from North America also helped with the few cards, including Dory Funk Sr., Terry Funk, Bruno Sammartino, Dominic DeNucci, Fred Blassie and The Destroyer.
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