Antonio Inoki is one of Japan’s most well-known cultural icons, having founded New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 1972 in addition to being one of the top wrestlers of the 70s, 80s, and 90s. He is like both Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon combined and helped make pro wrestling in Japan the phenomenon it once was.
Sadly the 78-year-old has been hospitalized for much of 2021 for multiple reasons, including diabetes and the buildup of abnormal amyloid proteins in the heart, kidneys, liver, or other organs. A few weeks ago, Inoki also had to have surgery for the twisting of his intestines, and fans in his home country and around the world are keeping him in their thoughts.
Now the former 12-time world champion has shared a video with fans of himself bedridden. His weight loss is evident and especially shocking, as he recently appeared looking far healthier in a recent episode of Dark Side of the Ring, talking about the famous Collision in Korea event. While he is clearly unwell, he seems to be in good spirits and able to communicate.
Inoki has lived an extraordinary and enthralling life. Apart from his wrestling career, he also faced off against boxer Muhammad Ali in a mixed martial arts fight before the term was commonly known and entered politics in 1989. This even led to him traveling to Iraq to successfully negotiate with Saddam Hussein to release Japanese hostages. Hopefully, the day is still some way off, but when Inoki does pass, it will be a dark day for Japan and the world of wrestling as a whole.
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