- published: 05 Jul 2008
- views: 133602
Kendo Nagasaki is a professional wrestling stage name, used as a gimmick of that of a Japanese Samurai warrior with a mysterious past and even supernatural powers of hypnosis. The name derives from the modern martial art of Japanese fencing (Kendo), and Nagasaki is the name of a city on the south-western coast of Kyūshū, site of the second use of the atomic bomb, as well as an ancient family name in Japan.
Although the masked British version portrayed by Peter Thornley remains a household name in his home country, most American and Japanese wrestling fans primarily associate the name "Kendo Nagasaki" and related imagery with the face-painted version portrayed by Kazuo Sakurada. The success of both Thornley and Sakurada has spawned an assortment of other wrestlers with characters inspired by - or simply impersonating - the gimmick.
The original and most well known use of the gimmick is by the legendary British wrestler who made his name in ITV's World of Sport. After his professional wrestling debut in November 1964, Nagasaki became a household name in Britain after his television debut in 1971. He also toured Japan in 1968 (under the alternative ringname Mr Guillotine) and North America in 1972, wrestling for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling where he held the promotion's North American title and Don Owen's Pacific Northwest Wrestling. Back home in Britain, he achieved even greater fame due to his 1975-1977 feud with the tag team of future mutual archenemies Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks, as well as his December 1977 televised voluntary unmasking ceremony.
Nagasaki (長崎市, Nagasaki-shi) ( listen ) is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. It became a centre of Portuguese and Dutch influence in the 16th through 19th centuries, and the Churches and Christian Sites in Nagasaki have been proposed for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Part of Nagasaki was home to a major Imperial Japanese Navy base during the First Sino-Japanese War and Russo-Japanese War. Its name means "long cape".
During World War II, the American atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki made Nagasaki the second and, to date, last city in the world to experience a nuclear attack.
As of 1 January 2009, the city has an estimated population of 446,007 and a population density of 1,100 persons per km². The total area is 406.35 km².
A small fishing village secluded by harbours, Nagasaki had little historical significance until contact with Portuguese explorers in 1543. An early visitor was Fernão Mendes Pinto, who came on a Portuguese ship which landed nearby in Tanegashima.
World of Sport can refer to:
Actors: Kevin Sullivan (actor), Joe Laurinaitis (actor), Mike Rotunda (actor), Dusty Rhodes (actor), Ron Simmons (actor), Barry Windham (actor), Harley Race (actor), Bill Alfonso (actor), Gerald Brisco (actor), Mike Hegstrand (actor), Larry Pfohl (actor), Terry Funk (actor), Brian Wickens (actor), Dory Funk Jr. (actor), Keiji Mutô (actor),
Genres: Sport,The Mysterious Kendo Nagasaki Is Unmasked.
Tribute video for the most successful masked man of the era, Kendo Nagasaki and his manager George Gillette.
Following many years of gracious support of Kendo on their website, the British Wrestlers' Reunion invited him to this year's annual event so that they could induct him into their Hall of Fame, and, for the first time, Kendo accepted. On a baking-hot Sunday, 9th August, Kendo's stretch limo took him to the Bridges pub in Dartford, owned by the star of classic British wrestling, Wayne Bridges and his wife, Sarah, for the event. Kendo's presence had been advertised, so it was expected to be busy, but it turned out to be the best-attended Wrestlers' Reunion ever. The mysterious masked man honoured the Reunion by paying homage to his 1977 ceremonial unmasking, and making two very special presentation - one to the Wrestlers' Reunion, and one to a a member of the audience who was very keen to ...
Kendo Nagasaki (Kazuo Sakurada), with Mega Maharishi Imed (Col. DeBeers), battle WWE Hall of Fame legend Sgt. Slaughter in this hard-hitting Portland Wrestling singles match!! This incredibly rare match took place May 17th, 1985 at the once in a lifetime 60th Anniversary supercard celebrating 60 years of the NWA Pacific Northwest promotion!!