On December 8, 1963, the Japanese professional wrestler Rikidōzan, real name Mitsuhiro Momota, was stabbed in a Tokyo nightclub after an altercation with a Yakuza member.

In post-World War II Japan, Rikidōzan turned himself into a national hero by booking himself to defeat numerous American wrestlers one after the other.

Rikidōzan gained worldwide renown when he defeated Lou Thesz for the NWA International Heavyweight Championship on August 27, 1958, in Japan.

Booking himself as the top star, Rikidōzan became more popular than ever, being viewed as a hero in the eyes of the Japanese public and helping establish professional wrestling in Japan.

Rikidōzan's JWA was also instrumental in increasing sales of colour televisions in Japan, due to high demand of wanting to see his matches.

On the evening of December 8, 1963, Rikidōzan had been drinking with friends in Tokyo's New Latin Quarter Club, an upscale bar and nightclub.

Later, while talking to a woman, he was involved in an altercation with Katsushi Murata, a member of the Sumiyoshi-ikka, a sub branch of the Sumiyoshi-kai yakuza family.

After members of the Tokon Gossai, a gang closely associated with Rikidōzan, caught wind of the stabbing incident, they found and violently attacked Murata which led to his own hospitalization.

[3][2] Due to worsening his condition by drinking, Rikidōzan underwent a second successful surgery one week later, but had developed peritonitis and died at about 9:50 pm on December 15, 1963.