Mid 20th Century 1970s and 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s and 2020s Mitsuhiro Momota (Japanese: 百田 光浩, Hepburn: Momota Mitsuhiro) (born Kim Sin-rak; Korean: 김신락; November 14, 1924[nb 1] – December 15, 1963), better known as Rikidōzan (力道山), was a Korean-born Japanese wrestler who competed in sumo and professional wrestling.

He was the youngest son of Kim Sok-tee, the owner of a Korean farm with a Confucian tradition, and his wife Chon Gi.

Kim participated in ssireum in his youth, and, after placing third in a local competition, spoke to Minosuke Momota,[1] the father-in-law of a Japanese man from Omura who had moved to Korea to become a policeman.

He reached the top makuuchi division in 1946 and was runner-up to yokozuna Haguroyama in the tournament of June 1947, losing a playoff for the championship.

[1] Rikidozan felt that his substantial contributions to the stable made him worthy of major financial support, but Tamanoumi considered him selfish, and he was refused after a heated argument.

While the public explanation for his retirement claimed that he suffered from paragonimiasis, the truth was that on September 10, 1950, soon after the argument with Tamanoumi, Momota "impulsively" cut his own chonmage top knot.

[1] He eventually left this job, and after a petition to return to sumo was rejected, he was given work as a construction supervisor by his former patron Shinsaku Nitta.

[1][nb 2] In July 1951, the Tokyo-based Torii Oasis Shriners Club announced their intent to sponsor a charity drive for disabled children, for which they would arrange a professional wrestling tour.

While Bruns was in Japan before the tour began, he invited Rikidozan, as well as judoka Kokichi Endo [ja] and Yasuyuki Sakabe, to participate in these events.

[1] Rikidōzan's breakout performances were with partner and famous judoka Masahiko Kimura in matches against the Canadian Sharpe Brothers in 1954, coinciding with increased television viewership in Japan.

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

Rikidōzan also trained professional wrestling students, notably including Kanji "Antonio" Inoki, Kintarō Ōki, and Shohei "Giant" Baba.

[11] His October 6, 1957 hour-long draw with Lou Thesz for the NWA World Heavyweight Championship drew an 87.0 rating, and his May 24, 1963 hour-long two out of three falls draw with The Destroyer drew a 67.0 rating, but a larger viewing audience (the largest in Japanese history) than the previous match, since more people had television sets by 1963.

With his success in pro wrestling, Momota began a side-career as a businessman, acquiring properties such as nightclubs, hotels, condominiums and boxing promotions.

Rikidōzan's luxurious apartment, known as Riki Mansion, is located in Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo and is recognizable for the large "R" printed on the side of the building.

A 1984 article in weekly Playboy drew much attention after it revealed Rikidōzan was actually from Korea and had been married and had children before he met Tanaka, considered to be taboo in Japan.

[13] Due to the notoriety he gained from his wrestling career, Rikidōzan was a huge celebrity in Japan and was frequently discussed in tabloids and magazines.

[14][15] Rikidōzan's reputation for being a heavy drinker also aroused suspicion surrounding the legitimacy of pro wrestling, as he would "fight" opponents and then be seen drinking and socialising with them just hours later.

On December 8, 1963, Rikidōzan was stabbed once by Katsushi Murata, a member of the ninkyō dantai Sumiyoshi-ikka, a yakuza organization, after an altercation in a nightclub.

The surgery was successful and he returned home, but went against doctor's orders and began eating and drinking the same day, sending his assistant to the store for sushi and sake.

Due to drinking so much, Rikidōzan worsened his condition and required a second surgery one week later, but had developed peritonitis and died at approximately 9:50pm on December 15, 1963.

Mitsuo's son, Chikara Momota, made his in-ring debut on December 16, 2013, the day after the fiftieth anniversary of the death of his grandfather.