By Nathan P Hunt
It was announced back in April 2015 that Kendo Nagasaki would be in attendance at the 2015 Wrestler's Reunion in Kent and will inducted into the British Wrestlers Reunion Hall Of Fame. This was the first of these events to be attended by Nagasaki, who is famously reclusive and rarely makes public appearances of any kind. The award was well deserved, as Kendo is one of the most memorable, famous and influential wrestlers from the rich history of British wrestling. A true icon of the industry, he left a stamp on the landscape which is still evident today.
Originally debuting in November 1964, his early opponents of note were the likes of Billy Robinson and a young Andre The Giant (then known as Jean Ferre), as well as a heated feud with his real-life trainer and mentor, Count Bartelli, who Kendo unmasked in 1966. Legitimately trained by Bartelli, this endorsement from his trainer launched Kendo Nagasaki into the wrestling spotlight as the Count had been reportedly undefeated for 20 years prior to Kendo's historic victory over him at Victoria Hall in Hanley. The match was highly publicised considering the feud was not broadcast on TV, and public interest in the feud and the emerging character of Nagasaki was high.
Nagasaki would finally make his television debut in 1971 by defeating Wayne Bridges (who now hosts the annual Wrestler's Reunions at his public house in Kent, where Kendo will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame this year). Due to his captivating and alluring gimmick and solid ring skills, Kendo soon became one of the premier acts of the hugely popular World Of Sport programme, which was the exclusive wrestling television output for the UK. This would not come easily however, as the powers that be at the time were hesitant to use Kendo on TV because of the manacing nature of his gimmick. His pre-match ceremony with his samurai sword was edited out of his debut appearance as it was judged to be "too frightening". The interest he generated would soon start to change their minds and he became a regular fixture and a main event star. A large part of Kendo Nagasaki's success was the addition of Gorgeous George Gillette as his manager in late 1971.
George (whose day job was to manage the Theatre Royal in Halifax) was a charaismatic and flamboyant frontman, who spoke on Kendo's behalf. The stoic and serious nature of Kendo's character stood in stark contrast to his mouthpiece, and this created a palpable chemistry which helped the character to develop and flourish. Gillette passed away in 1990 and Kendo would then be managed by Lloyd Ryan (who allegedly taught Phil Collins and several other famous musicians to drum). An equally natural heel, Ryan served as manager until shortly before Nagasaki retired in 1993.
Nagasaki had toured Japan in 1968 (using the alternative ringname of 'Mr Guillotine') and more famously worked for Stu Hart's 'Stampede Wrestling' in Canada in 1972. He held the Stampede's North American title, which he won from fellow Englishman Geoff Portz, and also had a brief tenure in Don Owen's 'Pacific Northwest Wrestling' based in Portland, Oregon, USA. It was while touring North America that Kendo refined and perfected his repetoire of moves, including the addition of his Kamikaze Roll/Crash, which became his trademark finisher. Back in the UK, he feuded with the two biggest names of the World Of Sport era - Big Daddy & Giant Haystacks - establishing him as a cornerstone of the nation's main event scene.
Prior to Big Daddy adopting that name, Nagasaki had shown immense strength by lifting the man behind the gimmick - Shirley Crabtree (then known as 'The Battling Guardsman') - on his shoulders and performing the Kamikaze Crash for a victory by referee decision. This feat would earn him tremendous respect amongst fans and peers, who could not help but admire such a show of power. Coupling this with some outstanding competitive matches with the likes of Bruno Elrington, Kendo was proving that he was the complete package of excellent wrestler and character attraction. A rift between Nagasaki and Joint Promotions, who were the conglomerate behind the World Of Sport broadcasts, caused Kendo to be absent from TV for a while, but he inevitably returned and continued to be a draw in spite of some questionable booking and creative direction.
Nagasaki was 'unofficially' unmasked a few times throughout his career, most notably by Billy Howes, Mark 'Rollerball' Rocco and Big Daddy, but would generally escape ringside covering his face and retaining the mystery of his identity. He then unmasked voluntarily in a dramatic ceremony in 1977, exposing his face to the world, but would later start donning the mask once again for all public appearances.
Barring a short period in 1981, Kendo Nagasaki retired between 1978-1986, when he returned as the lead heel for All Star Wrestling. Nagasaki retired again in 1993. Since then, he has made a few sporadic, but ultimately short-lived returns with All Star Wrestling in 2000-2001 and LDN Wrestling in 2008.
Often Imitated...
Japanese wrestler Kazuo Sakurada [who is credited for training Bret Hart] also used the name and gimmick in the United States in the early 1980s. Sakurada had also wrestled for Stampede and held their North American title. Like the original, Sakurada wore full Kendo regalia (called a 'men') to the ring, but replaced the mask and sword with facepaint and a kendo stick. He used the gimmick in the AWA, Florida Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico and Continental Wrestling Federation before being repackaged as The Dragonmaster for his run in WCW.
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Kazuo Sakurada as his version of Kendo Nagasaki, alongside manger JJ Dillion
In the early 1990s, Jim Cornette's Smokey Mountain Wrestling used a masked character called Kendo The Samurai which was clearly derivitative of the original gimmick. Initially played by Tim Horner, the gimmick later became interchangeable and was placed on several performers. In 1996, Japanese wrestler Tokimitsu Ishizawa was packaged under a mask as Kendo Kashin while working for the CWA, a European promotion operating in Germany & Austria. He has since used the character throughout the world, including back home in Japan, with much success.
Kendo Kashin
Meanwhile, back in the UK, imitators started to surface almost immediately after Nagasaki retired. 'Kendo Nagasaki II' was a character that briefly wrestled for Joint Promotions in 1979, while at the same time, promoter Sandor Kovaks began booking wrestler Bill Clarke as Kendo Nagasaki. Following legal action from the original, Clarke was renamed 'King Kendo' but retained all other aspects of the gimmick. King Kendo would later feud with the original Kendo Nagasaki in a series of 'Mask Vs Mask' matches, which was scheduled to be revisited in 1993 but was abandoned and Nagasaki went back into retirement. Bill Clarke would retire soon after, but the King Kendo gimmick would live on through Dale Preston who still plays the character to this day, most notably for Ricky Knight's Norwich-based World Association of Wrestling (WAW).
The two 'King Kendo's - Top: Bill Clarke, Bottom: Dale Preston
Regardless of the performer, no-one can ever quite compare to the original article. One reason for this has been the militant secrecy from the Nagasaki camp, which protects kayfabe and his character to an unheard of degree, adding to the enigma and keeping interest in the character and the performer behind it at a constant high. Encouraging rumours such as that the missing half-finger on his left hand was cut off in a Yakuza initiation custom and cultivating a 'mystic' element to his persona which included hypnosis and vague spiritualism, the character is a diverse and complex one which fans are still exploring and discussing to this very day.
It is a gimmick and a career which has spawned many imitators and continues to influence the wrestling world. One article I came across while researching this piece sums up Kendo Nagasaki's importance and influence perfectly for those who are more familiar with American wrestling:
"If Big Daddy was the Hulk Hogan of British Wrestling and Giant Haystack was the Andre the Giant... then Kendo Nagasaki was the Undertaker of British Wrestling. Not only for his longevity and abilities to addapt with the times but also for his gimmick which despite the occasional tarnish has never gone stale and retained its interest throughout his long career as Nagasaki from the 1960s through to the current day."
Nagasaki was certainly deserving of his Hall of Fame award at the annual Wrestlers Reunion, but caused some controversy amongst attendees by remaining in character for the duration of his time there. As the event was open to fans, it was perhaps their presence which prompted this move, or perhaps it was just an extension of his old-school, Kayfabe-protecting mentality. He performed a mystical ceremony and remained in full samurai regalia from his arrival through to his exit and reportedly didn't mingle much with his peers, but the appearance was certainly enjoyed and appreciated by the fans and received praise from Ken Sowden (event organiser) in the days that followed. The 24th annual event was also attended by such wrestling dignitaries as Clive Myers, Salvatore Bellomo (of WWF & ECW fame), Johnny Kincaid and Johnny Saint, as well as many, many others. The reunions themselves are covered in more detail in my feature piece on the events, found elsewhere on this page.
To learn more about the wrestler's reunion itself, please go to: http://www.britishwrestlersreunion.com/
You can learn more about Kendo Nagasaki at any of the sites and links below:
The Kendo Nagasaki offical website, and Facebook page, as well as his Mystic Teachings Facebook page.
Kendo Nagasaki "Fans United" Facebook Group.
On Twitter @KendoMystic or by clicking here.
To keep up to date with details of other interviews, reviews & articles from Eye On Wrestling, as well as news and trivia, please follow on Twitter and like the Facebook page.
It was announced back in April 2015 that Kendo Nagasaki would be in attendance at the 2015 Wrestler's Reunion in Kent and will inducted into the British Wrestlers Reunion Hall Of Fame. This was the first of these events to be attended by Nagasaki, who is famously reclusive and rarely makes public appearances of any kind. The award was well deserved, as Kendo is one of the most memorable, famous and influential wrestlers from the rich history of British wrestling. A true icon of the industry, he left a stamp on the landscape which is still evident today.
Originally debuting in November 1964, his early opponents of note were the likes of Billy Robinson and a young Andre The Giant (then known as Jean Ferre), as well as a heated feud with his real-life trainer and mentor, Count Bartelli, who Kendo unmasked in 1966. Legitimately trained by Bartelli, this endorsement from his trainer launched Kendo Nagasaki into the wrestling spotlight as the Count had been reportedly undefeated for 20 years prior to Kendo's historic victory over him at Victoria Hall in Hanley. The match was highly publicised considering the feud was not broadcast on TV, and public interest in the feud and the emerging character of Nagasaki was high.
Nagasaki would finally make his television debut in 1971 by defeating Wayne Bridges (who now hosts the annual Wrestler's Reunions at his public house in Kent, where Kendo will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame this year). Due to his captivating and alluring gimmick and solid ring skills, Kendo soon became one of the premier acts of the hugely popular World Of Sport programme, which was the exclusive wrestling television output for the UK. This would not come easily however, as the powers that be at the time were hesitant to use Kendo on TV because of the manacing nature of his gimmick. His pre-match ceremony with his samurai sword was edited out of his debut appearance as it was judged to be "too frightening". The interest he generated would soon start to change their minds and he became a regular fixture and a main event star. A large part of Kendo Nagasaki's success was the addition of Gorgeous George Gillette as his manager in late 1971.
George (whose day job was to manage the Theatre Royal in Halifax) was a charaismatic and flamboyant frontman, who spoke on Kendo's behalf. The stoic and serious nature of Kendo's character stood in stark contrast to his mouthpiece, and this created a palpable chemistry which helped the character to develop and flourish. Gillette passed away in 1990 and Kendo would then be managed by Lloyd Ryan (who allegedly taught Phil Collins and several other famous musicians to drum). An equally natural heel, Ryan served as manager until shortly before Nagasaki retired in 1993.
Nagasaki had toured Japan in 1968 (using the alternative ringname of 'Mr Guillotine') and more famously worked for Stu Hart's 'Stampede Wrestling' in Canada in 1972. He held the Stampede's North American title, which he won from fellow Englishman Geoff Portz, and also had a brief tenure in Don Owen's 'Pacific Northwest Wrestling' based in Portland, Oregon, USA. It was while touring North America that Kendo refined and perfected his repetoire of moves, including the addition of his Kamikaze Roll/Crash, which became his trademark finisher. Back in the UK, he feuded with the two biggest names of the World Of Sport era - Big Daddy & Giant Haystacks - establishing him as a cornerstone of the nation's main event scene.
Prior to Big Daddy adopting that name, Nagasaki had shown immense strength by lifting the man behind the gimmick - Shirley Crabtree (then known as 'The Battling Guardsman') - on his shoulders and performing the Kamikaze Crash for a victory by referee decision. This feat would earn him tremendous respect amongst fans and peers, who could not help but admire such a show of power. Coupling this with some outstanding competitive matches with the likes of Bruno Elrington, Kendo was proving that he was the complete package of excellent wrestler and character attraction. A rift between Nagasaki and Joint Promotions, who were the conglomerate behind the World Of Sport broadcasts, caused Kendo to be absent from TV for a while, but he inevitably returned and continued to be a draw in spite of some questionable booking and creative direction.
Nagasaki was 'unofficially' unmasked a few times throughout his career, most notably by Billy Howes, Mark 'Rollerball' Rocco and Big Daddy, but would generally escape ringside covering his face and retaining the mystery of his identity. He then unmasked voluntarily in a dramatic ceremony in 1977, exposing his face to the world, but would later start donning the mask once again for all public appearances.
Barring a short period in 1981, Kendo Nagasaki retired between 1978-1986, when he returned as the lead heel for All Star Wrestling. Nagasaki retired again in 1993. Since then, he has made a few sporadic, but ultimately short-lived returns with All Star Wrestling in 2000-2001 and LDN Wrestling in 2008.
Often Imitated...
Japanese wrestler Kazuo Sakurada [who is credited for training Bret Hart] also used the name and gimmick in the United States in the early 1980s. Sakurada had also wrestled for Stampede and held their North American title. Like the original, Sakurada wore full Kendo regalia (called a 'men') to the ring, but replaced the mask and sword with facepaint and a kendo stick. He used the gimmick in the AWA, Florida Championship Wrestling, World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico and Continental Wrestling Federation before being repackaged as The Dragonmaster for his run in WCW.
Kazuo Sakurada as his version of Kendo Nagasaki, alongside manger JJ Dillion
In the early 1990s, Jim Cornette's Smokey Mountain Wrestling used a masked character called Kendo The Samurai which was clearly derivitative of the original gimmick. Initially played by Tim Horner, the gimmick later became interchangeable and was placed on several performers. In 1996, Japanese wrestler Tokimitsu Ishizawa was packaged under a mask as Kendo Kashin while working for the CWA, a European promotion operating in Germany & Austria. He has since used the character throughout the world, including back home in Japan, with much success.
Kendo Kashin
Meanwhile, back in the UK, imitators started to surface almost immediately after Nagasaki retired. 'Kendo Nagasaki II' was a character that briefly wrestled for Joint Promotions in 1979, while at the same time, promoter Sandor Kovaks began booking wrestler Bill Clarke as Kendo Nagasaki. Following legal action from the original, Clarke was renamed 'King Kendo' but retained all other aspects of the gimmick. King Kendo would later feud with the original Kendo Nagasaki in a series of 'Mask Vs Mask' matches, which was scheduled to be revisited in 1993 but was abandoned and Nagasaki went back into retirement. Bill Clarke would retire soon after, but the King Kendo gimmick would live on through Dale Preston who still plays the character to this day, most notably for Ricky Knight's Norwich-based World Association of Wrestling (WAW).
The two 'King Kendo's - Top: Bill Clarke, Bottom: Dale Preston
Regardless of the performer, no-one can ever quite compare to the original article. One reason for this has been the militant secrecy from the Nagasaki camp, which protects kayfabe and his character to an unheard of degree, adding to the enigma and keeping interest in the character and the performer behind it at a constant high. Encouraging rumours such as that the missing half-finger on his left hand was cut off in a Yakuza initiation custom and cultivating a 'mystic' element to his persona which included hypnosis and vague spiritualism, the character is a diverse and complex one which fans are still exploring and discussing to this very day.
It is a gimmick and a career which has spawned many imitators and continues to influence the wrestling world. One article I came across while researching this piece sums up Kendo Nagasaki's importance and influence perfectly for those who are more familiar with American wrestling:
"If Big Daddy was the Hulk Hogan of British Wrestling and Giant Haystack was the Andre the Giant... then Kendo Nagasaki was the Undertaker of British Wrestling. Not only for his longevity and abilities to addapt with the times but also for his gimmick which despite the occasional tarnish has never gone stale and retained its interest throughout his long career as Nagasaki from the 1960s through to the current day."
Nagasaki was certainly deserving of his Hall of Fame award at the annual Wrestlers Reunion, but caused some controversy amongst attendees by remaining in character for the duration of his time there. As the event was open to fans, it was perhaps their presence which prompted this move, or perhaps it was just an extension of his old-school, Kayfabe-protecting mentality. He performed a mystical ceremony and remained in full samurai regalia from his arrival through to his exit and reportedly didn't mingle much with his peers, but the appearance was certainly enjoyed and appreciated by the fans and received praise from Ken Sowden (event organiser) in the days that followed. The 24th annual event was also attended by such wrestling dignitaries as Clive Myers, Salvatore Bellomo (of WWF & ECW fame), Johnny Kincaid and Johnny Saint, as well as many, many others. The reunions themselves are covered in more detail in my feature piece on the events, found elsewhere on this page.
To learn more about the wrestler's reunion itself, please go to: http://www.britishwrestlersreunion.com/
You can learn more about Kendo Nagasaki at any of the sites and links below:
The Kendo Nagasaki offical website, and Facebook page, as well as his Mystic Teachings Facebook page.
Kendo Nagasaki "Fans United" Facebook Group.
On Twitter @KendoMystic or by clicking here.
To keep up to date with details of other interviews, reviews & articles from Eye On Wrestling, as well as news and trivia, please follow on Twitter and like the Facebook page.