Professional wrestling

Japanese: プロレス

A combat sport performed in a 20-foot square ring. Professional wrestling is an abbreviation of professional wrestling. Professional wrestling is said to have been established in the late 19th century. It was especially popular in the United States after World War II, and in 1948, the world's largest organization, the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), was created as an alliance of promoters, and Lou Thesz, known as the Iron Man, reigned for a long time. In addition to this, various organizations were formed one after another and began to recognize their own world champions. In Japan, the Japan Pro Wrestling Association was founded in 1953 by Rikidozan (a former sumo wrestler who was a sekiwake) who had returned to Japan after completing his training in the United States. The sight of Rikidozan fighting foreigners with his karate chops made a great impression on the people after the war, and it happened to coincide with the start of commercial television broadcasting, so many spectators flocked to street TVs broadcasting professional wrestling. Later, Giant Baba, Antonio Inoki and others formed their own groups, and attracted attention and popularity by inviting foreign wrestlers to hold tournaments and "mixed martial arts" matches. It seems to have become established as a spectator sport, but due to the spectacular development of other professional and amateur sports, it is gradually losing its former popularity. Women's professional wrestling has also been held in Japan since 1954, and All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling was formed in 1968. → Wrestling

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

20フィート四方のリングの上で行われる興行としての格闘技。プロフェッショナル・レスリングprofessional wrestling，プロレスリングの略。　プロレスは，19世紀末に確立したといわれる。特に，第２次世界大戦後の米国で人気を博し，1948年には，世界最大の組織National Wrestling Alliance（NWA）が興行主の同盟組織としてつくられ，〈鉄人〉といわれたルー・テーズが長期にわたり君臨した。この他にも，異なった団体が次々に結成され，それぞれの世界王座を認定するようになった。　日本では，1953年，米国修行を終え帰国した力道山（元大相撲関脇）によって，日本プロレス協会が設立され，活動を始める。〈空手チョップ〉を武器に外国人と戦う力道山の姿は，敗戦後の国民に大きな感動を与え，折しも，民間テレビ放送の開始時期と重なり，プロレスを放送する街頭テレビの前には大勢の見物人が殺到した。その後，ジャイアント馬場，アントニオ猪木などがそれぞれの団体を組織し，外国選手を招いての試合興行や〈異種格闘技戦〉を行うなど，話題や人気を集めた。見るスポーツとして定着した感はあるが，他のプロスポーツやアマチュアスポーツのスペクタクルな展開により，一時ほどの人気はなくなりつつある。なお，1954年以来日本では，女子プロレスも行われており，1968年には全日本女子プロレスが結成されている。→レスリング

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