Professional wrestling in Japan is usually abbreviated to Puroresu, pronounced pro-wres. A lot different from professional wrestling in the United States, Puroresu is a serious combat sport . The fighters utilize martial arts kicks and strikes and dangerous submission moves. Puroresu is described as bridging the gap between professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
The sport is a combat sport in which numerous types of martial arts and fighting techniques are used. Some fighting styles the wrestlers use include kickboxing, amateur wrestling, karate and shoot style wrestling. A lot of the wrestlers are known for their hard hitting style and some are known for their high flying style.
The first Japanese to become a professional wrestler in the Western style was former sumo wrestler Sorakichi Matsuda, who went to the United States in the 1880s and was somewhat successful. Attempts by him to popularize the sport in his native land, however, fell short and he ended back in America, where he died young.
Subsequent attempts before and after World War II failed to get off the ground initially, until Japan saw the advent of its first big star, Rikidozan, who made the sport popular beginning in 1951.
