Rikidōzan was a Korean-Japanese pro-wrestler and sumo star of the 1940s and 50s who was famously accidentally murdered by a yakuza member.. Rikidōzan was born Kim Sin Rak in Korea during the Japanese occupation. He was found by a recruiter while participating in a local ssireum (Korean wrestling) competition and moved to Japan in 1940 after his father’s death.

After being subjugated to constant racial discrimination, Kim was adopted by the recruiter and hid his nationality. As is tradition in sumo culture, Kim received his shikona (ring name) of Rikidōzan and quickly ran up the ranks of the sumo world. Rikidōzan was placed in one of the highest divisions of sumo and participated in 23 tournaments before he prematurely retired for financial reasons. He entered the black market by selling the belongings of the American soldiers that were deployed in Korea to the Japanese. Following a series of various jobs, Rikidōzan returned to wrestling in 1951, and moved to the US a year later for training. With his natural talent, Rikidōzan defeated countless American opponents and, despite previous discrimination, became a national hero in Japan during a critical post-war time of weakness. He found a niche in the realm of pro-wrestling, sometimes being cast as a villainous foil to the Americans, and was known for his signature “karate chop.” He was a beloved athlete worldwide and amassed great finances, leading to his playboy lifestyle of luxurious apartments, nightclubs, and women. One infamous night at a club, Rikidōzan was stabbed by a yakuza member, Katsushi Murata, after a physical altercation. Rikidōzan was taken to the hospital where he underwent a successful surgery, but his drinking led to a fatal case of peritonitis and he died just seven days after the stabbing on December 15, 1963. At just 39 years old, he was survived by his wife and sons.

Rikidōzan’s career is inarguably cited as one of the main reasons for the rise in popularity of wrestling in Japan. His matches remain among the highest-rated television airings in Japan and he was posthumously inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2017.