Professional Wrestler. He was well known to wrestling fans from the 1970s to the 1990s as the "devilish" wrestler and manager Mr. Fuji. He began wrestling professionally in Hawaii in 1965, going by the ring name of Mr. Fujiwara. That name was shortened to Mr. Fuji when he began touring in the continental United States a few years later. He joined the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) in 1972, playing a heel in a tag team with Professor Toru Tanaka. The pair won three tag team titles and quickly achieved main event status, though a loss of their title in 1974 prompted their exit from the WWWF. He would continue wrestling in a team with Tanaka for years, only switching partners in 1981, when he paired with Mr. Saito in a tag team managed by Captain Lou Albano. Returning to the WWWF(later renamed the World Wrestling Federation (WWF)), he won another two championships before retiring from competition in 1985. After leaving the ring, he remained in professional wrestling as a manager, well known for his customary costume of a black tuxedo and bowler hat. He carried a cane which completed his image and came in handy for hitting opponents. With the cane and his still-present salt, he carried on his legacy of playing the heel by managing heels including Magnificent Muraco, Yokozuna, Owen Hart, and the tag teams The Powers of Pain and Demolition. He left the World Wrestling Federation in 1996 and retired from the wrestling business. He operated a training "dojo" in both Jefferson City and Dandridge, Tennessee until 2001. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.
Professional Wrestler. He was well known to wrestling fans from the 1970s to the 1990s as the "devilish" wrestler and manager Mr. Fuji. He began wrestling professionally in Hawaii in 1965, going by the ring name of Mr. Fujiwara. That name was shortened to Mr. Fuji when he began touring in the continental United States a few years later. He joined the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) in 1972, playing a heel in a tag team with Professor Toru Tanaka. The pair won three tag team titles and quickly achieved main event status, though a loss of their title in 1974 prompted their exit from the WWWF. He would continue wrestling in a team with Tanaka for years, only switching partners in 1981, when he paired with Mr. Saito in a tag team managed by Captain Lou Albano. Returning to the WWWF(later renamed the World Wrestling Federation (WWF)), he won another two championships before retiring from competition in 1985. After leaving the ring, he remained in professional wrestling as a manager, well known for his customary costume of a black tuxedo and bowler hat. He carried a cane which completed his image and came in handy for hitting opponents. With the cane and his still-present salt, he carried on his legacy of playing the heel by managing heels including Magnificent Muraco, Yokozuna, Owen Hart, and the tag teams The Powers of Pain and Demolition. He left the World Wrestling Federation in 1996 and retired from the wrestling business. He operated a training "dojo" in both Jefferson City and Dandridge, Tennessee until 2001. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
Advertisement
See more Fujiwara memorials in:
Advertisement
