On this week’s Pacific Rim, Fumi Saito and I bring you a free episode entirely dedicated to the life and career of Kazuo Sakurada, also known as Japanese wrestler Kendo Nagasaki.
Fumi grew up watching Sakurada and spent time with him years ago in Japan and Florida. While you may know just the basics about his life, his career is more historically important than you realize as he led a very interesting and inspiring life.
A former sumo wrestler who transitioned to the ranks of professional wrestling, Fumi compares him to the “B side” to the “A side” of Tenryu’s career. Unlike Tenryu, Sakurada wasn’t preordained for superstardom. Instead, he worked in territories throughout Canada, the United States, and Puerto Rico until he found his biggest fame as Kendo Nagasaki. He even mentored a young Keiji Muto in Florida and later founded Big Japan Pro Wrestling.
Learn more about the life and times of Sakurada by clicking below.
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