Masanori SAITO

Masanori Saito competed at the 1964 Olympics but became much better known for his professional wrestling career. Saito wrestled for the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), and in Japan, for both All-Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW). With the WWF he teamed with Mr. Fuji to hold the World Tag Team Championship twice. Saito also won the Amerian Wrestling Association championship in 1990. In the later 1980s, Saito competed mostly in Japan, where he became involved in a feud with Antonio Inoki. The two settled the feud in an island death match on 4 October 1987, which took place on Ganryujima Island, but spread across the island, and lasted two hours. Inoki eventually won by technical knockout. Professionally Saito was known variously as Masa Saito, Mr. Saito, and even Mr. Torture, for his punishing and sadistic style. After his career ended he worked as a supervisor and promoter.