Naoya Ogawa, the Barcelona Olympic judo silver medalist turned professional wrestler, has revisited one of the most brutal nights of his protégé’s early career: a June 2008 tag match in Hakodate, Hokkaido, in which Atsushi Sawada was attacked on his way to the ring and beaten, losing his memory of the event, Yahoo News Japan reported, citing Tokyo Sports Web.
Ogawa, 58, posted the recollection on his YouTube channel, “Ogawa Naoya’s Boso-Oh Channel,” in a conversation with Sawada, 43, a member of the Abiko City Council. The two met at Sawada’s hamburger restaurant, Ryogoku Hamburger RIKISHI, their first reunion in roughly three years. The video was filmed on Oct. 1, the anniversary of the death of their mentor, Antonio Inoki, who died at age 79.
Ogawa’s Advice: Stay in Inoki’s Favor
The pair trained at Hustle, the promotion Ogawa helped make a major boom, before debuting in September 2007 in the Inoki Genome Federation, or IGF, the promotion Inoki ran.
Looking back, Ogawa said the most important thing for a young wrestler in that era was being favored by Inoki. He told Sawada he had warned him against the wave of “anti-Inoki” jealousy among wrestlers at the time, saying that Inoki’s pro wrestling was the very foundation they stood on.
Attacked on the Way to the Ring in Hakodate
The hard lesson came in June 2008 at an IGF event in Hakodate, where Ogawa and Sawada faced the foreign duo of The Predator and Necro Butcher. Ogawa said foreign teams of that era liked to give young boys a rough “welcome.”
Sawada, walking to the ring, was set upon by the two giants, listed at 200 centimeters and 188 centimeters, and was beaten so badly that, in his own recollection, he lost his memory.
The pair closed the match with their combination STO, “Ore-goto Kare,” to take the win.
Inoki Praised the Chaos; Fans Bought Sawada Breakfast
The next day, Sawada visited the Hakodate morning market, where fans told him the match was great and fun, and treated him to a sea urchin rice bowl.
Ogawa joked that Sawada had been praised by everyone while lying there, noting he was being praised while sleeping. That night in Hakodate ultimately helped launch Sawada’s career: he went on to beat out rookies from the major promotions to win the 2008 professional wrestling rookie of the year award.
Questions Readers Ask About the Ogawa-Sawada Reunion
When was the YouTube conversation filmed? It was shot on Oct. 1, the anniversary of Antonio Inoki’s death, at Sawada’s restaurant in Ryogoku, according to the report.
What happened to Sawada during the June 2008 Hakodate match? He was attacked by The Predator and Necro Butcher as he entered the ring and was beaten so badly that he lost his memory, per Sawada’s own account in the video.
What did Ogawa tell Sawada about Inoki? Ogawa said he warned his disciple not to fall into the anti-Inoki sentiment among wrestlers, telling him that their careers existed because of Inoki’s pro wrestling.
Did the 2008 Hakodate match help Sawada’s career? Yes. Sawada won the 2008 pro wrestling rookie award, ahead of newcomers from the major promotions, the report states.
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