Who is pro wrestling's G.O.A.T.?

Antonio Inoki

Parallels to Hogan and El Santo abound, as Antonio Inoki is perhaps Japan's most famous pro wrestler.

More athletic than either of those men, Antonio could shoot fight if he wanted to, and even delivered a one-sided butt kicking of Boxing G.O.A.T. Muhammed Ali in an exhibition bout. Inoki remains an icon to this day.

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Inoki's scores:

Technical Ability: One of wrestling's finest technicians, Inoki could trade stiff shots or use chain wrestling to avail with equal acumen. Grade: A

Speaking and promos: Not his strongest suit, but he wasn't a slouch either. He could sell the storyline of any match or feud well enough but it was his toughness that mainly got him over. Grade: B

Popularity: Even before his beatdown of Ali, Inoki was a household name in Japan and well known to American wrestling fans. Grade: A

Competition: Inoki faced all that the world had to offer, from Ric Flair to Bob Backlund to Hulk Hogan, as well as Japan's best wrestlers. Grade: A+

About the author

Christopher Scott Wagoner is a writer from Austin, Texas in the United States. He is also a proud descendent of the Choctaw and Lakota people.
Chris has an English and Creative Writing degree, and is a published author with Simon and Schuster. He's ghost-written over eight million words in more than 500 books.
A long time wrestling fan, Chris is also a professional journalist who covers sports-entertainment. He's been writing for Sportskeeda since 2018.

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Edited by Pratyay Ghosh