Kendo Nagasaki

{{About|the Professional Wrestling gimmick Kendo Nagasaki

Kendo Nagasaki is a professional wrestling stage name, used as a [[Glossary of wrestling terms#Gimmick|gimmick]] of that of a Japanese Samurai warrior with a mysterious past and even supernatural powers of hypnosis. The name derives from the modern martial art of Japanese fencing (Kendo), and Nagasaki is the name of a city on the south-western coast of Kyūshū, site of the second use of the atomic bomb.

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The original and most well known use of the gimmick is by the legendary British wrestler who made his name in ITV's World of Sport. This version of the Nagasaki character dates back to November 1964. and became a household name in Britain after his TV debut in 1971. He also toured Japan in 1968 (under the alternative ringname Mr Guillotine) and North America in 1972, wrestling for Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling where he held the promotion's North American title and Don Owen's Pacific Northwest Wrestling. Back home in Britain, he achieved even greater fame due to his 1975-1977 feud with the tag team of future mutual archenemies Big Daddy and Giant Haystacks, as well as his December 1977 televised voluntary unmasking ceremony.

After retiring in 1978, he briefly came back in 1981 before returning more permanently in 1986 as lead heel of All Star Wrestling during their brief two years of TV coverage. This triggered a second period of major success continuing even after the end of wrestling on ITV until Thornley retired again in 1993. Since that time, he has made further comebacks with All Star Wrestling in 2000-2001 and LDN Wrestling in 2008.

Career

Early days

In November 1964 had his first professional contest against "Jumping" Jim Hussey at Willenhall Baths. Nagasaki's most notable achievement during the 60's was in March 1966 when he defeated and unmasked Count Bartelli (Crewe born Geoff Condliffe) at the Victoria Hall, Hanley. Bartelli had been Nagasaki's mentor and tag team partner (and Condliffe had been Thornley's real life trainer) until they had a storyline falling out over Nagasaki's rough tactics in the ring. During the late 1960s, Nagasaki would feud with Billy Robinson and also with a young Jean Ferre

TV Career 1971-1978

Kendo Nagasaki finally made his ITV debut in May 1971 with a victory over Wayne Bridges. During July 1971 in what was said to be a sensational TV contest with Billy Howes, his mask came off in the heat of the battle causing confusion all around. Howes spent a great deal of effort in pounding Nagasaki's head and dragging his tight fitting mask up, almost covering Nagasaki's eyes, and tried to untie the straps holding it on, before under his relentless efforts it came loose. Howes showed little sign off actually wrestling in the end stages, and was solely intent on removing the mask, which he finally did and Nagasaki quickly left the ring covering his face.

In December 1971 he appeared for the first time with manager "Gorgeous" George Gillette at Dumfries. He then went on to tour Canada and North America during 1972 working for wrestling legend Stu Hart. Nagasaki was renowned for his strength; in one televised match he lifted Big Daddy (26 stone 9 pounds (169 kg)) up on to his shoulders, then calmly walked to a corner carrying him and finished the bout with his famous Kamikaze Crash, walking out the ring as Big Daddy was being counted out.

In December 1975, he was unmasked on television by Big Daddy starting a violent feud between the two. This was two years before he had an official Ceremonial unmasking ceremony at the Civic Hall Wolverhampton in what was one of the most anticipated and most watched moments in ITV's World of Sport.It wasn't until April the next year (1978) that he appeared as an unmasked wrestler for the first time; in a contest at Croydon against Bronco Wells. However, in September 1978, he retired on doctor's orders from the ring and began a new career in rock management, but returned in 1981-82 in a few appearances for Brian Dixon.

Starting in the early '80s, a new man began appearing in the southern United States territories. This incarnation was actually performed by Kazuo Sakurada and looked vastly different from the original.

All Star Wrestling 1986-1993

In December 1986, Thornley, the original Nagasaki, made his masked return to the ring at the London Hippodrome in a ladder match with Clive Myers, and by September 1987 he went on to become the WWA World Heavyweight Champion after defeating Wayne Bridges. He also formed a tag team with Rollerball Rocco but this fell apart after a televised match in early 1988 resulting in a lengthy and violent feud between the two which would rage on at live shows during the first few years after the end of British Wrestling on TV.

Another tag team with Blondie Barrett would run for several years. During his final ITV appearance, Nagasaki and Barrett defeated the 'Golden Boys' tag team of Robbie Brookside and Steve Regal when the masked man hypnotised (kayfabe) Brookside to attack Regal. This too would lead to a long running storyline with Nagasaki regularly using his 'powers' to turn Brookside over to his side at live shows.

During 1990, George Gillette died and Lloyd Ryan officially became his new manager. In October 1991, he feuded with Giant Haystacks, and at one point was robbed of a chance at the CWA World crown after Haystacks deliberately pulled off his mask 'forcing' him to abandon the match. He eventually retired once more in 1993 to concentrate on his role in commerce.

Millenium Comeback 2000-2001

He returned in May 2000 to accept the Wrestler Of The Millennium trophy in a ceremony at Hanley's Victoria Hall. This began a "Millenium Comeback" campaign for Nagasaki as a month later he returned to the venue teamed with Vic Powers to face Darren Walsh and Marty Jones who had objected (kayfabe) to Nagasaki winning the award. Over the next eighteen months he would appear on various All Star shows, sometimes teamed with Drew McDonald. In March 2001 he again partnered Vic Powers in a charity tag ladder match against James Mason and Walsh. This run ended in December 2001 with a formal retirement match - a Four Corners bout in which he faced and defeated Mason, Doug Williams and Dean Allmark.

LDN

Since then, he was said to be looking for a young wrestler to pass his 'powers' on to. In June 2007, he signed a deal with London based LDN wrestling. In November 2007 he appeared at LDN "Legends Showdown" in Broxbourne, England. He represented a team in a match against a team represented by his former manager Lloyd Ryan who had again (kayfabe) fallen out with his charge, this time over Ryan's son, young wrestler Damian Ryan. This event kicked off a storyline which saw him return to wrestling. Working exclusively for LDN Wrestling he feuded with Robbie Brookside over The Sword of Excellence.

In May 2008 his old tag team partner Blondie Barratt teamed with him, along with a handpicked LDN Wrestler named Gregory Cortez in a 6 Man Tag Team match to take on Powers, Brookside & Hakan - who replaced Yorghos who he refused to wrestle. He then began feuding with Yorghos. Barratt wrestled against Yorghos & Hakan in a Ladder match in Hanley in September 2008. Then in October he was scheduled to wrestle Yorghos in a singles match in Wolverhampton, but refused to face him again, instead teaming with Blondie Barratt to defeat Hakan & Travis to win the LDN Tag Team Championship.

He was scheduled to wrestle Yorghos for the LDN British Heavyweight Championship in November 2008 in Grays, but a few days before the event he quit LDN, and Blondie Barratt took his place.

In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Kamikaze Crash (Rolling fireman's carry slam)
  • Powers of hypnosis

• Managers
  • "Gorgeous" George Gillette
  • Lloyd Ryan
  • Atlantis Chronos Goth

References in popular culture

Kendo Nagasaki is featured in the song "Everything`s A.O.R" by British indie band Half Man Half Biscuit - the lyric "I can put a tennis racquet up against my face and pretend that I am Kendo Nagasaki" features in the song's chorus.

Dance DJ Steve Burgess released a single called The Nagasaki EP (I Need A Lover Tonight) under the name Ken Doh in 1996.

Kendo Nagasaki is featured in the lyrics to British singer Luke Haines's song "Leeds United" from his 2006 album Off My Rocker at the Art School Bop.

Championships and accomplishments

• 1-time Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (1972)
• 1-time WWA World Heavyweight Championship (UK version)
• 1-time All-Star British Heavyweight Champion
• Wrestler Of The Millennium trophy winner (2000)

Filmography

Send in the Girls (TV series) 1978 Death Angel – The Wild Bunch

This Is Your Life 1979 Himself - Big Daddy

World of Sport 1971-1978 Himself - Wrestler

Gamesmaster 1992 Himself -

Masters of the Canvas: Areana 1992 Himself -

They Think It's All Over 2003 Himself -

Best of ITV Wrestling (video) 2005 Himself - Wrestler

Best of ITV Wrestling: A to Z 2006 Himself - Wrestler

LDN : Legends Showdown I 2008 Himself - Wrestler

External links

• http://www.kendonagasaki.org

External links

• HouseofDeception.com - unique backstage, in-ring, and promo photos; quality links
• Guardian article on Thornley/Kendo
• The Immortal Legends of British Professional Wrestling from the BBC
• British Wrestling Archive
• British Wrestling