Jumbo Tsuruta

Title History

 

  • NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Giant Baba defeating Terry & Dory Funk Jr. (February 5, 1975);
  • NWA (All Japan) United National Heavyweight title defeating Jack Brisco for vacant title (August 28, 1976);
  • NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Giant Baba defeating Kim Duk & Kintaro Ohki (December 9, 1976);
  • NWA (All Japan) United National Heavyweight title defeating Billy Robinson (March 23, 1977);
  • NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Giant Baba defeating Kim Duk & Kintaro Ohki (May 11, 1978);
  • NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Giant Baba defeating Ray Candy & Abdullah the Butcher (October 19, 1979);
  • NWA (All Japan) United National Heavyweight title defeating Dick Murdoch (March 5, 1980);
  • NWA (Detroit) World Tag Team titles w/Giant Baba defeating Randy Scott & John Bonello (June 28, 1980);
  • NWA (All Japan) United National Heavyweight title defeating Abdullah the Butcher (January 22, 1981);
  • NWA (All Japan) United National Heavyweight title defeating Harley Race (October 24, 1982);
  • NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Giant Baba defeating Ron Bass & Stan Hanson (April 17, 1983);
  • NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Giant Baba defeating Umanosuke Ueda & Tiger Jeet Singh (August 1, 1983);
  • NWA (All Japan) International Heavyweight title defeating Bruiser Brody (August 31, 1983);
  • AWA World Heavyweight title defeating Nick Bockwinkel (February 22, 1984);
  • NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Genichiro Tenryu defeating Crusher Blackwell & Bruiser Brody for vacant titles (September 3, 1984);
  • NWA (All Japan) International Heavyweight title defeating Stan Hanson (October 21, 1986);
  • NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Genichiro Tenryu defeating Yoshiaki Yatsu & Riki Choshu (February 5, 1987);
  • PWF (Japan) World Tag Team titles w/Tiger Mask defeating Ted DiBiase & Stan Hanson (July 3, 1987);
  • NWA (All Japan) International Heavyweight title defeating Bruiser Brody (April 19, 1988);
  • PWF (Japan) World Tag Team titles w/Yoshiaki Yatsu defeating Ashura Hara & Genichiro Tenryu (June 4, 1988);
  • NWA (All Japan) International Tag Team titles w/Yoshiaki Yatsu defeating Road Warriors (June 10, 1988);
  • AJPW (All Japan) World Tag Team titles w/Yoshiaki Yatsu defeating Terry Gordy & Stan Hanson (July 31, 1988);
  • AJPW (All Japan) World Tag Team titles w/Yoshiaki Yatsu defeating Ashura Hara & Genichiro Tenryu (August 30, 1988);
  • AJPW (All Japan) World Tag Team titles w/Yoshiaki Yatsu defeating Terry Gordy & Stan Hanson (February 2, 1989);
  • NWA (All Japan) United National Heavyweight title defeating Stan Hanson (April 18, 1989);
  • PWF (Japan) Heavyweight title defeating Stan Hanson (April 18, 1989);
  • AJPW (All Japan) World Tag Team titles w/Yoshiaki Yatsu defeating Genichiro Tenryu & Stan Hanson (July 22, 1989);
  • AJPW (All Japan) Unified Triple Crown Heavyweight title defeating Genichiro Tenryu (October 11, 1989);
  • AJPW (All Japan) World Tag Team titles w/Great Kabuki defeating Steve Williams & Terry Gordy (July 19, 1990);
  • AJPW (All Japan) Unified Triple Crown Heavyweight title defeating Stan Hanson (January 19, 1991);
  • AJPW (All Japan) World Tag Team titles w/Akira Taue defeating Steve Williams & Terry Gordy (March 4, 1992);

 

Career Highlights

 

  • 1971-1972: In college, he won the All Japanese Championships in 100kg in both freestyle and greco-roman in just his first 2 years..
  • Tomoni Tsuruta represented Japan at the 1972 Olympics in Munich placing 7th in Greco-Roman Wrestling..
  • Tomoni Tsuruta was recruited into pro wrestling like a number one draft pick..
  • October 31, 1972: Tomoni Tsuruta signed with Giant Baba and All Japan just ten days after the promotion was formed..
  • October 1973: Jumbo Tsuruta debuted in the Funks’ NWA Amarillo Texas promotion..
  • November 1973: Jumbo Tsuruta had several matched with Dory Funk Jr. for the NWA World title..
  • September 28, 1985 – AWA SuperClash: Jumbo Tsuruta & Giant Baba & Genichiro Tenryu defeated Harley Race & Bill & Scott Irwin..
  • Jumbo Tsuruta got the NWA International, PWF, & United National titles unified into the Triple Crown..
  • Jumbo Tsuruta also got the NWA International and PWF Tag Team titles unified into the World Tag Team titles..
  • Jumbo Tsuruta was the first Japanese wrestler to win the AWA World Heavyweight Title, first Triple Crown champion..
  • WWF/AJPW World Tour 1990: Jumbo Tsuruta & Haku defeated Mr. Perfect & Rick Martel..
  • June 8, 1990: Jumbo Tsuruta faced Mitsuharu Misawa in the main event..
  • Summer 1992: Jumbo Tsuruta got struck with Hepatitis B, and was never the same physically..
  • 1993-98: Jumbo Tsuruta wrestled mostly in comedy matches on the big shows, because of his illness..
  • September 11, 1998: Jumbo Tsuruta had his last match..
  • February 20, 1999: Jumbo Tsuruta officially retired from wrestling..
  • March 6, 1999: Jumbo Tsuruta was honored with a retirement ceremony was held in Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan..
  • May 13, 2000: Jumbo Tsuruta died due to the cancer spread to his liver and during kidney transplant..

 

Updated:

Trained By

All Japan dojo
Dory Funk Jr
Lou Thesz

Debut

March 24, 1973

Birthday

March 25, 1951

Hometown

Makioka, Yamanashi, Japan

Gender

Height

6'3"

Weight

270lbs

Finishing Move(s)

Coconut Crusher

Favorite Move(s)

Jumbo Knee
Waistlock Side Suplex
Lou Thez Press
Backdrop Suplex Hold
Jumping Knee
Diving Knee Drop
Jumbo Lariat
Double Chickenwing Suplex
German Suplex Hold
Spinning Toe Hold
Diving Front Dropkick

Notable Feuds

Dory Funk Jr

Status