Puroresu

Puroresu is Japanese professional wrestling, as seen in FMW, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and All Japan Pro Wrestling. Rikidouzan is said to have started the Japanese puroresu. Violent deathmatches are extremly popular in Puroresu and they are a big part of this form of wrestling.

Different from the lucha libre style in Mexico and the "American" style, puroresu uses very complex submission maneuvers as well as high-flying aerial attacks. Puroresu workers are also famous for "working stiff," i.e. not pulling their punches and kicks.

Puroresu done by female wrestlers is called joshi puroresu (女子プロレス) and is distinguished from male puroresu.

In a manner similar to anime and manga, puroresu has developed a cult following amongst pro wrestling's smark fanbase.

Basic rules

A match can be won by fōru (fall; equivalent to pin fall), nokku auto (knockout; failing to answer a ten count), ringu auto (ring out; equivalent to count out), or gibu auto (give out; equivalent to submission). Fōru occurs when the wrestler holds both of his opponent's shoulders against the mat for a count of three. Unlike wrestling in north america, a 20 count is used in Japan when a wrestler leaves the ring instead of a 10 count.

Ring

A match is fought in a square ringu (ring) surrounded by three ropes, very similar to a boxing ring. Wrestlers often run into the ropes by themselves or throw the opponents against them, employing the ropes' elasticity for his next attack. This full use of the ropes is a unique characteristic of puroresu among other sports which also use boxing rings. Additionally, there are attacks that utilize the squareness of the ring, including climbing onto a corner and jumping off onto the opponent, or pushing the opponent out of the ring from the corner.

Other kinds of rings may be specified by individual rules. A ring may have barbed wires instead of a rope, or may have explosives set on the boundaries, just to name a few.

Foreign wrestlers in Japan

Several popular American professional wrestlers, including Hulk Hogan, Big Van Vader, Bill Goldberg, Chris Benoit, Mick Foley, and others have wrestled in Japan. The now defunct World Championship Wrestling had a strong talent exchange deal with New Japan Pro Wrestling, that saw (amongst other things) a Japanese version of its popular nWo angle used by that federation.

Federations

Male

Female