Inoki Genome Federation (IGF) was a professional wrestling promotion in Japan founded by Antonio Inoki in 2007. The IGF was also the official National Wrestling Alliance territory of Japan, since Antonio Inoki is the person who holds those rights and transferred them to IGF from New Japan Pro Wrestling.
History[]
Antonio Inoki left New Japan Pro Wrestling, a promotion he founded in 1972, to start the IGF. Inoki carried over to IGF his National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) accreditation, making IGF the official Japanese territory of the NWA.
In 2007, the IGF began a talent exchange with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) of the United States, with Kurt Angle being the first TNA talent used by IGF despite TNA having officially broken ties with the NWA in 2004.
The first IGF show was held on June 29 2007 at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The card was completely changed at the last minute, resulting in the 8,426 fans in attendance not knowing who or what they were going to see outside of the main event of Kurt Angle vs. Brock Lesnar.
On February 22, 2010, IGF ran their 11th show since its inception.
Shinichi Suzukawa was scheduled to face Bob Sapp in an IGF special rules Heavyweight bout on December 31, 2010, at K-1 Dynamite!! 2010. The fight was to be held under MMA rules, but the fighters won't wear gloves. Closed-fist strikes will not be allowed, but palm strikes will be permitted. The event will air on HDNet in North America. The fight was canceled due to a last-minute contract dispute but those in attendance were told that Sapp “had lost his will to fight.”
Championships[]
External links[]
Inoki Genome Federation Alumni |
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Fighters & Wrestlers |
Alexander Otsuka • Atsushi Aoki • Atsushi Sawada • Big Van Vader • Black Tiger • Bob Sapp • Bobby Lashley • Booker T • Brock Lesnar • Carlito • Christopher Daniels • Daniel Puder • Erik Hammer • Go Shiozaki • Harry Smith • Hideki Suzuki • Hikaru Sata • Hurricane • Jon Anderson • Josh Barnett • Katsuhiko Nakajima • Katsuhisa Fujii • Kendo KaShin • Kensuke Sasaki • Kento Miyahara • Keith Hanson • Kurt Angle • MASASHI • Masato Shibata • Masked Genome Jr. • Mil Mascaras • Minowaman • Minoru • Mohammed Yone • Montanha Silva • Munenori Sawa • Naoya Ogawa • Necro Butcher • Ray Sefo • Original Tiger Mask • Osamu Kido • Predator • Rob Van Dam • Ryouji Sai • Shelton Benjamin • Shinichi Suzukaw • Shinjiro Otani • Shinsuke Nakamura • Taka Kunou • Tamon Honda • Tatsumi Fujiwara • Tim Sylvia • TJ Perkins • Ultimo Dragon • Yoshiaki Fujiwara • Yoshihiro Takayama |