Tarzan Goto
Seiji Goto (後藤政二, Gotō Seiji, August 16, 1963 – May 29, 2022), better known by his ring name Tarzan Goto (ターザン後藤), was a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled on the independent circuit most of his career. He is best known for his exploding steel cage matches against Atsushi Onita in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW).
| Tarzan Goto | |
|---|---|
Goto in 2009 | |
| Birth name | Seiji Goto |
| Born | August 16, 1963[1] Shimada, Shizuoka, Japan[1] |
| Died | May 29, 2022 (aged 58) |
| Spouse(s) | Despina Montagas |
| Children | 3 |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Tarzan Goto Ho Chi Winh Ghost Face |
| Billed height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] |
| Billed weight | 150 kg (331 lb)[2] |
| Trained by | Jumbo Tsuruta |
| Debut | February 19, 1981 [1] |
| Retired | December 9, 2018 |
Sumo wrestling career edit
In 1979, Goto joined a sumo stable, Kokonoe, but shortly afterwards he retired from sumo.
Career record edit
| Year | January Hatsu basho, Tokyo | March Haru basho, Osaka | May Natsu basho, Tokyo | July Nagoya basho, Nagoya | September Aki basho, Tokyo | November Kyūshū basho, Fukuoka |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | x | (Maezumo) | West Jonokuchi #32 5–2 | East Jonidan #95 2–5 | West Jonidan #120 Sat out due to injury 0–0–7 | West Jonokuchi #24 Retired 0–0–7 |
| Record given as wins–losses–absencies Top division champion Top division runner-up Retired Lower divisions Non-participation Sanshō key: F=Fighting spirit; O=Outstanding performance; T=Technique Also shown: ★=Kinboshi; P=Playoff(s) | ||||||
Professional wrestling career edit
All Japan Pro Wrestling (1981–1985) edit
Goto debuted for All Japan Pro Wrestling on February 19, 1981, against Shiro Koshinaka. While in AJPW, he was student of Jumbo Tsuruta. In 1983, he won the Rookie of the Year award at Tokyo Sports' Pro Wrestling Awards.
United States (1985–1989) edit
In November 1985, Goto went to the United States to wrestle.[1] His first stop on his excursion was in Kansas City for the NWA Central States Wrestling. He'd also wrestle for Jim Crockett Promotions on shows within the area. In June 1986, Goto moved to Memphis, wrestling for Continental Wrestling Association, where he teamed with Akio Sato and managed by Tojo Yamamoto. While in the United States, he married female wrestler Despina Montagas. In 1988, he wrestled for World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico. In 1989, he wrestled in Florida for Professional Wrestling Federation.[1]
Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (1989–1995) edit
In 1989, Goto returned to Japan after being proposed by the founder of the pioneering hardcore wrestling promotion Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, Atsushi Onita.[1]
In August 1990, Goto had the first-ever exploding barbed wire match with Onita, which started a revolution between the small "garbage wrestling" organizations of Japan. Two months later, Goto and his wife Despina Montagas teamed up in Japan's first mixed tag team match, defeating Ricky Fuji and Megumi Kudo. He wrestled in many matches for FMW even one that he lost in which he tagged with Onita and lost to Sabu and Horace Boulder.
In 1991, he and tag team partner Atsushi Onita became the first-ever FMW Brass Knuckles Tag Team Champions in the finals of a ten-team tournament defeating Gregory Veritchev and Koba Krutanize. He had several death matches for the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship against his former AJPW comrade, Atsushi Onita. On January 30, 1992, Goto captured the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship after defeating Big Titan. Due to the wind conditions, Goto's and Onita's fire deathmatch versus The Sheik and Sabu was called off. He later became a two-time tag team champion with Gregory Veritchev.
In February 1995, Goto formed Lethal Weapon with Hisakatsu Oya and Ricky Fuji. However, upset about possibly losing to Onita in his retirement match, Goto announced that he was leaving FMW in April 1995, just two days after no-showing an event in Korakuen Hall.
Post-FMW career (1995–2018) edit
After leaving FMW, Goto wrestled throughout the Japanese indies. He also contested two matches for Extreme Championship Wrestling in July 1996 at the Heat Wave event, defeating Axl Rotten both nights. Goto also worked for International Wrestling Association of Japan from 1995 to 1999. Goto returned to one-night returns to AJPW in 2001 and 2002. In 1995, he formed Super FMW, which lasted from 1995 to 1998 in its first run and from 2009 to 2018 in its second run. His last match to date was on December 9, 2018, teaming with Reina Ayukawa and defeating Taro Ramen and Sase in a Caribbean Barbed wire Thumbtacks Death Match. It would also end up being the very last show for Super FMW, although another show was originally scheduled for November 10, 2019, but due to poor ticket sales, it was rescheduled to March 29, 2020. Unfortunately, the show would be canceled due to COVID-19 and Super FMW quietly folded.
Personal life and death edit
Goto was married to Despina Montagas, and they have three sons.[4] He had since remarried in December 2016.
On May 29, 2022,[5] Goto died from liver cancer at the age of 58.[6]
Championships and accomplishments edit
- Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling
- FMW WWA Martial Arts Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- FMW WWA Martial Arts Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Atsushi Onita (1 time) and Grigory Verichev (1 time)
- World's Strongest Tag Team Tournament (1992) - with Atsushi Onita
- Six Man Tag Team Tournament (1994) - with Atsushi Onita and Sambo Asako
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Mr. Gannosuke
- Tokyo Sports
- Match of the Year (1990) vs. Atsushi Onita on August 4
- Match of the Year (1994) with Atsushi Onita vs. Ashura Hara and Genichiro Tenryu on March 2
- Newcomer of the Year (1983)
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g Tarzan Goto - The Wrestler Note(in Japanese)
- ^ Tarzan Goto Ippa > The official report 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine(in Japanese)
- ^ "Goto Seiji Rikishi Information". Sumo Reference. Retrieved 2022-05-30.
- ^ Oliver, Greg (May 10, 2018). "Complicated legacy of Fabulous Moolah on trial at CAC". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved May 12, 2018.
- ^ Honda, Masashi (May 30, 2022). "Tweet from longtime tag partner @MrGannosukeFMW". Twitter. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
- ^ Oliver, Greg (May 30, 2022). "Tarzan Goto dies". Slam! Sports. Canadian Online Explorer. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
External links edit
- Tarzan Goto's profile at Cagematch.net , Internet Wrestling Database