matsuda

In Funk's Corner

Funking Conservatory

Who is Osamu Nishimura?

Dory Funk Jr., Osamu Nishimura and Adam Windsor

On July 10th, 2001 I received a message from Osamu Nishimura.

"Hello, Mr. Dory Funk Jr.. I am Osamu Nishimura. I work for New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
I want to learn about traditional wrestling from you. I was Hiro Matsuda's boy. I really respect
you guys. I really want to learn from you."

To know Osamu Nishimura, you must first know something about his teacher in pro-wrestling,
Hiro Matsuda. In the mid 60's when Championship Wrestling From Florida was flourishing under
the leadership of Eddie Graham, the original franchise player for the territory was Hiro Matsuda.

He was born Japanese and trained in submission wrestling by Karl Gotch. Matsuda at 6' 2" tall
and 240 pounds became a consummate worker under the tutelage of Eddie Graham. In the mid 60's
Matsuda and Terry Funk drew money for the territory with some great wrestling matches.

By the late 60's Hiro Matsuda was being groomed by Eddie Graham as the most likely candidate
to become the NWA World Heavyweight Champion. Fortunately for me on February 11th 1969
my father Dory Funk Sr. secured a title match for me with then champion Gene Kiniski and rather
than Matsuda, I became NWA World Champion.

Hiro Matsuda became one of the owners along with Eddie Graham of Championship Wrestling
from Florida. Not only was he a top draw for the company, but Matsuda headed up the training
program for young wrestlers wanting to enter the business. The first challenge for any young wrestler
breaking into the business was time in the ring against Hiro Matsuda. Matsuda was tough. He was
a shooter and one of the best. Many wrestlers did not make the grade and after facing Matsuda
decided the game was too tough. Hiro Matsuda became known as the toughest trainer of wrestlers
in the business.

Osamu Nishimura was Hiro Matsuda's number one student of professional wrestling. I have met
him on many occasions and he always introduced himself to me in this manner. "I am a student
of Hiro Matsuda. Considering the respect I have for the wrestling style of Hiro Matsuda and his
wrestling style, this was enough for me to believe in Osamu Nishimura.

Osamu Nishimura was born in Tokyo Japan and has always worked for Antonio Inoki's
New Japan Pro Wrestling. He is 6' 1" tall and weighs 231 pounds. He is the perfect size
for pro-wrestling. He has recently formed a group of wrestlers within the New Japan umbrella
that he calls Muga. The name of his group means "Not Selfish."

The wrestlers in Muga practice "Traditional Style Wrestling." The Muga style of wrestling in
Japan has had a recent explosion in popularity. In a recent story in the Observer, Dave Meltzer
says, "Nishimura works this old total psychology underdog babyface style using a lot of basic
wrestling and it worked here. When Nishimura hits the old moves like the abdominal stretch or
the octopus, whether it's the nostalgia recognition or what, the place popped big. The finish
saw Nishimura do the abdominal stretch and dropped into a lateral banana split for the pin.
Great crowd heat."

This style is catching on in Japan fast as when the announcement was made that I would be
facing Osamu Nishimura on October 8th in Tokyo's Korakuen Hall, tickets sold out. This
may not be a style of the past, but a sign of the future of pro-wrestling and the beginning may
well be forming within New Japan Pro-Wrestling justifying the teachings of Hiro Matsuda.