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Inoki Genome Federation

Japanese professional wrestling and mixed martial arts company From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Inoki Genome Federation
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The Inoki Genome Federation (イノキ・ゲノム・フェデレーション, Inoki Genomu Federēshon) (IGF), also known in China as International Glory Fighting,[1][2] was a Japanese professional wrestling and mixed martial arts promotion founded by Antonio Inoki in 2007.

Quick Facts Acronym, Founded ...
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History

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Antonio Inoki, IGF's founder and namesake, in 2012

Antonio Inoki founded the Inoki Genome Federation (IGF) after selling New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), a promotion he founded in 1972. The first IGF show was held on June 29, 2007 at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan. The show's main event was a match between Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar, where they competed for Lesnar's IWGP Heavyweight Championship.[3]

From 2007 to 2008, the IGF served as the Japanese territory of the National Wrestling Alliance.[4][5]

On December 31, 2010, Shinichi Suzukawa was scheduled to face Bob Sapp in an IGF special Super Heavyweight bout at K-1 Dynamite!! 2010.[6] The fight was to be held under modified MMA rules, with the fighters being barred from wearing gloves, closed-fist strikes being illegal, and palm strikes being permitted.[7] The fight was planned to air on HDNet in North America.[8] However, the fight was canceled due to a last-minute contract dispute with Sapp; the Japanese audience in attendance were told by the K-1 promoters involved in the dispute that Sapp “had lost his will to fight.”[9]

In 2011, the promotion presented a gift to Kim Jong Il, the-then leader of North Korea as part of a diplomatic effort.[10] In August 2014, IGF held two shows in Pyongyang, North Korea.[11]

On December 29, 2014, IGF announced a deal with PPTV to bring its programming to Chinese audiences.[12] In 2015, Durango Kid and Laberinto, two of Inoki's former students, along with karateka Alfredo Perez, established an IGF off-shoot promotion in the United States called Inoki Sports Management,[13] also known as Lucha Wrestling Puroresu.[14] The three men would also re-establish the Inoki Dojo in Los Angeles.[13]

In 2017, Antonio inoki began distancing himself from the IGF and created a new promotion called ISM. After the creation of ISM, Antonio's son-in-law Simon Inoki gained more influence within the promotion and created a new brand under the IGF banner called Next Exciting Wrestling (NEW). The IGF's inaugural NEW show was held on April 20, 2017. On March 23, 2018, Antonio Inoki sold his part of the promotion and left the IGF. In April 2018, Nosawa Rongai, along with IGF wrestlers Kendo Kashin and Kazuyuki Fujita, created an IGF off-shoot promotion known as Hagure IGF International.[15][16] A new brand featuring IGF's Chinese wrestlers called Eastern Heroes (东方英雄, Toho Eiyu-den) was later founded by Simon Inoki. On June 26, Eastern Heroes wrestlers participated on night 8 of Pro Wrestling Noah's Navigation with Emerald Spirits tour.[17] The IGF closed on January 9, 2019. After the IGF's closure, Assist Co., Ltd., the promotion's parent company, opened a chain of bakeries, leading to both Kendo Kashin and Simon Inoki to humorously state "IGF has become a bakery".[18][19]

In August 2022, Antonio Inoki revived the IGF, now standing for the Inoki Genki Factory, to serve as his official management company.[20] On October 1, at age 79, Inoki died from systemic transthyretin amyloidosis.[21][22][23] On December 28, the Inoki Genki Factory held their first show, Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye x Ganryujima, a memorial event honoring Inoki organized in collaboration with Samurai Warriors Ganryujima and NJPW.[24] On December 14, 2024, IGF participated in the Antonio Inoki Memorial Show organized in Shanghai, China by NJPW and various Asia-Pacific Federation of Wrestling promotions.[25]

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Roster

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Championships

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IWGP Heavyweight Championship

IGF Championship

Quick Facts IGF Championship, Details ...

In February 2011, IGF started a tournament to determine the first ever IGF Champion, which eventually led to a final match between Jérôme Le Banner and Josh Barnett. However, just days prior to the final match taking place, IGF announced on August 19 that Barnett would not be able to attend the event.[26] On August 22, IGF declared Le Banner the first champion.[27] The title was founded as a professional wrestling championship, but has since December 31, 2013, been contested in legitimate mixed martial arts fights.[28][29]

Title history

More information No., Reign ...
More information No., Champion ...
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Tournaments

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IGF Championship Tournament

First round
(Genome14, Genome15, and Genome16)
Semifinals
(Genome15 and Genome16)
Final
N/A
         
Josh Barnett Win
Montanha Silva
Josh Barnett Win
Bobby Lashley
Bobby Lashley Win
Keith Hanson
Jerome Le Banner Forfeit
Josh Barnett
Shinichi Suzukawa Win
Bob Sapp
Jerome Le Banner Win
Erik Hammer*
Jerome Le Banner Win
Shinichi Suzukawa
  • Erik Hammer replaced Shinichi Suzukawa in the tournament after defeating Ray Sefo.[32]

World Bantamweight Grand Prix

 
Quarterfinals
(DREAM 17)
Semifinals
(Fight For Japan: Genki Desu Ka Omisoka 2011)
Final
(Fight For Japan: Genki Desu Ka Omisoka 2011)
 
          
 
 
 
 
Japan Masakazu ImanariW
 
 
 
United States Abel Cullum SUB
 
Japan Masakazu Imanari DEC
 
 
 
United States Antonio BanuelosW
 
Japan Hideo Tokoro DEC
 
 
 
United States Antonio BanuelosW
 
United States Antonio BanuelosTKO
 
 
 
Brazil Bibiano Fernandes W
 
Brazil Bibiano Fernandes W
 
 
 
Japan Takafumi Otsuka SUB
 
Brazil Bibiano Fernandes W
 
 
 
Brazil Rodolfo MarquesDEC
 
Russia Yusup Saadulaev DEC
 
 
Brazil Rodolfo Marques W
 

Inoki Genome Tournament 2012

  • Ths tournament took place entirely on the Genome20 event.
Semifinals Final
      
Shinichi Suzukawa Win
Yusuke Kawaguchi
Atsushi Sawada Win
Shinichi Suzukawa
Atsushi Sawada Win
Hideki Suzuki

Inoki Genome Tournament 2013

  • This tournament took place entirely on the Genome26 event.
QuarterfinalsSemifinalFinal
Hideki SuzukiWin
Hideki Suzuki*Win
Akira Jo
Atsushi SawadaDouble CountoutAtsushi Sawada*
Shinichi Suzukawa*
Atsushi SawadaWin
Shogun Okamoto
  • Shinichi Suzukawa received a bye to the semi-finals. Hideki Suzuki received a bye to the final after defeating Crusher Kawaguchi in a match. Atsushi Sawada advanced to the final despite his match against Shinichi Suzukawa ending in a double countout.[33]

Road to Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye Challenge Tournament

Semifinals Final
      
Yusuke Masuda W
Takaaki "C-Boy" Oban DEC
Yusuke Masuda W
Ryo Sakai DEC
Ryo Sakai W
Tsuyoshi Kurihara DEC

IGF World GP

  • Quarterfinals took place on April 11, 2015 at Inoki Genome Fight 3.
  • Semi-finals took place on August 29, 2015 at Inoki Genome Fight 4.
  • The final took place on December 31, 2015 at Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2015.
Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
         
Sweden Yosef Ali Mohammad TKO
Netherlands Dion Staring Rd 1
Sweden Yosef Ali Mohammad TKO
Brazil Fernando Rodrigues Jr. Rd 1
Brazil Fernando Rodrigues Jr. TKO
France Antony Rea Rd 1
Brazil Fernando Rodrigues Jr. TKO
England Oli Thompson Rd 1
United States Chris Barnett TKO
Bulgaria Emil Zahariev Rd 2
United States Chris Barnett DEC
England Oli Thompson Rd 2
England Oli Thompson DEC
Japan Ikuhisa Minowa Rd 2

[34]

Genome-1: Osaka

  • This tournament took place entirely on the Genome33 event.
Semifinals Final
      
Naoya Ogawa Win
Minowaman
Atsushi Sawada Win
Minowaman
Atsushi Sawada Win
Montanha Silva

Genome-1: Nagoya

  • This tournament took place entirely on the Genome34 event.
Semifinals Final
      
Hideki Suzuki Win
Wang Bin
Hideki Suzuki Win
Daichi Hashimoto
Daichi Hashimoto Win
Raj Singh

Lucha Libre World Cup 2017

Quarterfinals Semifinals Final
         
MexicoTeam Mexico AAA
(Pagano and Psycho Clown)
Pin
United StatesTeam USA Noah
(Cody Hall and Quiet Storm)
MexicoTeam Mexico AAA
(Pagano and Psycho Clown)
Pin
JapanTeam Japan IGF
(Kendo Kashin and Nosawa)
JapanTeam Japan IGF
(Kendo Kashin and Nosawa)
DQ
Team Rest of the World
(Mil Muertes and Vampiro)
MexicoTeam Mexico AAA
(Pagano and Psycho Clown)
Pin
JapanTeam Noah Japan
(Hi69 and Taiji Ishimori)
JapanTeam Noah Japan
(Hi69 and Taiji Ishimori)
Pin
United StatesTeam USA Lucha Underground
(Marty Martinez and Son of Havoc)
JapanTeam Noah Japan
(Hi69 and Taiji Ishimori)
Pin
United StatesTeam USA Impact
(Andrew Everett and DJZ)
United StatesTeam USA Impact
(Andrew Everett and DJZ)
Pin
MexicoTeam Mexico Lucha Underground
(Aero Star and Drago)
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IGF events

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See also

References

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