Tsuneharu Sugiyama

Tsuneharu Sugiyama (杉山 恒治, Sugiyama Tsuneharu; 23 July 1940 – 22 November 2002) was a Japanese amateur and professional wrestler. He competed in the men's Greco-Roman light heavyweight at the 1964 Summer Olympics.^[1] After his competitive career, he worked in International Wrestling Enterprise, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling under the ring name of Thunder Sugiyama, later becoming an actor and tarento until his death.^[2]

Tsuneharu "Thunder" Sugiyama

Personal information
Nationality	Japanese
Born	(1940-07-23)23 July 1940 Itoigawa, Japan
Died	22 November 2002(2002-11-22) (aged 62)
Sport
Sport	Wrestling

Professional wrestling career

Tsuneharu Sugiyama
Birth name	Tsuneharu Sugiyama
Born	(1940-07-23)July 23, 1940 Itoigawa, Niigata, Japan[3]
Died	November 22, 2002(2002-11-22) (aged 62)
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Koji Sugiyama[3] Thunder Sugiyama[3] Tokyo Joe[3]
Billed height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)[3]
Billed weight	275 lb (125 kg)[3]
Debut	1965[3]
Retired	1981[3]

Along with teammate Masa Saito, who had competed in the freestyle tournament in 1964, they joined the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance dojo. Sugiyama was given the nickname "Thunder", which he used in his debut on 4 March 1966, against Kazuo Honma. Later in the year, however, he joined Isao Yoshiwara and Hiro Matsuda in forming a new promotion, International Wrestling Enterprise.^[4]

Sugiyama was the second man to portray the "Tokyo Joe" character in North America after Mr. Hito and before fellow IWE wrestler Tetsunosuke Daigo, who debuted a few months after him in Tokyo Pro Wrestling.

In 1972 Sugiyama left IWE and went over to help Giant Baba form All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he competed until 1976. During 1977 he briefly returned to IWE, and in 1978 he moved to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he stayed as heel until 1980 when he retired.^[4]

Sugiyama died on 22 November 2002 of a heart attack.^[4]

Championships and accomplishments

• International Wrestling Enterprise
  • IWA World Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
  • IWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Great Kusatsu and Rusher Kimura
  • TWWA World Tag Team Championship (2 times) - with Toyonobori and Rusher Kimura^[4]

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1965	Kigeki ekimae daigaku
1976	Sister Street Fighter – Fifth Level Fist	Nick
1978	Message from Space	Big Sam
1983	Ryôshoku	Kurokawa
1984	Aces Go Places Part III : Our Man from Bond Street	Oddjob
1985	Kids
1989	Harimao	Yasufumi Yamashita
1994	Iruka wa umi ni kaeru
2000	Seigi no tatsujin: Nyotai tsubo saguri
2001	Hitozuma-tachi no seihakusho: AV ni shutsuen shita wake
2003	Nôsatsu tenshi: Sûi tsukushite	Kageyama
2004	Ryôjoku no tsumeato: Sakareta shitagi	Kaneda	(final film role)