was a Japanese amateur and professional wrestler. He competed in the men's Greco-Roman heavyweight at the 1964 Summer Olympics. 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.Forgotten International Wrestling, 2014, Baseball Magazine.
Professional wrestling career
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.
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.
Sugiyama died on 22 November 2002 of a heart attack.
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
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1965 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)
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