Profile Info
- Gender Male
- Real Name Shohei Baba (馬場 正平)
- Ring Names
- Giant Baba ( October 6, 1961 - January 31, 1999)
- Shohei Baba ( September 30, 1960 - December 1, 1964)
- Height 6 ft 10 in (208 cm)
- Weight
- 310 lbs (141 kg) ( September 30, 1960 - January 31, 1999)
- Born January 23, 1938
- Died January 31, 1999 (aged 61)
- Birth Place Sanjo, Niigata, Japan
- Billed From
- Japan ( September 30, 1960 - January 31, 1999)
- Nicknames Touyou no Kyojin
- Notes Founder of AJPW
Career History
- Roles
- Promoter ( October 21, 1972 - January 31, 1999)
- President ( October 21, 1972 - January 31, 1999)
- Coach ( October 21, 1972 - January 31, 1999)
- Wrestler ( September 30, 1960 - January 31, 1999)
- Companies / Promotions
Promotion from to Promotion AJPW
October 21, 1972 January 31, 1999 - Face / Heel Turns
Alignment from to Face November 24, 1965 January 31, 1999 Tweener September 30, 1960 November 23, 1965 - Images
Aug 1993Apr 1986Jul 1975Mar 1967Jan 1963Sep 1960
- Finishers
- Coconut Crush - Side Headlock Facebreaker Knee Smash ( September 30, 1960 - January 31, 1999)
- Running Neckbreaker ( September 30, 1960 - January 31, 1999)
- Theme Songs
- Theme Song "Soul of a Champion" by Shun Jitsukawa - Single - Single ( January 1, 1984 - January 31, 1999)
- Theme Song "NTV Sports March" by Yasuhiko Shiozawa - Single - Single ( January 1, 1975 - December 31, 1983)
Titles & Accomplishments
- Titles Won
All Japan Pro Wrestling
- 1 All Asia Heavyweight Championship
- 6 NWA International Tag Team Championship (with Jumbo Tsuruta)
- 3 NWA World Heavyweight Championship
- 4 PWF World Heavyweight Championship
Japan Wrestling Association
- 3 All Asia Tag Team Championship (2 with Toyonobori, 1 with Michiaki Yoshimura)
- 3 NWA International Heavyweight Championship
- 6 NWA International Tag Team Championship (1 with Michiaki Yoshimura, 4 with Antonio Inoki, 1 with Seiji Sakaguchi)
NWA Detroit
- 1 NWA World Tag Team Championship - Detroit version (with Jumbo Tsuruta)
- Other Accomplishments
- 10° in PWI Years Tag Teams (2003) with Jumbo Tsuruta)
- 26° in PWI Years Top 500 (2003)
- 92° in the Top 100 Historical Persons in Japan (2006)
- 7 AJPW Champion Carnival (1973, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982)
- 2 AJPW World's Strongest Tag Determination League (1978 and 1980 with Jumbo Tsuruta)
- 1 AJPW World's Strongest Tag Determination League Distinguished Award (1977 - with Jumbo Tsuruta)
- 1 AJPW World's Strongest Tag Determination League Skill Award (1985 with Dory Funk Jr.)
- 1 AJPW World's Strongest Tag Determination League Special Award (1988 with Rusher Kimura)
- 1 AJPW World's Strongest Tag Determination League East Sports Special Award (1991 with Andre the Giant)
- 6 JWA World Big League
- International Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame (class of 2021)
- Nippon Professional Baseball Best Pitcher Award (1956, 1957, 1959)
- NWA Hall of Fame (class of 2014)
- Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum (class of 2008)
- 3 Tokyo Sports Best Tag Team Award (1978, 1980, 1982 with Jumbo Tsuruta)
- 2 Tokyo Sports Outstanding Performance Award (1974, 1980)
- 2 Tokyo Sports Popularity Award (1976, 1988)
- Tokyo Sports 30th Anniversary Special Achievement Award (1990)
- Tokyo Sports Lifetime Achievement Award (1999)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (1979 with Antonio Inoki vs. Abdullah The Butcher and Tiger Jeet Singh on August 26)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (1980 with Jumbo Tsuruta vs. Terry Funk and Dory Funk Jr. on December 11)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (1981 vs. Verne Gagne on January 18)
- Tokyo Sports Match of the Year (1982 vs. Stan Hansen on February 4)
- Tokyo Sports Special Award for breaking 5000 matches (1993)
- Tokyo Sports Special Grand Prize (1983)
- Tokyo Sports Wrestler of the Year (1975, 1979)
- WON Most Underrated Wrestler (1989-1991)
- WON Promoter of the Year (1990-1994)
- WON Worst Tag Team (1990, 1991 with Andre the Giant)
- WON Hall of Fame (class of 1996)
Relations
- Tag Teams & Stables
- Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura - Rusher Kimura ( October 28, 1988 - December 5, 1998)
- Giant Baba & Jumbo Tsuruta - Jumbo Tsuruta ( November 27, 1973 - September 11, 1998)
- Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr. - Dory Funk Jr. ( December 3, 1991 - October 18, 1996)
- André the Giant & Giant Baba - André the Giant ( April 13, 1990 - December 4, 1992)
- Giant Baba & Tiger Mask - Mitsuharu Misawa ( April 19, 1986 - April 18, 1990)
- Giant Baba & Dory Funk Jr. - Dory Funk Jr. ( August 27, 1983 - April 24, 1987)
- Giant Baba & Rusher Kimura - Rusher Kimura ( November 22, 1984 - December 8, 1984)
- Giant Baba & Seiji Sakaguchi - Seiji Sakaguchi ( May 11, 1969 - September 7, 1972)
- B-I Cannon - Antonio Inoki ( September 22, 1967 - December 7, 1971)
- Giant Baba & Michiaki Yoshimura - Michiaki Yoshimura ( December 1, 1964 - May 14, 1971)
- Giant Baba & Toyonobori - Toyonobori ( April 4, 1964 - January 5, 1966)