Former All Japan Promoter and Owner Motoko Baba Passes Away

Yahoo Japan (via PWInsider reports that former All Japan Pro Wrestling President and owner Motoko Baba has passed away at the age of 78. Baba was also the wife of the late Shohei “Giant” Baba. She had issues with her liver that started last year.

She was a promoter and manager of All Japan from the early 1970s to 1999 when Giant Baba died. All Japan was for fans of the old school wrestling found in NWA during the territory days. It featured “legitimate” clean finishes and “hard-hitting” wrestling that popularized names like Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, Toshiaki Kawada, Masa Fuchi, Jun Akiyama and others.

Giant Baba was the public face of the promotion, but Motoko handled bad news or business that might upset talent. Her husband was loved and respected but Baba was “feared” as the talent didn’t want to anger her and end up with a reduced role in All Japan. Being liked by Motoko was something that could lead to a better career in the promotion. After Giant Baba died, she kept running All Japan, even when Mitsuharu Misawa took most of the roster to Pro Wrestling NOAH. She evnetually sold the promotion in 2002 to Keiji “Great Muta” Mutoh.

411 would like to give our condolences to her family, friends and fans.