Puroresu Central

Giant Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta

Giant Baba

Birthdate: January 23rd, 1938
Height: 6'7"
Weight: 330 lbs.
Debut: September 30th, 1960
Background: Trained by Rikidozan
Ring Attire: Red trunks

Jumbo Tsuruta

Birthdate: March 25th, 1951
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 280 lbs.
Debut: March 24th, 1973
Background: All Japan Dojo
Ring Attire: Black trunks

Promotion History: All Japan (1975 to 1984)
Tournaments Won: Real World Tag League (1978 and 1980)
Major Puroresu Titles Held: NWA International Tag Team Championship (Held 6 Times)

Biggest Matches:
- December 9th, 1976 vs. Kintaro Ohki and Kim Duk (title win)
- October 19th, 1979 vs. Abdullah the Butcher and Ray Candy (title win)
- December 11th, 1980 vs. Terry Funk & Dory Funk Jr. (tournament win)
- April 17th, 1983 vs. Ron Bass and Stan Hansen (title win)
- August 1st, 1983 vs. Tiger Jeet Singh and Umanosuke Ueda (title win)

Career Highlights:

One of the most successful tag teams in the Showa Era, Giant Baba and Tsuruta were the prefect combination of experience and youth as they dominated the tag team scene. Together they would hold the NWA International Tag Team Championship on six occasions, the most of any tag team (the Holy Demon Army would win the Unified World Tag Team Championship six times also). While wrestling in Texas, the pair would win the NWA International Tag Team Championship for the first time on February 5th, 1975, defeating the Funks. With wins over formidable teams such as Kintaro Ohki & Kim Duk, Abdullah the Butcher & Ray Candy, Ron Bass & Stan Hansen, and Tiger Jeet Singh & Umanosuke Ueda, Giant Baba and Tsuruta reigned supreme. In 1984 they would vacate the titles when Giant Baba became injured and Tsuruta became teaming with Genichiro Tenryu, signaling the end of the tag team.

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