Hisashi Shinma
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Hisashi Shinma was a figurehead president of the WWE, then known as WWWF, from 1978 through 1984 before he was successed by Jack Tunney. Shinma was chairman and one of the bookers for New Japan Pro Wrestling at the time, and negotiated a talent-sharing arrangement with the World Wrestling Federation within the junior heavyweight division, which would ultimately launch Tatsumi Fujinami as an international superstar and an eventual successor to Antonio Inoki. Shinma’s most famous moment as WWWF “President” occurred on December 6, 1979, after Bob Backlund regained the WWF title from Antonio Inoki at the end of his Japan tour. Shinma overruled the decision due to interference from Tiger Jeet Singh; but after Inoki refused to accept the belt, Backlund regained the vacant title after returning to the U.S. Backlund's title loss to Inoki is still not officially acknowledged by the WWE and was kept hidden from American audiences. Shinma's other accomplishments included fitting Satoru Sayama with the Tiger Mask gimmick, discovering Akira Maeda, and forming the UWF in Japan after leaving New Japan. Hisashi Shinma was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1996.
