King Kong (Emile Czaja)
Encyclopedia
Emile Czaja, also known by his ring name
King Kong, was an Indian professional wrestler active from 1937 until 1956.
in 1937. He was given the name "King Kong" after playing the part of King Kong in an Indian movie. In 1945, he wrestled Hamida Pehelwan in front of approximately 200,000 spectators in Lahore
, India
. He frequently wrestled for over 100,000 fans.
He wrestled mostly in Japan
, Singapore
, Europe
, New Zealand
, and Australia
. In professional wrestling his arch rivals were Sheik Ali and Dara Singh
.
On November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association
(JWA), King Kong and Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan
and Harold Sakata
in a two out of three falls tournament final to crown the inaugural JWA All Asia Tag Team Champions
. They later vacated the title after the tag team split up. On November 22 of that year, however, Rikidōzan defeated King Kong to become the inaugural JWA All Asia Heavyweight Champion
.
After marrying in 1956, he continued his pro-wrestling career using Sydney
as his headquarters. He wrestled Lou Thesz
for the world title in Singapore.
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
King Kong, was an Indian professional wrestler active from 1937 until 1956.
Professional wrestling career
Czaja started his professional career in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1937. He was given the name "King Kong" after playing the part of King Kong in an Indian movie. In 1945, he wrestled Hamida Pehelwan in front of approximately 200,000 spectators in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He frequently wrestled for over 100,000 fans.
He wrestled mostly in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. In professional wrestling his arch rivals were Sheik Ali and Dara Singh
Dara Singh
Dara Singh Randhawa is a wrestler and Indian film actor. He was born in a Jat Sikh family of Punjabi background.He was a wrestler before he started acting in Hindi films in 1962....
.
On November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
(JWA), King Kong and Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan
Rikidozan
, better known as Rikidōzan , was a Korean Japanese professional wrestler, known as the "Father of Puroresu" and one of the most influential men in wrestling history. Initially, he had moved from his native country Korea to Japan to become a sumo wrestler...
and Harold Sakata
Harold Sakata
Toshiyuki "Harold" Sakata was a Japanese American professional wrestler and film actor most famous for his role as the villain "Oddjob" in the James Bond film Goldfinger.-Career:...
in a two out of three falls tournament final to crown the inaugural JWA All Asia Tag Team Champions
AJPW All Asia Tag Team Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
. They later vacated the title after the tag team split up. On November 22 of that year, however, Rikidōzan defeated King Kong to become the inaugural JWA All Asia Heavyweight Champion
AJPW All Asia Heavyweight Championship
The AJPW All Asia Heavyweight Championship was a title contested for in All Japan Pro Wrestling . Prior to being used in AJPW, the title was defended in the Japan Wrestling Association...
.
After marrying in 1956, he continued his pro-wrestling career using Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
as his headquarters. He wrestled Lou Thesz
Lou Thesz
Aloysius Martin "Lou" Thesz was a United States professional wrestler and 18-time world heavyweight champion, most notably holding the NWA World Heavyweight Championship three times. Combined, he held the NWA Championship for 10 years, three months and nine days , longer than anyone else in history...
for the world title in Singapore.
Personal life
He settled down in Australia after he married Ellie in 1956. He died in Singapore in a car crash in 1970 on his way to a wrestling match.Championships and accomplishments
- Japan Wrestling AssociationAll Japan Pro Wrestlingis a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
- JWA All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
(1 time)
- JWA All Asia Tag Team Championship
External links
- Czaja at Online World of Wrestling