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Tor Kamata

{{Short description|American professional wrestler (1937–2007)}}

{{for|the fictional Japanese secret agent who appeared in a series of novels by John P. Marquand between the 1930s and 1950s|Mr. Moto}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}

{{Infobox professional wrestler

| name = Tor Kamata

|birth_name = McRonald Kamaka

| names = Tor Kamata
Tor Kamaka
"King" Tor Kamaka
Dr. Moto
Killer Moto

| image = Tor Kamata 1979.jpg

| image_size = 200px

| caption = Kamata, circa 1979

| height = 6 ft 3 in{{cite book|title=WWE Encyclopedia|last1=Shields|first1=Brian|last2=Sullivan|first2=Kevin|page=[https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/310 310]|publisher=DK|year=2009|isbn=978-0-7566-4190-0|url=https://archive.org/details/wweencyclopediad0000shie/page/310}}

| weight = 350 lb

| birth_date = {{birth date|1937|3|9|mf=y}}{{cite web|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2004/07/07/tor-kamata-mean-but-nice/|author=Oliver, Greg|title=Tor Kamata: Mean but nice |publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=2009-12-20|date=July 7, 2004}}

| birth_place = Hawaii, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2007|7|23|1937|3|9|mf=y}}

| death_place = Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Canada{{cite web|url=https://slamwrestling.net/index.php/2007/07/26/tor-kamata-dead-at-70/|author=Oliver, Greg|title=Tor Kamata dead at 70 |publisher=SLAM! Wrestling|access-date=2009-12-20|date=July 26, 2007}}

| billed = Japan
Polynesia

| trainer =

| debut = 1959

| retired = 1987

}}

McRonald Kamaka (March 9, 1937 – July 23, 2007) was an American-Canadian professional wrestler known by the ring name Tor Kamata. He won several heavyweight and tag team championships, most notably the PWF World Heavyweight Championship in All Japan Pro Wrestling and the AWA World Tag Team Championship in the American Wrestling Association. He was a classic heel, reviled for dirty tricks in the ring, included rubbing salt in his opponent's eyes.

Professional wrestling career

After returning to Hawaii after leaving the United States Air Force, 50th State Big Time Wrestling promoter Ed Francis convinced Kamaka to try professional wrestling. He was given the name Tor Kamata in reference to Tomas De Torquemada of the Spanish Inquisition. He also worked as Dr. Moto, holding the American Wrestling Association's AWA World Tag Team Championship with Mitsu Arakawa. One of his signature moves, the "judo chop" became a popular phrase for all types of martial arts strikes in the 1960s, even being mentioned by Snoopy in the comic strip Peanuts (21 December 1964, 14 January 1967). A generation later, the phrase was satirised in the Austin Powers films.

In the early 1970s, Kamata worked for Stampede Wrestling in Canada, where he held the Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship three times. In the promotion, he feuded with Dan Kroffat.

In 1976 and 1977, Kamata wrestled in the World Wide Wrestling Federation. Managed by Freddie Blassie, he had two memorable matches with Bob Backlund when Backlund was on the brink of becoming the WWWF Champion. In the first, Kamata threw salt into Backlund's eyes, which set the stage for a televised Texas Death match, aired May 7, 1977. Again Kamata threw salt in Backlund's eyes, so Backlund merely used the referee's shirt to wipe it out. Then Backlund delivered an Atomic Knee Drop and won the match. At the time, Superstar Billy Graham had just defeated Bruno Sammartino for the championship and Backlund was being built up as the number one contender.

After WWWF, Kamata worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1978 where he worked there to the end of his career.

Kamata returned to WWWF now WWF in 1980 feuding with WWF Champion Bob Backlund and Pedro Morales. He left later that year and returned to Japan. He worked in various territories until his retirement in 1987.

Personal life

Kamata was an amateur wrestler during high school. He was a club bouncer before becoming a professional wrestler. He joined the United States Air Force and trained with amateur wrestlers in Turkey. During the 1970s, he owned restaurants in Calgary, Alberta, and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where he also ran a shiatsu business.

Kamata died on July 23, 2007, in Saskatoon after almost a decade of heart disease.

Championships and accomplishments

:*NWA World Tag Team Championship (6 times) - with Duke Keomuka{{cite book | first1=Royal | last1=Duncan | first2=Gary | last2=Will | title=Wrestling title histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present | location=Pennsylvania |year=2000 | publisher=Archeus Communications | isbn=0-9698161-5-4 | chapter=Texas: NWA World Tag Team Title [Siegel, Boesch and McLemore]}}{{cite web | url=http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/tx/nwa-ss/tx-nwa-t.html | title=National Wrestling Alliance World Tag Team Title [E. Texas] | work=Wrestling-Titles | access-date=February 21, 2017}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

{{Commons}}

  • [http://www.411mania.com/wrestling/news/57645/Various-News:-Stampede-Legend-Passes-Away,-Chyna-on-Grace,-Cage-Movie-Trailer-and-More.htm Article acknowledging Tor's death]
  • {{YouTube|F7mGaZE0vvU|Titans Bio #1: Tor Kamata}}
  • {{imdb name|id=1572360}}
  • {{professional wrestling profiles}}

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|list1=

{{AWA World Tag Team Championship}}

{{NWA World Tag Team Champions (Buffalo Athletic Club version)}}

{{NWA World Tag Team Champions (Los Angeles version)}}

{{NWA World Tag Team Champions (Mid-America version)}}

{{NWA World Tag Team Champions (Texas version)}}

{{Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship}}

{{Stampede Wrestling North American Heavyweight Championship}}

{{WWC Puerto Rico Championship}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kamata, Tor}}

Category:1937 births

Category:2007 deaths

Category:American male professional wrestlers

Category:Faux Japanese professional wrestlers

Category:Professional wrestlers from Hawaii

Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni

Category:20th-century male professional wrestlers

Category:20th-century American professional wrestlers

Category:NWA "Beat the Champ" Television Champions

Category:Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Champions

Category:Stampede Wrestling North American Heavyweight Champions

Category:NWA Americas Tag Team Champions

Category:PWF World Heavyweight Champions

Category:NWA Texas Heavyweight Champions