Victor Zangiev
Encyclopedia
Victor Zangiev is a retired Soviet amateur wrestler, who wrestled professionally in Japan.
. In 1981, he reversed the first seat in the 100 kg class for the Junior World Championships in freestyle wrestling. In 1985, he won two major amateur wrestling titles, the U.S.-Soviet Cup Championships and the World Cup Championships. In 1988, Zangiev won the Soviet Championships.
to train in his dojo and wrestle professionally in his promotion, New Japan Pro Wrestling
. Debuting on February 22 at Sumo Hall, Zangiev wrestled two exhibition matches, first against Salman Hashimikov
(which ended in a time-limit draw), then against Osamu Matsuda, whom he defeated. In April 1989, he participated in a tournament to determine the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion at New Japan's first show at the Tokyo Dome
; he defeated Buzz Sawyer
in the quarterfinals, but lost to Shinya Hashimoto
in the semifinals. Zangiev would continue wrestling in the mid-card, before leaving at the tail end of 1990.
Before their departure, he and Hashimikov were chosen to represent the Soviet Union for the Pat O'Connor
International Tag Team Tournament at Starrcade '90: Collision Course
for World Championship Wrestling
; they defeated the Canadian team of Danny Johnson and Troy Montour in the quarterfinals, but lost to Masa Saito
and The Great Muta
in the semifinals.
. Like in NJPW, he didn't compete for championships, he mainly wrestled in mid-card single and tag team matches. In October 1994, he left UWFi and retired from professional wrestling.
The video game character Zangief
, from Capcom
's Street Fighter II
, was modeled and designed after Zangiev.
Amateur wrestling career
Victor Zangiev was a great amateur wrestler from the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. In 1981, he reversed the first seat in the 100 kg class for the Junior World Championships in freestyle wrestling. In 1985, he won two major amateur wrestling titles, the U.S.-Soviet Cup Championships and the World Cup Championships. In 1988, Zangiev won the Soviet Championships.
New Japan Pro Wrestling (1989–1990)
In 1989, Zangiev, along with several other amateurs, were invited by Antonio InokiAntonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
to train in his dojo and wrestle professionally in his promotion, New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
. Debuting on February 22 at Sumo Hall, Zangiev wrestled two exhibition matches, first against Salman Hashimikov
Salman Hashimikov
Salman Hashimikov, also spelled Hasimikov , is a prominent Soviet heavyweight wrestler. A Chechen from Russia, he holds two European and four World Championship gold medals in freestyle wrestling...
(which ended in a time-limit draw), then against Osamu Matsuda, whom he defeated. In April 1989, he participated in a tournament to determine the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion at New Japan's first show at the Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
; he defeated Buzz Sawyer
Buzz Sawyer
Bruce Woyan was a professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Buzz Sawyer. Throughout his career, he was also known by the nickname "Mad Dog". He was characterized by his crazy antics inside the ring and out.-Career:Sawyer started wrestling in 1979 in the National Wrestling Alliance 's...
in the quarterfinals, but lost to Shinya Hashimoto
Shinya Hashimoto
, was a Japanese professional wrestler. Along with Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh, Hashimoto was dubbed one of the "Three Musketeers" that began competing in New Japan Pro Wrestling in the mid 1980s and dominated the promotion in the 1990s....
in the semifinals. Zangiev would continue wrestling in the mid-card, before leaving at the tail end of 1990.
Before their departure, he and Hashimikov were chosen to represent the Soviet Union for the Pat O'Connor
Pat O'Connor (wrestler)
Patrick John "Pat" O'Connor , was a professional wrestler from New Zealand. O'Connor was regarded as one of the premier workers of his era...
International Tag Team Tournament at Starrcade '90: Collision Course
Starrcade (1990)
Starrcade '90 was the eighth annual Starrcade professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced under the National Wrestling Alliance banner. It was the third Starrcade event produced by World Championship Wrestling, and the last pay-per-view event held by the NWA. It took place on December 16,...
for World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...
; they defeated the Canadian team of Danny Johnson and Troy Montour in the quarterfinals, but lost to Masa Saito
Masa Saito
is a former Japanese professional wrestler better known as Mr. Saito or . He wrestled for several years in various promotions operated by the National Wrestling Alliance . He later joined the World Wrestling Federation , where he teamed with Mr. Fuji to hold the World Tag Team Championship twice...
and The Great Muta
Keiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
in the semifinals.
UWF International (1994)
In April 1994, Zangiev returned to Japan, this time with the shoot-style UWF InternationalUWF International
Union of Wrestling Forces International, better known as UWF International, U-Inter, or simply UWFi, was a shoot style professional wrestling promotion in Japan from 1991 to 1996. Although the matches were worked , the UWF-i was very convincing for its time, promoting a more hard-hitting, realistic...
. Like in NJPW, he didn't compete for championships, he mainly wrestled in mid-card single and tag team matches. In October 1994, he left UWFi and retired from professional wrestling.
Popularity
Among wrestling fans, Zangiev has been well known for his agility and flexibility in the ring.The video game character Zangief
Zangief
is a fictional character in the Street Fighter series of video games. Created by Akira Yasuda for Capcom, Zangief first appeared in Street Fighter II, later appearing in other games, media, and promotions related to the Street Fighter franchise...
, from Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
's Street Fighter II
Street Fighter II
is a competitive fighting game originally released for the arcades in . It is the arcade sequel to the original Street Fighter released in and was Capcom's fourteenth title that ran on the CP System arcade hardware...
, was modeled and designed after Zangiev.