Bibby Too Much for Matsuda

In the early 1880s, Sorakichi Matsuda, or Matsada in most American newspapers, traveled to the United States to wrestle professionally. Japan did not have a developed professional wrestling circuit, so Matsuda thought he would bring the sport back to Japan after an apprenticeship in the United States.

After training for a while, Matsuda signed an agreement to wrestle the first recognized American Heavyweight Wrestling Champion, Edwin Bibby. 35-year-old Bibby was nearing the end of his career, while Matsuda was around 25 years old.

New York fans filled Irving Hall to watch the old champion battle the unknown newcomer. The men agreed to a two-out-of-three-falls catch-as-catch wrestling match.

Bibby entered the ring first. Bibby wore white tights and red trunks. Bibby stood five feet, four inches tall and weighed one hundred fifty-five pounds for this match.

Matsuda entered next in his brown tights and red trunks. Matsuda stood five feet, seven inches and weighed one hundred seventy pounds.

To build excitement for the match, Matsuda’s manager, Professor Kirby, claimed Matsuda won fifty-three of one hundred tournament matches in Japan. Like most managers, Kirby put out pure fiction about his wrestlers because newspaper reporters could not fact check the information.

As the men approached each other to start the match, Matsuda dropped to all fours on the mat. Bibby followed suit, which may be what Matsuda was waiting for. Matsuda leaped onto Bibby’s back, while Matsuda slid his left arm around Matsuda’s neck.

Bibby stood up, slipped his head out from under Matsuda’s arm and secured a waist hold on Matsuda. Bibby lifted Matsuda off the mat throwing Matsuda to the mat on his back and shoulders. Bibby spun to a cross-body hold on Matsuda.

Matsuda tried bridging but it was too late. Bibby pressed Matsuda’s back to the mat for the first fall in 32 seconds. Matsuda looked shocked at first but recovered during the fifteen-minute intermission.

To start the second fall, Bibby grabbed Matsuda in a front face lock. Before Bibby turned the hold into a guillotine choke, Matsuda pushed Bibby to the edge and almost off the stage. Bibby realized his predicament, released the hold and turned out of Matsuda’s grip before he fell off the stage.

Matsuda followed Bibby trying to secure a waist hold. Bibby spun to Matsuda’s back again and took Matsuda to the mat on his stomach.

Matsuda stood back up, but Bibby lifted Matsuda and dumped Matsuda over Bibby’s shoulder onto Matsuda’s back and shoulders. Matsuda spun to his feet before Bibby could pin him.

Matsuda tried to take Bibby’s back, while Bibby was on all fours. Bibby tripped Matsuda, spun chest to chest with him and threw Matsuda to the mat despite both men being on their knees. Bibby pressed Matsuda to the mat for the second fall and match in two minutes, nineteen seconds.

Bibby proved too much for the relative novice. Matsuda continued wrestling and was one of the better professional wrestlers by 1886 and 1887. Matsuda wrestled Bibby again in Bibby’s final professional wrestling match in 1887.

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Sources: The New York Times (New York City, New York), January 15, 1884, p. 8

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