Antonio Inoki
Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki, a 1976 match in Tokyo between Ali and Japanese professional wrestler Antonio Inoki (now Muhammad Hussain Inoki) in 1976, was the first high-profile bout between a professional boxer and professional wrestler. The fight played an important role in the history of mixed martial arts (MMA). In Japan, the match inspired Inoki's students Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki to found Pancrase in 1993, which in turn inspired the foundation of Pride Fighting Championships in 1997. Pride was acquired by its rival Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 2007.