 In 1974 he showed up in Mexico's Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre as "Rikidozan Jr.", and learned the "Tope Suicida" maneuver, putting it into practice in Japan long before Gran Hamada from the rival New Japan Pro Wrestling became the first Japanese wrestler to use Lucha-inspired aerial maneuvers regularly in his matches.A year later, he briefly wrestled for the Funks Western States Sports promotion.On January 2, 1976, Momota won his first honor when he won the yearly January 2 Korakuen Hall Battle Royal.