Hayabusa passes away.

[ChuckScumm]

Brain hemorrhage...

 

http://www.tokyo-sports.co.jp/prores/mens_prores/514171/

[NotJayTabb]

Horrible news to wake up to. Was one of the first puro guys I gravitated towards, partly because I loved his knock-off character on WCW/NWO World Tour. One of my first comp tapes I bought was a best of Hayabusa, really fun guy to watch.

[Dylan Waco]

The 5/5/95 retirement match with Onita is one of the biggest matches and shows in wrestling history that no one talks about anymore. Tremendously innovative and I would argue influential flyer. Was very beloved among hardcore FMW fans and was absolutely a guy that all tape traders were obsessed with in the late 90s and early internet days. Not as influential as Sabu, but a bigger star in his home country. Probably one of the more interesting figures from the 90s that people never seem to bring up. RIP.

[Blehschmidt]

Now the news I wanted to wake up too. I have for whatever reason never been able to get into the Puroresu scene, except for Hayabusa. Just something about the guy drew me in. I had VHS tapes, then DVD's of his matches, that I still watch to this day. I was gutted when he was inured, and freely admit that I had tears in my eyes when I saw the video of him walking. I knew he would never make the comeback that he always promised, but seeing the Phoenix rise again just to walk to the ring was amazing. Another legend of the wrestling world gone too soon.

 

RIP Eiji Ezaki

[Laz]

He got me interested in puro. I still love the matches with Gannosuke, Tanaka, and Awesome.

 

RIP falconer

[Eegah]

This one made me really sad. The guy fought hard to walk again and did it, a true spirit. Seemed like a positive guy. Always enjoyed watching him and definitely in the 90s tape trading world he was a god. Rest in Peace.

[Loss]

Definitely sad. I've become a big fan the last few years as I've gone through his peak years.

[S.L.L.]

An easy guy to like as a starter puro fan, and he's always held up well for me. Eegah mentioned his positivity, and he really did sound like an optimist considering the cards he was dealt, which I admire. I'm glad he was at least able to get out of the chair before he passed on. RIP

[ChuckScumm]

I was a huge FMW fan from 98 until it became too much of a Attitude era knock off. Hayabusa getting paralyzed was kind of the knock out blow to my wrestling fandom until the mid to late 2000s. At least he was able to move somewhat before he passed.

[Death From Above]

Fuck, this one hurts. Absolutely one of my favourite guys from my formative years as a fan of Japanese wrestling. Hayabusa/Liger was a huge dream match for me, and I guess always will be.

 

He was a great worker and deserved a better life than he wound up with.

 

This one really sucks, I can't come up with much more to say right now.

[El-P]

Well, I'm kinda "retired" of the board at this point, but I feel I have to say a word about this one. As some people who knew me from way back know, I was always a big FMW fan, it was one promotion I really kept up with, even during the goofy yet underrated Fuyuki years. Hayabusa vs Gannosuke really was one of my favorite feud of any era/promotion. Of course I was mostly a Gannosuke mark, but Hayabusa was an important figure in my puroresu fandom growth. Terrific babyface, super innovative flyer in the 90's. Had the immense pressure of carrying FMW on his back after Onita left them dry, and although for a while, it was on Megumi Kudo's shoulders that the responsibility weighed the most, Hayabusa remained the face of the company as a male babyface ace from 1995 up to his tragic accident.

 

It's yet another sad chapter on the demise of FMW, which really had been a greek tragedy of sorts. Iv'e got tons of great memories of getting FMW tapes to see Hayabusa's matches against Gannosuke, Onita, Kanemura, Fuyuki and plenty others. I loved his presentation and music theme, it had the mystic and dramatic flair FMW always carried.

 

I'll fully admit that none of the recent deaths made me react at all. Yep, pretty much none of those huge stars going away had me left thinking and pondering for a minute (probably because none of them, and yes, I'm talking Piper of Dusty, played a huge part in my wrestling fandom, I was an early 1990's WWF guy). But this one sure does. Because it brings me back when my pro-wrestling fandom shifted, it brings me back to the joy of tape-buying (and waiting for weeks to get tapes from overseas, each match on those seemed so more precious then, even the bad ones) and to the days of one of my favorite promotion ever, FMW. After such a terrible accident, the fact that he fought to get on his feet again, to some extent, says a lot about the will this guy had. It's just so sad. (a little thought for BAHU too, who must be sad as hell)

 

Thanks for the memories Eiji Ezaki.

[ChuckScumm]

Well, I'm kinda "retired" of the board at this point, but I feel I have to say a word about this one. As some people who knew me from way back know, I was always a big FMW fan, it was one promotion I really kept up with, even during the goofy yet underrated Fuyuki years. Hayabusa vs Gannosuke really was one of my favorite feud of any era/promotion. Of course I was mostly a Gannosuke mark, but Hayabusa was an important figure in my puroresu fandom growth. Terrific babyface, super innovative flyer in the 90's. Had the immense pressure of carrying FMW on his back after Onita left them dry, and although for a while, it was on Megumi Kudo's shoulders that the responsibility weighed the most, Hayabusa remained the face of the company as a male babyface ace from 1995 up to his tragic accident.

 

It's yet another sad chapter on the demise of FMW, which really had been a greek tragedy of sorts. Iv'e got tons of great memories of getting FMW tapes to see Hayabusa's matches against Gannosuke, Onita, Kanemura, Fuyuki and plenty others. I loved his presentation and music theme, it had the mystic and dramatic flair FMW always carried.

 

I'll fully admit that none of the recent deaths made me react at all. Yep, pretty much none of those huge stars going away had me left thinking and pondering for a minute (probably because none of them, and yes, I'm talking Piper of Dusty, played a huge part in my wrestling fandom, I was an early 1990's WWF guy). But this one sure does. Because it brings me back when my pro-wrestling fandom shifted, it brings me back to the joy of tape-buying (and waiting for weeks to get tapes from overseas, each match on those seemed so more precious then, even the bad ones) and to the days of one of my favorite promotion ever, FMW. After such a terrible accident, the fact that he fought to get on his feet again, to some extent, says a lot about the will this guy had. It's just so sad. (a little thought for BAHU too, who must be sad as hell)

 

Thanks for the memories Eiji Ezaki.

Yeah, I would imagine BAHU is taking it pretty hard. Used to trade tapes with him back in the day of the old Squared Circle chat on AOL. He definitely played a part of getting me into FMW.

[ChuckScumm]

Well, I'm kinda "retired" of the board at this point, but I feel I have to say a word about this one. As some people who knew me from way back know, I was always a big FMW fan, it was one promotion I really kept up with, even during the goofy yet underrated Fuyuki years. Hayabusa vs Gannosuke really was one of my favorite feud of any era/promotion. Of course I was mostly a Gannosuke mark, but Hayabusa was an important figure in my puroresu fandom growth. Terrific babyface, super innovative flyer in the 90's. Had the immense pressure of carrying FMW on his back after Onita left them dry, and although for a while, it was on Megumi Kudo's shoulders that the responsibility weighed the most, Hayabusa remained the face of the company as a male babyface ace from 1995 up to his tragic accident.

 

It's yet another sad chapter on the demise of FMW, which really had been a greek tragedy of sorts. Iv'e got tons of great memories of getting FMW tapes to see Hayabusa's matches against Gannosuke, Onita, Kanemura, Fuyuki and plenty others. I loved his presentation and music theme, it had the mystic and dramatic flair FMW always carried.

 

I'll fully admit that none of the recent deaths made me react at all. Yep, pretty much none of those huge stars going away had me left thinking and pondering for a minute (probably because none of them, and yes, I'm talking Piper of Dusty, played a huge part in my wrestling fandom, I was an early 1990's WWF guy). But this one sure does. Because it brings me back when my pro-wrestling fandom shifted, it brings me back to the joy of tape-buying (and waiting for weeks to get tapes from overseas, each match on those seemed so more precious then, even the bad ones) and to the days of one of my favorite promotion ever, FMW. After such a terrible accident, the fact that he fought to get on his feet again, to some extent, says a lot about the will this guy had. It's just so sad. (a little thought for BAHU too, who must be sad as hell)

 

Thanks for the memories Eiji Ezaki.

Yeah, I would imagine BAHU is taking it pretty hard. Used to trade tapes with him back in the day of the old Squared Circle chat on AOL. He definitely played a part of getting me into FMW.

[Tenese Sarwieh]

This wrestling death is real depressing. After all these years of fighting on his quest to walk again and when it finally happens he passes away. Life is just too cruel sometimes. I admired him for never giving up and I also admired him for staying loyal to FMW while he would’ve been a bigger star in New Japan. R.I.P. to a true innovator.

[Sidebottom]

For me Hayabusa was FMW. The promotion was never the same after his injury as so much was built around him. He came a long way from Onita sticking fireworks up his ass for a publicity stunt.

 

 

From teaming with Baba at the Tokyo Dome, to getting an international fan following, he came very far in a very short amount of time. A photographers favourite due to his look, I was never a fan of the "H" change, but in hindsight it was a pretty radical thing for him to do in order to be daring and creative at a time he really didn't have to do it.

 

What happened with Shoichi Arai after the accident is 2001 was tragic. The whole picture was tragic. But we got some light in the years that passed with Hayabusa displaying a good spirit and his walking to the ring video going viral. I just hope he went happy.

 

RIP.

[Ship Canal]

Apologies for the cut and paste but drunk and tired, this is what I posted about him on the facebook group I set up for me and my mates to talk about wrestling... this has been a tough one for me, more so than I might have expected if that makes sense.

Anyway:

So yeah, been sad about this all day.

Seems to me as has already been pointed out there is something especially poignant about this for a lot of people of a certain generation because Hayabusa was a lot of peoples first introduction to Japanese wrestling. I think wrestling is an artform and that makes that as valuable as a band introducing you to weirder music or a novel that turns you onto to new ideas about life, to be somewhat overblown but honest about it.

And what a fucking amazing pro wrestler. People used to say he was like Sabu (before we'd seen many of his matches make tape) and we expected this clumsy fucking maniac who would be entertaining but basically pure chaos.

And he was this dynamic, sometimes surprisingly smooth worker who just happened to have ended up in a major hardcore fed in Japan that was somehow the third biggest company in Japan at that time. It was just the nicest realization that this guy was an incredible wrestler. Guys are still ripping him off today and will be for years. Sorry for the rant but I loved that guy.

[S.L.L.]

Glad El-P mentioned BAHU. I was thinking about him during my day today, and wondering how he's doing. I know we've all dismissed the term "Internet Wrestling Community", and the idea we used that term for is outdated and probably doesn't even really exist anymore, but...it is a funny little community we've had - and have - over the years, isn't it?

 

And whatever corner of that community you came from - "US only" parts excepted, obviously - you probably really liked Hayabusa, and not a lot of wrestlers can say that. Even less can still say that now, but he can. In some respects, a guy who's career gets taken for granted, but the more you look at it, he was really a remarkable performer in many ways. He will be missed.

[Ship Canal]

 

And whatever corner of that community you came from - "US only" parts excepted, obviously - you probably really liked Hayabusa, and not a lot of wrestlers can say that. Even less can still say that now, but he can. In some respects, a guy who's career gets taken for granted, but the more you look at it, he was really a remarkable performer in many ways. He will be missed.

 

Amen.

[RCS1988]

I only seen a few clips of him, but he was basically Sabu with a mask on.

[cheapshot]

I only seen a few clips of him, but he was basically Sabu with a mask on.

How ignorant.

[ohtani's jacket]

According to the newspaper reports, he was supposed to play a gig the night he died and when he didn't show up the owner of the place he was supposed to play at went to check on him. Hayabusa was living by himself and the owner found him dead in bed. That was at 2:00 a.m. on the 4th and he had died at noon on the 3rd. His agency said he showed no symptoms of ill health and there hadn't been any warning signs.

[cm funk]

Very bummed to hear this news

 

Was never the biggest fan of his......but I had a lot of respect for him. Both as a performer.....and moreso for his fighting spirit after the injury. I'll fully admit to tearing up seeing pictures of him backstage at a WWE show and being treated like a rockstar with everyone wanting to take pictures with him......and that getting out of a wheelchair and going in the ring again video

 

I need to watch more prime period FMW. I tend to fall more in the category of being an Onita or Gannosuke fan......but maybe I'll rediscover Hayabusa

 

RIP

[RCS1988]

 

I only seen a few clips of him, but he was basically Sabu with a mask on.

How ignorant.

 

 

Dude, Not every wrestling fan on here has seen every single territory imaginable. I never seen his work in FMW. I only seen that tag match from Heat Wave 98. It sucks that he died at a young age, but don't go assuming that everyone on here as seen everything from every territory.

[Troy]

 

 

 

I only seen a few clips of him, but he was basically Sabu with a mask on.

How ignorant.

Dude, Not every wrestling fan on here has seen every single territory imaginable. I never seen his work in FMW. I only seen that tag match from Heat Wave 98. It sucks that he died at a young age, but don't go assuming that everyone on here as seen everything from every territory.

If you've only seen one of his matches then you shouldn't make bold comments.

[Laz]

He also called you ignorant, which you are if you've admittedly only seen one of his matches. Some of his best and/or more important ones are on YouTube. His only comparison to Sabu is the choice of pants and abundance of deathmatches.