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Japanese Legend Eiji Ezaki A.K.A. Hayabusa Has Passed Away


Poe Øhlin

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Tokyo Sport (with me additions by myself)

 

Eiji Ezaki, known to wrestling fans around the world as Hayabusa has died.

 

Ezaki was found dead yesterday according to Tokyo Sports. He was only 47 years old. The cause of death is a subarachnoid hemorrhage which means blood got into the subarachnoid space of the central nervous system which is filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

 

Ezaki was most remembered for his time within the Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) promotion in Japan, known for popularizing the deathmatch. For many Ezaki was the ace of the company after Atsushi Onita (founder of FMW) left the company and that it was Ezaki who carried it until an injury which left him paralyzed during the middle of a match in 2001. After his retirement Ezaki took up a career in music while continuing to make appearances in wrestling as a special guest. It was shown over the years and reported last year that Ezaki had finally regained the ability to walk.

 

 

 

I am...utterly heart broken right now. Hayabusa was the wrestler who got me into puroresu and helped make me into both a fan of puro and an even bigger fan of wrestling as a whole. While I do not believe I will ever have a career in wrestling, Hayabusa is one of my heroes and idols. I would say more...but I just can't...I need to just have some time.

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damn Hayabusa is really close to my heart in Japanese wrestling he was in the first Puroresu wrestler i saw and i instantly fell in love with his style its a shame to see him pass away. Please WWE induct him into the hall he's a great wrestler his career shouldnt have ended so early and neither should his life RIP Hayabusa 1968-2016

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This can't be...Wtf?? Not Hayabusa. Goddamn it. I was hoping he would be able to fulfill his dream of being able to do his entrance and walk to the ring un-aided just once, without the use of a cane. I heard he was really doing good a few years ago, with his singing career and all of that, and was getting closer to his hope. Damn man, another legend gone, and he was way too young at that, the man had some tough times but shit...RIP Hayabusa.

 

 

 

 

zufimb.jpg

 

"The Phoenix Never Dies."

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Genuinely sad considering the progress he seemed to be making in the last few years. I can't claim to be his biggest fan as to be honest I don't think I've seen more than say 20 of his matches but he was obviously a fantastic talent with incredible athleticism and combined with his unique look and charisma made him a star that people were drawn to. It was always good to see him pop up at wrestling shows and then to see the affection and warmth that people still had for him. Its tragic to see his life cut short after his career was cut short but the way he never gave up and continued to push himself with his music career and his fight against his disability was inspiring and showed how strong of a person he was.

 

RIP Hayabusa

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Damn, one of my all time favorites. He was an influence on so many wrestlers at the time. First time I saw him(outside of fire pro) was against liger. I remember watching him evolve in FMW, and had a vast tape library of his matches. I still remember freaking out when it was announced he would team with shinzaki against RVD and Sabu. I don't know what he leaves behind personally, but professionally i feel he left behind a legacy, and broadened my view of pro wrestling as a whole.

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NO! God dammit not him... One of my all time favourites, the guys inability to sit back and let his paralysis rule his life was such an inspiration. Dammit... may he rest in peace.

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As noted, wrestling legend Hayabusa passed away this week at the age of 47. WWE issued this statement on his passing:

 

WWE is saddened to learn of the passing of Eiji Ezaki, better known to fans around the world as Hayabusa, at the age of 47.

 

An innovative high-flyer who helped inspire a generation of Superstars, the mysterious, masked Hayabusa was known for throwing caution to the wind. Ezaki created daring moves like the Phoenix Splash, which to this day can be seen in the repertoire of daredevil competitors, including former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. A major star in Japan in the mid to late '90s, Hayabusa competed in one major American match, teaming with Jinsei Shinzaki (known as Hakushi in WWE) in a losing effort against Sabu & Rob Van Dam at ECW's Heat Wave 1998 event. Although his career was cut short by injury in 2001, Ezaki never strayed far from the industry, where he continued to impart his knowledge.

 

WWE extends its condolences to Ezaki's family, friends and fans.

http://www.wrestlinginc.com/wi/news/2016/0304/608258/wwe-issues-statement-on-hayabusa-passing-away/

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I wonder if the hemorrhage was a result of the broken neck.

 

I read on another website that the Subarachnoid hemorrhage meant that he'd probably fallen in his home and it caused bleeding on the brain that eventually killed him. Really sad stuff, especially if this theory is true because it means he was probably walking around and stumbled.

 

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Hayabusa's death is probably the first one to really impact me in a major way since JC Bailey died in 2010. Hayabusa was one of those guys I'd found out about very early on when discovering stuff outside of the WWE/TNA realm. He was one of those guys who really stuck out to me. For a while I think I may have even thought he was Sabu in a mask, haha. Really sucks that he'll never get to live his dream to be Hayabusa just one more time.

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