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According to Tokyo Sports, Eiji Ezaki, better known to the wrestling world as Hayabusa, was found dead yesterday. He was 47 years old.
The cause of death is listed as subarachnoid hemorrhage, which is bleeding in the area of the brain and the tissues that cover the brain.
While he began his career in 1991 where he trained in the FMW Dojo, he first came to the world's attention in a spectacular match with Jushin "Thunder" Liger in the first round of the Super J Cup tournament in 1994. It is the same tournament that brought Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko, TAKA Michinoku and The Great Sasuke to the attention of audiences around the world through tape trading.
His biggest match in the United States came when he teamed with Jinsei Shinzaki (known to WWE audiences as Hakushi) to take on Sabu & Rob Van Dam at ECW Heat Wave '98 in Dayton, Ohio.
In October 2001, he suffered a career ending neck injury after a botched Lionsault in a match against Mammoth Sasaki. His retirement, which confined him to a wheelchair, was the beginning of the end of the FMW promotion.
In a highly emotional and moving ceremony last year, Hayabusa was able to stand and walk into a ring on his own two feet. That video can be seen here:
While he may never get credit for it, Ezaki was one of the most innovative high-flyers in history and was years ahead of his time.
On behalf of the entire PWInsider staff, we send our condolences to his friends, family, loved ones and all of his fans.
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