Wrestling legend Masa Saito has actually died at the age of 76 because of issues from Parkinson’& rsquo; s illness.
The Japanese star completed for Japan in freestyle fumbling throughout the Summertime Olympics in 1964 and transitioned to specialist battling the following year. His pro job spanned years, lasting from 1965 up until his retirement in 1999.
Saito won championships all over he went. He pertained to the States in 1968, winning the San Francisco NWA Globe Tag Group Championship with Kenji Shibuya. He’& rsquo;d take place to hold tag team gold throughout the National Wrestling Alliance with different partners consisting of Shibuya, Gene Kiniski, Ivan Koloff, Mr. Sato as well as Hiro Matsuda. He was a heavyweight champion in NWA Florida as well as Alabama’& rsquo; s Southeastern Championship Wrestling. Saito likewise teamed with Jesse Ventura in the AWA as the Far East-West Connection.
Saito showed up in WWE in 1981, and also soon captured the WWE Tag Group Champion with the legendary Mr. Fuji. They’& rsquo;d hold WWE gold two times prior to Saito left in 1982 to wrestle for the AWA.
Saito defeated Larry Zbyszko to win the AWA Globe Champion before 63,900 fans at the Tokyo Dome in his hometown in February 1990. He shed the title back to Zbyszko a number of months later at SuperClash 4.
Masa Saito obviously wrestled for both All Japan Pro Wrestling and also New Japan Pro Wrestling throughout his profession. He won the IWGP Tag Group Champion with Riki Choshu and also Shinya Hashimoto.
Saito battled briefly in WCW a couple of times in the very early as well as mid-1990’& rsquo; s. His most noteworthy matches for the firm both came in loses at Starrcade (1990 teaming with The Wonderful Muta as well as shedding to the Steiner Brothers in an event last, and 1995 shedding via DQ to Johnny B. Badd in the WCW vs. NJPW series).
On behalf of every person right here at Vortainment, our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of the fantastic Masa Saito.