Legendary wrestler, Masa Saito, has passed away at 76. He is reported to have passed away due to complications related to Parkinson’s disease over the weekend.
WWE fans will be most familiar with Saito from the tag-team he formed along with Mr. Fuji. Saito and Fuji are 2x WWF tag-team champions. He is also a former AWA World Heavyweight champion, winning the title from Larry Zbyszko in 1990. The match was held in front of 63,000 people inside the Tokyo Dome.
Saito retired from the ring in 1999 and was given a special Service Award from Tokyo Sports in recognition of his contributions to pro-wrestling. He is also the innovator of the Saito suplex.
Rest in Peace the legendary Japanese wrestler Masa Saito #goforbroke pic.twitter.com/wxyI1GD82Y
— Shinsuke Nakamura (@ShinsukeN) July 16, 2018
Reactions to the Death of Masa Saito
The death of the legendary wrestler has caused an outpouring of support online.
Shinsuke Nakamura sent out the following in response to the news: “Rest in Peace the legendary Japanese wrestler Masa Saito.”
Japanese wrestling expert and author, Chris Charlton, also commented. “Masa Saito got his start in the JWA and was part of the pioneering IWE,” Charlton Tweeted. “His work in America as a liaison and trainer forged a path for so many American stars in Japan, including Hulk Hogan.”
Samoa Joe recently sent out the following:
RIP Masa Saito. May your reigns of terror never be forgotten. pic.twitter.com/WzwyH1dBva
— Samoa Joe (@SamoaJoe) July 16, 2018
“RIP Masa Saito. May your reigns of terror never be forgotten.”
WWE Performance Center trainer, Steve Corino, also spoke about the influence Saito had on his career.
“Masa Saito was in the first tag team match I ever saw on TV 1981,” Corino Tweeted. “I was fortunate to be a fly on the wall while him and Nick Bockwinkel (I was the 3rd wheel) had lunch at our hotel in Tokyo in 2006. I was floored by how nice of a man he was. A true legend. Rest well.:
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