A True Great Who Is Worthy Of The Title Legend
This last week has been a
tough week personally as my grandad is being treated in hospital for cancer so
I have remained largely quiet as WWE builds towards Wrestlemania with a card
that seems is the best they can do due to their plethora of injuries. However,
today I am offering my opinion on The Falcon, The Star of FMW and one of the
true great high flyers, Hayabusa.
My
introduction to Hayabusa came from my love of wrestling games, specifically the
old AKI wrestling games and the Fire Pro Wrestling series, both critically
acclaimed series which hold a place in many a wrestling gamer's fans heart. As
I discovered Puroresu(Japanese Wrestling), I was drawn to the likes of Kobashi,
Misawa, Chono and Liger just to name a few. Like anyone obsessed with anything,
I wanted to know everything there was to know about these wrestlers. Their
entrance themes, their moves and their best matches were essential to my
understanding of the wrestler. Going through phases like any wrestling fan, I
had finished watching the likes of AJPW, Pro Wrestling Noah and New Japan so
next on my list was FMW. I was quick to find out that FMW had two main stars,
the first was Atsushi Onita who then passed the torch to a young Eiji Ezaki,
better known to us as Hayabusa.
FMW was
Japan's answer to ECW with a few exceptions, FMW tended to be more over the top
and violent. Barbwire matches, exploding C4 matches and electrified cage
matches are just some of the brutal matches which took place in the promotion.
From 1995 until 2001, Hayabusa was the undisputed king of FMW. He would fight
giants like Leatherface and Mike Awesome but would have insanely great matches
with his arch rival Mr. Gannosuke or Jinsei Shinzaki. If I could recommend a
match from Hayabusa's career, it would be any high profile match against
Gannosuke or his 1999 title match with ECW Alumni Masato Tanaka. He had so much
chemistry with both men and you can get to see why Hayabusa was so highly
regarded by his peers.
I was drawn
to Hayabusa due to everything about his character. His facepaint and attires
were always a mixture of such bright colours and he look so different to
everyone else on the FMW roster. His entrance theme was just perfect, it is one
of my all time favorite themes and his moveset was crazy. All sorts of high
flying moves would be seen regularly in his matches. 450 Splashes, moonsaults,
springboard dives to the outside and inside of the ring, a falcon's arrow here
and there and the move he originated, The Phoenix Splash which is used today by
Seth Rollins. He was the top star of FMW and he never ever looked like he did
not deserve it. He was truly one of a kind.
In
2001 after attempting a springboard moonsault, Hayabusa broke his neck and was
left paralyzed which led to the end of his in ring career and the end of FMW as
they only lasted a year after his retirement. Hayabusa would walk once more
unaided in 2015 which was met with roars of approval from the crowd which had
watched him seemingly defy gravity for years and years. Another wrestler dead
before the age of 50, another reminder of what this business takes from those
who entertain us night after night. Hayabusa, Eiji Ezaki was a true innovator
in this sport and had a great run in the business despite his career ending
injury. His legion of fans will never ever let his name be forgotten and
thankfully, there is hours of footage on youtube available for all of us to
gorge ourselves on so do not be sad but rather enjoy the memories that this man
made for us and never forget the legend that is Hayabusa!
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