Eiji Ezaki is known as "FMW's rising star" for his spectacular moves that make the most of his natural springiness. It's been about two months since he left for Tijuana, Mexico on October 5th, but Ezaki has transformed into a strong man. He is now active as a masked man under the name "Hayabusa".

I'm surprised, but I'm an optimistic person so I didn't think too much about it (laughs). But since I came here, I want to be able to do lucha properly. I've been working hard for two months, pretending to be a new disciple. Oh, I forgot to mention that I'm not a rudo, but a limpio. Currently, Hayabusa fights mainly in Tijuana. I often team up with Onita Jr. in the same ring. "I think we've pretty much put it all together. Having Ichihara here has been a big help to me. I'm not alone, so it's a lot easier mentally. Of course, that's true for the matches, but it also feels like I have more leeway in my daily life, so I thought, "Since I'm going to Mexico, I really wanted to wear a mask, so I talked to my company about it and they said it was fine, so I decided to give it a try. I had decided on the design of the mask to some extent, and had it made after I got to Tijuana...

"I didn't have a name decided yet. The promoter here just happened to find me," said Hayabusa, feeling a sense of fulfillment. The promoter also has high expectations of me. "My first match after coming here was the main event. I teamed up with Rey Mysterio and El Sicodelico and fought against Coloso and MS1, but I think they saw me as a big, mobile fighter and treated me as such. Anyway, I just worked hard, or rather, I had no choice but to do it (laughs). Then, when someone was watching me practice lucha, they told me that I should call myself Hayabusa.

Apparently, they knew the bird Hayabusa and felt that it was the image they had. I thought that since I've come all the way overseas, I might as well change my name, so I went for it. I'm still not used to the mask, so it feels strange, but I've learned how difficult it is to fight. Recently, Mascaras, Dos Caras, Canek, and Villano came to Tijuana and fought, and I fought on the undercard, but it's clear that top fighters are different. I learned a lot," said Hayabusa, who is very excited for what's to come.

The duration of the overseas trip is undecided, but I have in mind not only to learn lucha but also to "gain weight." When I was in Japan, I wanted to become stronger because I was thin. "It could be six months or a year... The duration of this overseas trip is undecided, but I have to "do it" in my own way. First of all, I want to gain weight. I've heard of many Japanese wrestlers who came to Mexico and lost weight because the food didn't suit them, but I think I'm fine. I feel like I'm suited to it here, and I've gained about 5kg (11 pounds) and am now 95kg (209 pounds). Next time I go back to Japan, I'll come back stronger," says Hayabusa, who never misses weight training during his off-time.

Of course, he trains for himself, but also for FMW. Just before Ezaki left Japan, the FMW mat had become a lawless area. "There will be no problem at the end of the main event at Korakuen Hall (September 27th), which was a send-off match," Ezaki said, explaining how he became a masked wrestler under the name Hayabusa. Lucha Libre is a world of unknowns, but this represents a fresh start and a desire to absorb everything I can

"Lucha Libre is very different to watch and actually do it. Later, Toi, Hosaka and others broke in and Ezaki told Onita that he couldn't go to Mexico like this and that he wanted to stay in Japan, but he slapped him... I wanted to be a part of FMW's fighting force even a little. But Onita said to me with tears in his eyes, "Go, grow up and come back"... That made me decide. I would like to repay him by growing up and coming back. I know the current state of the FMW mat. The four teams are all mixed up. To be honest, I'm curious and I want to go back to Japan and become a fighting force, but I don't want to be a burden. I want to return with strength and satisfaction."

These words are very reassuring for FMW. Nothing is more difficult than keeping your words, but with this kind of feeling, Hayabusa is sure to make this overseas expedition a fruitful one. Fans are waiting for it. "Anything to say to the fans? It's a bit embarrassing. But anyway, it's all new to me, but I'm doing my best. It's been two months since I came here, and my training has only just begun, so I still have a long way to go, but I will definitely return bigger." Like soaring through the sky, Hayabusa and Eiji Ezaki are racing through Mexico with one conviction.

The "SUPER J-CUP 1st STAGE" at Ryogoku on April 16th is fast approaching. Among the participants, the freshest is undoubtedly FMW's Hayabusa (Eiji Ezaki). As the biggest hope of FMW, Eiji flew to Mexico (Tijuana) on October 5th last year. There, he called himself Hayabusa and transformed into a masked man, but the performances in the area were poor, and the number of matches was extremely small, so he was unable to perform as well as he wanted and was smoldering.

However, Hayabusa did not neglect his daily training. It was Antonio Peña, the boss of AAA, who noticed Hayabusa. When Peña came to Japan in January, Onita asked him to "take care of Hayabusa," and he decided to join the AAA circuit as promised. Hayabusa made the long-awaited Mexico City departure from Tijuana on February 28th. "The number of matches has increased since I came here (AAA), but it's still about once a week. But I'm only participating in "The big V match alone is packed with spectators. It's held in big cities in the region, like Puebla, Leon, and Matamoros, but the level of the wrestlers is very high," said Hayabusa.

His partners are mostly kickboxers and Apolo, and his opponents are up-and-coming wrestlers like Arafat and Los Centuriones. On the other hand, the speed is faster in this class, so Hayabusa has a lot to learn from them. Peña, who has about 10 wrestlers, also seems to be particularly fond of Hayabusa. Tiger Mask (Koji Kanemoto) joined AAA before Hayabusa's Mexico City tour. The two immediately hit it off. "We always practice together at the gym, and our hotels are close to each other, so we see each other every day in our private time," said Hayabusa. Tiger lost to Liger at the Tokyo Dome on January 4th. Hayabusa is scheduled to face Liger in the first round of the J-CUP. The two shared the same goal of beating Liger.

"Liger is a difficult fighter. He's a versatile type, so don't be shy. You have to go all out," Tiger advises. Hayabusa listens intently. "I have to be careful of Liger's unusual weight, and I might take some tough strikes. But if I get hit, I'll just fight back. I have a secret weapon for Ryogoku, but I don't know if I'll be able to use it because of who I'm up against... I'm going to go all out and go all out. I've been nominated, so I don't want to just participate. I want this match to leave an impression on FMW Hayabusa. Of course, I'm going to win!!!," Hayabusa said clearly.

Hayabusa will return to Japan on the 13th and return to Mexico on the 18th, so it will be exciting to see what kind of impactful fight he will show us in this one-night match with his secret weapon in mind.

Among the media, the one who attracted the most attention in the first round of the J-Cup was Liger Hayabusa. Hayabusa and Eiji Ezaki have very high qualities as wrestlers. Hayabusa uses his natural spring to show off his powerful and spectacular moves, and he also has a sense of wrestling.

However, it has been almost three years since his debut, and he has not achieved any great results, so surprisingly few people know his abilities... but those involved had high hopes that Hayabusa would put on a good match with Liger.

Of course, he himself has no intention of just participating. "I want to leave an impression of FMW Hayabusa in this match. I have a secret weapon prepared," he said, but he was not nervous at all. This man's strength is that he is not intimidated. This is also reflected in his words and actions. Even though he was fighting Liger, he entered the ring naturally without any nervousness! That is probably why. Hayabusa's strengths were fully displayed in this match.

Before the bell rang, Hayabusa blew Liger out of the ring with a drop kick and a side kick, and without a moment's hesitation, he landed a top rope tope con hilo with a brilliant piercing strike. He then landed a missile kick on the back of Liger's head. This series of preemptive attacks was truly impactful. Hayabusa had captured the hearts of the fans. Hayabusa continued to shock the audience after that.

His secret weapon was a hurricanrana, where he jumped backwards from the top of the corner onto Liger's shoulders. He also reversed Liger's signature shooting star press. Both were moves that he had never used before. Although the form was a little off, it was impressive that he was so motivated to try them out in a live match... but in fact, Hayabusa had no memory of this move before it happened.

After three minutes, he hit the back of his head with a power bomb, and from then on he fought on instinct alone. This was simply amazing. However, he seemed to have run out of stamina, and there were many times when he became out of breath and his movements became erratic, and in the end he was sunk by Liger's Fisherman Buster. This was also the reason why he was unsteady on his feet and unable to stand up after the match. Liger looked after Hayabusa and asked for a handshake.

If you read the comments in another section, you will understand that Liger took such action because he recognized Hayabusa. As Hayabusa was carried to the waiting room on the shoulders of the FMW wrestlers, he was given a huge round of applause, with some shouting "good job!" and it was not just Liger. The entire audience at both countries that day recognized Hayabusa. Hayabusa at FMW achieved his goal.

The Super J Cup was held at Ryogoku Kokugikan on April 16th. The best bout in the first round was Liger vs. Hayabusa. Eiji Ezaki, also known as Hayabusa, has been able to persevere against Liger and have made a strong impression on him, saying that he was Hayabusa in FMW. As a candidate for FMW's ace, he has endless possibilities for the future, what kind of vision does he have for the future... Just before he returned to Mexico, he looked back at the J Cup and listened to the story. <Interviewer Yoshiharu Yoshikawa at Narita Airport on April 18th>

- The match against Liger in the J-Cup...it was a good match.

Hayabusa: Really? I'm happy to be evaluated like that, but...I don't remember anything from the middle. I think Liger adjusted it to suit me.

- How much of the match do you remember?

Hayabusa: It seems that I lost my memory after getting hit with a powerbomb. I don't remember after that.

- You wrestled another three minutes. But it's impressive that you could move that much.

Hayabusa: Was it something that could pass the exam?

- It was enough.

Hayabusa: When I heard that I would be fighting Liger for the J-Cup at Hayabusa Mexico, the pressure was immense. I couldn't sleep that night. I was thinking about so many things.

- So even Hayabusa, who is known to be mentally tough and thick-skinned, was under a lot of pressure?

Hayabusa: No, I always worry about everything at first. But I'm good at thinking about it and thinking it's the same, so maybe I've become even tougher since going to Mexico (laughs). Anyway, I've been working hard in my own way since joining FMW, so I just have to go for it.

- Were you not nervous about representing FMW?

Hayabusa: That part is a bit... basically Eiji Ezaki has no track record in Japan, so he was eliminated in the qualifying round for the Independent World Junior Heavyweight Championship... I thought I had put in a lot of effort overseas, but I wondered how well I would be able to do competing in the J Cup. I thought that maybe if I wrestled as Hayabusa nobody would recognize me.

- It's true that he may not have a proven track record, but it's widely known that Eiji Ezaki has great qualities as a wrestler, and many people have high hopes for his future.

Hayabusa: I wonder if that's Hayabusa decided to participate.

- When Hayabusa entered the ring, the cheers were warm. The crowd was excited to see how he would do against Liger.

Hayabusa: I was also interested in how well I could do against Liger. It may sound strange to say that I wanted to test myself in such a big tournament, but that was the feeling I had.

— So that led to the surprise attack before the match. But that tope con hilo was impressive.

Hayabusa: When I got in the ring and saw Liger, I thought I had to do something. I think I was able to do it because it was Liger. Liger's presence in the junior heavyweight division right now is incredible. It would be rude to be shy. I thought I would give it my all and give it my all with what I have at the time. When I came out, I didn't hear any heckling or anything like "He's out of place." I got the feeling that people had high expectations of me, so I was thinking about how I could make myself memorable.

- You did some memorable moves. The extremely difficult Hurricanrana and the Shooting Star Press. Was this something you were aiming for from the beginning, regardless of whether you would lose your memory or not?

Hayabusa: That's true, but I think I did a good job. It's amazing how I was able to unconsciously use both moves without any preparation. I think this is the first time a Japanese person other than Liger has used the Shooting Star. And using it against Liger was just the most brazen move I could imagine (laughs).

- After the match, Liger praised Hayabusa, calling him an "amazing fighter."

Hayabusa: I don't remember, but after the match, Liger helped me out, but I guess he did so because he recognized my strength. When I greeted him in the waiting room, he asked me if I could try to compete in the Best of the Super Juniors, but I don't have the time. I want to go to the heavyweight division as soon as possible. I think that Hayabusa is just a part of Eiji Ezaki's growth process to become a heavyweight, so right now I want to absorb everything I can, and in that respect, it was great to be able to compete in the J-Cup this time.

- The big applause given to Hayabusa after the match says it all. Many people said, "You did a great job."

Hayabusa: Even though I had such a happy experience, I don't remember it...I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fans.

- This match against Liger was made possible by FMW's strong desire. I understand how much the company has high expectations of "Eiji Ezaki," but as you return to Mexico, what do you think you should do to live up to FMW's expectations?

Hayabusa: It's difficult. I haven't grown enough yet to respond to the various things the company is thinking about. I need to develop myself more. I hope that the results will be beneficial to the company.

- Listening to what you say, it seems like you underestimate myself too much, but don't you think you could be more assertive?

Hayabusa: But in my case, if I don't think like that, I won't put in the effort. I'm an optimistic person, so I put pressure on myself...I have to think, "You're not good enough yet." That's when I settle.

- Is it about staying on edge?

Hayabusa: I have to keep a sense of tension in a good way. So, when I can say something cheeky, I'll say it without hesitation (laughs). I'm not in a position to say such things yet.

- As for the techniques, I have no complaints. They are sharp, fast, and you can see the passion to make them look elegant.

Hayabusa: When it comes to techniques, destructive power is very important, but as a professional you also have to keep in mind the importance of "showing off."

- Do you still lack the power to be able to speak out loud?

Hayabusa: That's true, but I don't have the power, so my techniques still need improvement. I don't know what you all think, but I've hardly ever used suplex-type techniques in Japan.

- Huh? Is that so?

Hayabusa: I only used the German suplex once. I didn't use it consciously. Without power, it has no destructive power.

- Have you reached the stage where you can use it?

Hayabusa: Not yet. After I surpass 100kg (220 pounds). I hadn't used any suplex techniques, so my attacks may have been monotonous. Instead, I used more projectiles, but strength is required to aim for the heavyweight division.

- So, when Hayabusa or Eiji Ezaki performs a suplex-type move, it will be safe to say that he feels confident in himself.

Hayabusa: I hope I feel a little more confident than before.

- Okay. Any final words for us?

Hayabusa: This time I came back as a junior heavyweight and it was a great learning experience. Using this experience as fertilizer, Eiji Ezaki will return not as a junior heavyweight but as a heavyweight. Please wait until then.

The most memorable part of this trip to Mexico was the barbecue party held at Ultimo Dragon's house. The five people invited to this party were the third generation Tiger Mask, Koji Kanemoto, Hayabusa, Onita Jr., Akihito Ichihara, Liger, myself. Tiger is staying at a hotel, while Hayabusa and Onita are staying at Pension Amigo, a Japanese residential area, and they often go to Dragon's house for a meal. May 16th. After TripleMania II ended the night before, Liger, Tiger, and myself returned to Mexico City from Guadalajara in the morning and met up with Dragon and the others in the evening. We took a taxi for about 30 minutes from the city, and a quiet residential area reminiscent of Setagaya Ward in Tokyo came into view. The cityscape, which had been filled with the noise of cars and the smell of exhaust fumes and had a strong image of ruins, had completely changed. There we saw the reality of Mexico, where the gap between rich and poor is said to be extreme.

Dragon's house was built on the side of a small hill. It was a two-story detached house with a garden. It would be difficult to buy it in Japan. Dragon had been in Mexico for seven years and had managed to buy it with his small body alone. Five junior fighters gathered at Dragon's house. A fun party was held there, but to me it looked like a Mexican version of the J-CUP ring. Even though the barriers between junior organizations have been removed, I felt that when people with different careers from different organizations gather together, their respective intentions and emotions will inevitably be revealed. So I remained a "bystander", watching the match from ringside. Onita Jr. was the quietest of all. This was partly because it was his first time meeting Liger, but that doesn't mean he was scared or intimidated. He looked at me in a way that could have been interpreted as hostility, not only towards Liger, a star in a major promotion like New Japan, but also towards me, who doesn't usually have a chance to cover FMW. I couldn't help but sense Onita Jr.'s strong determination, that he didn't want to be made fun of just because he was from FMW. Come to think of it, Onita Jr. also willingly stood in the exact center of the line when the photo was taken.

Although he didn't say much, he was very assertive. In contrast to him, Hayabusa exuded a cheerfulness about him, even though they were both in FMW. This man had a certain charm. He was the type of person who tried to blend in with those around him by wrapping his feelings in a veil of jealousy. He got along with Tiger so well that it was almost creepy, and it was nice to see the two of them fooling around while giggling. It was Liger who dominated the atmosphere in the room. Having stayed at Dragon's house for about a month when he conquered Mexico, he literally thought of it as a stranger's house and looked inside the refrigerator in the kitchen!?!?!?! He took the outrageous step of peeking inside. Once Liger started making noise, it was impossible to control him. He kept cracking jokes one after another. "When I went to Russia a long time ago, the plane was so full that people had to hold on to the straps. I also once rode on a plane that leaked into the roof. It's true, it's true, it's true!" he rambled on with a straight face, but Dragon, knowing Liger's personality well, said, "There you go, you're lying again (laughs).

"Soon people will call you the boy who cried wolf," he said, refusing to take him seriously. However, Liger counterattacked, "Hmph, it's fine. The boy who cried wolf will be saved in the end, you guys." As you can see from the travel diary on page 1, readers, this is the real Liger. Still, I can't forget the taste of the steak grilled over the charcoal fire in the garden. It was thick and tender, both were amazing. It was one of the top three steaks I've ever eaten. Liger continues to say whatever he wants, making everyone happy. His eyes sparkled like the city lights visible in the distance from Dragon's mansion. He must be enjoying his freedom, freed from the constant stream of things in Japan.

Liger got carried away and planned to hide one of Dragon's masks and take it home with him. Everyone except Dragon was thinking to themselves (What a joke), but found it so funny. And so the party proceeded completely at Liger's pace. However, it seemed Liger had let loose a little too much. After all the fuss he had been making, he said, "I'm not going to invite wrestlers to my house anymore." The three younger wrestlers erupted in excitement. Dragon, who was either annoyed by this or had discovered the existence of a hidden mask, suddenly gave Hayabusa a fierce glare. He also gave Kanemoto some advice about the construction of Tiger's mask. At which point the three younger wrestlers quickly flew under Dragon. The world that had been dominated by Liger until then had now become Dragon's world. Regardless of what was going on in Japan, Dragon was still the boss in Mexico. He had complete control over the three younger wrestlers. The conversation revolved around Dragon.

What was Liger doing at the time? His energy from moments ago was gone, lying lonely on a sofa far from our group. What I felt here was that two great men cannot coexist. This is true whether in the ring or in a seat like this. When two people gather together, an invisible power relationship is inevitably born. On one side is a junior star from Japan. The other is an estrella (star) from Mexico. When one becomes the main character, the other is pushed aside. As for this party, Dragon, who was constantly being tormented by Liger at first, showed his determination at the very end.

Of course, Liger could have fought back against the competitive Liger and once again drawn everyone around him into his world. However, Liger was sleeping alone, as if he had erased his own existence. This was Mexico. Liger may have given the flowers to Dragon in front of the "juniors" whom he usually looks after in one way or another. As proof of this, when I said, "Well, it's about time. Let's all take a final photo together," with the intention of "ending the match," Dragon glanced Liger's way and bowed slightly. Then he said, "Go ahead, big boss," and invited Liger to stand up and join the line. Liger gladly accepted, and returned the mask he had been hiding to him. The five junior warriors clasped hands, reminiscent of the finale of the J-CUP. There was an indescribable sense of freshness in the air. As if drawn to it, I was engrossed, and kept pressing the shutter. I left Dragon's house at 10pm. Ignoring that the taxi was over capacity, I got into it. Hayabusa was in the passenger seat.

From the left, Liger, me, Onita Jr., and Tiger were in the back seat. We were completely packed. As expected, Hayabusa and Tiger were tired from all the noise, and soon fell asleep. "After all, Dragon is the top of Mexico," I said with a lot of meaning, and Liger replied, "Of course. He's been in Mexico for seven years now." You might say that what happened that night was just my imagination. However, the "invisible fight" between Liger and Dragon was definitely taking place in that fun barbecue party, using the ring as a ring. Otherwise, there would be no way that a "match report" like this could be written without an actual ring. On the other hand, as long as there is a "fight," a "match report" can be written whether there is a ring or not. This was a big discovery... (Sato)

Hayabusa and Onita Jr. heard the news of Onita's retirement in far-away Mexico. Onita is a big presence for them, so it is difficult to describe him in a single word. They cannot hide their shaking hearts at the sudden "change". (Recorded at Hotel Plaza Madrid on May 16th)

- In Japan, Onita's retirement announcement is big news, but how do you two take it?

Onita Jr.: I was surprised when I first heard it, but I was Onita's attendant for about two years, so I saw Onita working hard every day for the FMW family, appearing on TV even on his days off, and seeing him in such a worn-out state, so I thought it would come someday. I really want him to do it a little longer, but when I think about Onita's body, I want him to quit. However, I don't think Onita can quit with peace of mind in his current condition, to be honest. That's because, as the media and people from various organizations have said, FMW is no good without Onita. So, as the remaining family, I think that we have to do our best to make it possible for Onita to retire in peace within this year.

Hayabusa: First of all, I was surprised because it happened earlier than expected.

- I'm sure that Hayabusa will be expected to succeed Onita...

Hayabusa: If Onita retires, fans and reporters will not know what will happen to FMW. We can't go down the same route as Onita. I don't think the audience will understand if we do a death match. So, we'll do our best in our own way, even though we only have a year from now, and on May 5th, if possible, I would like to face (Onita) at the end.

- Oh, I see! Well, it's true that nothing is in sight at the moment, isn't it?

Hayabusa: Since I am overseas, even when I see articles about him retiring, I still can't believe it, and I haven't heard from him yet that it's over, so is it really true? That's how it feels, but I've been wearing it for a while now, so I keep an eye on my body and things like that.

Onita Jr.: Actually, Onita is in no condition to even walk, let alone wrestle. But when he steps into the ring, he puts on a great match like that.

- I'm not in charge of FMW, but last fall, I happened to see the exchange in the waiting room and was very impressed by Onita. That was the day of the send-off match for Eiji Ezaki. Seeing the FMW team being beaten to a pulp by Pogo and the others, Ezaki said to Onita, "If you keep going like this, I'll never be able to go overseas." Then Onita said, "It's fine, just go. Come back when you're bigger." At that moment, big tears started pouring out of Ezaki's eyes as if it was a conditioned reflex. There was a moment of truth in those words.

Onita Jr.: What I remember most is that I was accompanied by an attendant, and Onita and Goto did the electric explosion for the first time at a place called Shiodome (August 4, 1990). At the time, Onita was called a crybaby or "Crying Onita", and since I was his attendant, I went to Onita's waiting room after the semi-finals to guide him. That's when Onita was crying. He was crying alone, not in front of the crowd. Of course, I didn't understand everything, but I think Onita's feelings were mixed, tears of gratitude for finally making it this far in front of a big crowd for the first time, but tears of the fact that the opponent was Goto, his family, and I still remember those tears.

- Memories? It's not over yet (laughs bitterly), but what kind of person is Onita to you?

Onita Jr.: In a word, Onita always calls you family, but I didn't have a father since I was little, so I really feel like he's my father. That's why I call myself Onita Jr. without any discomfort.

- For Hayabusa?

Hayabusa: He's my father, my older brother, and my teacher.

Onita Jr.: You'll probably think I'm lying when I say this, but I seriously thought many times that I wanted to follow this guy for the rest of my life, that I would even give my life for him. I've been there since the start of the company. At the time, Onita was in the country, fighting as hard as he could in front of a small audience, bleeding a lot. After that, we would travel in the car that Onita was driving, without even taking a shower. That's what I experienced.

-Was it a shock for Onita to lose to Tenryu?

Onita Jr.: I think Onita is a wrestler who transcends winning and losing. So I don't know if I'm the one to say this, but I think Onita is happy with it.

- But he lost in his own "garden," so to speak?

Onita Jr.: I think Onita has always been called Jado, but the fact that he brought Tenryu, who is what the world calls righteous, into the cage was enough to overcome prejudice.

Hayabusa: I think it must have been a huge shock for him to lose in the field he is best at. At the very least, I wanted to watch that match from nearby. Of course, I wanted him to win, and to be honest, I'm disappointed.

- It must be complicated to be overseas at such an important time, right?

Onita Jr.: That's true. I don't usually call the office, but I did check the results.

- Hayabusa made his name known at Ryogoku on April 16th, right? There are high expectations for the next ace.

Hayabusa: I think it was really lucky that indie wrestlers like us were able to come out to the public and be recognized by everyone to some extent during the recent J-CUP. I can't say anything about what will happen from now on. However, I can say this much: we were picked up by FMW and have grown up there, and we don't want FMW to be made fun of or to destroy it. We just love FMW. So, in order to achieve that, I myself need to get stronger and stronger, otherwise it's pointless to say anything. There's no point just dreaming.

- Did you go up to the ring in J-CUP with that kind of pride?

Hayabusa: That's right. Anyway, I didn't want people to say that FMW wrestlers can't wrestle or that they're boring. It really pisses me off when people say "FMW is..." after all. We've been training really hard.

- I noticed on this trip, but Onita Jr. is also doing well.

Onita Jr.: It might sound selfish to say this, but I also wrestled in Tijuana for two years, and I won the belt, so I was a main eventer there. I have that kind of pride, and of course I respect them, but I also have the pride of not losing when I step into the ring, whether it's against Liger, Ultimo Dragon, or of course Hayabusa. But I think I only got this after going overseas.

- Before that?

Onita Jr.: Even from your perspective, I was a boring wrestler, and I probably just relied on Onita.

-With Onita announcing his retirement, what will happen to the Onita Jr. character?

Onita Jr.: I didn't become Onita for no reason or because I was crazy, and I had a lot of worries at first. Like, should I be able to call myself Onita? When I went to Guadalajara, I went to the venue where Onita used to perform in Guadalajara, and the promoter welcomed me very warmly. I wondered what it was, and when I asked him later, he said, "Your father...oh, Onita (laughs) was amazing." I wondered if it was okay to call myself Onita when I came overseas and learned about his greatness, but when I returned to Nishinomiya in August last year, I decided that I didn't call myself Onita half-heartedly, so as long as I'm a wrestler, no, until I die, I'll be Onita Jr. That's what I decided, on my own.

- You're carrying on Onita's will?

Onita Jr.: FMW is a family, so in that sense everyone is Onita's son. Hayabusa, Batle Ranger, and Mr. Gannosuke are all Onita's sons.

- As for Hayabusa, what is his future direction? Will he go to the junior or heavyweight division?

Hayabusa: Of course, I want to gain weight as soon as possible and go to the heavyweight division. I told myself that this would be my last time to fight in the junior division, and that's why I went back as Hayabusa the other day. After all, Eiji Ezaki said before going overseas that he wouldn't come back until he reached the heavyweight division so that's why he came back as Hayabusa.

- Oh, is that so? So what does the Hayabusa scale look like?

Hayabusa: Hayabusa is the growth process that Eiji Ezaki will go through as he becomes a heavyweight fighter. Eiji Ezaki is Eiji Ezaki, and Hayabusa is Hayabusa.

- What type of person does Eiji Ezaki aim to be?

Hayabusa: A fighter who can move in the heavyweight division, and it's difficult to talk about techniques and such, but I want to have matches that will move the audience, even if just a little. That's my ultimate dream, or rather, it's the feeling I want to have as I continue wrestling.

- That is equal to inheriting the Onita-ism.

Hayabusa: Our styles may be different, but...

- So the foundation is the same. When do you plan to return to Japan, and what do you want to do before then?

Onita Jr.: For me, I think May 5th is fine. I'll work hard here to make up for that.

Hayabusa: I want to gain weight as soon as possible, and as I said before, I want to be the opponent in Onita's retirement match, so I need to be in a condition that will allow me to do so. At least six months before May 5th...so hopefully around autumn.

Onita Jr.: I also want to fly back home as soon as possible. Please make sure to write about that properly.

-Finally, if you have anything you want to say to Onita, please go ahead.

Hayabusa: It's too early to say thank you for your hard work so please do your best for another year. I'll definitely be there!

Hayabusa officially debuts for EMLL on May 27th

FMW's Mexico tour duo, Hayabusa (Eiji Ezaki) and Onita Jr., have "transferred" from AAA to EMLL, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary. "There were few matches in AAA and we weren't given enough opportunities" (Hayabusa), "The home of lucha is Mexico City after all. After all, there are events every day at some venue" (Onita Jr.).

Hayabusa arrived in Mexico City from Tijuana in the north in March to participate in AAA, and Onita Jr. in April. Onita Jr. had wrestled several matches in an independent organization, but the relationship between FMW and AAA naturally faded away, and both wrestlers approached EMLL through related parties, and their participation was confirmed in early May.

EMLL matchmaking manager Jose Peonono Medina said, "When we asked people who saw the matches of both wrestlers, many people said that we should definitely get them," and after discussing it with president Francisco Alonso, it was decided that they would participate. "We have received the documents from FMW in Japan, and everything has been cleared on the contract. We have high expectations for both wrestlers," he said. EMLL has WAR's Ultimo Dragon and All Japan Women's Reina Fubuki (Akira Hokuto) as regulars, and King Haku and Kim Duk as semi-regulars, so the participation of these two wrestlers will add to the Japanese lineup.

At Arena Coliseo, Hayabusa substituted in the semi-main event for Blue Demon's absence, but "I was only told 10 minutes before the match, so I didn't think of it as my official debut" (Hayabusa).

In the end, their official debut took place at the main venue, where TV recordings are also held at Arena Coliseo on May 27th, and Onita Jr. making his debut at Pista Arena Revolucion on May 29th.  (Keisuke Shibusawa)

Hayabusa makes his EMLL debut

As we reported in last week's issue, Hayabusa (Eiji Ezaki), who had a good match with Liger in the "Super J Cup" on April 16th, has transferred from AAA to EMLL.

His debut was on May 27th at the Arena Coliseo in Mexico City. However, the day before, at the Arena Treica, he teamed up with Apolo Dantes to face the father and son team of Scorpio from UWA. This was a friendly match because it was an event hosted by Ms. Esperanza Flores, who is a UWA affiliate, but his full EMLL debut was at the aforementioned Coliseo show.

In the fourth match, Hayabusa teamed up with Ciclon Ramirez and Pantera to face the team of Cachorro Mendoza, Mogur, and Javier Cruz. Ciclon and Pantera are the best aerial fighters in EMLL.

The competitive Hayabusa, who said, "I don't want to lose to them in speed or technique," unleashes his aerial killing techniques. He impressed the fans at the Coliseo (Korakuen Hall in Mexico?), where many connoisseurs gather.

Jose Peonono Medina, a matchmaker for EMLL, who was watching the match, praised him, saying, "His movements are amazing. It's like he's the second coming of Oro (the deceased)."

The following day, on the 28th, he experienced the semi-finals in Puebla, and then flew to Guadalajara, known as the inner sanctum of EMLL, to make his first appearance in the main event. His partners were the "idol" Atlantis and the local "third generation hero" Apolo Dantes. His opponents were Doctor Wagner Jr., Gran Marx Jr., and El Hijo de Gladiador's La Ola Blanca "White Tsunami Trio," a large, talented group that defeated Brazos to take the CMLL World Trios Championship at the Coliseo on April 22nd.

However, the stronger the opponent, the more Hayabusa burns. On this day, too, he started off with a plancha, moonsault, spinning heel kick, and other aerial killing techniques, which were fully in motion, greatly exciting the discerning Guadalajara fans.

In the third match, he landed an explosive spinning heel kick from the top of the corner, pinning Markus and defeating the champion trio 2-1, becoming the key player in the victory.

"I have about 4-5 matches a week, and most of them are in the local area. AAA is mainly character wrestlers, but this one is full of talented wrestlers, so it's like WCW."

Today's opponents were full heavyweights, so they were heavy, but I'm also aiming for the heavyweight class, so I have to keep going up against big wrestlers. But I'm happy that I was able to beat the six-man tag champion. But I'm not attached to the title, so I want to learn the style here as much as I can, gain weight, and attract more and more customers to the slumping venue," said Hayabusa, who also spoke about revitalizing EMLL.

And every day, he tries and studies new techniques, showing his greedy attitude towards techniques. "You can learn by thinking up new things and trying them out, or by watching other people's matches, and there are plenty of study materials available," says Hayabusa, who seems to be having a lot of fun in his job.

Eight months have passed since Eiji Ezaki went to Mexico. As the future ace of FMW, he left Japan in October last year with the message, "I will do my best to live up to everyone's expectations," and transformed into "Hayabusa."

He has been trying to absorb everything he can in Mexico so as not to disappoint his fans. The results were shown when he returned to Japan for a short time and participated in the J Cup.

Even though he lost, he fought hard against Liger! He showed off his strength to the fullest... but that was not as Eiji Ezaki, but as Hayabusa.

"Eiji Ezaki is still training in Mexico." What is Eiji Ezaki thinking about now, with the issue of Onita's retirement and his transfer from AAA to EMLL?"

To all the fans who wrote letters expressing their thoughts to the fans, thank you for your support at the Super Cup. I was nervous because it was my first time to match as "Hayabusa" in front of Japanese fans, but I intend to do my best with what I am able to do at the time. After coming to Mexico and Tijuana, and then to AAA, the matches were not lined up as I wanted, and there were times when it was a little tough, but Ichihara and I just kept practicing without missing anything.

Since transferring from AAA to EMLL, the number of matches has increased. As you would expect from a long-established organization, the wrestlers are deep and both of us are included. When I heard about Onita's retirement the day before, I was surprised and at the same time I felt anxious to go home quickly, but now I am going to concentrate on gaining weight. I will definitely return twice as big both physically and mentally. When that time comes, I will not be as Hayabusa, but as Eiji Ezaki. Lastly, thank you very much for your encouraging letters. So, see you again in the ring in Japan...FMW Hayabusa, AKA Eiji Ezaki

FMW's Mexico tour duo, Hayabusa (Eiji Ezaki) and Onita Jr., have "transferred" from AAA to EMLL, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

"There were few matches in AAA and we weren't given the opportunities we wanted," said Hayabusa. "The home of lucha is Mexico City after all. After all, there are events at some venue every day," said Onita Jr.

Hayabusa arrived in Mexico City from Tijuana in the north in March to compete in AAA, and Onita Jr. in April. Onita Jr. had played a few matches in an independent organization, but the relationship between FMW and AAA naturally faded away, and both wrestlers approached EMLL through related parties, and their participation was confirmed in early May.

EMLL matchmaking manager Jose Peonono Medina said, "When we asked people who saw the matches of both wrestlers, many of them said they should definitely be signed, and after talking with president Francisco Alonso, we decided to have them participate. We received the documents from FMW in Japan, and everything has been cleared in terms of the contract. We have high expectations for both wrestlers."

EMLL has WAR's Ultimo Dragon and All Japan Women's Reina Fubuki (Akira Hokuto) as regulars, and King Haku and Kim Duk as semi-regulars, and the participation of both wrestlers will enrich the Japanese wrestling ranks.

6/10/94

Hayabusa (Eiji Ezaki)'s stock in EMLL is rising rapidly. Hayabusa, who made his debut in EMLL on May 27th at the Coliseo Arena, is consistently wrestling 4-5 matches a week and is highly praised by local people and fans. The popular Mexican magazine Super Luchas has featured Hayabusa in color, and attention is focused on the oriental whirlwind since the appearance of Ultimo Dragon.

Antonio Peña, the president of AAA, must be very frustrated by not being able to use this talented person at all despite having him at his disposal. On the other hand, EMLL, which unexpectedly acquired Hayabusa, feels like a real find. The two pillars of Japoneses (Japanese) with Dragon will be a selling point for EMLL, which is trying to project an international flavor.

Dragon has firmly established himself as one of the top five estrellas (stars) in EMLL, but Hayabusa is far from that level. However, it is certain that he has the material and flexible attitude to become Estrella. In fact, he has many opportunities to team up with Estrella and fight against them, and is always selected as the main in major cities outside of Mexico City. And now it's time for Hayabusa to take another big step. He is to participate in the EMLL hall of fame, Arena Mexico.

"Performing at Arena Mexico"... that is what everyone dreams of when they become a luchador. Hayabusa was able to stand on this coveted stage just two weeks after his debut. In other words, this shows how highly regarded Hayabusa is within EMLL.

6/11/94

Even for Hayabusa, this is his second match at Arena Mexico. However, he doesn't care about rank. Here, he surprised the fans who gathered at Arena Mexico with a "Ahh". In the third finish, he brilliantly performed the Shooting Star Press that he showed in the J-Cup match against Liger. Even in Mexico, a treasure trove of aerial techniques, this technique has never been used before. That's why even the discerning fans couldn't hide their surprise. Following the J-Cup, he had the guts to pull off this ultra technique on this big stage. "The ropes were low, but I jumped with all my might. I'm going to keep using it. Even so, Arena Mexico is a big place. I can feel the weight of six years of tradition. I was moved to think that Onita also stood on this mat (April 1982)," Hayabusa said after the match, talking about the Onita illusion.

The next day, he appeared in a six-man tag match at Pista Revolucion in the same city. Although he got the pinfall himself, he was too eager to win in a straight set and went too deep into the enemy's territory, causing the Rudo Army to take his mask (a counter-win). Mocho Cota, Bestea Salvaje, and Chaos (the perpetrator of Oro's death) are some of the top rookies in the EMLL.

Hayabusa's short career was revealed when he fell for the tactics of these difficult guys, but this experience should be a plus in terms of future strategies.

6/12/94

Hayabusa's first challenge for the world title. The day after fighting in Arena Mexico and Pista, Hayabusa flew to Guadalajara for the third time. Hayabusa teamed up with Atlantis and Apolo Dantes, and after two consecutive weeks of rivalry, he earned the right to challenge for the CMLL World Trios Championship held by La Ola Blanca (The White Tsunami)'s Dr. Wagner Jr., Gran Marx Jr., and El Hijo de Gladiador. In the first match, Hayabusa got off to a good start by pinning the leader Wagner with a rana. However, in the second match, he was pinned by a three-man super powerbomb from Ola Blanca. Then, in the third match of the final, the champions, who were overwhelming in weight, focused on Atlantis with an exquisite combination and pinned him. This ended Hayabusa's dream of his first championship in 1-2. He has formed a trio with Atlantis and Apollo Dantes several times since his debut, but in terms of teamwork, the champions were more used to working together and seemed to be several levels above him.

"Today, we ended up not being able to do anything. Here, even rudos don't break the rules in title matches, right?! But they felt stronger than when they were breaking the rules. They worked well together too... First-class rudos have a solid foundation," Hayabusa said in admiration. "I'm not really interested in belts myself. I think it's more important to hone my skills and get my weight up... If I'm going to challenge, I'd rather do singles than trios or tags. Here we only do six-man tags, so my sense of singles is dulled. I want to do singles," says Hayabusa.

His targets are the CMLL World Middleweight Championship held by Javier Llanes and the NWA World Light Heavyweight Championship held by Jaques Mate. Both are possible challenges because the champions are rudo. All that's left is to build up a track record. With his current momentum, that day should be close.

A dream tag team that transcends the boundaries of the organization: Dragon & Hayabusa Flying Team

Ultimo Dragon missed the 6-man tag team tournament in Sendai because his passport and visa were stolen at the Mexico International Airport. He has not been in good health due to a strange disease that has caused an amoeba to enter his stomach for the past six months.

Dragon has been feeling unlucky lately, but he still firmly holds the position of Estrella, one of the top five in EMLL. Dragon teamed up with Hayabusa, who joined EMLL at the end of May. Their first tag team was in Cuernavaca on June 21st, where Dragon & Hayabusa defeated Los Angeles Blancos 2-0 in straight sets.

Their second team-up was in Puebla four days later. On this day, they were joined by the super popular Vampiro Casanova, making for a luxurious trio. The rude team also had an interesting combination of Dr. Wagner Jr., Negro Casas, and Fuyuki.

Since joining EMLL, Hayabusa has been on a roll, and although he was beaten by Fuyuki in the first match, he was in full throttle in the second. He made full use of his aerial techniques and pinned Wagner, the leader of the rudo side, with a hurricanrana.

In the third match, Dragon exploded. He chased his nemesis, Casas, desperately. But Casas was also cunning. When he found a slight opening in Dragon's mind, he made Quebrada self-destruct. After punching Dragon, who had hurt his left knee, he forced him to give up with a camel hold.

Although they lost the match 1-2, the dream combination of Dragon and Hayabusa captured the hearts of Mexican fans. And Dragon, who had found the best partner, praised Hayabusa highly. "He's a really great fighter. I think he's a fighter with the kind of talent that you might see once in a decade. He still gets a little flustered during matches and loses his composure, but if he polishes up, he can become a great fighter on the Japanese mat in three years. He has basic physical strength, a solid frame, and above all, his animal instincts are amazing. You can't make this even if you want to, it's something you're born with."

Dragon, who doesn't often praise people, gave Hayabusa the highest praise. On the other hand, Hayabusa commented, "Dragon is good at every single small movement, and I can feel the difference in his career. I'm amazed at the accuracy of his techniques. He's as expected. I'm learning a lot from him," commenting on Dragon's great senior in lucha.

"I look forward to working with you in the future," he said politely. Dragon responded, "I have to work hard so I don't get overtaken by you," and shook hands with a smile. These two will continue to inspire each other and liven up the Mexican mat world as senior and junior in a good sense.

Dragon defended his UWA World Middleweight title by defeating Casas' challenge in Puebla on July 2nd. On the 9th he flew to Los Angeles and once again fended off Casas' challenge at the Olympic Auditorium. On the 10th he took another test in Fresno, California, before coming to Japan with a reissued passport. Awaiting Dragon at Ryogoku on the 17th will be his number one disciple, Sasuke. How will Dragon, who is being chased by his juniors from below, handle Sasuke's challenge? This is the beginning of a comeback for Dragon, who got off to a slow start in the junior division.

On July 22nd, IWA Japan's young ace Araya Nobutaka arrived in Mexico with Takashi Okano. IWA severed ties with AAA and sought ties with EMLL and UWA, inviting Canek (UWA) for the previous series. For the next series, they will bring Felino and Gran Apache (EMLL) to Japan.

Following their recent USWA tour, Araya and Okano took advantage of their time off to take to the EMLL mat. The two made their first appearance at Arena Mexico on the 22nd as masked men under the names Araya and Okano. The two participated in the CMLL Cup Tag Tournament, but lost in the first round (against Los Cowboys) before they could even get going.

The following day, on the 23rd, they both separately participated in the Pista Revolución show. In their third match since arriving in Mexico, at the Arena Coliseo show, Araya teamed up with Hayabusa, who was rising in EMLL.

In the first match, Araya scored a golden victory by pinning former national (middle and light heavyweight) champion Mogul with a moonsault press, but he seemed confused by the Mexican rules of no-touch switching. After that, it was Hayabusa's turn. He was upset by the well-seasoned rude group and won the ignominious disqualification victory.

"Araya is a little bigger than me, and he's serious and hardworking... He can't move like me yet, but I'm sure he'll get better. People in the industry always compare him to me... but he seems to be promoting us as partners, so we'll work together," said Hayabusa, who has high hopes for Araya's efforts.

On the other hand, Araya said, "Hayabusa is amazing. I admire him and think he's cool. There are a lot of good wrestlers here, but he stands out. I have to work hard, so I'm motivated. But I don't understand the rules of tag yet... I'm glad that Hayabusa spoke to me. I think I need to watch other wrestlers and study more. I'm having trouble with the language, but there's a gym behind the accommodation, and I don't have to worry about food, so I think I'll be able to enjoy it. My goal is to be able to fight well wherever I go, so I want to be able to do my job well here as well."

The two are the next aces of the rival organizations FMW and IWA, but they both answered in unison, "Once you come here, there's no friend or foe. You have to cooperate with each other to survive." EMLL is flooded with Japanese wrestlers, starting with Ultimo Dragon, Hayabusa and Onita Jr. from FMW, Araya and Okano from IWA, and so on, but it's true that strange antagonism is inevitable when surviving in a harsh foreign environment. The key is how much you can make the most of your individuality in that environment.

On August 23rd, Araya will return to Japan to participate in the next series. Hayabusa will then return temporarily to Japan for the August 28th Osaka Castle (against Sabu). It will be exciting to see what big jobs the oriental duo of Hayabusa and Araya will do in EMLL in the month leading up to that, and what souvenirs they will each bring back.

Hayabusa secretly trained with Dragon just before entering Osaka!

"I think he's a genius. He has natural spring and good wrestling sense... he has amazing things no matter what you look at. I think Onita is also lucky... because he has such an amazing young man. He's definitely going to be the next ace of FMW," said Ultimo Dragon of EMLL who highly praised Hayabusa.

Dragon, who rarely evaluates people, has praised him so highly, so you can see how excellent Hayabusa is and how successful he is in Mexico. EMLL president Paco Alonso and booker Jose Peonono Medina have the same opinion. Hayabusa will make a one-match triumphant return to Osaka Castle Hall on August 28th, where he will face Sabu.

Sabu, who uses daredevil aerial techniques, is the perfect opponent for Hayabusa, who trains in Mexico, the kingdom of aerial combat. Naturally, Hayabusa will be required to use aerial techniques that surpass Sabu's, and the pressure will be great.

However, Hayabusa showed his strong heart, saying, "Well, I'm not a stranger to him, and I've studied Sabu quite a bit myself. On the other hand, I think there are many things that he doesn't know about me now. So I think I have a chance of winning if I give it my all now." After receiving information that Hayabusa was training together with his senior in EMLL, Ultimo Dragon, in preparation for his fight against Sabu, our magazine rushed to cover the matter.

Hayabusa, who respects Dragon as his "big brother," has a lot to learn from him. Conversely, it seems that Dragon is also training hard, stimulated by Hayabusa's rise, and Onita Jr. is also training hard to keep a close eye on him. The "Superbodies Gym" that our magazine visited for the interview is a facility focused on weight training, and does not have a ring. All they showed us was a light sparring session on the floor.

However, they usually make time to continue secret training together in the ring of the Pista Revolución in Mexico City. The main purpose is to develop a new aerial killing technique. "Even if you are Gong, training in the pista is off-limits," Dragon said, keeping his guard up. However, there is no doubt that Dragon's Cancun Tornado was born from this training in the pista.

If that's the case, Hayabusa must have also acquired quite a few new killing techniques from this training in the Dragon's Hall. This is especially true for Hayabusa, who is greedy for developing new techniques. "I can't show it to anyone yet, but I'll bring back a big souvenir to Osaka Castle," Hayabusa said with a confident grin. I'm really looking forward to seeing what new tactics and weapons Hayabusa will bring to the Summer Siege of Osaka, just like the great general Sanada Yukimura.

"In terms of content today, I'd say I got less than a zero..." Hayabusa said, slumping his shoulders in despair despite defeating Sabu. He had put in a good performance and it wasn't a "bad match" by any means, but Hayabusa admonished himself. Why did Hayabusa say that? Let's look back on the match and focus on that one point.

Hayabusa put on a powerful performance in the J-Cup against Liger. He showed something that drew in the audience and thrust himself into the limelight. The "something" he is expressing here is star quality. Hayabusa possesses rare wrestling sense and flamboyance. Naturally, fans are looking forward to Hayabusa's fight this time.

When the entire card was read out before the match, Hayabusa vs. Sabu was greeted with loud cheers and applause. "I have to live up to those cheers," was a comment he made when I met Hayabusa in front of the FMW waiting room after the third match.

Hayabusa, who had heard the cheers in the waiting room, was very motivated, but looked a little anxious. This was his first appearance on the FMW mat. He must have been feeling anxious about that aspect. However, what he was most worried about was whether he could show a match that was worth living up to those expectations.

After the match, Hayabusa said, "At the J-Cup, I think the fans' expectations were how well I could do against Liger. But this time, it was more like, "What kind of match will I show you?"...I couldn't bear the pressure today." Hayabusa sensed what the audience wanted. The magnitude of their expectations directly led to pressure.

However, even though he made some small mistakes, Hayabusa's attack was amazing. Every move was truly brilliant and dynamic. He doesn't look like he's being crushed by the pressure. His top rope heroic topeconhilo, drop kick, and flying knee kick were perfect early in the match. And the highlight was his Swanton-style quebrada. Hayabusa must have nerves all over his body, from his fingertips to his toes. The form of his moves never changed. The audience was amazed. So why was Hayabusa not satisfied with the match?

The atmosphere in the venue was a big problem. It's true that when Hayabusa hits a move, the venue erupts with excitement, but it's only temporary. After a break, the audience's attention was somewhat distracted and their reactions were slow. Hayabusa must have thought that he was responsible. So he must have felt that he had not lived up to the expectations of the fans and that he had put on a meaningless match.

The fact that the finishing shot, the shooting star press, was a subtle count, with no indication of whether it had counted three or not, also made Hayabusa depressed. Although he won, Hayabusa hit the turnbuckle in frustration. "I'm sorry. I think everyone was expecting me to do better, but in the end, the third count (Sabu's shoulder) might have been raised. Damn! I came back with Hayabusa today, but I didn't show anything satisfactory... I said I'd go to heavyweight if I gained weight, but I'm going to keep it like this until Hayabusa is properly established."

Eiji Ezaki thought that Hayabusa was a process until he became a heavyweight. However, this result seems to have changed his mind a little. The nuance is that if Hayabusa is not established when he becomes a heavyweight, he will stick with Hayabusa. It's a typical statement from Ezaki, who hates half-hearted things and has a straightforward personality. However, it's a minus to worry too much about the match that day. It was by no means a bad match.

Hayabusa is a great asset to FMW. His wrestling sense and glamour have great expectations from the media, fans, and FMW personnel. However, surprisingly few fans know the real Eiji Ezaki.

Even before he went on his overseas tour, he was just a young wrestler with no track record, even though he had "talent." Here, we asked Hayabusa to look back on the path he has walked and talk about his vision for the future.

If Ezaki doesn't understand that his current success is based on his fights, there will be no future for the "coexistence of Ezaki and Hayabusa" that he desires. -

Ezaki decided to become a wrestler in February 1991, when he had his entrance test for FMW... just before graduating from university. "I used to watch professional wrestling with enthusiasm during the heyday of the original Tiger Mask. I was fascinated by Tiger Mask's flashy movements and wanted to become a wrestler, but I thought that an average person like me couldn't become a wrestler. I'm basically an introvert.

If you listen to my comments up to now, I havw not said anything brazen, have I? I'm a modest person who needs to be strict with myself, so I thought that I couldn't become a wrestler. But when I heard that my university gym buddy, Gannosuke, was taking the entrance exam for FMW, my thoughts changed.

I had already decided to get a job, but I decided not to suppress what I wanted to do any more and to try to do what I wanted to do, so I took the entrance exam with Gannosuke." As for why Ezaki wanted to join FMW, "It was because Atsushi Onita was in FMW.

"I wanted to join because Onita was in the organization. I'm not big or particularly good, but I wanted to try working under someone who loves it and works hard at amazing things."

However, it seems that he never thought he would pass. "Gannosuke and I took a night bus and left Hakata at 5am and arrived in Shinjuku after 5am. We decided to go to the FMW dojo but we didn't know how to get there. We wandered around and finally arrived at the dojo when we realized that neither of us had written our resumes. We hurriedly wrote them at a coffee shop near the dojo... I'll never forget that (laughs). But we never thought we would get in.

At the time, my height was only 185cm. At the time, I thought that 190cm or 195cm was the normal height to become a wrestler, so I thought it would be impossible. But at the interview after the physical test, Goto just looked at my resume and said "OK" without asking any questions."

Thus, Ezaki officially became a member of FMW, but his debut was not long after. It was a tag match at the Nagoya International Conference Center on May 5, 1991. "After that series, I started going on tours, and when I went to make a ring and eat, a reporter came back and said, 'Today's the match. I said, "No way, that's not true," so... I hurriedly ran over to Goto, and it turned out that even though I was going to fight, I didn't have any tights or anything, so I borrowed everything from Ueno, and I was only wearing my own shoes. And the theme song for my entrance was the Ultraman song.

I can't help it because I teamed up with Amigo Ultra (opponents were Pandita & Ueno), but even now when I go to that venue and fans say, "I saw your debut match," I feel so embarrassed that I blush. I'm sure that in my second match, I teamed up with Ichihara and fought a handicap match against Gladiator...

I remember the time I nearly died after eating an Awesome Bomb in my second match (laughs). My single debut was at the Haboro event, where they stuck a firework in my butt and exploded it." This magazine has been noting that Ezaki has had star power since his debut. He steadily gained strength as expected, but the results were not coming. Because of this, Ezaki did not make any breakthroughs until he went on an overseas tour. Because of this, he was not very popular with fans.

"It's a matter of strength, but I didn't have a chance to show myself until I left Japan... I lost to Nakagawa in the first round of the Independent World Junior Tournament, which was a good chance. Nakagawa got injured and I came in as a pinch hitter, but I lost to Battle Ranger and didn't achieve anything, so it's only natural that I didn't have a chance. It's only natural that I didn't get any attention from fans."

However, Ezaki changed himself during his overseas tour. He transformed into Hayabusa, a character he designed himself. "I wanted to do something different when I went overseas. I was in Mexico, so I wanted to wear a mask like my idol Tiger Mask, so I designed Hayabusa and took it to the company, and they said OK. Hayabusa is a character I created myself, so I'm attached to him."

This transformation was the right choice. Hayabusa made a strong impact in his match against Liger in the cup, and he immediately attracted attention. However, Ezaki himself seemed to be resistant to Hayabusa becoming a presence that pushed Ezaki aside.

"I went overseas and trained hard, but there were few matches in Tijuana, so I didn't know how much I had improved until the J-Cup. Then after the J-Cup, Hayabusa suddenly got a lot of attention... It seems like fans these days don't know Ezaki, but they know Hayabusa... I'm Ezaki, not Hayabusa. I wanted to say Ezaki is Ezaki, and Hayabusa is Hayabusa..."

However, Ezaki readily accepted the current situation where fans have high expectations of Hayabusa. "This time, I came back and didn't deny Hayabusa, but I wanted to properly establish Hayabusa if the fans want it. I can go back to Ezaki after that. In the future, if I can use Ezaki and Hayabusa well," Ezaki himself probably decided that "Ezaki and Hayabusa can't co-exist" unless he understood that Ezaki's fights were the basis for Hayabusa's current success.

"Becoming Hayabusa doesn't make me a heel, it just makes me look better," Ezaki said with a laugh, but now he clearly understands what he has to do.

"The match at Osaka Castle left me feeling unsatisfied and unsatisfied. It turned out differently from what I had imagined... It's not easy to have two faces and it takes time, and when you're playing a match like the one at Osaka Castle, that's not going to happen. I was surprised when Sabu asked for a handshake after the match. Putting everything about the gang aside, I wasn't satisfied... I didn't think I got the three count, but I got three. Also, what really pissed me off was that I missed the distance for the moonsault and quebrada. I hate small mistakes. I've used the moonsault hundreds of times, so I feel like I'm messing around. It seems like there was too much of a gap in the match."

This man who is said to hold the key to the future of FMW has also been thinking firmly about FMW after Onita's retirement. "FMW must not become the same as other indie wrestlers. If it is the same as others, it will lose its value. Even a death match cannot be done for the sake of doing it. We must cherish the feelings that Atsushi Onita had, which led him to come this far despite all the criticism. And we must cherish the fans. I am who I am today because the fans bought tickets and came to FMW. When I first joined, I was told that young indie wrestlers could not wrestle, which was very frustrating, but it was also a good motivation. I want to stick to the indie spirit forever, regardless of whether it is the wrong way or the right way."

And with these final words, he returned to Mexico. "Ezaki and Hayabusa still have a long way to go... the real battle is yet to come. In Mexico, it is difficult to get rid of the junior image, so I would like to go to America."

Hayabusa made a "special appearance" at the Osaka Castle Hall on August 28th. He himself gave it a score of "less than 0 points," but his large-scale aerial killing technique clearly hinted at the arrival of a new era.

In this article, we catch Hayabusa just before he takes off to Mexico! This time, instead of a question-and-answer format, we would like to delve deeper into the future of Hayabusa and FMW with 14 key words. (Recorded at Osaka International Airport on August 30th / Interviewer: Kazuhiro Kojima)

Osaka Castle

Frankly speaking, it was far from satisfying. Sabu and Hayabusa have almost the same style, or rather, the same tempo. If we had meshed well, I was confident that we could show an interesting match... but this is an excuse, sorry. The most pathetic thing was that I was crushed by the pressure.

During the J-Cup event, I felt the pressure of suddenly fighting Liger in a New Japan ring, but this time I felt like I had to live up to the expectations of all my fans...In the end, I went back to Mexico straight after J-Cup, so I wasn't at all aware of my reputation in Japan or anything like that...After all, all those fans were watching in silence, wondering "What's he going to do next?" I really realized how incompetent I was in not being able to live up to that.

Is a one-match homecoming match difficult?

That's true, but isn't it the role of a true professional to be in the best condition for that one match and play in a way that satisfies both yourself and the fans? I'm still inexperienced, both technically and mentally.

Mexico

When I was in AAA, there were few matches and I didn't feel comfortable with it, but since I moved to EMLL, I have matches almost every day, so I'm very fulfilled. After all, a wrestler is only worth it if he steps into the ring. Thanks to them, I've been able to do main and semi-main matches. My opponents are Dr. Wagner Jr., Pierroth Jr., and the EMLL rudo army. I've learned a lot from them. Like inside work. Even though it's lucha, it's still the same pro-wrestling at the root.

Rather than techniques, it's more like training in the mental aspect and the mindset of a wrestler. What do I think of the Mexican women? Wow, they're beautiful, but it seems like it's a pain to be so careful and think about what to say every time. I prefer Japanese people who can communicate with me even when I'm quiet (laughs).

STEP

I think I have to draw a line as a junior heavyweight at some point. A match with Sasuke? I can't avoid it. Right now, Sasuke has our junior belt, right? Personally, I don't have any attachment to the belt, but it's not good for the organization. Once I clear that, I'll fight the super heavyweights Gladiator and Titan. I got crushed a lot when I was a rookie (bitter smile), but I can't lose anymore. Now? I'm at 95kg (209 pounds). I have to get bigger to compete with the Gladiators. And the next step will be a challenge against Goto. I don't think you can skip any step. You clear each one, and each time you get bigger and stronger. It's true that if I go at this pace, I won't be able to make it to Onita's retirement match at all... but that's unavoidable. Instead, I'll make sure to do it!! It may be a long detour, but it's meaningless if I don't do that.

Eiji Ezaki

It goes without saying, but Hayabusa and Eiji Ezaki have the same ability. But Hayabusa has "constraints". He wears a mask, and he has to move with a strong awareness of the junior heavyweight class... That's what I meant when I told Kojima-san before the match at Osaka Castle, "As Eiji Ezaki, I think I can have a good match with Sabu." That's not to say that Eiji Ezaki is amazing (wry smile). It's a pathetic story, but even I think it's "presumptuous" to put myself forward as the opponent for Onita-san's retirement match.

I'm not underestimating myself, really. So I won't go back to my real face until I can do it without any problems under those "constraints". At first, I thought I would take off my mask when I reached the heavyweight class, but it's strange to say, "I'm going to take it off because I'm over 100kg (220 pounds)." I don't agree with that myself. Until I establish the junior heavyweight Hayabusa, I can't go back to being Eiji Ezaki in the heavyweight division... I decided this after the match at Osaka Castle. Instead, when I take off my mask, I will show you an Eiji Ezaki that anyone can see is "strong"!!!

Elite

I'm not an elite or anything!! It's true, I'm given big matches on big stages like this, and at first glance it may seem like I'm being "treated specially", but...While Gannosuke was in the main event soon after his debut, I was fighting in the first match day after day. It was very frustrating, and it definitely motivated me. So, I want people to look at something deeper than the superficial aspects. Right now, I don't care about how I'm treated or anything like that, and this is not the time to be obsessed with such things. I intend to take on Goto in the same way as Gannosuke and the others, and I don't think for a second that I'm an elite. On the contrary, I'm almost envious of my teammates who are fighting on the front lines in Japan.

Rival

Mr. Gannosuke... I'm really curious about you!! Even though I'm in Mexico, I'm gathering as much information as I can. Of course, I watched the match at Osaka Castle (against Sambo Asako) from between the doors of the waiting room. Yes, I said congratulations on surpassing your seniors "for now," but there's still a lot to be done from now on, so I shouldn't be too happy about it. But I do envy him. I'm in Mexico and can't do anything directly. The only two young wrestlers who are fighting at the forefront are Niiyama and Gannosuke, and it's Goto who is running into them... I'm confused, or rather, I have complicated feelings, but the only way I can fight back is to grow in Mexico and come back with my head held high. That's something I've been talking about a lot with Ichihara (Onita Jr., currently on tour in Mexico).

I hope Gannosuke will listen to me too. I think we all feel the same way, and since he's been on the front lines, I'm sure he'll give me some solid advice. It's been a while since I saw Onita's death match up close, and it was amazing. I don't think anyone other than Onita can give me that kind of "emotion." Even if someone else were to do it with the same rules and the same setup, it would be a different experience.

Charisma

Was it what Onita said to me on the ring at Osaka Castle? Just one word, "I'm counting on you... do your best". Such heavy words, aren't they? After that, he sprayed water on me and made it clear to me in front of all those people that he had high expectations of me... I'm very happy, but I still have the dilemma that I can't live up to that. Yes, very much. It's been a while since I last saw Onita's death match up close, and it's amazing. No one can give me that "emotion" other than Onita. Even if someone else does it with the same rules and the same setup, it's a different thing. That's why Onita is "charisma". Was it what Onita said to me on the ring at Osaka Castle? Just him saying, "I'm counting on you... do your best". Such heavy words, aren't they? After that, he sprayed water on me and made it clear to me in front of all those people that he had high expectations of me... I'm very happy, but I still have the dilemma that I can't live up to that. Yes, very much. I think what Goto says is very reasonable.

Demon

Unless we beat Goto, there's no chance of a successor. It's certainly a tall wall. But unless we beat him, the image that the young wrestlers are unreliable will never go away, and we won't be able to enter a new era. But I think we still have a long way to go. After all, the match with Goto is called a "challenge match." If it was a generational struggle that would be one thing, but this means we're not being taken seriously. It's humiliating. Everyone, including myself, is desperately trying to tackle it with all our might, and we're going to break down this very tall wall.

Jado

Onita's style, well, it was his generation's style, and we have our own style. The style that Onita thought up may be FMW style, but... even if we pass on that style, it's no good if no one is convinced. I don't think they will. Right now, I don't know what it is, and it may go back to the death match route. Anyway, we have to practice what we believe in and get the fans to accept it, otherwise it won't start. But mentally, we are more influenced by Onita than anything else. Our generation especially joined during a tough time, so we really appreciate the money that the fans bought for each ticket, and we didn't want FMW to go under, so we worked hard with Onita all this time! Even if Onita is gone, FMW won't go under...

Return

It's been exactly a year since I last fought in the FMW ring. I was so happy!! It's like I'm back where I belong, or rather, I feel like I'm back home. But when I jumped from the corner post, I had a completely Mexican feeling (the height of the ring is about 15cm (0.5 feet) different between Japan and Mexico), and I thought "Ahh!!" (bitter laugh). Once, during a fire death match, the fire wouldn't go out, and we all desperately poured water on it to put it out. When I touched the ring for the first time this time, I remembered that time and I almost cried. Because this ring is really, really important to me...

Retirement

Of course, it's Onita's last match, so I want to do it. I'm sure it's not just me, but all the wrestlers in FMW. But... Matsunaga was nominated, right? And there's Goto and Pogo. Unfortunately, I don't have the ability to put my name forward and stand shoulder to shoulder with those people. If it's true, I'd like to say, "Please fight me with pride, leave your future to me." No, I have to do that, if it's true. However, I have my own steps I want to take, and if I ignore them and fight Onita, nothing will remain. Even if I stay, I'm sure I'll only have regrets. If I have the strength to be proud of by May 5th, I'll put my name forward! If I can't make it in time... any local venue, any card is fine.

FMW

FMW is a group destined to just being an indie. But I won't let that happen! I'll show a new color. I want to have skin-to-skin contact with Onita in the ring, even if it's just once. I've only had one match with him. I want to have skin-to-skin contact with him for as long as possible and feel the Onitaism firsthand. I don't think FMW should be just an independent group. I respect Matsunaga very much. But no matter how great a death match he puts on, I don't think he'll be able to impress more than Onita. That's the same if I do it. I accept the fact that people from other groups have been appointed successors and become popular at Osaka Castle, but we'll work hard and become a group that isn't influenced by those styles, and we will definitely do that! I don't know what form it will take, but I want to show our own "color" and accept the challenge of people from outside and show the real pro-wrestling. We will absolutely... complete our pro-wrestling, FMW, there, so please watch!!!

Doku

I read somewhere that the young FMW wrestlers don't have "doku"...oh, I think it was in Weekly Pro Wrestling (laughs). It was clearly written, but how can I put it...I don't think that's the case at all. Whether it's Niiyama-san or Gannosuke, I think they have some part of their hearts that they can't resolve, even if it doesn't show on the surface, and it's difficult.

However, it's not right to say that they're mentally weak. I don't think current fans know this, but we used to get up at 6am every morning and then go to work. It wasn't easy to run a company. So we worked at the factory until 5pm, came back to the training camp at 6am, and practiced hard until 1am. We didn't eat and go to bed until 1am or 2am. Some people might say that we didn't practice much, but we did everything we could in the limited time we had. I'm proud of that. That's why it always makes me so angry when young independent wrestlers are told they don't practice properly and can't wrestle...I still rebel against that view, and the confidence I have gained from having done so much is a treasure. Even if professional wrestling goes on the wrestling scene and the day comes when it is naturally selected out, I believe I have the will, technique and foundation to survive. I think that kind of feeling will eventually become what makes a professional wrestler "great" and "strong."

NEXT

To be honest, I haven't decided when I'll come back next. It seems that the match will be scheduled as soon as I get to Mexico this time... I really wanted to take a week off and think carefully about this match and my future plans. However, I promise that the next time I step into the FMW ring, I will be a bigger and stronger Hayabusa. On the other hand, I don't want to come back until I can show that I can, and I want to step into the ring in a way that everyone can be satisfied with. Anyway, I'm just going to train in Mexico so that I'll be ready whenever I'm asked.

Postscript to the interview

Just by extracting his words, an article could be written... that's how deep and strong every word of Hayabusa is. Although he doesn't say it out loud, I saw that his face under the mask is already full of "confidence". He never talks big, but he carefully chooses his words with an eye on the future, and there is probably no young wrestler who thinks so constructively about the situation after Onita's retirement. That's why he's being called the next ace, but what I like about him is that he also knows his place. This freshness might be a minus in FMW, but the hint for the new style that Hayabusa is trying to create might unexpectedly be found in such a place...

Kitahara and Orihara, who entered the EMLL circuit in Mexico on September 9th, have a very good reputation. This year, Ishinriki and Hiromichi Fuyuki have been promoted from WAR to EMLL, but to be honest, they were not well received by fans and those involved.

Ishinriki has not been able to keep up with the movements of Lucha, and Fuyuki went to Mexico nine years ago, but it was too long ago for him to assimilate and he did not have enough appeal. In that sense, Orihara trained in EMLL under the name Iga in 1992, and his opponents and partners have not changed much since then.

He has a lot of experience fighting in the heyday of EMLL in 1992, and he blended into the match without any sense of strangeness. However, it seems that his mohawk haircut, despite being a Japanese limping, was not well received.

EMLL's 61st anniversary event is usually held on the third Friday of September, this year on September 16th, but last year, due to interference from AAA, it was postponed by two weeks to October 1st, and was a great success with Atlantis Mano Negra's match against Mascara.

This year, due to concerns about AAA's interference, it seems that they planned to hold the event at Arena Mexico in two parts, on the 23rd and 30th, after shifting the week. However, this was also a feint against AAA, and the actual event was held on the 30th.

At the event on the 16th, the Japanese trio of Dragon, Hayabusa, and Orihara was realized. Dragon, the leader, broke the first joint of his right pinky finger in the final match of the previous series of WAR, and has been absent since returning to Mexico, but this day was an important match, so he forced himself to participate.

He teamed with Hayabusa and Orihara with good leads and led the match. However, the injury he sustained from the rudo army was aggravated by the targeting of his finger, Hayabusa was not in good condition, and Orihara's movements were also poor that day, and he was defeated by the rudo army, which was made up of light heavyweights.

Rumors circulated this summer that Ultimo Dragon had brought a mat for gymnastics to Pista Revolucion in Mexico City and was secretly training with Hayabusa and Onita Jr. in aerial combat techniques. Dragon mastered the Cancun Tornado and Hayabusa mastered the Shooting Star in this top-secret training session, which was arbitrarily named "Dragon's Cave," and it suddenly became the center of attention.

However, no matter how many times we begged Dragon, who is the "instructor," he would always say, "The training content here is our secret. Even if you are Gong, please refrain from interviewing us."

But we did not give up and kept trying to get Dragon. "Hayabusa will be leaving Mexico in the middle of December, so we would like to interview him as one of his last chances to leave his mark," Dragon finally relented. "Okay. Please come to Pista at 10 am on the 2nd (local time). But please limit the interview to about 10 minutes. We are not training to show off, but we are seriously practicing for real fights..."

Our magazine's photographer arrived at Pista at the appointed time of 10 am, and they had already finished warming up and were covered in beads of sweat. In addition to Dragon Sensei, Hayabusa, and Onita Jr., we also saw the faces of former NWA World Middleweight Champion Corazon de Leon (Lionheart Chris Jericho) and Goku (Kazutaka Kobayashi), who debuted in UWA at the end of last year. It seems that the number of Ryu no Ana members is gradually increasing.

At Dragon's command, everyone jumps one after another from the top of the corner or from the top rope. Sensei checks each basic flying technique, such as salto mortar, brancha, and moonsault press. From time to time, everyone gathers in a circle and exchanges opinions such as "You should put in a little more angle," "The timing of the jump is late," "Your body is not bending yet," and "Your flight balance is bad." Their eyes were full of seriousness.

In Lucha schools, they practice basic jumps, but there is no specialized course that delves so deeply into aerial killing techniques. It was as if this was a Lucha aerial specialized school or a graduate school of aerial killing techniques. Hayabusa, who was the center of attention, showed off advanced techniques such as the Sasuke Special, the Swan Dive Scorpion Splash, and the Half-Turning Frankensteiner. What surprised me was that he had completely mastered the Stardust Press, which is said to be a legendary secret technique.

"At first, I was practicing while researching on my own, but later I asked someone and was surprised to find out that this was Stardust. The form is perfect, but the rest is a matter of accuracy. With Shooting Star, you can spin while looking at your opponent, but with this you can't see the target and you fly with momentum... it's a scary technique if you say it's scary."

Stardust is an ultra-advanced technique that is a half-turn twist followed by a Scorpion Splash. The first Tiger Mask unveiled this technique in "Air Battle", and Liger also mastered it in practice, but neither of them had ever used it in a real fight.

Hayabusa attempted it on Pierroth Jr. in a six-man tag match at the Pista show on November 17th, and succeeded in his first real fight. "Various techniques are born here from everyone's ideas. Hayabusa's ability to absorb is particularly impressive. December 17th is his last fight in Mexico, so we would like to send him off as the first graduate of "Ryu no Ana", said Dragon Sensei. Hayabusa will move to the United States next year to train after completing the Estrella training course at Tokamo no Ana.

Hayabusa, who joined EMLL in May of this year and gained popularity for his incredible aerial techniques, has now completed over a year of training in Mexico and is now moving to the US. His final match in Mexico is set for December 17th in Puebla for the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship, but his pairing with Ultimo Dragon, who has looked after him like an older brother and taught him Estrella at Dragon's Hal, will be for the last time at the Texcoco event on the 26th of this month (local time).

This is because Dragon, who returned to Mexico after the WAR series, had to cancel all of his matches and undergo surgery. Dragon underwent surgery on December 10th for an old injury to his right wrist (comminuted fracture), the chin strap on his right middle finger, which he broke in September of this year, and injuries to the chin straps on both ankles (suspected to be stretched).

If the surgery goes well, he will be able to return to the ring after a full recovery in a month, but there will be no more chances to team up with his younger brother Hayabusa. Dragon and Hayabusa last teamed up in the main event of the EMLL show held at a small bullring on the outskirts of Texcoco. The trio, which also included Blue Demon, defeated Doctor Wagner Jr., Jaque Mate, and El Gran Markus Jr. , 2-1.

"I have nothing more to teach him. If he wants to become a heavyweight fighter, he should learn wild and wide wrestling in America, not just stick to Mexico," said Dragon as he handed him his Estrella course graduation certificate.

"I've been helped a lot by my older brother (Dragon). I don't know if I would have been able to do well in Mexico without Asai-san... I couldn't become a complete Estrella, but I learned a lot here. It would be great if I could win the CMLL belt and take it home to America." Hayabusa is full of gratitude to Dragon. Perhaps one day in the near future, the two of them may team up and fight on the mats in Japan...

Last fight in Mexico, first attempt at CMLL Title!!!

Hayabusa's last fight in Mexico was a ridiculous match!!! On this day, Hayabusa challenged for the CMLL World Heavyweight Championship for the first time, and was excited to bring the belt back to America, his next destination.

However, after two minutes into the first match, his swan dive plancha failed as his foot got caught on the rope. He fell outside the ring and hit his head on the concrete floor. Hayabusa lost the match by being counted out.

In the second match, Hayabusa was still lying flat outside the ring after being checked by the doctor, and Silver King, the champion, was fed up and stomped on him repeatedly. The referee was angry and called a foul on Silver King, as the attack was occurring while the doctor was checking him.

In the third match of the final, Hayabusa finally came back to the ring, staggering around. However, he was already unconscious and in a daze. All he could do was fight on instinct. However, because he was unconscious, he repeats the same technique over and over again. Silver King can read all of this.

After five minutes, he finally explodes with a big move. Hayabusa hits the champion with a moonsault press and a diving knee kick. But the construction is all over the place. This is not enough to defeat the CMLL double champion Silver King. Silver King spins around the second power bomb he was aiming for and applies a pin, easily getting the three count.

Hayabusa was given his last and best chance to challenge for the singles title for the first time, but an unexpected accident prevented him from taking the title for the first time.

"Was the match bad?" Hayabusa asked the reporter the same question over and over again in the car on the way back to Mexico City from Puebla. His consciousness was completely gone and he couldn't remember the match. Hayabusa flies to Florida at the beginning of the year, but he has some unfinished business in Mexico.

For Hayabusa, defeating Silver King is a job that he must accomplish someday. With this burden on his mind, Hayabusa flies to America, where he is sure the next challenge awaits him.

Hayabusa now in Florida!

Hayabusa left Mexico and moved his overseas expedition to Tampa, Florida, USA. Hayabusa arrived in Tampa on February 8th (local time). He was originally scheduled to arrive there early in the new year, but he failed an aerial attack in his last match in Mexico (December 17th against Silver King).

He hit his head on the concrete floor and has been feeling unwell ever since. He stayed in Mexico until he recovered. "My body is fine now. The air here is thicker than in Mexico (laughs)." Hayabusa had hoped to go to America, thinking that he would not be able to get rid of his junior image if he stayed in Mexico. His wish came true and he smiled naturally, but he had a firm sense of purpose and started training the next day! He started "building his body" so that he would be able to fight as a heavyweight when he returned to Japan.

Hayabusa stays in a motel with a kitchen in the city and sweats at the gym for about four hours a day, twice a day, in the morning and in the evening. The partner is Horace Boulder, who once appeared on the FMW mat. He seems to have been doing fruitful training, including sparring along the way. He has been approached by an independent organization and his debut on the American mat seems imminent, but he thinks that training comes first, saying, "It won't hurt to fight so that I don't forget the feeling of the ring, but the reason I came here is to get bigger. I'm 96kg (211 pounds) now, but I want to exceed 100kg (220 pounds) when I go back to Japan."

Even when we ask him to pose for a photo, Hayabusa never takes off his clothes. This is because he wants to hide his clothes so that he looks a little bigger when he goes back to Japan. "I haven't decided when I'll go back to Japan yet. I'm interested in Japan, but while I'm here, I want to do my best to do what I can now." These are reassuring words.

According to correspondent Jimmy Suzuki, there are hardly any shops around Hayabusa's accommodation. It's extremely inconvenient to go anywhere without a car, so Hayabusa goes out twice a day, and only when Boulder comes to pick him up by car. "I don't have anything to do except training...I just sleep in my room or think about wrestling." Hayabusa is happily spending his days in Tampa immersed in wrestling.

Hayabusa makes his US debut against Doug Masters in Tampa, Florida on February 14th, and becomes the FWA Light Heavyweight Champion

On the 16th, he faces Vern Henderson in Plant City for his second match. He easily clears the match with a moonsault press.

On the 18th, he is called up by the FWF (Florida Wrestling Federation), Florida's largest independent organization, to face the 1kg giant Bill Garrett.

Garrett is a power fighter who boasts that he can bench press 30kg, and is just like Tarza Goto. For Hayabusa, who is aiming for the heavyweight division, a match against a giant wrestler is a dream come true. He disrupts his opponent with his killer kicks and finishes with a brilliant shooting star press! Promoter Al Hartaman asked Hayabusa to challenge our light heavyweight champion Lightning Kid for another show here on March 18th. Will he sweep the Florida Indy belts?!

Hayabusa & Osamu Nishimura conversation in a hot tub at a Florida hotel on February 14, 1995

Hayabusa: Nice to meet you, I'm Hayabusa.

Nishimura: I'm Nishimura, who boycotted the Tokyo Dome (bitter smile). Nice to meet you.

Hayabusa: I've just come to America, Nishimura, I heard you have been here for about two years?

Nishimura: I came here in August 1993. I was focused on getting in shape, and matches were secondary. By chance, I had an offer and did just one match in April 1994...it was my first match in about 10 months, and I'd gained 15kg. I wasn't particularly struggling, but I gradually started to feel anxious about not having a match.

Hayabusa: I just had my debut match in America (February 14th in Tampa), but I hadn't had a match since mid-December, and I'd only been doing Mexican style for about a year, so I was anxious. Originally, I wanted to train in America, but I ended up in Mexico. So in the end, I was selfish and came to America. Of course, my first priority is to get in shape for the heavyweight division, but I'd also like to get a feel for pro wrestling here, so I'd like to start wrestling in matches here and there from now on.

Nishimura: I'm also in a small independent company now... In a big company, the pay and schedule are tight and your name will rise, but if you're an independent, if you do 15 matches a month, you have to contact 15 companies, and if you do a bad match, they won't use you again, so it's a great learning experience. The level of wrestling is incomparable to Japan, and the style is different, but I learn a lot from other aspects besides the matches.

Hayabusa: If you're in Japan, you have to keep up with the schedule given to you by the company...There were times when I couldn't make a living in Mexico, so I think it doesn't hurt to do things like booking matches myself.

Nishimura: Liger is good at both glamour and strictness. "If it comes down to it, I will never lose."

Hayabusa: I had a match with Liger last year, and he's really strong.

Nishimura: Other than ECW, the promotions are really small, and in Tampa there are only 30-40 people in the audience, and they might be drunkards who don't know anything about wrestling, but even so, you fight in a way that makes them want to come and see you again... You should feel a sense of responsibility for taking the main event, and it should be a learning experience. That's why when I didn't come back to the Tokyo Dome on January 4th, people said to me, "You didn't come back because you didn't have confidence," but it wasn't because I didn't have confidence, I just wanted to gain experience and experience. You can't make fun of American wrestling after all.

Hayabusa: Being the main event and having to attract customers on your own responsibility allows you to do something you can't experience in Japan. It also leads to your income. If you can't convince 30 to 40 customers, I don't think you'll be able to make it back to Japan. When I was in Mexico, I sometimes watched American wrestling on TV, and I've been watching it since I came here, and there are many different types of wrestlers there. You have individuality. Even if it's something given to you by the company, it's up to you to make the most of it, and in that respect I feel you have a sense of professionalism.

Nishimura: I was watching the Royal Rumble the other day... Of course The Undertaker was great, but Bret Hart had the power to draw the crowd in.

Hayabusa: When I was in LA and watched WWF at the Sports Arena, I saw Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels... I felt that there was something different about people who had a solid foundation in the sport.

Nishimura: In that sense, I guess a Japanese person needs a character to be able to surpass America, but I'm not that particular about it. I still have a lot to work on, and I'm still just starting out. And since I'm from New Japan, it's difficult because I don't really want to be particular about a character. Even if you compete in wrestling, there are times when the audience doesn't want that.

Hayabusa: But in the end, what's needed to make the fans happy and come back is the foundation. On May 5th, Onita will retire, and FMW will have to run with Goto and the rest of us... To be honest, we're no different from other independents in Japan. But we want to survive and make our organization as good as Onita's. So right now, I want to absorb everything.

Nishimura: If you look at it from both the glamorous and strict sides, Liger is skilled. He has that "I will never lose if it comes down to it."

Hayabusa: I had a match with him last year, and Liger is truly a strong man.

Nishimura: I think it's because of his fiery temperament, but I think that's how a wrestler should be.

Hayabusa: Actually, I was once told that I have a similar style to Nishimura, and it always bothered me. I'm currently fighting as Hayabusa, but eventually I want to move up to the 115kg (253 pounds) heavyweight class and fight under the name Eiji Ezaki. I'll do my best with the desire to become the top. When that time comes, I want to face Nishimura in the ring, so I look forward to it.

Nishimura: I want to become a wrestler who is called a "Bali fighter" and look back at the origins of real fights and real wrestling, and that's the same in America. As a part of New Japan, I can't let the strength of Japanese wrestlers that my great predecessors have built up go down, and I think it's my duty to do a strong style. And if I get to the top... if I get the chance, I'd like to fight Ezaki and people from other organizations. When that time comes, I'll show you!

Hayabusa: If Nishimura has the pride of New Japan, I have the pride of an independent. If we ever have a match, I'll use my independent pride to win. If Nishimura has the pride of New Japan, I have the pride of an independent. If we ever have a match, I'll use my independent pride to win! (Recorded late at night on February 14th)

While Gannosuke, Niiyama and others continue to bombard Goto, Hayabusa is progressing smoothly and heading towards "May 5th" across the ocean. After a one-night triumphant return to Osaka Castle Hall on August 28th last year, he made a U-turn to Mexico's EMLL. Hayabusa had established himself as Super Estrella, but at the end of last year he left Mexico and moved to the United States, settling in Tampa, Florida. The reason for this was body transformation. It's not bad to master lucha, but to become a wrestler on a larger scale, you first need to build a heavyweight body. It's the same pattern as New Japan's Osamu Nishimura.

As for the match, he only thought of it as an opportunity... but after being introduced by Horace Boulder, he appeared in the local FWA ring and won a crushing victory over The Navy Seal! Promoter Calhoun, who was watching the match, immediately recognized him as the vacant Florida District Light Heavyweight Champion. He achieved an unprecedented feat by suddenly becoming champion in his debut match in the United States. Of course, for Hayabusa, the light heavyweight belt is just an oversight. All he can think about is jumping up to the next level. Yes, by May 5th... Tampa, the legendary land that is essential to the story of Hulk Hogan's success. Another superstar who will shake up the world of professional wrestling is about to be born from there.

Hayabusa's performance in Florida is remarkable

As we reported in this magazine, he became the FWA light heavyweight champion on February 14th, but in March he relinquished the title due to being overweight. He started fighting as a heavyweight warrior and became a double champion! First, Hayabusa challenged for the PUWF heavyweight championship on March 16th.

The champion, Navy Seal, is a large fighter at 120 kg (265 pounds), but Hayabusa never loses in strength. As you can see from the photo, Hayabusa's body has been built up quite a bit.

"I've finally reached the 100 kg (220 pound) mark. Now I'm 100.5 kg (222 pounds)."

His body looks bigger than that. Hayabusa was hit by Navy Seal's tope in the middle of the match and hit his head hard. His movements became a little sluggish and he was cornered, but Hayabusa started fighting in heel mode.

"I've come all the way to America, so I want to do whatever I want," he said, taking advantage of the referee's blind spot to get himself in position with a thumb strike, and finally a German Suplex! Hayabusa became the new champion.

Furthermore, on March 18th, Hayabusa attacked for the Florida Heavyweight Championship. He defeated Rock'n'Randy with the Hiryu Atomic Bomb Hold to become a double champion, but in these two matches, Hayabusa showed us something very meaningful: a suplex.

After his appearance in last year's J-Cup, this magazine interviewed Hayabusa, who said that he still has a long way to go.

"I have hardly ever used suplexes in Japan. I only used a German Suplex once. I wasn't using it consciously. Without power, it has no destructive power. It was after I exceeded 100kg (220 pounds). When I use a suplex, if people think that I have gained some confidence in myself, then the time has finally come.

Hayabusa started using suplexes as proof of his status as a heavyweight. It's not a temporary fix, but now that he's over 100kg (220 pounds), he can exert his "weight." Until now, there were gaps in his throwing weapons, but now that he can use suplexes, it's different.

"I feel like I have more variety in my fighting style... I've climbed a ladder and taken a step forward in my own way. I'm looking forward to how I can use this (suplex) next time."

Hayabusa also enjoys fighting as a heel. This was done with the intention of becoming stronger in rough matches so that he would not be overwhelmed by the "intensity of FMW", typified by the barbed wire matches, when he returns home in triumph.

"I'm not changing my fighting style just because I'm a heel, and it's not like I'm going to be all-out rough. By being a heel I've been able to see a side of pro-wrestling I didn't know before... maybe I could be more intense. I can't just get away with not being able to be rough. It's something that's absolutely necessary from now on. Booing? It feels surprisingly good (laughs)." Hayabusa has become much stronger mentally as well as physically!!

Hayabusa makes his US debut against Doug Masters in Tampa, Florida on February 14th, and becomes the FWA Light Heavyweight Champion.

On the 16th, he faces Vern Henderson in Plant City for his second match. He easily clears the match with a moonsault press.

On the 18th, he is called up by the FWF (Florida Wrestling Federation), Florida's largest independent organization, to face the giant Bill Garrett.

Garrett is a power fighter who boasts that he can bench press 300 pounds and is just like Tarzan Goto. For Hayabusa, who is aiming for the heavyweight division, a match against a giant wrestler is a dream come true. He disrupts his opponent with his killer kicks and finishes with a brilliant shooting star press! Promoter Al Hartaman asked Hayabusa to challenge the light heavyweight champion Lightning Kid for another show here on March 18th. Will he sweep the Florida Indie belts?!

Hayabusa vs. Jerry Flynn

On this day, Hayabusa had to limit his aerial attacks because the match was held inside a restaurant. The ceiling was low, so techniques on the top rope were dangerous.

Spectator tables were lined up very close to the apron, so it was difficult to jump outside the ring. However, Hayabusa did not panic. Although Hayabusa tends to be focused on his aerial attacks, he is also a good wrestler.

He must have thought that the fight would be centered on the ground because his opponent was Jerry Flynn, a regular foreign fighter in the Fujiwara group. Flynn landed a leg attack. He attacked Hayabusa, not wanting to be outdone, but Hayabusa had the initiative in the match. And the match unfolded exactly as expected.

As they tried to lock arms and legs, Hayabusa took advantage of an opening and locked in a kneebar and a wakigatame. And he did it very quickly. Jimmy Suzuki, a correspondent who has covered Hayabusa many times in Mexico and Florida, said that this was his first time seeing "Hayabusa Not Flying"... but on the contrary, he realized that Hayabusa had high qualities as a wrestler.

"Anyway, Hayabusa is amazing. Not only is he good at aerial techniques, but his wrestling is good too. I've seen a lot of Japanese wrestlers here, but he feels like Muto. He has a lot of charm and good athleticism."

Flynn won the match by pinfall with a chair attack that blindsided the referee. For Hayabusa, the result may not have been satisfactory, but the content should have been satisfactory. He dominated Flynn from start to finish. It was the first time since he left Japan that he was able to wrestle comfortably in a match.

The Gladiator has been decided as Hayabusa's opponent for his triumphant return to Kawasaki Stadium on May 5th. This was in response to the "incident" in Florida, and the incident, which became a grudge match across the ocean, occurred on April 6th (local time).

Hayabusa was waiting for the match in the dressing room, where it would be his first defense of the PCWF Heavyweight title, and he couldn't hide his nervousness, but...Boulder tried to calm him down by talking to him. For Hayabusa, Boulder is a "good friend."

Since arriving in Florida, Boulder has been taking care of him in many ways, both publicly and privately, such as training together. The two chatted for a while. Just when it seemed that Hayabusa had gotten rid of his stiffness, Gladiator, who had returned to Florida after the March series of FMW, appeared in the waiting room and kicked Hayabusa.

Seeing this, Boulder's attitude changed. He was actually siding with Gladiator. Boulder is scheduled to come to Japan for the next FMW series. He was fighting as a member of the W*ING Alliance and needed to come to some kind of answer regarding his relationship with Hayabusa, but it should be seen as a sign that he valued his bond with Gladiator, a fellow resident of Florida and former tag teammate in FMW.

After that, Gladiator and Boulder beat up Hayabusa and left the field. Hayabusa was quite damaged and leaned against the railing as he made his way to the ring. There was no way he could have a satisfactory match like this. As expected... Hayabusa's movements were sluggish that day and he was attacked. He mustered all his strength to perform a moonsault, but it was dodged and he self-destructed.

Hayabusa was rolled up without being able to show his strength and fell from the throne. After the match, Gladiator brought Boulder back into the ring and beat up Hayabusa again, hitting him with a high-angle throw-down powerbomb. Gladiator said, "He messed up my turf while I was gone, and I won't let him have a big face in Florida. Hayabusa being the champion will lower the value of the Florida belt!" Gladiator said.

Gladiator, who mainly fights on the FMW mat and doesn't fight much in his hometown of Florida, seems to have been unable to tolerate Hayabusa's performance. However, Hayabusa is a man with a stronger competitive spirit than anyone else. He was not about to back down, and said, "I won't be satisfied unless I get back twice as much for what I was hit with. I'll fight Gladiator one-on-one in Kawasaki! I'll appeal to the company directly!!"

In response, FMW decided that Hayabusa's homecoming match at Kawasaki Stadium will be a one-on-one match with Gladiator. *All the match cards for the 5/5 Kawasaki Stadium event are listed on page 6.

Hayabusa makes his US debut against D. Masters in Tampa, Florida on February 14th, and becomes the FWA Light Heavyweight Champion. On the 16th, he faces Vern Henderson in Plant City for his second match. He easily clears the match with a moonsault press.

On the 18th, he is called up by the FWF (Florida Wrestling Federation), Florida's largest independent organization, to face the 1kg giant Bill Garrett.

Garrett is a power fighter who boasts that he can bench press 30kg, and is just like Tarzan Goto. For Hayabusa, who is aiming for the heavyweight division, a match against a giant wrestler is a dream come true. He disrupts his opponent with his killer kicks and finishes with a brilliant shooting star press! Promoter Al Hartaman asked Hayabusa to challenge our light heavyweight champion Lightning Kid for another show here on March 18th. Will he sweep the Florida Indie belts?!

The rising star, Hayabusa (Eiji Ezaki) returns in triumph! "I will build a new era with Gannosuke," he said, but...

Hayabusa (Eiji Ezaki), who was on an overseas tour, returned to Japan on an American Airlines flight arriving at Narita Airport on the afternoon of April 20th. He initially fought in Mexico, then went to Florida to power up as a heavyweight fighter. He returned in triumph and will fight his first match as a heavyweight on May 5th at Kawasaki Stadium, bringing with him his tanned heavyweight body.

"It's a shame I couldn't make it in time for Onita's retirement match, but... we're going to create a new FMW with Gannosuke and the others," he said decisively. When the topic turned to his rival, Gannosuke in particular, he said, "He's the one. When he teamed up with Onita and won the tag belts, I was so happy I had the magazine clippings hanging up in my room." He was as excited as if it were his own achievement and was eager to work together with him to build the "New Century of FMW," but he never expected that Gannosuke would end up leaving FMW.