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2d ago

Tadao Yasuda, Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Dies at 62

NJPW confirmed his passing following a career that bridged sumo, MMA training, then a 2002 New Japan title reign.

Tadao Yasuda won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship after defeating Yuji Nagata at NJPW's "Fighting Spirit 2002" show. Yasuda held the gold for 48 days before dropping it to Nagata in their rematch (via NJPW).
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Overview

  • New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced Yasuda’s death at 62 with no cause disclosed.
  • The Tokyo-born athlete spent 13 years in sumo before debuting for NJPW on February 24, 1994 against Hiroshi Hase.
  • In the early 2000s he trained at the Inoki LA Dojo for MMA, posting 2001 highlights that included an upset submission of Jerome Le Banner.
  • He captured the vacant IWGP Heavyweight Championship by defeating Yuji Nagata at Fighting Spirit 2002 and held the belt for 48 days.
  • Yasuda later led the Makai Club stable, exited NJPW in the mid-2000s, and retired from wrestling in 2011 after a final match with Genichiro Tenryu.