by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News March 12, 2024
Yutaka Yoshie, a star professional wrestler in Japan, died suddenly and unexpectedly after a match this past weekend. He was 50.
No cause of death has been reported.
Yoshie fell ill in the locker room following a tag-team match he competed in as part of the All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) Takasaki tournament.
The match lasted just under 12 minutes, and it’s said he fell ill after the bout.
“After Yutaka Yoshie returned to the waiting room after the game, his condition suddenly deteriorated, and he was rushed to a hospital in Takasaki City, but he never returned home,” wrote AJPW on X, according to a translation by Wrestling Inc. “We would like to remember Yutaka Yoshie’s achievements during his lifetime and pray for his soul to rest in peace.”
Yoshie’s final match was a tag-team bout in which he partnered with Ryo Inoue to take on Hokuto Omori and Ryoji Choi, according to Yahoo Japan. Yoshie did not appear to have any health issues during the match, the outlet noted.
Not long after being admitted to the hospital, Yoshie’s family announced the wrestling star passed away.
In 1994, Yoshie made his debut in New Japan Pro Wrestling, winning the IWGP tag team championship in 2003 alongside Hiroshi Tanahashi.
“At 180 cm and 160kg (5-foot-11, 350 pounds), Yoshie was a true gentle giant whose bright disposition, contrasted with powerful in-ring offense made him a popular figure wherever he went,” NJPW wrote in a tribute to the wrestler, according to the New York Post.
Yutaka Yoshie has passed away at the age of 50. He was taken to the hospital after his match today in #ajpw. He sadly never made it back home. RIP. pic.twitter.com/xoWNFPii9X
— Pro Wrestling & MMA News (@PWMMANews) March 10, 2024
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