Zero One is reviving the Hayabusa character with a new wrestler under the mask. The Japanese wrestling promotion announced on Tuesday (per Fightful that the character played by the late Eiji Ezaki is set to return with a new talent portraying the role. The new Hayabusa will debut on April 27th in a match against Masato Tanaka at Lucha Fest Special.
Ezaki originated the Hayabusa gimmick in Mexico after being sent there by FMW founder Atsushi Onita. Ezaki rose to fame for his in-ring talent as Hayabusa in FMW and briefly retired the character in 1999, taking on a new role as simply H, before returning to Hayabusa a year later. His career was cut short by an in-ring injury that left him paralyzed in 2001. He remained active behind the scenes in wrestling until his passing in 2016.
Zero One founder Megumi Judo said during the press conference announcing the news, “We received an offer from Hayabusa because he has a connection to both countries at the (1994) Super J Cup. I also felt a strong desire to see Hayabusa’s magnificent performance again. He is a one-of-a-kind wrestler and a truly legendary wrestler. I was a little worried about whether it was okay to simply bring Hayabusa back. If Hayabusa was here and I consulted him, I’m sure he would want to spread the word about Hayabusa to many people, rather than just keep it to himself.”
He added, “I know that the real identity is not Ezaki-san, but if the cool and strong Hayabusa returns to the ring at Ryogoku, I want to fight in a match that exceeds expectations. I believe I can make the most of the new Hayabusa and defeat him, so I decided to run for the title.”
