Kazuo Sakurada, better known as Mr Sakurada, The Dragonmaster, and as the Japanese version of Kendo Nagasaki, was a Japanese professional wrestler.
16 Facts About Kazuo Sakurada
2.
Kazuo Sakurada was best known for his work in Stampede Wrestling, National Wrestling Alliance, and World Championship Wrestling.
3.
Kazuo Sakurada was born on September 26,1948, in Abashiri, Hokkaido.
4.
Kazuo Sakurada made his sumo debut in January 1964 under his last name.
5.
Kazuo Sakurada debuted on June 21,1971, in the old Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance against Kim Duk.
6.
On March 8,1973, he became involved in a shoot when his mid-card match against rookie Tsutomu Oshiro went horribly wrong and Kazuo Sakurada began beating Oshiro severely, knocking him out of the ring.
7.
Oshiro was going to jump to New Japan Pro-Wrestling along with his mentor Seiji Sakaguchi and friend Kengo Kimura, and Kazuo Sakurada took actions into his own hands, blaming them for jumping ship.
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In 1976, Kazuo Sakurada made his North America debut in Texas.
9.
Now as Mr Kazuo Sakurada, he found his earliest success in Stampede Wrestling.
10.
Kazuo Sakurada defeated two-time champion Leo Burke to win his first and only Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship on May 20,1978, in Edmonton, Alberta.
11.
Kazuo Sakurada then became highly regarded in Stampede's tag team division, defeating Keith and Bret Hart in early 1979 to win his first Stampede International Tag Team Championship with Mr Hito.
12.
Kazuo Sakurada faced some of the top competition in the Florida territory throughout 1983 and 1984, and on January 22,1984, he captured the NWA Florida Heavyweight Championship from Mike Rotunda.
13.
Kazuo Sakurada first joined Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling, but later joined Super World of Sports.
14.
On September 26,1995, in Setagaya, Tokyo, Kazuo Sakurada lost a mixed martial arts match to American kickboxer Zane Frazier via knockout punch at Shooto: Vale Tudo Perception.
15.
At the time, Kazuo Sakurada had the reputation by pro wrestling insiders as being one of the toughest wrestlers in a street fight, as well as a shooter.
16.
On January 12,2020, Kazuo Sakurada died at age 71 due to arrythmia.