32 Facts About Mitsuhiro Matsunaga

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga is a Japanese retired professional wrestler best known for his deathmatch wrestling style, having competed in memorable deathmatches in Big Japan Pro Wrestling, Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling and Wrestling International New Generations.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga is renowned for participating in the first-ever deathmatch in Japanese wrestling history on December 10,1989 and is credited for participating in a Piranha Deathmatch against Kendo Nagasaki on August 19,1996, which has been considered to be the most popular and greatest deathmatch in Japanese wrestling history by wrestling journalists and many sports websites and Matsunaga has received critical acclaim for his performance.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga competed in many infamous deathmatches in W*ING and high-profile feuds with Mr Pogo, Freddy Krueger and Leatherface in many successful deathmatches earned him the moniker of "Mr Danger".

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga then joined BJW and helped the promotion revolutionize in deathmatch wrestling and became a two-time Deathmatch Heavyweight Champion in the company before quitting in 2001.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga was initially trained in martial arts and worked for the World Karate Association organization.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga received the training of professional wrestling from fellow karateka Masashi Aoyagi and made his wrestling debut for Atsushi Onita's Grudge in Nagoya event promoted under the Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling banner on October 6,1989, by defeating Billy Mack.

FMW would bring in martial artists and several fighters to combine matches between professional wrestlers and martial artists and Mitsuhiro Matsunaga would be roped in to tour with FMW for a few more shows as part of FMW's working partnership with WKA.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga then participated in the Battle Resistance Tournament on January 7,1990, in which he defeated Katsuji Ueda via disqualification in the first round before losing to eventual winner Masanobu Kurisu in the quarterfinals.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga left FMW after the partnership of FMW and WKA ended.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga worked two shows for New Japan Pro-Wrestling in the summer of 1991 in which he traded wins with Masashi Aoyagi.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga was placed in a rivalry against the company's top villain Mr Pogo and was pushed as the promotion's top fan favorite and the company's ace.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga rebounded by defeating Pogo in a Fire Deathmatch at One Night One Soul.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga competed in many memorable deathmatches throughout 1992 and his rivalry with Mr Pogo was considered a classic.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga then suffered another loss against Leatherface in a Spike Nail Deathmatch at We Love W*ING.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga vacated the title only six days later to concentrate on his ongoing feud with Leatherface.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga then defeated Mr Pogo in a Scramble Bunkhouse Deathmatch in their last meeting against each other in W*ING as Pogo would leave the company afterwards due to a contract dispute and return to FMW.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga then toured Mexico to wrestle on two shows for the Universal Wrestling Association.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga followed his rival Mr Pogo and left W*ING to return to FMW on September 15,1993, as a villain.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga teamed with Pogo to defeat Atsushi Onita and Mr Gannosuke in a No Ropes Barbed Wire Street Fight Deathmatch.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga feuded with Onita throughout the fall of 1993 and he challenged Onita for the Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship in a highly anticipated No Ropes Barbed Wire Deathmatch between the two at Year End Spectacular, which was promoted as the first-ever meeting between FMW's ace and W*ING's ace.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga had gained fame for his deathmatch wrestling style and was considered by Onita to succeed him as FMW's ace after Onita's retirement at FMW 6th Anniversary Show but Mitsuhiro Matsunaga's box office drawing power was considered weak by management and the management had to change their mind.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga's stock began dropping in FMW and he was mainly utilized in the mid-card.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga was initially scheduled to take on Abdullah the Butcher in a high-profile Barbwire Caribbean Glass Double Hell Deathmatch at FMW 7th Anniversary Show but then Cactus Jack was selected in Abdullah's place.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga debuted for the new rising deathmatch promotion Big Japan Pro Wrestling on July 19,1996, by teaming with Shoji Nakamaki to defeat Kendo Nagasaki and Seiji Yamakawa in a No Ropes Barbed Wire, Scaffold, Table and Barbed Wire Boards Elimination Deathmatch to begin feuding with Nagasaki.

At Summer Night Dream, Mitsuhiro Matsunaga competed against Nagasaki in a high-profile Yokohama Amazon River Piranha and Barbed Wire Board Deathmatch, which Nagasaki won.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga was already synonymous with the Death Match format and was considered a veteran, so this new concept of piranhas made it more exciting, as even he hadn't encountered anything like it before.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga competed in a variety of deathmatches during the early years of BJW and helped the promotion to make a mark in the deathmatch wrestling fame in Japan.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga lost the title back to Zandig at Ante Up.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga competed as a freelancer in the Japanese independent circuit during the last few years of his career.

On September 16,2002, Mitsuhiro Matsunaga attacked Mammoth Sasaki with a baseball bat during Sasaki's match against Hisakatsu Oya for the Wrestlings Marvelous Future promotion.

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga would make appearances for Pro Wrestling Zero1 between 2005 and 2008.

On December 23,2009, Mitsuhiro Matsunaga lost to Akitoshi Saito in his retirement match at a Pro Wrestling NOAH show.