Japanese Hardcore Legend Mr. Pogo Passes Away At Age 66

Mr Pogo, the well known Japanese hardcore wrestler of the 80s and 90s, has died aged 66. He reportedly suffered complications while undergoing a routine back operation at a hospital in Gunma Prefecture. 

Pogo graduated from New Japan Pro Wrestling dojo in 1972. However, the the style of wrestling didn't suit him and moved to North America where he worked with competitors including Harley Race, Jake Roberts, Ric Flair and a young Bret Hart in Canada's Stampede Wrestling.

He briefly returned to NJPW in the mid-80s before joining Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) in 1990, where he made his name. He began a long-running feud with Atsushi Onita competing in a number of death matches including an Electrified Exploding Barbed Wire Double Hell Death Match, a No Rope Barbed Wire Double Hell Death Match and a Barbed Wire Barricade Street Fight Death Match.

Pogo began to wind his career down in the mid-90s after breaking his neck in a Double Hell Death Match with Terry Funk in 1996.