Mitsuhiro Matsunaga

Mitsuhiro Matsunaga (松永 光広) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler best known for his deathmatch wrestling style, having competed in memorable deathmatches in Big Japan Pro Wrestling (BJW), Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) and Wrestling International New Generations (W*ING).

He is renowned for participating in the first-ever deathmatch in Japanese wrestling history on December 10, 1989 and is also 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.

Matsunaga began his career in FMW where he specialized in the deathmatch wrestling style and adopted it as his own trademark style.

He 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".

He 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 (FMW) 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 Matsunaga would be roped in to tour with FMW for a few more shows as part of FMW's working partnership with WKA.

Matsunaga headlined the Battle Creation event on December 10 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo by teaming with Jerry Blayman against Onita and Tarzan Goto in the company's first-ever barbed wire deathmatch and the first-ever deathmatch in Japan, which Matsunaga and Blayman lost.

This match would set the stage for Matsunaga to establish himself as a deathmatch wrestler.

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.

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

He worked two shows for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in the summer of 1991 in which he traded wins with Masashi Aoyagi.

Matsunaga joined the newly upstart deathmatch wrestling promotion Wrestling International New Generations (W*ING) later that year, making his debut on September 20 by defeating Nobuhiro Tsurumaki.

He was soon 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.

After working as W*ING's ace from 1992-1993, Matsunaga left the company and returned to FMW where he headlined the successful 1993 Year End Spectacular event against Atsushi Onita.

After an alliance with Onita, Matsunaga formed the W*ING Alliance to feud with FMW and avenge the demise of W*ING from FMW.

After having faced off against each other in many tag team matches throughout the late 1991, Matsunaga and Pogo competed in their first singles match against one another in a Scramble Bunkhouse Barbed Wire Baseball Bat Deathmatch on March 8, 1992, at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, which Matsunaga lost.

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

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

He was then involved in a feud with Leatherface, to whom he lost in a Barbed Wire Deathmatch on October 28.

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

On April 3, 1993, Matsunaga won his first title, the promotion's World Tag Team Championship with Yukihiro Kanemura by defeating Freddie Krueger and Leatherface.

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

On May 5, Matsunaga defeated Leatherface in a Spike Nail Deathmatch to gain his first singles win over his nemesis.

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.

Following Pogo's departure, Matsunaga continued to feud with Freddie Krueger, Leatherface and The Headhunters throughout the summer of 1993.

He also made an appearance for Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW) in the United States on the August 31 episode of Hardcore TV by teaming with Miguelito Perez to wrestle The Headhunters to a double disqualification.

He then toured Mexico to wrestle on two shows for the Universal Wrestling Association (UWA).

Matsunaga's final match in W*ING was a WarGames match, in which Matsunaga, Crash the Terminator and W*ING Kanemura lost to Freddie Krueger, Jado and Gedo at Best Champ on August 25.

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

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

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.

Onita retained the title.

After the match, Matsunaga made friends with Onita and turned fan favorite as he joined the FMW side to feud with Pogo and his entourage.

At FMW 5th Anniversary Show on May 5, 1994, Matsunaga and Tarzan Goto unsuccessfully challenged Pogo and Hisakatsu Oya for the Brass Knuckles Tag Team Championship.

On July 31, Matsunaga teamed with Atsushi Onita to defeat Pogo and Oya for the tag team championship.

As a result, Matsunaga renewed his W*ING-era rivalry with Mr. Pogo as the two clashed in a Street Fight Deathmatch at Summer Spectacular, which Matsunaga lost.

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 Matsunaga's box office drawing power was considered weak by management and the management had to change their mind.

Initially considered to be Onita's successor as FMW's ace, Matsunaga was demoted from his role and failed to gain prominence in FMW and ultimately quit the company in 1996.

He 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.

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