Very sad news breaking from Japan: Weekly Pro reports longtime wrestler Osamu Nishimura has died. He was 53. It appears the cause of death is/was esophageal cancer, diagnosed last year after having been cancer-free since 2000. He most recently had been a freelancer. (I was unable to verify because the full article is paywalled and in Japanese)
Nishimura debuted in 1991 for New Japan, then headed to the US for his first training excursion in 1994 with the NWA and various other promotions. From 1995-2006 he split time between New Japan and the US, then from 2007-2021 he did the same split while based in All-Japan. Since 2015 he also was a politician, serving in the Tokyo Bunkyo Ward Assembly and was halfway through his fourth consecutive term. His final match came on August 28, 2024 when he & Dory Funk Jr. beat Atsushi Onita & Raijin Yaguchi.
In addition to various independent championships, Nishimura also was a 2-time IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion in New Japan. He was also a highly respected veteran.
I join in sending my deepest condolences to the family, friends and fans of Osamu Nishimura.
