Former pro wrestling star Killer Khan dead at 76

Mashashi Ozawa, who wrestled professionally as Killer Khan and starred in Vince McMahon’s promotion during the 1980s, died Friday. He was 76.

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New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced in a news release that Ozawa died after collapsing at a bar he owned in Tokyo. He died after suffering a ruptured artery, Fox News reported.

Ozawa began his pro wrestling career under his real name in Japan in 1971. Seven years later during a tour in Mexico, he created the Killer Khan persona and billed himself as a heel from Mongolia, according to Bleacher Report.

He began wrestling in the United States in 1979 and remained in North America during most of the 1980s, wrestling for McMahon’s WWF (now WWE) promotion.

He had memorable matches against Andre the Giant in 1980 with Georgia Championship Wrestling, which led to the contract with the WWF.

He became one of the promotion’s top villains, feuding with WWF heavyweight champion Bob Backlund, Pedro Morales and (again) Andre the Giant, according to Bleacher Report. He lost a Mongolian Stretcher match to Andre in 1981.

Ozawa retired in from pro wrestling in 1987, Fox News reported. In addition to running his businesses, he made his debut as a singer in 2005 with Furusato Makaka, according to the news outlet.

In a statement, WWE called Ozawa “an imposing figure in the ring.”

“(He) highlighted his career with memorable rivalries against legends such as Bob Backlund, Pedro Morales, Andre the Giant, Hulk Hogan and more,” the WWE said. “WWE extends its condolences to Ozawa’s family, friends and fans.”

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