Wrestling World Mourns As Veteran Referee Katsumi Sasazaki Dies in Shocking Bear Attack

The professional wrestling community is reeling after the tragic death of veteran referee Katsumi Sasazaki, who was killed in a bear attack while working at a hot spring inn in Japan. This isn’t exactly the kind of retirement plan anyone envisions after decades of calling matches in the squared circle.

The Shocking Details Behind Sasazaki’s Final Day

The 60-year-old former wrestling official went missing Thursday while performing his duties at a Kitakami hot spring inn, where he had been working since stepping away from the wrestling business. Police discovered a grim scene that read like something out of a horror movie – bloodstains, animal fur scattered around the outdoor bath area he was cleaning, along with his personal belongings, including glasses, slippers, and cleaning equipment.

A search party of thirty people combed the area before discovering his body roughly fifty meters from the inn on Friday. The adult male Asiatic black bear responsible for the attack was later shot and killed by authorities. Because apparently, even in death, this story needed another tragic twist.

This marks the second bear-related fatality in the region this month, leaving officials scrambling to determine whether the same animal was responsible for both attacks. Nothing quite says “welcome to rural Japan” like consecutive bear encounters turning deadly. However, it’s super scary when a bear attack happens.

Wrestling Career Spanning Multiple Promotions

Sasazaki has an impressive resume officiating matches across several major Japanese promotions, from All Japan Women’s Wrestling, Zero 1, Marigold, and many more. He didn’t just work as a referee but also as a bus driver transporting talent between venues. So many wonderful relationships he built through his career. It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes dedication that fans rarely see but promotions absolutely depend on.

The stocky referee had earned respect throughout the wrestling community for his professional approach and gentle demeanor outside the ring. According to Hideo Arai, president of a Yokohama-based entertainment production company, Sasazaki was considered “a pillar of many ring events” who approached his craft with unwavering sincerity. He is such an underrated part of those promotions, and it sucks hearing how he died.

Heartfelt Tributes Pour In From Wrestling Community

Marigold founder Rossy Ogawa expressed his devastation in a touching social media tribute that captured the wrestling world’s collective grief. Ogawa revealed that Sasazaki’s final professional appearance was in a Marigold ring, and the referee was supposed to attend an upcoming Shin-Kiba event before his untimely death. He even stated the following quote below.

“He was a junior from All-Japan Women’s Pro-Wrestling, quiet but dedicated to his work, and had two young daughters,… Such an end is unimaginable; it can only be described as deeply regrettable and heartbreaking.”

New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) wrestler Hartley Jackson shared particularly poignant memories of their twelve-year working relationship through Zero1. Jackson painted a picture of a man who went far beyond his official duties, introducing the foreign wrestler to Japanese cuisine and culture during their countless road trips across the country. He even said the following quote about him in his tribute post.

“He was a referee, president, driver, office worker, ring crew, friend, and most important, a family man,… This is sometimes from a 26-hour one-shot drive from the top to the bottom of Japan.”

A Legacy Remembered in Every Match

From women’s wrestling in All Japan to the hard-hitting action of Zero1 and the fresh energy of Marigold, Sasazaki was there ensuring fair play and maintaining order when emotions ran high. The wrestling world has lost more than just a referee – they’ve lost a dedicated member of the business. My thoughts and prayers are with Sasazaki’s friends and family.