Kuniaki Kobayashi passes away at 68

Kuniaki Kobayashi has passed away at 68. NJPW shared the following message on Monday: “New Japan Pro-Wrestling is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, and Noge Dojo manager Kuniaki Kobayashi. Our deepest sympathies go to Kobayashi’s family, friends and fans.” A ten-bell salute will be held before tomorrow’s Road to Destruction event in Sendai. Kobayashi started training at the NJPW dojo as a teenager in the 1970s and later became a figure in the early days of the junior heavyweight division. He was the second-ever World Junior Heavyweight Champion in AJPW, defeating Hiro Saito for the belt in 1986. The following year he became the fourth champion in IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship history when he defeated Nobuhiko Takada in the finals of a tournament. During this time, he had memorable bouts with Tiger Mask, Tiger Mask II (Mitsuharu Misawa), Hiroshi Hase, Jushin Liger, Owen Hart, and others. His match against Tiger Mask II on June 12, 1985, was voted Match