Haruka Eigen

Haruka Eigen (永源 遙, Eigen Haruka) (January 11, 1946 – November 28, 2016) was a Japanese professional wrestler. He was an executive director of Pro Wrestling Noah.^[2]

Sumo career

In July 1961, Haruka Eigen began wrestling as a sumo. He was part of Tatsunami's stable. He quit sumo in May 1965, after nearly four years. His highest rank was Makushita 71st.

Professional wrestling career

Tokyo Pro Wrestling (1966–1967)

Trained by former sumos Toyonobori and Mr. Hito at the Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance Dojo, Eigen followed Antonio Inoki to form Tokyo Pro Wrestling, where he debuted on October 12, 1966. After a brief interpromotional feud with International Wrestling Enterprise, however, Tokyo Pro folded and he followed Inoki to JWA.

Japan Pro Wrestling Alliance (1967–1973)

Eigen joined JWA in 1967. After spending six years struggling on the undercard, he finally left JWA in 1973, and the promotion soon folded.

New Japan Pro Wrestling (1973–1984)

After leaving JWA in 1973, Eigen joined New Japan Pro Wrestling. But first, he went on an excursion in the United States. While there, he wrestled in the Central States area, under the name The Great Togo, wrestling mainly in Kansas City and St. Louis. In March 1973, he won his first championship, the NWA North American Tag Team Championship, with Tokyo Joe. They would hold onto the titles for about a month, until the titles were abandoned, making them the last holders of the titles.

Upon returning to Japan full-time with NJPW, Eigen became a solid hand for the undercard and mid-card matches. In 1979, he would bounce back and forth between NJPW and IWE. Teaming with Strong Kobayashi, they won the IWA World Tag Team Championship in June 1980. They would hold onto the titles for over two weeks before losing them to Animal Hamaguchi and Mighty Inoue. Upon returning to NJPW on a full-time basis after a year, he began to feel disenchanted. In 1983, he joined Riki Choshu's Ishin Gundan. A year later, he followed Choshu in leaving NJPW, after following Inoki for nearly two decades.

All Japan Pro Wrestling (1984–2000)

Joining All Japan Pro Wrestling in September 1984, he was part of the Japan Pro-Wrestling satellite, until it dissolved in March 1987. Since then, he had primarily used in multi-man tag team matches and comedy matches. He would remain with All Japan until the Pro Wrestling Noah exodus in June 2000, ending his nearly sixteen-year run with AJPW.

Pro Wrestling NOAH (2000–2006)

In August 2000, Eigen joined Pro Wrestling NOAH. However, like in AJPW since the dissolution of Japan Pro Wrestling, he was mainly used for multi-man tag team matches and comedy matches. However, in January 2005, he was given a shot at the GHC Openweight Hardcore Championship against Naomichi Marufuji, but narrowly lost. He wrestled his last match of his career on March 26, 2006, teaming with Jun Akiyama, in a loss to Akira Taue and Masao Inoue.

Retirement and death

After retiring, Eigen focused on his work as executive director of Pro Wrestling NOAH, overseeing sales and marketing. In July 2009, a month after Mitsuharu Misawa's death, he resigned as a director and retired as a counselor for the promotion's board of directors.

In September 2010, Eigen returned as a member of the GHC Championship committee. However, a ticket scandal with the Yakuza forced him to resign from the committee in March 2012 and was demoted into a general employee, as was general manager Ryu Nakata. Eigen and Nakata had ties with the Yakuza between 2003 and 2010.

On November 28, 2016, Eigen passed away at his home at the age of 70. Originally, it was reported that he suffered a fall in the bathroom, but it was later confirmed that the fall was caused by a heart attack.

In wrestling

• Finishing and signature moves

• Cradle
• Giant swing
• Spitting
• Sunset flip

• Nicknames

• "Senryōyakusha" (Primadonna)

Championships and accomplishments

• Central States Wrestling
  • NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Central States version) (1 time, final champion) – with Tokyo Joe^[1]
  • NWA World Tag Team Championship (Central States version) (2 times) – with Tokyo Joe^[3]
• International Wrestling Alliance
  • IWA World Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Strong Kobayashi^[4]

References