Takanashi suffers cervical fracture, discharged and in rehabilitation
Hayabusa, Takayama also could not overcome the injury
Pro wrestling thrills crowds with dazzling moves and fierce physical combat. But a single bad landing can upend a wrestler's entire life. Japanese pro wrestler Takanashi Masahiro, 43, has experienced that danger firsthand.
Takanashi suffered a broken neck and spinal cord damage during a match last year. After surgery and a lengthy hospital stay, Takanashi was discharged eight months later — but the fight to reclaim daily life continues.
According to Japanese pro wrestling promotion DDT, Takanashi injured his neck during the KO-D Openweight Championship match at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo on March 20, 2025. The opponent was Chris Brooks.
Tests revealed fractures of the fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae along with cervical spinal cord damage. Takanashi underwent surgery the following day and continued treatment in the intensive care unit.
The cervical vertebrae are the bones of the neck that support the head. The cervical spinal cord running through them is the central nerve pathway connecting the brain to the body; damage to it can affect movement and sensation in the limbs as well as respiratory function. Depending on the location and severity of the injury, permanent paralysis can result.
Takanashi's recovery has been far from easy. About a month after the injury, after being moved to a general ward, Takanashi said the goal at that point was simply to move a single toe even a millimeter. Even so, Takanashi did not give up hope, expressing a determination to build on small gains day by day and one day meet fans again.
The news of Takanashi's discharge finally came on Nov. 17 last year. After roughly eight months of inpatient treatment and rehabilitation, Takanashi began commuting between home and the hospital to continue recovery.
Through DDT, Takanashi expressed gratitude to medical staff and fans, saying the focus going forward would be on regaining the ability to perform everyday movements. However, it has not been confirmed whether Takanashi can walk independently or whether a return to competition is possible.
Neck injuries are far from an unfamiliar tragedy in pro wrestling. Hayabusa, who earned worldwide fame for the most spectacular aerial moves in Japanese pro wrestling history, also saw his career end because of a cervical spine injury.
Hayabusa, the marquee star of FMW, attempted an aerial move during a match in October 2001, slipped on the jump and landed headfirst on the mat. The cervical injury left Hayabusa with total paralysis. Through relentless rehabilitation, Hayabusa eventually recovered enough to walk with assistance, but never returned to active competition.
Hayabusa died in 2016 at the age of 47 from a subarachnoid hemorrhage. The cause of death was unrelated to the neck injury, but the fact that a single accident ended a storied career remains unchanged.
Takayama Yoshihiro, 60, nicknamed "Emperor" and "High Tower" in the pro wrestling world, is another emblematic case of the dangers a neck injury can bring.
Standing 196 centimeters tall, Takayama dominated the Japanese pro wrestling scene and left a strong impression in mixed martial arts as well. A brawl with Don Frye at Pride FC in 2002 is particularly remembered among combat sports fans as one of the great fights of that era.
Takayama, too, suffered severe cervical spinal cord damage during a match in May 2017. The injury caused complete paralysis below the neck, and nine years on, Takayama still relies on a wheelchair.
Takayama attended a charity event held in his honor, "Takayamania Empire 5," at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo in September. Fellow wrestler Suzuki Minoru and fans gathered to celebrate Takayama's 60th birthday. Takayama expressed a determination to keep pressing forward with rehabilitation.
Hayabusa captivated fans with moves that seemed to defy gravity; Takayama did it with overwhelming power from an imposing frame. Their styles could not have been more different, yet both were powerless against a neck injury.
In pro wrestling, outcomes and the flow of a match are often predetermined — but the physical punishment the wrestlers absorb is not scripted. Every fall from height, every impact absorbed from an opponent's weight, every moment a body is thrown onto a hard mat carries a real risk of injury.
yjc@heraldcorp.com
