Hayabusa Looks Back on Debut Match With Masato Tanaka One Year Later

By: Ian McCord

In January of 2025, Pro Wrestling ZERO1 announced their plans to reintroduce one of the most beloved characters back into the world of puroresu, The Phoenix, Hayabusa.

ZERO1 General Manager Megumi Kudo and fellow FMW legend Masato Tanaka would reveal the plans to revive the Hayabusa character. A match between Tanaka and the new Hayabusa was announced for April 27th at freelance event Lucha Fiesta Especial in Ryogoku.

At the Ryogoku Kokugikan, The Phoenix would rise from the ashes, as a new Hayabusa would make his way to the ring to face off against Masato Tanaka.

The match started off with Hayabusa hitting the same sequence that Eiji Ezaki hit on Jushin Thunder Liger during their match in the 1994 Super J-Cup, a dropkick followed by a Tope con Hilo to the outside.

The new Hayabusa would defeat Tanaka in just over 10 minutes after hitting a beautiful Firebird Splash off the top rope to pick up the win in the Hayabusa “Revival” match.

Hayabusa took to social media to reflect on his debut match with Tanaka last April. He would also explain how he’s not satisfied with the status quo and how he strives to do more over this next year.

From Hayabusa:

April 27 marks exactly one year since my debut at Ryogoku Kokugikan. The emotions I felt backstage that day while waiting to enter the ring. The view of Ryogoku that greeted me as I stepped out. The expression on Mr. Tanaka’s face as we faced off. The ceiling of Ryogoku I looked up at after landing that opening tope. The pain of Mr. Tanaka’s elbow strike. The relief of landing the Bufadora. That perfect Firebird. My raised right arm. It all feels like it happened just yesterday. It was a year I ran through with everything I had. I would like to thank everyone who has been involved and everyone who has supported me during this past year since Hayabusa’s revival. Thank you so much. But I am not satisfied with the status quo. I could have done more. I can do more. I must do more. The back of the man I’m chasing is still far away. The fun is just beginning.

(English Translation via DeepL)

In a few days, on May 2nd, the year rolls on for Hayabusa, as he’s set to team with Masato Tanaka to take on ZERO1 World Heavyweight Champion Junya Matsunaga and Katsuhiko Nakajima at ZERO1’s event in Urayasu.