Yoshiaki Yatsu To Have His Leg Amputated

It was announced on the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio that Japanese wrestling star Yoshiaki Yatsu had his right leg amputated due to complications with diabetes.

The 62-year-old just recently wrestling for DDT Pro Wrestling following a brief retirement stint. His last match was this past June.

Yatsu was originally an amateur wrestler in the Olympics, competing in the 1976 Olympic Games. Wanting to compete in the 1980 games, Japan joined the United States in boycotting the Moskow-hosted event. He eventually joined the pro wrestling scene, garnering a lot of attention. Yatsu was a member of both the New Japan and All Japan Pro Wrestling rosters, along with a few brief stints in the United States. In his wrestling career, Yatsu has won the NWA, International, PWF World, AJPW and IWA World Tag Team Titles. He also won the Super World of Sports Tag Team Titles along with the WCCW Television Title. One of his big moments in the eyes of American fans was wrestling Hulk Hogan for the then-WWF Title.

Yatsu made a return to the Olympics in 1986 as a super-heavyweight. The IOC banned him from the 1988 games, stating he was a pro athlete due to his professional wrestling background.