On this page, you find the full wrestling profile of Hiro Matsuda, with his Career History, real name, age, height and weight, the Promotions he worked for, all the Face/Heel turns, the Championship Titles he won, his Finishers, Theme Songs, Tag Teams and Stables, his appearance changes through the years, and more.
Yasuhiro Kojima (小島 泰弘) was born in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan on July 22, 1937.
He died on November 27, 1999 at the age of 62.
Hiro Matsuda was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018 as part of the Legacy wing, in the NJPW Hall of Fame in 1990 as part of the NJPW Greatest 18 Club wing and in the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) in 2018 as part of the Colleague/Territory Division wing.
Hiro Matsuda Profile Index
Profile Info
- Gender Male
- Real Name Yasuhiro Kojima (小島 泰弘)
- Ring Names
- Hiro Matsuda ( December 6, 1961 - December 26, 1990)
- Kojima Saito ( January 1, 1957 - December 5, 1961)
- Born July 22, 1937
- Died November 27, 1999 (aged 62)
- Nationality
Japan - Birth Place Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Billed From
- Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
- Height 6 ft 1 in (186 cm)
- Weight
- 231 lbs (105 kg)
- Nicknames The Master of the Japanese Sleeper
Career History
-
Roles
- Wrestler ( January 1, 1957 - December 26, 1990)
- Manager ( February 27, 1989 - May 25, 1989)
- Promoter ( January 22, 1985 - January 31, 1987)
-
Promotions History
Promotion from to Promotion 
WCW, 
NWAFebruary 27, 1989 May 25, 1989 Promotion NWA, 
JCPOctober 25, 1987 November 13, 1987 Promotion NWA, 
CWFJanuary 22, 1985 January 31, 1987 Promotion 
NJPWBrand
Junior Heavyweight
November 17, 1978 August 1, 1984 Promotion 
MSWOctober 27, 1982 January 12, 1983 Promotion NWAAugust 22, 1961 December 28, 1982 Promotion 
CWFNovember 10, 1980 December 28, 1982 Promotion CWFJune 16, 1969 January 24, 1979 Promotion 
NWA TRI STATEJune 16, 1975 July 25, 1977 Promotion 
AJPWBrand
Heavyweight
April 1, 1973 July 28, 1976 Promotion 
GCWDecember 8, 1972 December 14, 1973 Promotion 
JWAMay 22, 1972 June 10, 1972 Promotion 
WSSJanuary 21, 1971 February 18, 1971 Promotion JCPJanuary 1, 1968 May 23, 1969 Promotion CWFJanuary 24, 1963 December 21, 1967 Promotion 
IWEJanuary 5, 1967 August 16, 1967 Promotion 
MID AMERICANovember 25, 1965 February 14, 1966 Promotion 
CSWJanuary 19, 1962 February 9, 1962 Promotion 
SWS TX, 
GACAugust 21, 1961 December 15, 1961 Promotion JWAJanuary 1, 1957 December 31, 1960 -
Images History
Nov 1978
Jan 1957 -
Face / Heel Turns
Alignment Details from to Heel October 25, 1987 December 26, 1990 Face January 1, 1957 October 24, 1987
-
Finishers
- Japanese Sleeper - Sleeper Hold ( January 1, 1957 - December 26, 1990)
-
Theme Songs
- Theme Song "Passion" by Tim Weisberg - Single ( November 17, 1978 - August 1, 1984)
Titles & Accomplishments
-
Halls of Fame
- WWE Hall of Fame - Year 2018, Legacy
- NJPW Hall of Fame - Year 1990, NJPW Greatest 18 Club
- Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame (PWHF) - Year 2018, Colleague/Territory Division
-
National Wrestling Alliance
New Japan Pro-Wrestling
- 1 NWA North American Tag Team Championship (Los Angeles/Japan version) (with Masa Saito)
Championship Wrestling from Florida
- 4 NWA Southern Heavyweight Championship (Florida version)
- 5 NWA World Tag Team Championship (Florida Version) (4 with Duke Keomuka, 1 with Dick Steinborn)
- 4 NWA Florida Tag Team Championship (1 with Mr. Wrestling, 1 with Bob Orton, 2 with The Missouri Mauler)
Georgia Championship Wrestling
- 1 NWA Columbus Heavyweight Championship
Japan Wrestling Association
- 1 All Asia Tag Team Championship (with Michiaki Yoshimura)
Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling
- 1 NWA Mid-Atlantic Southern Heavyweight Championship
NWA Mid-America
- 1 NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-America Version) (with Kanji Inoki)
-
Other Accomplishments
- Tokyo Sports Service Award (1999)
Teams & Relations
-
Tag Teams & Stables
- Yamazaki Corporation - Barry Windham, Butch Reed, Michael Hayes, Ric Flair , Kendall Windham ( February 27, 1989 - May 25, 1989)
- Duke Keomuka & Hiro Matsuda - Duke Keomuka ( April 9, 1963 - May 2, 1972)
- Hiro Matsuda & The Missouri Mauler - The Missouri Mauler ( January 20, 1968 - August 26, 1969)
- Managed Wrestlers Barry Windham, Butch Reed, Michael Hayes, Ric Flair