Various: Former NJPW Booker Hisashi Shinma Passes Away At Age 90, Joe Hendry Teases “WWE Megastar with Tour Bus” Wants to Show Up at TNA Rebellion 2025, BUSHI on Gratitude to NJPW For Allowing Him to Cancel Contract

Former NJPW Booker Hisashi Shinma Passes Away At Age 90

Former New Japan Pro Wrestling booker and WWE Hall of Famer Hisashi Shinma passed away on Monday, April 21 at the age of 90.

Tokyo Sports reported that those close to Shinma stated that he was hospitalized three weeks ago but was discharged on April 19th. It was reported that Shinma was not suffering from any illness prior to his passing at his home in Tokyo, Japan.

Shinma joined NJPW when it launched in 1972 and was known for being Antonio Inoki’s right-hand man during his time in the company as its booker. Among Shinma’s notable moments as a booker included him being responsible for putting together the famous Inoki vs. Muhammad Ali match in 1976.

Following his departure from NJPW, Shinma founded Universal Wrestling Federation in 1984.

Besides his time in NJPW, Shinma was also known for his time in WWE from 1978 to 1984 as an on-screen President authority figure and succeed by Jack Tunney.

Shinma was inducted into WWE’s Hall of Fame in 2019 as a Legacy wing inductee.

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Joe Hendry Teases “WWE Megastar with Tour Bus” Wants to Show Up at TNA Rebellion 2025

A recent episode of the Busted Open Radio podcast featured current TNA World Champion Joe Hendry as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Hendry teasing that a “WWE Megastar with a tour bus” had recently told him that they want to show up at TNA Wrestling’s Rebellion 2025 event on April 27th in Los Angeles, California.

“We don’t need to reveal who it is, but I know you [Tommy Dreamer] know who I’m going to be speaking about here because this person told me that you guys had a conversation. You wonder who might show up at Rebellion. One of the WWE megastars, who has a tour bus, told me they wanted to show up to Rebellion with their tour bus.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

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BUSHI Comments on His Gratitude to NJPW for Allowing Him to Cancel Contract Despite Being Advertised for Best of the Super Juniors 2025

As noted before, BUSHI will be leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling after their Wrestling Dontaku 2025 Night 2 event on May 4th due to him being granted his release from the company. BUSHI had recently signed a new contract with NJPW but had asked for his release due to him not wanting to stay if Tetsuya Naito was leaving.

In a recent new post on his diary page on NJPW’s official website, BUSHI gave his thoughts about his gratitude to NJPW for allowing him to cancel his contract despite him being advertised for this year’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament.

“Although I was allowed to enter the (Best of the Super Juniors) tournament even after the participating members had been announced, I apologize for the inconvenience to those who were planning to watch the tournament.

I would also like to express my gratitude to New Japan Pro-Wrestling for listening to my selfish wishes and letting me cancel my contract even though I had signed an annual contract with the company. I am grateful to New Japan Pro-Wrestling for letting me cancel the contract.”

BUSHI also gave his thoughts about the future of his wrestling career.

“I’m just leaving New Japan Pro-Wrestling. I’m not retiring from being a pro wrestler.”