I got this info from another board, so I thought I'd share it with everyone here.


NOAH President Mitsuharu Misawa announced to day that during a routine medical checkup on the 19th, a CAT Scan found that Kenta Kobashi had a 4-5cm tumor in his right kidney. It is unclear at this stage, pre-extraction, whether the tumor is malignant. The course of treatment is still to be decided, with Kobashi recuperating at home. Due to this condition, Kobashi has been forced to cancel all upcoming bookings he is scheduled for, including his part in Takayama's dream return tag match.

Kobashi made a statement, apologizing to both the man he was going to stand beside after a 2 year hiatus from the ring, Yoshihiro Takayama, and all the fans that were looking forward to the match. Kobashi said that it was the encouragement of the fans that he has continually received that will help him rally through his current condition, and that he was grateful for the continued support of the fans and hoped the fans would continue to support Pro Wrestling NOAH in his absence. Misawa made one final footnote to Kobashi's statement, stating that Kobashi's first concern upon learning of his condition was for the effect it would have on his wrestling matches, rather than his own body. Typical words for a man who has given so much for the sport of Professional Wrestling.

Source: Green Destiny (http://noah.puroresufan.com)


I hope he can pull through and still continue to wrestle after this.

Here's more info:

Kenta Kobashi, one of pro wrestling's all-time greatest performers, is currently hospitalized due to kidney cancer it was announced earlier today.
The 39-year-old Kobashi was diagnosed with cancer when results of tests came back after a routine medical examination.

The company made the announcement on a piece of paper in front of Differ Ariake in Tokyo, its home arena, where they have a show scheduled. Mitsuharu Misawa, the group's president, was interviewed on the NTV Network sports news at midnight earlier today, saying that Kobashi's pain was such that he told Misawa he can't wrestle right now.

He said that after Kobashi complained about severe pain in his waist at his examination, they gave him a CT scan last Thursday and the results showed a tumor on his kidney. Not much else is known but it is believed he will be undergoing surgery to remove the cancer.

One can make a strong argument that Kobashi is the greatest wrestler of this generation. When he was elected into the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame in 2002, he received a record 98% of the vote. He is second to only Ric Flair when it comes to the number of times winning the Lou Thesz/Ric Flair award for Wrestler of the Year, winning in 1996, 2003, 2004, and 2005. He has been in six winners of Match of the Year, including his match last year in New York against Samoa Joe, also an all-time record.

Kobashi is known in Japan as pro wrestling's Iron Man, because he had five knee operations in 2001 that were thought to end his career. He was out for 13 months, and returned to become the standout in-ring performer in the world.

Credit: wrestlingobserver.com

Damn.

Definately shocking news, and hopefully Kobashi pulls through alright and is able to get back in the ring soon.