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Masashi Ozawa (b. 1947) is a retired Japanese Professional Wrestler who competed in the 1970s and 1980s as Killer Khan. He debuted in 1973, starting his career in New Japan Pro-Wrestling under his own name. He took on the Khan gimmick in 1979, based on a suggestion by Karl Gotch. He competed for a variety of territories, as well as for WWE and All Japan Pro Wrestling. He retired in 1987. He is a former NWA United States (Florida) Tag Team Champion with Pak Song, a former Stampede North American Heavyweight Champion, a former World Class Television Champion, a former Mid-South Louisiana Heavyweight Champion and a former Mid-South Mississippi Heavyweight Champion. In 1981, both Pro Wrestling Illustrated and The Wrestling Observer Newsletter named his feud with André the Giant "Feud of the Year," and PWI also named his May 2nd match with Andre "Match of the Year."


"Killer Tropes":

  • Did You Just Punch Out Cthulhu?: Broke the ankle of André the Giant with his top rope kneedrop at a time when Andre was (mostly) undefeated.note 
  • Finishing Move: Top-rope kneedrop, Cobra Clutch
  • Frankenstein's Monster: He was managed by Mr. Fuji during his final WWE run, in 1987. During his Squash of Rick Hunter on the May 16 (taped April 23), 1987, WWF Superstars, there was an inset promo from his stablemates Don Muraco and "Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr., in which Muraco said, "The evil genius of Mr. Fuji has reincarnated the monster of Frankenstein himself."
  • Gimmick Matches: He had a series of "Mongolian Stretcher Matches" against Andre, all of which he lost.
  • Hard Head: When he got in his shoot scuffle with Yoshiaki Fujiwara, although Khan ended up underneath, Fujiwara injured his hand punching him, and he later told Akira Maeda backstage that Khan had a "big stone head".
  • Heel: Almost always.
  • Improbable Weapon User: Spit blinding green mist.
  • Lightning Bruiser: He was usually 300+ lbs., and his agility was usually acknowledged.
  • Nightmare Fuel: Once was on the receiving end of this, at least according to announcer Kal Rudman. Rudman remarked as such during a 1981 televised match from the Philadelphia Spectrum, where he was on the wrong end of a massive beatdown by André the Giant, and Andre had refused to stop beating on him. (Which, by the way, very few fans shed any tears for ... Khan had tried to cripple Andre months earlier, and the Giant — who had full support of the fans — was out for bloody revenge.)
  • Power Stable:
    • (in Mid-South and WCCW): Devastation Inc.
    • (in New Japan): New Wolves, led by Riki Choshu
      • (in New Japan and All Japan): Ishin Gundan
    • (in the WWF, 1987): Was one of seven wrestlers simultaneously managed by Mr. Fuji, the others being Kamala, Sika, Demolition (Ax and Smash), The Magificent Muraco and "Cowboy" Bob Orton.
  • Tempting Fate: Although severely beaten late in their famous "stretcher match" at the Philadelphia Spectrum, Khan continued to get up and try to attack Andre, gaining any advantage he had. At this point, it would have been wiser for him to concede defeat and take the stretcher ride; he finally did, after he was semi-conscious and could no longer get up.
  • Would Hit a Girl: A draft storyline, during his 1987 WWF run, would have had Khan spit his "green mist" into Miss Elizabeth's eyes (after Mr. Fuji cornered and threatened her, of course), to spark a feud with the (then newly-turned face) Randy Savage. Although Savage and Khan did wrestle several upper-card matches, this never figured into any actual storyline, and the idea of Elizabeth getting hurt at the hands of a heel would fall to the Honky Tonk Man.

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