Katsui Adachi
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Katsui Adachi, better known as Mr. Hito, is a retired Japanese professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his work in Stu Hart's Stampede Wrestling, where he won multiple championship titles. He is also highly regarded by Bret Hart as his most significant trainer alongside Kazuo Sakurada (a.k.a. Mr. Sakurada), who he trained with extensively in Stu Hart's "Dungeon."
Hito is an accomplished seven time Stampede International Tag Team Champion. His first win took place in 1975 with partner John Quinn, but the titles were then vacated. To reclaim them that same year, Hito teamed with Gil Hayes to win a tag team tournament. The following year, he and Higo "Animal" Hamaguchi won the titles. Then Michael Martel helped him gain his fourth tag title victory in 1977. Two years passed until he gained his fifth and sixth titles with Mr. Sakurada, winning and losing the titles against the likes of Bret and Keith Hart, Dory Funk Jr., and Leo Burke. Hito then pursued singles competition.
Hito won his first Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship on September 18th, 1981 from David Schultz, only to lose it back the following month. His second title reign lasted from November 6th, 1981 until March 19th the following year, in which he was forced to vacate it due injuries resulting from an automobile accident.
In March 11th, 1983, Hito won his seventh International Tag Team Championship with Jim Neidhart in Calgary, Alberta. They would win them one last time from Mike Shaw and Mike Miller the same year.
As of 2004, Adachi resides in Osaka, Japan. According to Bret Hart, Adachi was one of Stu Hart’s most trusted foremen and reliable workers in the heyday of Stampede Wrestling; Bret's DVD set also features rare footage of Adachi and Sakurada squashing him. He has credited Adachi as being one of his greatest mentors, stating, "People often say to me, where would wrestling be without Bret Hart! But my answer to that is, where would Bret Hart be without Mr. Hito!"
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Stampede International Tag Team Championship (8 times) - with John Quinn (1), Gil Hayes (1), Higo Hamaguchi (1), Michael Martel (1), Mr. Sakurada (2), Jim Neidhart (2)
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee
