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CALIFORNIA STANDOUT RISING SON PASSES AWAY

California independent wrestling star James Itow, who performed as Rising Son, passed away suddenly at the age of 33. The cause of his death is still not clear and shocked everyone I have heard from.

<P>Itow was a major part of the building of the California independent scene in the early part of the 2000s, training at the old Rudos Dojo outside of Los Angeles. Rudo Dojos, run by Ron Rivera, led to the formation of Revolution Pro Wrestling, which also helped launch the careers of B-Boy, Joey Ryan, Scorpio Sky, Quicksilver and others.

The promotion and the Dojo, at the time, were pretty revolutionary in terms of the highspot, aerial style that picked up popularity over time and is still seen in full force with talents like The Young Bucks.  When a number of the Rudos Dojos alumni were picked up and used by XPW, it exposed them in a major way via television and helped plant the roots of the current California independent scene.

A GofundMe campaign, designed to help offset Itow's funeral costs, has been announced. For details on how you can assist, click here.

On behalf of everyone at PWInsider, I'd like to express our deepest condolences to Itow's family and friends.

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