In May 1979, Hara won the WWU World Junior Heavyweight Championship, defeating Mile Zrno.

In March 1980, he went to New Japan Pro-Wrestling in an attempt to capture the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship from Tatsumi Fujinami, but failed.

In February 1983, he and Inoue won the All Asia Tag Team Championship, defeating The Great Kojika and Motoshi Okuma to win the vacant titles.

In September 1987, he and Tenryu won the PWF Tag Team Championship, defeating Austin Idol and Stan Hansen.

He and Tenryu would rebound in August 1988 as they won the newly unified World Tag Team Championship, defeating The Olympics.

More bad news struck Hara, as days before the World's Strongest Tag Determination League was about to take place, he was fired from AJPW by Giant Baba for massive gambling debts in November 1988.

After over two and a half years, Ashura Hara made his triumphant return to the ring for Super World of Sports in August 1991.

While in SWS, he would team with Genichiro Tenryu, Samson Fuyuki, and Takashi Ishikawa, as well as WWF Superstar Davey Boy Smith.

In late 1992, he, Tenryu, Takashi Ishikawa, and Tatsumi (now Koki) Kitahara were involved in a feud with New Japan's stable Heisei Ishingun, in which The Great Kabuki joined in November 1992.

However, despite Kabuki's betrayal, he and his allies had added reinforcements in early 1993, thanks to another NJPW stable, Raging Staff (formerly Blonde Outlaws).