Mitsuharu Misawa
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese professional wrestler
. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling
(AJPW). From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask
, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling
. Following the death of AJPW head booker Giant Baba in 1999, Misawa inherited the position of AJPW president. After being removed as president by a board of executives, Misawa left AJPW in May 2000 to form Pro Wrestling Noah
. In 2006, Misawa founded and served as the chairman of the Global Professional Wrestling Alliance
(GPWA).
Considered one of the best wrestlers in professional wrestling history, Misawa was a five-time AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, three-time GHC Heavyweight Champion
(as well as the inaugural champion) and was named Wrestler of the Year by Wrestling Observer Newsletter on three occasions.
, Hokkaidō
, but soon moved with his family to Koshigaya
, Saitama
. He was a fan of professional wrestling, especially the All Japan product, from an early age, and wanted to drop out of school in order to begin his training. However, during an encounter with Jumbo Tsuruta
, the latter convinced Misawa to complete at least his high school education, so he did. He attended Ashikaga-kodai High School in Tochigi
, with future rival Toshiaki Kawada
, who was only a year below him.
Apart from this, very little is known of Misawa's personal life. He was said to be private about his home life to the point that wrestlers who had known him for decades had no idea he had children. He left behind at least one older brother, his wife, Mayumi (now the new majority shareholder in Pro Wrestling NOAH), and at least one child, including a daughter named Kaede. He was said to have been an avid video game fan, and at one point revealed to video game magazine Famitsu
a list of his favorite video games.
The recently released Metroid: Other M for Wii features a character named "K.G. Misawa," a tribute to the Japanese wrestling legend.
. Competing in the junior age group, he placed fifth at the 1980 freestyle
World Championships. Misawa was trained in professional wrestling by Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer
, Shohei Baba
, and Dory Funk, Jr.
. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling
, wrestling against Shiro Koshinaka
. From August 1984 to May 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask
, succeeding Satoru Sayama
, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling
. In 1986, Misawa graduated to the heavyweight class after five years as a junior heavyweight. Between 1988 and 1989, he had title shots at the AWA
and NWA
World titles. On April 13, 1990, he wrestled Bret Hart
to a time-limit draw at the WWF/NJPW/AJPW Supershow in the Tokyo Dome. After Genichiro Tenryu
's abrupt departure from AJPW later that month, Giant Baba made the decision to turn Misawa into his new rising star. On May 14, 1990, during a tag match against Yoshiaki Yatsu
and Samson Fuyuki
, he commanded his partner (and future rival) Toshiaki Kawada
to unmask him, thus abandoning the Tiger Mask gimmick after six years.
Weeks later, Misawa defeated the legendary Jumbo Tsuruta
on June 8 in his first main event at Nippon Budokan
. The match is seen as a turning point in the history of All Japan Pro Wrestling, with Misawa being established as a major threat and a new star. Misawa made his first challenge for the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship in July, losing to Stan Hansen
in a decision match for the vacant titles after Terry Gordy
was forced to vacate the belts. After losing to Tsuruta in a rematch on September 1, he teamed with then-regular partner Kawada to place third in the Real World Tag League, beating the team of Tsuruta and Akira Taue
on the final day. Misawa again challenged for the Triple Crown in April 1991, but fell to Tsuruta for a second time. Misawa continued his growth throughout 1991, pinning Terry Gordy in successive months in June and July, the second coming in an AJPW World Tag Team Title match
, where Misawa and his partner Kawada defeated Gordy and Steve Williams. The pair made their first defence against the team of Tsuruta and Taue on September 30 at Nippon Budokan, with Misawa historically forcing Jumbo to submit to end the match. On August 22, 1992, Misawa defeated Hansen to win the first of what would eventually be five AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championships. The first of these title reigns lasted for almost two years before Misawa dropped the belts to Williams.
Misawa went on to dominate All Japan Pro Wrestling throughout the 1990s, with multiple AJPW World Tag Team Title reigns, and feud
s with Kawada, Kenta Kobashi
, Jun Akiyama
, Taue, and Williams throughout the rest of the 1990s. In 1996, he became an inaugural member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
.
Following the death of AJPW head booker Giant Baba, Misawa inherited the position of AJPW president. After disagreements with widow Motoko Baba, and his removal by a board of executives in 2000, Misawa left All Japan Pro Wrestling in May 2000; followed by all but two natives (Toshiaki Kawada and Masanobu Fuchi
) and two non-natives (Stan Hansen and Maunakea Mossman) to form Pro Wrestling Noah
.
) defeated Hiroshi Hase and Kensuke Sasaki
in what was billed as a "Special Dream Tag Match".
In 2005, Misawa and his longtime partner Yoshinari Ogawa
returned the GHC Tag Team Championship
to Noah from the New Japan Pro Wrestling combination of Yuji Nagata
and Hiroshi Tanahashi
. From then until his death in 2009, Misawa continued to wrestle a full-time schedule, competing mostly in tag team matches. At the Nippon Budokan on December 10, 2006, he defeated Naomichi Marufuji
to win his third GHC Heavyweight Championship
. Misawa has defended the GHC Heavyweight Championship against former ROH World Champion Takeshi Morishima
, Takuma Sano and top gaijin
Bison Smith
. Misawa retained his title for the fourth time when he pinned Akira Taue after an Emerald Flowsion Kai. On August 25, 2007, it was announced that Misawa would be on the November 2 and November 3 Ring of Honor
"Glory by Honor" cards in Philadelphia and New York City
respectively.
On October 27, 2007 Misawa successfully defended the GHC Championship against Samoa Joe
. The following week, Misawa traveled to the United States
to appear at Ring of Honor
's Glory by Honor VI weekend. The first night, he teamed with KENTA
to face Takeshi Morishima and Naomichi Marufuji, wrestling to a thirty minute time-limit draw. The following night, he successfully defended the GHC Championship against KENTA. On March 2, 2008 Misawa was defeated by Takeshi Morishima for the GHC Heavyweight Championship, ending his 16-month championship reign.
against GHC tag team champions
Akitoshi Saito
and Bison Smith
at Hiroshima Green Arena
in a title match. After taking a belly to back suplex from Saito, Misawa lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital. He was pronounced dead in the hospital at 10:10 p.m. JST
. The cause of death was later speculated in the official police report to have been a cervical spinal cord injury that caused cardiac arrest; however, Misawa's family invoked a Japanese law that requested the police not publicly release the official cause of death. Misawa's death has caused several wrestling promotions to work toward a stronger approach to regulating professional wrestling in the country.
Professional wrestling in Japan
Puroresu is the popular term for the predominant style or genre of professional wrestling that has developed in Japan. The term comes from the Japanese pronunciation of "professional wrestling" , which is shortened to puroresu . The term became popular among English-speaking fans due to Hisaharu...
. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
(AJPW). From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask
Tiger Mask
is a Japanese manga series written by Ikki Kajiwara and illustrated by Naoki Tsuji. The series was first published in Kodansha's Bokura Magazine from 1968 to 1969 and was later published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 1970 to 1971...
, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
. Following the death of AJPW head booker Giant Baba in 1999, Misawa inherited the position of AJPW president. After being removed as president by a board of executives, Misawa left AJPW in May 2000 to form Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
. In 2006, Misawa founded and served as the chairman of the Global Professional Wrestling Alliance
Global Professional Wrestling Alliance
The Global Professional Wrestling Alliance is a cooperative group of professional wrestling promotions and wrestlers from around the world. Formed in 2006, the group was founded by the professional wrestler Mitsuharu Misawa, the founder of Pro Wrestling Noah...
(GPWA).
Considered one of the best wrestlers in professional wrestling history, Misawa was a five-time AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, three-time GHC Heavyweight Champion
GHC Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
(as well as the inaugural champion) and was named Wrestler of the Year by Wrestling Observer Newsletter on three occasions.
Personal life
Misawa was born in YūbariYubari, Hokkaido
is a city in Sorachi Subprefecture, Hokkaidō, Japan.As of 2008, the city has an estimated population of 12,068. The total area is 763.20 km². Hemmed in by mountains Yūbari stretches for 25 kilometers along a mountain valley....
, Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, but soon moved with his family to Koshigaya
Koshigaya, Saitama
is a city located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan.As of 2010, the city has an estimated population of 325,074 and a population density of 5,390 persons per km². The total area is 60.31 km²....
, Saitama
Saitama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...
. He was a fan of professional wrestling, especially the All Japan product, from an early age, and wanted to drop out of school in order to begin his training. However, during an encounter with Jumbo Tsuruta
Jumbo Tsuruta
, better known by his ring name Jumbo Tsuruta, was a professional wrestler who wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling for most of his career, and is well-known for being the first ever AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, having won the PWF Heavyweight Championship, the NWA United National...
, the latter convinced Misawa to complete at least his high school education, so he did. He attended Ashikaga-kodai High School in Tochigi
Tochigi Prefecture
is a prefecture located in the Kantō region on the island of Honshū, Japan. The capital is the city of Utsunomiya.Nikkō, whose ancient Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples UNESCO has recognized by naming them a World Heritage Site, is in this prefecture...
, with future rival Toshiaki Kawada
Toshiaki Kawada
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....
, who was only a year below him.
Apart from this, very little is known of Misawa's personal life. He was said to be private about his home life to the point that wrestlers who had known him for decades had no idea he had children. He left behind at least one older brother, his wife, Mayumi (now the new majority shareholder in Pro Wrestling NOAH), and at least one child, including a daughter named Kaede. He was said to have been an avid video game fan, and at one point revealed to video game magazine Famitsu
Famitsu
is a line of Japanese video game magazines published by Enterbrain, Inc. and Tokuma. Currently, there are five Famitsū magazines: Shūkan Famitsū, Famitsū PS3 + PSP, Famitsū Xbox 360, Famitsū Wii+DS, and Famitsū Wave DVD...
a list of his favorite video games.
The recently released Metroid: Other M for Wii features a character named "K.G. Misawa," a tribute to the Japanese wrestling legend.
All Japan Pro Wrestling (1981-2000)
Misawa was a successful amateur wrestlerAmateur wrestling
Amateur wrestling is the most widespread form of sport wrestling. There are two international wrestling styles performed in the Olympic Games under the supervision of FILA : Greco-Roman and freestyle. Freestyle is possibly derived from the English Lancashire style...
. Competing in the junior age group, he placed fifth at the 1980 freestyle
Freestyle wrestling
Freestyle wrestling is a style of amateur wrestling that is practised throughout the world. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic games. It is, along with track and field, one of the oldest organized sports in history...
World Championships. Misawa was trained in professional wrestling by Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer
Dick Beyer
Dick Beyer is a retired professional wrestler who is best known by his ring names, The Destroyer or Doctor X.-Early life:...
, Shohei Baba
Shohei Baba
was a professional wrestler and co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling. He was also known as Giant Baba. Baba, along with Antonio Inoki, became one of the most famous Japanese wrestlers of his era, with a popularity in Japan comparable to Hulk Hogan's in the United States of America...
, and Dory Funk, Jr.
Dory Funk, Jr.
Dory Ernest Funk Jr. known professionally as Dory Funk, Jr. is a professional wrestler and wrestling trainer. He is the son of Dory Funk Sr. and brother of Terry Funk. He is credited with the invention of the Texas cloverleaf submission hold and runs the Funking Conservatory, a professional...
. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
, wrestling against Shiro Koshinaka
Shiro Koshinaka
is a Japanese professional wrestler who has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling and Wrestle Association "R" during the 1980s and 1990s...
. From August 1984 to May 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask
Tiger Mask
is a Japanese manga series written by Ikki Kajiwara and illustrated by Naoki Tsuji. The series was first published in Kodansha's Bokura Magazine from 1968 to 1969 and was later published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 1970 to 1971...
, succeeding Satoru Sayama
Satoru Sayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known as the original Tiger Mask. He's wrestled under his real name as well as the names Sammy Lee, and masked Super Tiger, Tiger King, Tiger Mask and The Mask of Tiger...
, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
. In 1986, Misawa graduated to the heavyweight class after five years as a junior heavyweight. Between 1988 and 1989, he had title shots at the AWA
AWA World Heavyweight Championship
The American Wrestling Association World Heavyweight Championship was a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship and the highest ranked championship in the defunct American Wrestling Association. All AWA trademarks, including the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, are now owned by WWE...
and NWA
NWA World Heavyweight Championship
The National Wrestling Alliance World Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in the National Wrestling Alliance. Its lineage has been traced from the first World Heavyweight Championship, which traces its lineage to Georg Hackenschmidt's 1905 title and...
World titles. On April 13, 1990, he wrestled Bret Hart
Bret Hart
Bret Hart is a Canadian on-screen personality, writer, actor and Semi-retired professional wrestler. Like others in the Hart wrestling family, Hart has an amateur wrestling background, including wrestling at Ernest Manning High School and Mount Royal College...
to a time-limit draw at the WWF/NJPW/AJPW Supershow in the Tokyo Dome. After Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu
Genichiro Tenryu , real name Genichiro Shimada , is a Japanese professional wrestler. At age 13, he entered sumo wrestling and stayed there for 13 years, after which he turned to Western-style professional wrestling...
's abrupt departure from AJPW later that month, Giant Baba made the decision to turn Misawa into his new rising star. On May 14, 1990, during a tag match against Yoshiaki Yatsu
Yoshiaki Yatsu
Yoshiaki Yatsu is a retired Japanese professional wrestler, amateur wrestler and mixed martial artist.-1976 Summer Olympics:...
and Samson Fuyuki
Hiromichi Fuyuki
was a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter who competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling, New Japan Pro Wrestling, Wrestle Association R and other Japanese and international promotions during the 1980s and 1990s as the leader of 6-man tag team Fuyuki-Gun with Gedo and Jado.He is best known,...
, he commanded his partner (and future rival) Toshiaki Kawada
Toshiaki Kawada
is a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....
to unmask him, thus abandoning the Tiger Mask gimmick after six years.
Weeks later, Misawa defeated the legendary Jumbo Tsuruta
Jumbo Tsuruta
, better known by his ring name Jumbo Tsuruta, was a professional wrestler who wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling for most of his career, and is well-known for being the first ever AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, having won the PWF Heavyweight Championship, the NWA United National...
on June 8 in his first main event at Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
. The match is seen as a turning point in the history of All Japan Pro Wrestling, with Misawa being established as a major threat and a new star. Misawa made his first challenge for the AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship in July, losing to Stan Hansen
Stan Hansen
John Stanley Hansen, Jr. is an American former professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Stan Hansen. As a wrestler, Hansen was well known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributes to poor eyesight, as he is nearly blind without glasses...
in a decision match for the vacant titles after Terry Gordy
Terry Gordy
Terry Ray 'Bam Bam' Gordy, Sr. was a professional wrestler who was best known in North America for being a member of the Fabulous Freebirds.-Career:...
was forced to vacate the belts. After losing to Tsuruta in a rematch on September 1, he teamed with then-regular partner Kawada to place third in the Real World Tag League, beating the team of Tsuruta and Akira Taue
Akira Taue
is a Japanese professional wrestler, and the current President of Pro Wrestling Noah. He is also a former AJPW Triple Crown champion, a former GHC Heavyweight Champion and has had 14 5 Star Matches as awarded by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter....
on the final day. Misawa again challenged for the Triple Crown in April 1991, but fell to Tsuruta for a second time. Misawa continued his growth throughout 1991, pinning Terry Gordy in successive months in June and July, the second coming in an AJPW World Tag Team Title match
AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship
The All Japan Pro Wrestling Unified World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling...
, where Misawa and his partner Kawada defeated Gordy and Steve Williams. The pair made their first defence against the team of Tsuruta and Taue on September 30 at Nippon Budokan, with Misawa historically forcing Jumbo to submit to end the match. On August 22, 1992, Misawa defeated Hansen to win the first of what would eventually be five AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championships. The first of these title reigns lasted for almost two years before Misawa dropped the belts to Williams.
Misawa went on to dominate All Japan Pro Wrestling throughout the 1990s, with multiple AJPW World Tag Team Title reigns, and feud
Feud (professional wrestling)
A professional wrestling feud is a staged rivalry between multiple wrestlers or alliances of wrestlers. They are integrated into ongoing storylines, particularly in events which are televised...
s with Kawada, Kenta Kobashi
Kenta Kobashi
Not to be confused with his protégé Kenta Kobayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars....
, Jun Akiyama
Jun Akiyama
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler...
, Taue, and Williams throughout the rest of the 1990s. In 1996, he became an inaugural member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
.
Following the death of AJPW head booker Giant Baba, Misawa inherited the position of AJPW president. After disagreements with widow Motoko Baba, and his removal by a board of executives in 2000, Misawa left All Japan Pro Wrestling in May 2000; followed by all but two natives (Toshiaki Kawada and Masanobu Fuchi
Masanobu Fuchi
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a full-time wrestler, as well as a director. Fuchi holds the record for the longest AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship reign and has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling longer than any wrestler on the...
) and two non-natives (Stan Hansen and Maunakea Mossman) to form Pro Wrestling Noah
Pro Wrestling Noah
is a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
.
Pro Wrestling Noah (2000-2009)
Pro Wrestling Noah debuted (billed as "DEPARTURE") on August 5 and August 6, 2000, as the shows featured the 23 other wrestlers that had resigned from All-Japan. On July 18, 2004, Misawa returned to All-Japan and defeated Satoshi Kojima at Battle Banquet; he would return once more on October 31, 2004 for the Keiji Mutoh: Love and Bump pay-per-view event, where he (along with Keiji MutohKeiji Mutoh
is a Japanese professional wrestler who first gained international fame in the National Wrestling Alliance. He is mostly known for his work as The Great Muta in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1990s, but he has also competed in United States, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Taiwan...
) defeated Hiroshi Hase and Kensuke Sasaki
Kensuke Sasaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently wrestles for various promotions through his own agency, Kensuke Office. He is the first of two men ever to hold all 3 of puroresu's major heavyweight titles , the other being Yoshihiro Takayama.-Early years :Kensuke Sasaki...
in what was billed as a "Special Dream Tag Match".
Yoshinari Ogawa
Yoshinari Ogawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He has earned the nickname of "Rat Boy" due to his sneaky, clever in-ring tactics and baiting his opponents into quick pins.- Career :...
returned the GHC Tag Team Championship
GHC Tag Team Championship
The Global Honored Crown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on October 19, 2001, when Scorpio & Vader defeated Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito in a tournament final...
to Noah from the New Japan Pro Wrestling combination of Yuji Nagata
Yuji Nagata
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He was known for his perennial tweener status, currently a solid fan favorite, and his stiff, shoot style wrestling technique....
and Hiroshi Tanahashi
Hiroshi Tanahashi
is a Japanese professional wrestler who works primarily for New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion in his fifth reign.-Early life:...
. From then until his death in 2009, Misawa continued to wrestle a full-time schedule, competing mostly in tag team matches. At the Nippon Budokan on December 10, 2006, he defeated Naomichi Marufuji
Naomichi Marufuji
is a Japanese professional wrestler who competes for Pro Wrestling Noah, with occasional appearances in other professional wrestling promotions like Ring of Honor, All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling, among others. Marufuji is the first of only two Grand Slam Champion in Pro...
to win his third GHC Heavyweight Championship
GHC Heavyweight Championship
The Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
. Misawa has defended the GHC Heavyweight Championship against former ROH World Champion Takeshi Morishima
Takeshi Morishima
is a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently performing for Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan and has performed for Ring of Honor in the United States in the past. He is a former Ring of Honor World champion...
, Takuma Sano and top gaijin
Gaijin
is a Japanese word meaning "non-Japanese", or "alien". This word is a short form of gaikokujin , which literally means "person from outside of the country". The word is composed of two kanji: , meaning "outside"; and , meaning "person". Thus, the word technically means "outsider"...
Bison Smith
Bison Smith
Mark Smith was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bison Smith. He best known for his appearances with Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan and International Wrestling Association in Puerto Rico...
. Misawa retained his title for the fourth time when he pinned Akira Taue after an Emerald Flowsion Kai. On August 25, 2007, it was announced that Misawa would be on the November 2 and November 3 Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
"Glory by Honor" cards in Philadelphia and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
respectively.
On October 27, 2007 Misawa successfully defended the GHC Championship against Samoa Joe
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel "Joe" Seanoa is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Samoa Joe. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling....
. The following week, Misawa traveled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to appear at Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
's Glory by Honor VI weekend. The first night, he teamed with KENTA
Kenta Kobayashi
, also known by his ring name KENTA, is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is a former three-time Global Honored Crown Junior Heavyweight Champion...
to face Takeshi Morishima and Naomichi Marufuji, wrestling to a thirty minute time-limit draw. The following night, he successfully defended the GHC Championship against KENTA. On March 2, 2008 Misawa was defeated by Takeshi Morishima for the GHC Heavyweight Championship, ending his 16-month championship reign.
Death
On June 13, 2009, Misawa teamed with Go ShiozakiGo Shiozaki
is a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the current GHC Heavyweight Champion. In addition to Noah, he has previously worked in the American-based promotion Ring of Honor and its former sister promotion Full Impact Pro, where he won the latter's...
against GHC tag team champions
GHC Tag Team Championship
The Global Honored Crown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on October 19, 2001, when Scorpio & Vader defeated Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito in a tournament final...
Akitoshi Saito
Akitoshi Saito
is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah.-Before pro wrestling:Before pro wrestling, Akitoshi Saito was trained in karate by Masashi Aoyagi. Saito seconded Aoyagi in his matches against Atsushi Onita in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling in 1989...
and Bison Smith
Bison Smith
Mark Smith was an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Bison Smith. He best known for his appearances with Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan and International Wrestling Association in Puerto Rico...
at Hiroshima Green Arena
Hiroshima Green Arena
Hiroshima Green Arena and was known as Hiroshima Prefectural Gymnasium is an indoor sporting arena located in Hiroshima, Japan. The capacity of the arena's main stadium is 8,000. The arena was rebuilt for 1994 Asian Games...
in a title match. After taking a belly to back suplex from Saito, Misawa lost consciousness and was taken to a hospital. He was pronounced dead in the hospital at 10:10 p.m. JST
Japan Standard Time
Japan Standard Time or JST is the standard timezone of Japan, and is 9 hours ahead of UTC. For example, when it is midnight in UTC, it is 09:00 in Japan Standard Time. There is no daylight saving time, though its introduction has been debated several times. Japan Standard Time is the same as...
. The cause of death was later speculated in the official police report to have been a cervical spinal cord injury that caused cardiac arrest; however, Misawa's family invoked a Japanese law that requested the police not publicly release the official cause of death. Misawa's death has caused several wrestling promotions to work toward a stronger approach to regulating professional wrestling in the country.
In wrestling
- Finishing moves
- Emerald Flowsion, sometimes from the second rope or preceded by a vertical suplex lift or a fireman's carry – innovated
- Rolling elbow
- Tiger Driver, sometimes from the second rope – innovated
- Tiger Driver '91 (Kneeling double underhook ganso bomb)
- Signature moves
- Corkscrew crossbody plancha
- Corkscrew lariat
- Diving, running, or standing elbow smash
- Elbow Suicida (Suicide dive transitioned into an elbow smash) – innovated
- Feint suicide dive
- Multiple kick variations
-
-
- Axe
- Drop, sometimes from the top rope
- Jumping to the chest of the opponent
- Spin
- Multiple suplexSuplexA suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling . The move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. Nearly all suplexes have the attacker going down...
variations
- Multiple suplex
- Bridging / Release German
- Bridging / Release Tiger
- Bridging / Release Wrist–clutch Tiger – innovated
- Release Dragon Suplex
- Tiger Suplex '85 (Bridging / release three-quarter nelson) – innovated
- Running or standing senton
- Senton bomb to a standing opponent, sometimes outside the apron
- Standing somersault leg drop to a kneeling or leaning opponent
- Tiger Body Press (Frog splash)
-
- NicknameNicknameA nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s - "The Standard Bearer of Future Generations"
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro WrestlingAll Japan Pro Wrestlingis a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
- AJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW All Asia Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling All Asia Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling . It was created on November 16, 1955 in the Japan Wrestling Association when King Kong Czaya & Tiger Jokinder defeated JWA founder Rikidōzan &...
(2 times) – with Kenta KobashiKenta KobashiNot to be confused with his protégé Kenta Kobayashi is a Japanese professional wrestler currently under contract to Pro Wrestling Noah. He worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling from 1988–2000, where he became one of the promotion's top stars....
(1) and Yoshinari OgawaYoshinari OgawaYoshinari Ogawa is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah. He has earned the nickname of "Rat Boy" due to his sneaky, clever in-ring tactics and baiting his opponents into quick pins.- Career :...
(1) - AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship (5 times)
- AJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipAJPW Unified World Tag Team ChampionshipThe All Japan Pro Wrestling Unified World Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion All Japan Pro Wrestling...
(6 times) – with Toshiaki KawadaToshiaki Kawadais a Japanese professional wrestler who is most known for his work in All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2005, he started freelancing in other promotions....
(2), Kenta Kobashi (2), Jun AkiyamaJun Akiyamais a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for Pro Wrestling Noah and All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he is the current AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion. Akiyama is known for his serious style and outstanding, time-tested work as a tag team wrestler...
(1) and Yoshinari Ogawa (1) - NWA International Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipNWA International Junior Heavyweight ChampionshipThe NWA International Junior Heavyweight Championship started in 1979. It was formed by a split in lineage from the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship caused by the first retirement of champion Nelson Royal the same year. The first champion, Steve Keirn, was recognized as World champion only...
(1 time) - PWF World Tag Team ChampionshipPWF World Tag Team ChampionshipThe Pacific Wrestling Federation Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling tag team championship in All Japan Pro Wrestling, created in 1984...
(1 time) – with Jumbo TsurutaJumbo Tsuruta, better known by his ring name Jumbo Tsuruta, was a professional wrestler who wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling for most of his career, and is well-known for being the first ever AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, having won the PWF Heavyweight Championship, the NWA United National... - Champion's CarnivalChampion's CarnivalThe Champion's Carnival is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling, established in 1973. Originally a single-elimination tournament, the Champion's Carnival is currently held as a round-robin, with a victory worth 2 points, a time limit draw worth 1 and a loss,...
(1995, 1998) - World's Strongest Tag Team LeagueWorld's Strongest Tag Team LeagueThe , more commonly known in the West as the Real World Tag League, is an annual professional wrestling tournament held by All Japan Pro Wrestling since 1977, usually run on the first weeks of December...
(1992) – with Toshiaki Kawada - World's Strongest Tag Team League (1993, 1994, 1995) – with Kenta Kobashi
- January 2nd Korakuen Hall Heavyweight Battle Royal Winner (1987)
- Pro Wrestling NoahPro Wrestling Noahis a major Japanese professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2000 by former All Japan Pro Wrestling ace Mitsuharu Misawa. NOAH is broadcast weekly in Japan...
- GHC Heavyweight ChampionshipGHC Heavyweight ChampionshipThe Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship is the top professional wrestling title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on April 15, 2001 when Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama in a 16-man tournament final...
(3 times) - GHC Tag Team ChampionshipGHC Tag Team ChampionshipThe Global Honored Crown Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team title in Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling Noah. It was created on October 19, 2001, when Scorpio & Vader defeated Jun Akiyama & Akitoshi Saito in a tournament final...
(2 times) – with Yoshinari Ogawa - Global Tag LeagueGlobal Tag LeagueThe Global Tag League is a professional wrestling round-robin tag team tournament held by Pro Wrestling NOAH. It was created in 2008.The Global Tag League is held under a points system, with two points for a win, one for a time limit draw and none for a loss. The team finishing atop the points...
(2009) – with Go ShiozakiGo Shiozakiis a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah, where he is the current GHC Heavyweight Champion. In addition to Noah, he has previously worked in the American-based promotion Ring of Honor and its former sister promotion Full Impact Pro, where he won the latter's... - One Day Six Man Heavyweight Tag Team Tournemant Winner (2008) - with Takeshi MorishimaTakeshi Morishimais a Japanese professional wrestler. He is currently performing for Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan and has performed for Ring of Honor in the United States in the past. He is a former Ring of Honor World champion...
& Mohammed Yone
- Pro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling IllustratedPro Wrestling Illustrated is a professional wrestling magazine. PWI is currently based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and published by Kappa Publishing Group.-History:The first issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated was released in 1979...
- PWI ranked him #2 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI 500 in 1997
- PWI ranked him #6 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
- Tokyo Sports Grand Prix
- Fighting Spirit (1985, 1990)
- Match of the Year (1995)- with Kenta Kobashi vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on June 9, 1995
- Match of the Year (1997)- vs. Kenta Kobashi on October 21, 1997
- Match of the Year (1998)- vs. Kenta Kobashi on October 31, 1998
- Match of the Year (2003)- vs. Kenta Kobashi on March 1, 2003
- Match of the Year (2007)- with Jun Akiyama vs. Kenta Kobashi and Yoshihiro Takayama on December 2, 2007
- Performance Award (1997)
- Rookie of the Year (1982)
- Special Achievement Award (2009)
- Tag Team of the Year (1991)- with Toshiaki Kawada
- Tag Team of the Year (1993, 1994)- with Kenta Kobashi
- Wrestler of the Year (2007)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
- 5 Star Match (1985) vs. Kuniaki KobayashiKuniaki KobayashiKuniaki Kobayashi is a retired Japanese Junior Heavyweight professional wrestler. He wrestled numerous acclaimed matches against the first two Tiger Masks: Satoru Sayama and Mitsuharu Misawa.-New Japan Pro Wrestling :...
on March 9 - 5 Star Match (1990) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta on June 8
- 5 Star Match (1990) with Toshiaki Kawada and Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira TaueAkira Taueis a Japanese professional wrestler, and the current President of Pro Wrestling Noah. He is also a former AJPW Triple Crown champion, a former GHC Heavyweight Champion and has had 14 5 Star Matches as awarded by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter....
and Masanobu FuchiMasanobu Fuchiis a Japanese professional wrestler currently working for All Japan Pro Wrestling as a full-time wrestler, as well as a director. Fuchi holds the record for the longest AJPW World Junior Heavyweight Championship reign and has competed in All Japan Pro Wrestling longer than any wrestler on the...
on October 19 - 5 Star Match (1991) with Toshiaki Kawada and Kenta Kobashi vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue and Masanobu Fuchi on April 20
- 5 Star Match (1992) with Kenta Kobashi and Toshiaki Kawada vs. Jumbo Tsuruta, Akira Taue and Masanobu Fuchi on May 22
- 5 Star Match (1993) with Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue and Yoshinari Ogawa on July 2
- 5 Star Match (1993) with Kenta Kobashi vs. Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada on December 3
- 5 Star Match (1994) with Kenta Kobashi and Giant BabaShohei Babawas a professional wrestler and co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling. He was also known as Giant Baba. Baba, along with Antonio Inoki, became one of the most famous Japanese wrestlers of his era, with a popularity in Japan comparable to Hulk Hogan's in the United States of America...
vs. Masanobu Fuchi, Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on February 13 - 5 Star Match (1994) with Kenta Kobashi vs. Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada on May 21
- 5 Star Match (1994) vs. Toshiaki Kawada on June 3
- 5 Star Match (1995) with Kenta Kobashi vs. Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada on January 21
- 5 Star Match (1995) with Kenta Kobashi vs. Steve Williams and Johnny AceJohn LaurinaitisJohn Joseph Laurinaitis is the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations for WWE and appears on WWE's Raw Brand as interim General Manager. He was previously a professional wrestler under the ring name Johnny Ace, and wrestled for such promotions as the National Wrestling Alliance and All...
on March 4 - 5 Star Match (1995) vs. Akira Taue on April 15
- 5 Star Match (1995) with Kenta Kobashi vs. Akira Taue and Toshiaki Kawada on June 9
- 5 Star Match (1995) with Kenta Kobashi and Satoru Asako vs. Toshiaki Kawada, Akira Taue and Tamon HondaTamon Hondais a Japanese professional wrestler who is currently a freelancer, he most recently worked for Pro Wrestling Noah.-1984, 1988, and 1992 Summer Olympics:Honda represented Japan in three Olympic Games in freestyle wrestling in 1984, 1988, and 1992...
on June 30 - 5 Star Match (1996) with Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on May 23
- 5 Star Match (1996) with Jun Akiyama vs. Steve Williams and Johnny Ace on June 7
- 5 Star Match (1996) with Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on December 6
- 5 Star Match (1997) vs. Toshiaki Kawada on June 6
- 5 Star Match (1997) with Jun Akiyama vs. Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue on December 5
- 5 Star Match (1998) vs. Kenta Kobashi on October 31
- 5 Star Match (1999) vs. Kenta Kobashi on June 11
- 5 Star Match (1999) with Yoshinari Ogawa vs. Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama on October 23
- 5 Star Match (2003) vs. Kenta Kobashi on March 1
- Best Flying Wrestler (1985, 1986)
- Best Wrestling Maneuver (1985) Topé con Giro
- Feud of the Year (1990, 1991) vs. Jumbo Tsuruta
- Match of the Year (1985) vs. Kuniaki Kobayashi on June 12, Tokyo, Japan
- Match of the Year (1996) with Jun Akiyama vs. Steve Williams and Johnny Ace on June 7, Tokyo, Japan
- Match of the Year (1998) vs. Kenta Kobashi on October 31, Tokyo, Japan
- Match of the Year (1999) vs. Kenta Kobashi on June 11, Tokyo, Japan
- Match of the Year (2003) vs. Kenta Kobashi on March 1, Tokyo, Japan
- Most Outstanding Wrestler (1997, 1999)
- Most Underrated Wrestler (1988)
- Tag Team of the Year (1991) with Toshiaki Kawada
- Tag Team of the Year (1995) with Kenta Kobashi
- Tag Team of the Year (1996, 1997) with Jun Akiyama
- Wrestler of the Year (1995, 1997, 1999)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameWrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of FameThe Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is a professional wrestling hall of fame that recognizes people who make significant contributions to the sport. It was founded in 1996 by Dave Meltzer, editor of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame is not...
(Class of 1996)