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Mitsuharu Misawa is a Japanese professional wrestler. He became famous working for All Japan Pro Wrestling, and currently he owns, operates, and wrestles for Pro Wrestling NOAH.

Career

Misawa was trained in professional wrestling by Dick "The Destroyer" Beyer, Shohei Baba, and Dory Funk, Jr. and made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling.

Early in his career, Misawa wrestled as the second generation of Tiger Mask. On May 17, 1990, during a tag match against Yoshiaki Yatsu and Hiromichi Fuyuki , he told his partner and future rival, Toshiaki Kawada, to unmask him, revealing his true face. Misawa then went on to dominate All Japan Pro Wrestling throughout the 1990s, with multiple Triple Crown and AJPW World Tag Team Title reigns. His rivalries with Jumbo Tsuruta, Toshiaki Kawada, and Kenta Kobashi are legendary, with many classic matches against them. His tag-team partners included Kenta Kobashi and Jun Akiyama.

Following the death of AJPW head booker Giant Baba and disagreements with his widow Motoko Baba, Misawa split from All Japan in mid-2000, taking all but two natives (Kawada and Masanobu Fuchi) to form Pro Wrestling NOAH. In 2004, Misawa alongside his long time partner Yoshinari Ogawa returned the GHC Tag Team belts to NOAH from the New Japan Pro Wrestling combination of Yuji Nagata & Hiroshi Tanahashi. Misawa continues to wrestle a full-time schedule, leading one of Japan's top promotions.

In wrestling

Finishing and signature moves

Championships and accomplishments

  • PWI ranked him # 6 of the 500 best singles wrestlers during the "PWI Years" in 2003.
  • He was also ranked twice in the best tag teams of the "PWI Years". He was ranked # 6 with Kenta Kobashi and # 11 with Toshiaki Kawada.

  • He is a member of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (inducted in 1996)
  • 1985 Best Flying Wrestler
  • 1985 Match of the Year (vs Kuniaki Kobayashi)
  • 1986 Best Flying Wrestler
  • 1988 Most Underrated Wrestler
  • 1990 Feud of the Year (vs Jumbo Tsuruta)
  • 1991 Feud of the Year (vs Jumbo Tsuruta)
  • 1991 Tag Team of the Year (with Toshiaki Kawada)
  • 1995 Wrestler of the Year
  • 1995 Tag Team of the Year (with Kenta Kobashi)
  • 1996 Tag Team of the Year (with Jun Akiyama)
  • 1996 Match of the Year (with Jun Akiyama vs Steve Williams and Johnny Ace)
  • 1997 Wrestler of the Year
  • 1997 Most Outstanding Wrestler
  • 1997 Tag Team of the Year (with Jun Akiyama)
  • 1998 Match of the Year (vs Kenta Kobashi)
  • 1999 Wrestler of the Year
  • 1999 Most Outstanding Wrestler
  • 1999 Match of the Year (vs Kenta Kobashi)
  • 2003 Match of the Year (vs Kenta Kobashi)

Championship succession

AJPW Triple Crown World Heavyweight Championship Preceded by:
Stan Hansen First Followed by:
Steve Williams Preceded by:
Stan Hansen Second Followed by:
Akira Taue Preceded by:
Kenta Kobashi Third Followed by:
Toshiaki Kawada Preceded by:
Kenta Kobashi Fourth Followed by:
Toshiaki Kawada Preceded by:
Vader Fifth Followed by:
Vader GHC Heavyweight Championship Preceded by:
first ever First Followed by:
Jun Akiyama Preceded by:
Yoshihiro Takayama Second Followed by:
Kenta Kobashi GHC Tag Team Championship Preceded by:
Vader and Scorpio First, with Yoshinari Ogawa Followed by:
Takao Omori and Yoshihiro Takayama Preceded by:
Yugi Nagata and Hiroshi Tanahashi Second, with Yoshinari Ogawa Followed by:
Doug Williams and Scorpio

External links

Japanese professional wrestlers | Professional wrestling executives | 1962 births | Living people

Mitsuharu Misawa | 三沢光晴

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Mitsuharu Misawa".

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