Mitsuharu Misawa
Mitsuharu Misawa ( born June 18, 1962 in Yubari, Hokkaido, † June 13, 2009 in Hiroshima ) was a Japanese professional wrestler. Mitsuharu Misawa was one since the 80 - years of the most successful wrestlers in the world.
In his career, he was eight-time world heavyweight champion (acting since 10 December 2006), eight-time world champion in team fight and won six major tournaments.
Career
On 21 August 1981 Misawa made his debut for All Japan Pro Wrestling. Up to May 17, 1990, he wore during battles a mask and carried the name Tiger Mask II after a team fight, he called his partner Toshiaki Kawada on to unmask him.
On 8 June 1990 he defeated in his first major battle in the Nippon Budokan Jumbo Tsuruta. A month later, he was fighting for the first time to the Triple Crown winner, the biggest world championship at that time. Although he lost to Stan Hansen, this was his breakthrough as a wrestler.
In 1991 he was allowed to win the AJPW World Tag Team Championship as a team with Kawada. Misawa dominated All Japan Pro Wrestling during the 90s, with several regencies as Triple Crown and AJPW World Tag Team Champion title. He had legendary feuds with Jumbo Tsuruta, Toshiaki Kawada and Kenta Kobashi. Misawa who enjoys legendary status in Japan, competed in the U.S. for Ring of Honor ( ROH ), Pro Wrestling Iron and WLW ( Harley Race ). Also in Germany Misawa was active, there he joined in 2005 at westside Xtreme wrestling on.
After the death of the owner of the AJPW Misawa left the promotion in 2000 and, together with other Japanese wrestlers the Pro Wrestling NOAH. Here he won the GHC Heavyweight Championship twice and the GHC Tag Team Championship three times.
On June 13, 2009 Misawa was promoted at a NOAH show of his opponents with a back suplex onto the ring mat and came up with the neck. In this collision, he suffered a suspected spinal injury and could no longer move. This spinal cord injury caused an additional circulatory arrest, rushed to the scene of the ring doctor nor treated him in the ring with a defibrillator and a cardiac massage. On the way to the hospital in Hiroshima City died Misawa.
The Japanese was considered one of the best fighters of the past decades.
Achievements
- 2x All Asia Tag Team Champion (1x with Kenta Kobashi, 1x with Yoshinari Ogawa )
- 5x AJPW Triple Crown Champion
- 5x tworld AJPW Tag Team Championship ( with Toshiaki Kawada 2x, 1x Kenta Kobashi with, 1x with June Akiyama, 1x with Yoshinari Ogawa )
- 3x GHC Heavyweight Champion
- 2x GHC Tag Team Champion ( 2x Yoshinari Ogawa with )