This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Essexmutant (talk | contribs) at 17:15, 25 January 2006 (→Championships and accomplishments: adding extra award). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 17:15, 25 January 2006 by Essexmutant (talk | contribs) (→Championships and accomplishments: adding extra award)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| Mitsuharu Misawa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | June 18, 1962 Koshiyaga, Saitama, Japan |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name(s) | Tiger Mask II, Mitsuharu Misawa |
| Billed height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) |
| Billed weight | 110 kg (243 lb) |
| Trained by | Shohei Baba Dick Beyer |
| Debut | 1981 |
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 and Shohei Baba, and made his professional debut on August 21, 1981.
Early in his career, Misawa wrestled as the second generation of Tiger Mask. On May 17, 1990, during a tag match, 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.
Following the death of Giant Baba and disagreements with his wife Motoko Baba, Misawa split from All Japan in mid-2000, taking all but two natives (Kawada and Masanobu Fuchi) to form Pro Wrestling NOAH with him. 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
- Emerald Frosion (Sitout side powerslam)
- Super Emerald Frosion (Sitout vertical suplex side powerslam)
- Tiger Driver (Sitout double underhook powerbomb)
- Tiger Driver '91 (Kneeling head spike double underhook powerbomb)
- Tiger Driver '01 (Top rope double underhook powerbomb)
- Rolling Elbow (Discus elbow smash)
- Elbow smash
- Tiger suplex
- Tiger Suplex '85 (Bridging half nelson suplex)
Championships and accomplishments
- 5-Time AJPW Triple Crown Champion
- 5-Time AJPW World Tag Team Champion (with Jun Akiyama, Kenta Kobashi, Yoshinari Ogawa and Toshiaki Kawada twice)
- 2-Time AJPW All-Asia Tag Team Champion (with Kenta Kobashi & Yoshinari Ogawa)
- 1-Time NWA International Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 1-Time PWF Tag Team Champion (with Jumbo Tsuruta)
- 2-Time GHC Heavyweight Champion
- 2-Time GHC Tag Team Champion (with Yoshinari Ogawa)
- 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
- 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)
- 1997 Wrestler of the Year
- 1997 Most Outstanding Wrestler
- 1997 Tag Team of the Year (with Jun Akiyama)
- 1999 Wrestler of the Year
- 1999 Most Outstanding Wrestler