RIP Mitsuharu Misawa 1962-2009

[Barashin]

Mitsuharu Misawa

June 18, 1962 - June 13, 2009

Earlier this week, tragedy struck when Japanese pro wrestler Mitsuharu Misawa was killed in a freak ring accident — suffering lethal spinal damage from a suplex.

Considered one of the greatest pro wrestlers ever, Misawa's popularity in Japan rivaled Hulk Hogan's in the West.

The 46 year-old wrestling giant will be missed.

 

[Bolt]

Yeah, this has already been discussed extensively in the Wrestling thread, but it was definitely shocking. I might as well post up this great tribute video here, too, for people who want to catch a glimpse of him in action:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGpzmWcEW2k[/ame]

 

[Barashin]

Yah, he deserves his own thread! I'm honestly not that big with wrestling anymore, but when I was, Noah was the place for me, and I got a chance to watch some of his matches and it was pretty cool! He will definitely be missed!

 

[Forever Knight]

He is up there with Eddie, Owen, and Benoit.

 

[Impulse87]

RIP a true loss

 

[BrownRanger]

Misawa had a lot of great matches with a lot of great Japanese wrestlers but he was better know for his series of match against WWE legends Dynamite Kid and Bret "The Hitman" Hart.

I know I said this in the wrestling thread but Misawa single handy change Japanese wrestling, he is better know for leaving AJPW with a bunch of their huge stars to form Pro Wrestling Noah. To me Misawa was Japanese wrestling and to be honest about this could be a hit that Japanese wrestling might be able to survive. Misawa will be miss and wrestling will never be the same in Japan, hopefully some the new crop of young stars will be able to close the gap but I doubt it Misawa was wrestling and he will be miss dearly by all who love wrestling.

 

[Bolt]

Let's not go that far. There are still plenty of veterans in Puro around helping out the younger guys, and even though Misawa was a true player and will be sorely missed, the rosters are filled more than any other time maybe in history with guys breaking their backs representing their companies. The new replaces the old, that's the way it's always been, and Puro ain't dead by a long shot.

 

[Misfits923]

Misawa had a lot of great matches with a lot of great Japanese wrestlers but he was better know for his series of match against WWE legends Dynamite Kid and Bret "The Hitman" Hart.

Actually, he never really wrestled them much. It was the original Tiger Mask that faced against Dynamite Kid and Bret Hart alot back in the day. Misawa's shining moment was when he beat Jumbo Tsuruta. But the matches that he was best known for where his many matches against Kenta Kobashi and Toshiaki Kawada.

Here's a classic match against Kobashi, and a MV from the 2003 Match of the Year between him and Kobashi:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKCXYJyGDuw[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u4Yw6Deun0[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ld7CKnbcF4[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-xvrQ-KIpU[/ame]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0MhBOQTJ8w[/ame]


[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60fFxhxUn1E[/ame]

 

[Bolt]

Yeah, I just watched that match a few nights ago. My favorites though were his matches with Kawada, brutal and beautiful.

 

[Misfits923]

Yeah, I just watched that match a few nights ago. My favorites though were his matches with Kawada, brutal and beautiful.

Agreed! :thumbs: