SLAM! Wrestling Editorial: Misawa's departure cripples All Japan
By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling
Wrestling is comprised of a series of defining moments that have become
ingrained in the very fabric of the sport. Like the assassination of
President John F. Kennedy or Mark David Chapman gunning down John Lennon
outside his New York apartment, wrestling fans remember where they were
and what they were doing when something big happened.
The tragic death of Owen Hart. Ric Flair's debut in the WWF. The first
WrestleMania. We all have our own, personal moments.
Mine happened on Tuesday when I heard that All Japan Pro Wrestling
President, booker and top star Mitsuharu Misawa tendered his resignation
with the company and will start his own promotion.
As I'm typing this, I can literally hear the collective "who?" many of
you may be asking after reading that sentence. I'm sure that the
majority of North American fans don't have a clue who Misawa is or what
he's meant to wrestling in Japan.
And that's a pity. If only you knew. If only you saw him. If only you
had an idea. Because since 1990, Mitsuharu Misawa has been the best
wrestler on the planet.
Such a bold proclamation will no doubt infuriate North American fans
weened on Nitro and Thunder, who await each McMahon family run-in on RAW
with baited breath and who think the sun sets and rises over HHH's head.
But the simple fact of the matter is Misawa has been the best wrestler
in the business over the past 11 years.
Bar none.
Since 1990, nobody, (repeat NOBODY), has had more five-star matches, has
been a better in-ring performer and has achieved a consistent, higher
match quality standard than Misawa.
What makes Misawa so special?
Misawa is not a performer. He's not a sports entertainer. He's not an
action adventure series hero.
He's a wrestler.
Not only that, he is a wrestler in the most physically demanding
wrestling promotion on earth, competing before the most knowledgeable
and critical wrestling fans in the world.
That last part will likely enrage a lot of you out there as well. It
wasn't meant as an insult. It's just that Japanese fans have a
reputation for being the most discerning fans anywhere. They follow the
sport from all parts of the globe, have a greater knowledge of foreign
wrestling cultures and styles and have a better understanding of how
this business works. And they love their wrestling.
And with guys like Misawa, it isn't hard to see why.
From his days as a mid-carder competing as Tiger Mask II to his
ground-breaking feud with
Jumbo Tsuruta in 1990, word of his brilliance
spread to our shores where hardcore fans sought out tapes of his matches
to see for themselves. Soon after, he won the hearts of the readers of
the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Five times, Observer readers named
Misawa wrestler of the year and three times they voted one of his
matches as match of the year. Dave Meltzer himself, considered the
leading authority on pro wrestling, picked him as the wrestler of the
'90s.
Not
Bret Hart. Not Shawn Michaels. Not Ric Flair. Not Hulk Hogan.
Misawa's proficiency in the ring can not be understated. Neither can
his influence.
If Jumbo Tsuruta can be credited with pioneering Japanese
wrestling by introducing a more advanced and athletic style, then it can
be said that Misawa has taken it to another level. He set a new
standard for athletic excellence, pushing his body each night to the
point of exhaustion. He's used the rings of All Japan Pro Wrestling as
his personal stage to put on one memorable performance after another
against the best in wrestling: Kenta Kobashi, Toshiaka Kawada, Jun
Akiyama, Stan Hansen, Akira Taue and Jumbo Tsuruta.
He is a master storyteller in the squared circle. His ring psychology
is the best, (repeat BEST) in the world. There are no wasted movements
or meaningless moments in a Misawa match.
None.
Each one of his matches is different, unique from the previous one.
Each move, each glance and each gesture in a Mitsuharu Misawa match
means something.
His departure changes the entire face of wrestling in Japan. A third
major group in Japan, featuring the best heavyweight wrestlers in the
world, will take business away from both All Japan and New Japan Pro
Wrestling. Because Misawa has expressed interest in working an
inter-promotional program in the past, a dream feud with New Japan's top
wrestlers is now within the realm of possibilities. We could see a
possible take-off on the influential Choshu's Army vs All Japan feud
that set the promotion on fire in the mid-'80s and was the inspiration
that Eric Bischoff's NWO was modeled after. The possibilities are
endless.
His leaving All Japan Pro Wrestling is the equivalent of Hulk Hogan
signing with WCW in 1994; of Ric Flair going to the WWF in 1991; of
Konnan leaving Mexico's EMLL office in 1992 with booker Antonio Pena to
form AAA. That's how big this is. This is huge.
What Ric Flair meant to Jim Crockett Promotions, what Hulk Hogan meant
to Vince McMahon and what Jerry Lawler meant to the city of Memphis,
Mitsuharu Misawa meant to All Japan. No other wrestler over the past 11
years has been more closely identified with his promotion than Misawa.
Mitsuharu Misawa IS All Japan.
Or at least he was until Tuesday. He had been at odds with owner Motoko
Baba. Ever since her husband and All Japan founder
Giant Baba died,
Misawa, as booker, had wanted to take the promotion in a new direction.
He wanted to change the face of the promotion and break with All Japan's
isolationist policy and conservative booking philosophy. Mrs. Baba
wouldn't let him.
And so, one of the most important poker games in wrestling began.
Misawa, the backbone of the promotion, said either things would have to
change or he would walk. Mrs. Baba called him on it. Turns out Misawa
wasn't bluffing.
He walked out on the promotion that he helped build into the archetypal
wrestling promotion, taking Kobashi, Akiyama and most of the roster with
him to start his own promotion. One where he'll be able to do things
his way, without the second guessing and interference of Mrs Baba.
Odds are beginning to be laid on how long it will be before All Japan goes
under. And they will go under. They can't survive. This move will
decimate them. They may hold on for a little while, but the end will
come soon.
That's how much Mitsuharu Misawa means. I doubt we can honestly say
that about any other wrestler.
Related stories
June 19: Misawa knocks All-Japan off TV
June 16: Misawa announces new Japanese promotion
June 13: Mitsuharu Misawa leaves All Japan
Reader Feedback
June 8:Does wrestling even matter anymore?
I just read your editorial and I can't agree with you more. I used to watch
WWF Raw on a regular basis, but the stuff away from the wrestling got to be
too much for me. I started to watch ECW on Friday nights, and they seem to
have some guys that put on a show wrestling. Albeit they do use chairs and
tables a fair amount, but the wrestling of guys like RVD, Tajiri, Little
Guido and others is something to watch. I can honestly say that I have seen
more action packed matches in two or three months than I saw in a year on
RAW. Hopefully the "worm" will turn before the ECW sells out to the
Gimmick.
Bill Tapp
I couldn't agree with you more. I will admit that the catch phrases have
gotten my attention, but I'm still trying to find an actual wrestling
match. The last match, that they were actual wrestling in the match, was
Chris Benoit against Bret "Hit Man" Hart in a tribute to the late Owen
Hart. I think there were actual wrestling holds and reversals used. Bret
and many other "old school" wrestlers have said this: Wrestling is in for a
very, very big fall. If they did the catch phrases and still had a match,
great that would be fine. One other thing, what happened to a handful of
Pay-per views a year? They used to build up a rivalry, and settle it at a
big event. Now they just go on and on and on, let's face it 30 bucks to
watch a wrestling event every month is a lot, 60 if you watch both
federations. OK, Chris I've wasted enough of your time with my venting.
Keep up the good work.
Michael Coppola
Chris, you hit the nail on the head in a big way. I've been asking that
question as well. The people calling the matches (Jim Ross, Tony Schivane
etc...), seem to promote the crap that goes on in the ring instead of
actual wrestling. Let me tell you, there is nothing more pleasing to watch
than an actual wrestling match. This is much better than any storyline
Vince M. or Vince R. can deliver. I hate watching wrestling now. mind you,
ECW has some excellent matches that don't only last a couple of minutes.
It's exciting.
Rey Misterio with his mask was awesome. I think they are just wasting his
talent now. Vince Russo is spending too much time on the air. It sucks. I
remember back in the '70s when the fans would gather around ringside and
get the wrestlers autographs. That was fun. That is all gone now. I hope
that wrestling does return to actual wrestling. Let's hope it is sooner
than later!!
Take care :-)
Randy McElligott
All you do is whine and complain, you archaic old fart! If you don't like
it, then don't watch it. If you want "real", then switch to boxing or
hockey or whatever where it's solely about the sport and the outcome's
always in doubt.
Brad
