The Ric Flair of Japan is dead after an in-ring accident.

1 COMMENT

  1. Misawa was arguably the wrestler of the 1990s (or Kobashi).

    Many weird things related to the death:

    — The Wrestler had just opened in Japan and had been advertised heavily during NOAH’s TV show.

    — Saito’s belly to back suplex, the move on which Misawa was injured, is apparently called “The Death Landing.”

    — It’s probable he and his partner were supposed to win the match and the tag team belts.

    there are many great Misawa matches for people to see onyoutube and other similar places, but I’m not sure seeing him take or give big head dropping moves is what you want to see right now.

  2. I’m always torn when it comes to wrestling. I really do love what those guys do, and admire them for it, but at the same time the price they pay is so high. I’ve tried not watching, but in the end I can’t help myself. Something tells me that they’d do it anyway, even if no on watched but still… It’s like I watch ever Jeff Hardy match wondering if this is the time he kills himself, because I couldn’t stop egging him on by tuning in again and again. My prayers to out to Mr. Misawa and his family.

  3. I’ve gone extensively into this elsewhere. The DVDVR board has a terrific thread about it with people giving their thoughts and feelings on the matter, myself included (as The Unholy Dragon)

    RIP Misawa-san. Arigato.

  4. This was not “an in-ring accident”. This is the same manuever that Misawa has taken at least a thousand times in his career,executed as intended, the same manuever that no human being in his right mind should take even once. At 46, Misawa’s body was like a rotten apple, still looking okay on the outside, but completely broken down on the inside, waiting for that one final blow that would send it into complete collapse.

    But we look at sick moves even more spectacular than that and chant “HOLY SH*T!” and “THIS IS AWESOME!” So more people will keep doing it to get that same response, someone else will be killed or paralyzed on a routine move, and we’ll all be here again talking about how sad we are that such a tragic “accident” happened.

  5. Mitsuharu Misawa was one of the all time greatest wrestlers to ever live. His matches with Toshiaki Kawada are wrestling lore. RIP Misawa. We will all miss you and thanks for all the years of great wrestling entertainment.