2009: Shinsuke Nakamura & Hirooki Goto vs Mitsuharu Misawa & Takashi Sugiura
Wrestle Kingdom III (attendance: 40,000 / 27,500)
http://njpwworld.com/p/s_series_00172_1_10
It wouldn’t be a Kingdom without the King’s Road. Mitsuharu Misawa, the legend that needs no introduction. The ace of All Japan through the 90s and the founder of NOAH in 2000. The man responsible for more 5 star matches from Dave Meltzer than any other. He wrestles only his third match for New Japan Pro Wrestling here at Wrestle Kingdom III.
His tag partner for this event is Takashi Sugiura. Sugiura is the first wrestler to make his pro wrestling debut in NOAH. He joined the All Japan Dojo where he was trained by Tamon Honda and Yoshihiro Takayama. Sugiura jumped to NOAH along with his trainers upon it’s founding by Misawa and debuted in December 2000. Sugiura comes into this match having previously held the GHC Junior Tag Team titles (with Yoshinobu Kanemaru) and the GHC Tag Team titles (with Naomichi Marafuji).
Last we saw Shinsuke Nakamura was in the previous post, where he defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight title. Nakamura defeated Kurt Angle in February 2008 to bring the IWGP Third Belt back to New Japan and unified it with the Heavyweight title. He once again beat Tanahashi in March at Korakuen Hall before losing the belt to Keiji Mutoh.
Hirooki Goto is a new face to this series. The NJPW Dojo graduate went to high school with Katsuyori Shibata. He made his pro wrestling debut in July 2003. In 2005 Goto won the Young Lion Cup by defeating Hiroyuki Ito in the final. Following this the junior heavyweight went on excursion with appearances in TNA, as well as a stint in Mexico where he wrestled for CMLL and Ultimo Dragon’s Toryumon promotion. He returned to New Japan as a heavyweight in August 2007. He challenged Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight title in November 2007 and came up short, in a trend that would continue for title matches as of this writing.
It’s Wrestle Kingdom III in the Tokyo Dome, it’s NJPW vs NOAH, it’s Misawa and it’s our first tag team match! Let’s go!
We’re still only getting some entrances here so Team NOAH is in the ring already, as is Goto. Subconscious plays and Nakamura makes his way to join the party. Referee Red Shoes Unno.
Red Shoes checks the competitors and it will be Sugiura and Goto to start. Goto is several years removed from his current character and is wearing black shorts. Nakamura in red trunks for this special occasion.
The bell rings and the legal men rush each other, Sugiura leading with a boot. They exchange forearms. Sugiura off the ropes with a boot, Goto return fire with a forearm. And again. Both men still standing. Goto tries again but gets caught in a belly-to-belly. He recovers, knocks Sugiura down, attacks Misawa on the apron with a spinning kick and then goes back to Sugiura with a springboard senton attempt that catches more apron than opponent. It’s not a pretty move. Goto brings him back in. Sends him to the red corner and tags in Nakamura. Sugiura tags in Misawa and now we’ve got the pairing we came to see!
They lock up tentatively and Nakamura retreats after Misawa tries to grab an arm. They face off again and Misawa has the experience edge over Nakamura who tries to get for a leg. He steps it, but Nakamura grabs a front facelock. Misawa’s in control and sends him to the ropes for a clean break. Lock up again and Misawa sweeps the leg, holding onto the other for a toe hold. Drops down with a leglock and Nakamura tries to break it with a chin lock before realising he’s half a chance at an armbar. Misawa finds ropes and Nakamura breaks clean. Respect for the legend.
Collar-and-elbow, Misawa grabs a headlock, Nakamura shoots him off and withstands a shoulder block. Misawa with his trademark forearms, but Nakamura gets him with a calf kick. Nakamura throwing forearms and they’re on even ground here. Blow for blow. Nakamura eventually falls. Misawa grabs a sleeper hold. Nakamura gets to the ropes eventually. Tag and Sugiura is in.
They exchange strikes with Sugiura getting the edge thanks to a spinning back kick to the mid-section. Snap mare and Nakamura’s back in a sleeper. Goto in to break it and Sugiura sends him packing with a forearm. Nakamura isolated in the blue corner (should be green for NOAH) and Misawa is tagged in. Nakamura face to face with Sugiura and then Misawa reminds him that he’s there. Misawa/Nakamura in now.
They throw forearms, Nakamura sneaks a few boots in but they’re ineffective. Misawa wins the exchange but after a whip attempt Nakamura takes him down with a kick. Tag to Goto who goes straight for Misawa. Sugiura in to fight Goto off who takes control of both men. Runs corner to corner for clotheslines on each. Misawa down and Goto comes from above with an elbow drop for 2.
German suplex attempt, Misawa revereses. Goto fights off, hits the ropes, ducks a clothesline and delivers two Germans. 1, 2. Kickout by Misawa. Goto throws some forearms, Misawa throws some better ones. Goto down, Sugiura tagged.
Sugiura boots Nakamura off the apron, hangs Goto over the top rope. Hits the ropes and comes back to boot Nakamura back off the apron, before going back to Goto and suplexing him from that position. Sends Goto corner, rushes in with a shoulder block. Picks him up and dumps him for 2. Gutwrench suplex. Goes for a German, Goto switches it. They each hit the ropes in an impressive array of ducks and counters before Goto lands a clothesline. Nakamura tagged in.
Nakamura knocks Misawa off the apron before hitting an inverted powerslam on Sugiura for 2. Whip to corner, reversed. Nakamura meets his charging opponent with a boot. Sugiura catches the second boot into a powerbomb variation and sends Nakamura to the corner. Shoulder block, pickup and drop. Sugiura holds the legs and Misawa comes off the top with a splash. Sugiura grabs an ankle lock and Misawa clears Goto from the apron. A real chance of victory here for the NOAH team.
Goto tries to get to make the save but Misawa puts an end to it. Nakamura gets close to the ropes, but Sugiura pulls him back and drops in with a grapevine. Goto still at the mercy of Misawa as Nakamura is left to fend for himself. He gets there in the end.
Sugiura continues the punishment with a German suplex, pulls Nakamura up at 1 for a dragon suplex which nets 2. Sugiura goes for his Olympic Yosen Slam but Nakamura slips it and pushes him into Goto who’s just entered the ring and hits a Shouten (vertical suplex side slam)! Misawa in now who gets Goto with an Emerald Flowsion. Nakamura picks Misawa up for a Landslide! Everybody’s down.
Nakamura and Sugiura to their feet and they exchange forearms in a thrilling display of fighting spirit. Slap time! Nakamura takes the advantage with a straight right that Red Shoes isn’t too impressed with. Sleeper attempt but Sugiura throws him over, judo style. Nakamura runs into a knee. He’s not in good shape after that. Sugiura looking to end it. Olumpic Yosen Slam! 1. 2. Goto tries to make a save but Misawa thwarts him. And Nakamura kicks out. Misawa and Goto on the outside fighting. Nakamura slips the Olympic, hits an arm drag and tries for another Landslide. Sugiura escapes and hits a German! Nakamura rolls through (fighting spirit!) and kicks Sugiura in the head. Clothesline attempt but Nakamura grabs a flying arm bar. Goto now with Misawa caught on the outside and Sugiura taps!
Your winners in 15:17 the Shin Nihon Puroresu team of Shinsuke Nakamura and Hirooki Goto! Thanks for coming NOAH.
This is normally the part where I talk about the winner’s theme song. Unfortunately, Mitsuharu Misawa would pass away a mere five months after this event due to an in-ring accident. Misawa (along with Kenta Kobashi, Toshiaki Kawada and Akira Taue) carried All Japan through the 1990s with some of the greatest matches in the history of this sport. This came with tremendous wear and tear on their bodies. Through the 2000s, Misawa put his heart and soul into his promotion Pro Wrestling NOAH, despite his body wearing down. During a tag match at a NOAH event in June 2009, it finally gave out.
So as a tribute to the Emerald Ace, Mitsuharu Misawa – here is his theme song, Spartan X. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwSzkcvLdvE
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