10 Images Showcasing Precise Moments Wrestlers Got Over

3. "Mis-awa! Mis-awa! Mis-awa!"

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That was the chant circling the fabled Budokan Hall on June 8, 1990 ahead of Mitsuharu Misawa's match with then All Japan Pro Wrestling Ace Jumbo Tsuruta.

Misawa, obviously, was already over; that's why fans chanted his name before they even entered the building. A case can be made that his literal unmasking from the guise of Tiger Mask II to his own name, on May 14 of that year, heralded his true acceptance among the All Japan fandom.

This night was something rather more special because the circumstances of it were legendary. Booker Shohei 'Giant' Baba was renowned for his long-term planning. Nothing happened in AJPW that wasn't planned months - even years - in advance. The thunderous reaction commanded by Misawa was such that it compelled Baba to call the rarest of audibles. He relayed the message of the revised match finish (Misawa was not scheduled to go over) to a shocked Tsuruta. Tsuruta, aggrieved, suggested that Baba revert for one night only to the screwy finish formula that stymied business in the late 1980s.

"No," came Baba's curt response.

Misawa went over and got over huge in a phenomenal, progressive performance in a five-star classic. He evolved from prospect to legend over the course of one night.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!