10 Wrestling Bookers Who Made Themselves World Champion

8. Mitsuharu Misawa

When Giant Baba died in early 1999, the position of All Japan Pro Wrestling president fell to the company's top star, Mitsuharu Misawa. As Misawa was a four time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion and one of the most talented wrestlers to ever set foot in a ring, his feud with Vader and subsequent fifth title win wasn't questioned - in fact, it helped revitalize Vader as a draw in Japan.

Friction with new All Japan owner (and Baba's widow) Motoko Baba led Misawa and the bulk of All Japan's roster to leave the company the following year and form a new league, Pro Wrestling NOAH. Though several huge names - like Kenta Kobashi, Akira Taue, and Jun Akiyama - made the jump with Misawa, the legendary champion was still NOAH's best-known star. He won the company's newly-created Global Honored Crown Heavyweight Championship, establishing the prestige of the belt before he dropped it to Akiyama. He would hold two more times, re-capturing it when business began to slump.