15 Amazing Pro Wrestling NOAH Matches You Must See Before You Die

5. Mitsuharu Misawa Vs. Samoa Joe - October 27th 2007

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaprdoSHQqA Most people know about Samoa Joe€™s encounter with the legendary Kenta Kobasji in Ring of Honor in 2005. The €˜Absolute Champion€™ made an incredibly rare appearance in the United States, and respected Joe enough to wrestle him in Kobashi€™s biggest match in the United States. But then, to return the favor, another (and arguably bigger) Japanese legend also respected Joe enough to let him challenge for his GHC Heavyweight Championship. That man was Mitsuharu Misawa. The then-GHC Heavyweight Champion saw Joe as an outstanding wrestler, one worth inviting to Pro Wrestling NOAH. For those who aren€™t fully aware of the significance of this match-up, Mitsuharu Misawa was such a big legend in Japan that he could basically be described as a combination of Shawn Michaels€™ wrestling ability, Hulk Hogan€™s popularity, and the same kind of respect from his peers as the Undertaker. He accepted a challenge from Samoa Joe. That would be akin to Kevin Owens challenging Shawn Michaels for the WWF title in 1996. In the world of pro wrestling, that is a huge honor. Joe was one of the very few €˜foreign€™ talents not signed exclusively to NOAH who got a shot at the GHC Heavyweight Championship. But Misawa (rightly) believed that he could put on a great match with Joe, one based on athleticism and mutual respect. This was one of the biggest moments in Joe€™s career, as he got the rub in Japan from one of the biggest Japanese wrestling legends ever.