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[1993-05-21-AJPW-Super Power Series] Mitsuharu Misawa vs Stan Hansen


Loss

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  • 1 month later...

This was a war. Tremendous match. Hansen sets out to destroy Misawa's arm, which Misawa sells beautifully. Both guys are at their best. I like Hansen against Kawada and Kobashi a little more, but Hansen and Misawa is still excellent. Misawa was still establishing himself as champion, so Hansen taking it too him so much and Misawa overcoming it is the perfect type of match for the time frame.

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I've written this before... probably several times over the last 15 years. This is pretty much that match that made Misawa the Ace.

 

08/92 - knocks out Hansen to win the TC

10/92 - defends against Kawada

12/92 - wins RWTL with Kawada over Taue & Akiyama

01/93 - drops World Tag Title to Gordy & Williams

02/93 - defends against Taue

03/93 - Carny loss to Hansen

04/93 - Carny loss to Gordy

04/93 - Carny Final loss to Hansen

 

I'm leaving out other matches that he "should" have won: non-title with Taue in 10/92, Carny wins over Kawada, Taue and Kobashi, along with a Carny win over Doc.

 

But...

 

* The RWTL win is lessed because Jumbo was out.

* The two TC defenses are against lower ranked natives that he's never lost to.

* Instantly dropped the Tag Titles to a regular, top team.

* 0-3 in the Carny against former TC Champs

 

So the match against Hansen to win the TC is starting to look like a fluke. He caught Hansen with a knockout elbow. He got lucky there, then lucky that he didn't have to defend against Jumbo.

 

The belts on the line, he sucks it up and wins.

 

This pretty much set the patern for him the rest of the year. He may lose some matches, but the next time he'd be in a TC match with someone who beat him, Misawa would show who the ace was.

 

John

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  • 3 months later...

It was a pretty amusing inversion of the usual state of affairs to see Hansen spend the bulk of a match working over somebody else's arm.

 

It's almost inconceivable that a match featuring Mitsuharu Misawa and Stan Hansen could end up being overlooked and underrated, but that's kind of what happened. I'd put this right behind 7/29 and 2/28 as far as Hansen's 1993 output goes.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Between the All Japan 80s set and this yearbook, I'm beginning to think Hansen is the best ever.

 

Thought the first third was fine, but then Misawa tries to drag Hansen into the ring and Hansen just goes to town on his arm, and from there it gets awesome. I don't know if there's anybody I'd rather watch lay a beating on someone than Hansen -- everything he does just looks super nasty. At one point he grabs hold of a monitor and some guy in a suit refuses to give it up and I am SHOCKED Hansen didn't turn round and punch him in the mouth. Thought Misawa's selling was totally on point as well, throwing elbows because they're a huge weapon even though he's not doing himself any favours in the process. There's one moment where he throws one in the corner and then instantly clutches the arm, and there's a clear "oh shit" reaction from the crowd. It's like showing any sign of weakness against Stan Hansen is as good as losing already. Misawa going to the facelock, both to wear Hansen down as well as to buy himself some time to recover, was a cool touch, and man did that last elbow look suitably teeth-loosening.

 

Thought this was a definite step down from the 2/28 Hansen/Kawada match, but it's still a Hell of a contest and a good indication of the level these guys were at in '93.

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I watched all of the 1993 AJPW on ditch's site in the last year. I had seen most of the big matches but I never saw this one before and it ended up being my AJPW MOTY. It's not as violent as the Kawada match or as wild and chaotic as the Kobashi match so I'm not surprised that people prefer those but this hit all the right notes for me and ended up being one of my favorite singles matches that the company ever produced. I think Hansen is the best worker on the AJPW 80s set and after watching that 1993 AJPW I thought he was not just the best wrestler in AJPW but one of the best candidates in a very competitive WOTY race. Anyway, this is what I wrote on WKO:

 

"I never saw this one before and I loved it. I always hate when someone gets a limb worked over, sells it for a bit then forgets about it when it's convenient. I hate when there's no effort to find a new strategy. Misawa gets his right arm worked over for a good chunk of time here but still goes for elbows and I'll be damned but it makes sense. Misawa used that elbow to win the title the first time against Hansen so even if it's injured he still takes some big chances throwing that elbow around. Sometimes it fails and Hansen continues the assault, sometimes an elbow smash creates some space for a minute but requires Misawa to take a breather, and sometimes it leads to a big nearfall but leaves the question of whether or not Misawa can capitalize dangling in the air. I would place this at a similar level as those awesome Hashimoto vs Tenryu singles and you could probably draw up a number of similarities."

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  • 1 year later...

Really disappointing, as this matchup usually was for whatever reason. The champion started strongly and had the best of the early going. Hansen came back by working on the arm extensively. It wasn't exciting and didn't go anywhere, dragging at times. Then the stretch was also a let down. Misawa kept on applying the facelock rather than going for high impact moves that might actually work. Then after 27m the finisher was a solitary elbow that came out of nowhere.

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The elbow had been put over in the title changes as being able to knock Hansen clean out. Not just knock him goofy for a pin he kicks out of late, but completely out.

 

The facelock was one of Misawa's finishers. Something that Jumbo quits to is something Hansen might quit to. The problem with Misawa-Hansen match ups is that a number of Misawa's high impact moves are out of the picture because it's hard for him to do them on Stan.

 

Haven't watched this in a while, but at the time it struck me as their best match together, and a heck of a match. The standards of the Kawada match earlier in the year and Kobashi match later in the year are hard to match. But this fit great in between them.

 

John

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The facelock was one of Misawa's finishers. Something that Jumbo quits to is something Hansen might quit to. The problem with Misawa-Hansen match ups is that a number of Misawa's high impact moves are out of the picture because it's hard for him to do them on Stan.

Off the top of my head I can't remember Hansen ever tapping out. Overall there were so few submissions in big AJ matches that I'm not believing in them as potential finishers down the stretch. The 1st ever Triple Crown match to end in a submission was Hashimoto vs Arashi in 2003! So it doesn't work for me watching it 20 years later knowing what a minor role submissions played in the style. Of course it was different for the fans at the time. A few years later they too weren't buying them as finishers, so they probably should have had a few more in title matches to spice things up. Having pinfalls all the time became unbalanced.

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1993 is a point where they were still buying them, since Jumbo tapping to the facelock was less than two years prior. But the lack of other big taps did start to kill them off. Kawada beat Kobashi later in the year with the stretch plum, even if That Idiot Kobashi wouldn't tap to it. :)

 

On Hansen tapping... it wasn't like Jumbo tapped often in his career in the Post Tap Era. Because of the figure four / spinning toe hold and 2/3 fall matches, he did it plenty in the 70s and early 80s. But after a certain point, no one at the top level really was tapping. Jumbo's tap in 9/91 was a potential turning point: fans went batshit over it, and it was another high point in the Jumbo-Misawa feud. I thought that Hansen usually sold the facelock well up through this point... did a heck of a job with the sleeper later in the year with Kobashi. Some credibility in the hold left, and Hansen selling it... still felt like a good spot in 1993.

 

John

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  • 7 months later...

It's a match up for whatever reason doesn't produce as great matches as these guys facing off with others. Though this would have to be the best of what I've seen between the two against one another. Loved the announcer trying to call the match and fight with Hansen over the TV monitor. Hansen was just mangling Misawa’s arm.

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  • 1 month later...

Psychologically sound but I didn't love this as much as everyone else. Which is disappointing--19.5 years ago this was the first Japanese match I ever saw, and I was wowed. I have issues with how Misawa was booked in the Carnival, and I think jobbing twice to Hansen was excessive and did too much to give the result of this away. I know Hansen had beaten Misawa repeatedly in '92 before finally dropping one, but after becoming the Triple Crown champion I thought it was past time to start booking Misawa like a champion, and not start it 9 months later.

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  • 1 year later...

While it doesn't hold up to Misawa vs. Kawada or Kobashi, that's a pretty high bar and I'm pretty comfortable with this as the best Misawa-Hansen. After a Hansen pre-match attack they settle into working holds, but there's great struggle and effort expended here. Its not just laying around to work the clock. After a posting, Hansen keys in on Misawa's arm and shoulder to presumably neutralize the elbow, while Misawa works kicks on his comebacks which are regularly cut off. Hansen's focus on the arm here is dynamite. Great focus on the arm. Hansen near fall of a powerbomb and while Misawa catches him with an enzuigiri, he then wipes out missing his elbow suicida. Great finishing run with Misawa brainbusters and a facelock that feels big, yet at the same time you know just don't work. The finish was about as decisive as you can ask for -- Misawa hits his Rolling Elbow and gets the win clean as a whistle even with a delayed cover. Hansen shakes his hand after to further cement that Misawa is now a made man. Probably one of the finishes that made Misawa's elbow the most over, protected finisher of an era.

 

****

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  • 3 weeks later...

Amazing to think this is the worst big gaijin match vs. Hansen from the year as it is incredible. The focus on the arm leading to Misawa being the stronger man and still having enough will power in the elbow to put Stan away is incredible. I haven't watched their 1992 stuff in a while, but this certainly feels like their best outing against each other and feels like a great argument to the Hansen and Misawa didn't have great matches claim much like the 1986 Jumbo vs. Hansen match was to that claim. Misawa is now the man of All Japan once and for all. ****1/4

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  • 9 months later...

I thought the 5/93 Misawa/Hansen match was set-up really well even if the finishes to the 8/92 and 4/93 bouts hadn't been as well laid out as they might have been, but talk about the worst, most boring, uninspired build in their feud. The stretch run was better than their previous bouts, but by that stage it was too late. If ever a match deserved its disappointing rep this is it. My prevailing memory of this is going to be Misawa applying the face lock and getting absolutely no purchase on it.

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  • 8 months later...

I can see how this match might frustrate some people. Stan's arm work was some of the best I've seen from anyone, but he's not a submission wrestler, so he bailed on it with about ten minutes left to start setting up the lariat, which goes against all common sense and wrestling wisdom. For his part, Misawa kept applying the facelock long after he should have known that it just wasn't going to work. He couldn't apply it properly to begin with; most of the time, it ended up just a simple reverse chinlock. When he did apply it, he couldn't get any power behind it to really bear down. We needn't have worried, though; he still had that wipeout forearm, which put Stan away for good. I just hope that he remembered to throw it with his "good" arm.

 

I never thought I'd see Stan shake hands with an opponent after he lost, but it was great to see him pay Misawa his due, at least on this night. I'm glad there will be more to come from these two in the not-too-distant future.

 

I had no idea that the rectangular object that Stan hit Misawa with was actually a TV monitor. No wonder the broadcaster fought with him over it; those things aren't exactly cheap, now or then.

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  • 4 months later...

#313 - placetobenation.com/countdown-top-500-matches-of-the-90s-350-301/2/

 

I love the intensity in which this starts off. Nothing too unusual for Hansen, but it's just what I want in my wrestling. I thought Hansen was great in the opening stages selling the stiff kicks of Misawa, and particularly the submissions as well. You could really see a lot of pain and anguish in his face. Hansen was ready to bump big for Misawa too. He goes over the top to the outside after a punch from Misawa. Of course, he then suckers Misawa down and goes to work on him. This is where we get the focused work on the right arm/shoulder and the TV monitor spot. Misawa is pretty awesome selling the right arm. When he has to use his right elbow for his signature blows, he's always gripping at it and shaking it off. Hansen stays focused on it with submissions and kicks. I thought the variety of attacks on the arm were pretty great too. Hansen tries to drop an elbow on the arm, but misses. Then, Misawa goes to the top to try and deliver a flying elbow I'm assuming, but Hansen dodges and pushes him to the mat. Misawa sells pain in his neck from the fall, and this is where the focus shifts from the arm when Hansen goes for a big powerbomb to try and put Misawa away. Makes sense to me. The facelock/chinlock wasn't working for Misawa very well, so he shifts gears to power and more elbow. I do think he went to it a little much, but I remained invested. This is a pretty great match. ****1/4. Gottal love the handshake at the end.

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  • GSR changed the title to [1993-05-21-AJPW-Super Power Series] Mitsuharu Misawa vs Stan Hansen
  • 10 months later...

The beginning scene of Hansen rushing to brawl with Misawa during the introductions while the streamers are still flowing to the ring is pretty epic. Everything that follows is absolutely great, too - Hansen is looking to gain control right from the get go indeed, but Misawa finds ways to escape & lash out hard hitting and vicious offense of his own, which then forces Hansen to go & figure out a new strategy, and that he sure does by attacking Misawa's elbow arm. Hansen's work over the arm is brutal; he puts it in holds, he stands over it, he sends it to the post - all very compelling & violent Hansen-like stuff. Misawa has a real mountain to climb now, and I love how the first few comeback attempts he gets in, Hansen is there quickly to shut them off - it makes Misawa's eventual BIG comeback that much more amazing. That finishing elbow was absolutely sick, too. Great match. ****

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  • 10 months later...

AJPW Triple Crown Champion Mitsuharu Misawa vs Stan Hansen - AJPW 5/21/93

Misawa's Magic Elbow was established in his Triple Crown victory over Hansen in August of 92 when he basically KO'd him with one Elbow. At the Carny Final, Misawa's elbow brought Misawa within a half-count of winning and almost rendered Hansen's lariat arm useless. Hansen gutted through it and a desperation lariat and then a powerbomb got him the win. This is the rubber match. Misawa's elbow has become a focal point of the rivalry and now we see Hansen doing the smart thing and working over it. 

I liked the very beginning. Hansen bumrushing Misawa trying to bully him. Thats what he would do to Kawada or Kobashi, but I think in the past he has been a little more cautious with Misawa. Misawa fights through this early onslaught and sends him packing. Hansen connects with a suckerpunch when he gets back in. This is a short-lived advantage as Misawa hits an ELBOW~! Hansen crumples but it is too early for Misawa to pin him. This next section is pretty uninspired. Misawa is content to work holds and at one point Hansen starts to work the leg because thats the limb he has access to. It kinda feels like Misawa should hit his diving elbow to the outside twice but they never really tease it. The match picks up when Misawa unwisely goes to the ropes when Hansen is on the outside. Hansen snatches Misawa's arm and yanks down on the top rope. He pulls him to the outside and beats down on the arm. The climax is smashing a TV into the arm. I loved that! Back in the ring, he works the arm. Misawa hits an elbow but is in too much pain to capitalize and Hansen takes him down with an armbar. He uses the exposed knee and Cowboy Kick on Misawa's injured elbow. He drags him to the apron and does an arm stretcher there. Hansen's big climax to this heat segment is he gets a nearfall with a Powerbomb this is a play off of the Carny Final win. The arm psychology has definitely been the best part of this match thus far. It will be interesting to see how Misawa overcomes this or if Hansen's new strategy will pay dividends with a three count? 

It does pay off in the short term. Misawa is a tentative in his counters. When he goes for his spinning lariat or diving elbow, Hansen is able to counter because Misawa is not 100% committed due to his bad arm. The worst part of this match is all the lame ways Hansen comes up with to miss his Lariat. He tugs at his elbow pad which makes the crowd react. At one Misawa shakes him off like a pitcher would baseball. Almost as if to say, too early bro, Hansen proceeds to miss his lariat in comically bad ways, taking exaggerated tumbles to the outside. Misawa all of sudden wins suplex battles on the floor. Misawa becomes obsessed with his facelock or a sleeper. If only we had the 10/92 announcer screaming "FACELOOOOOOCK!" to make this interesting. They do a little ring around the rosie and Misawa SMOKES him with an Elbow! Crowd pops for that! Misawa now really locks on his Facelock and then hits Macho Man Elbow (hey why didnt he do that more often?). Hansen just starts slapping Misawa. This entire finish run has been really weird. Lots of false starts and weird transitions. Hasen swings wildly and misses the Lariat in  a normal way. Back to FACLOOOCCCCKKKKK Hansen again counters and slams him on the top rope and knees him. Only for Misawa to hit a crossbody. This is bizarre. Misawa counters Hansen's kick with a ROARING ELBOW~!

Greatly prefer August 1992 and Carny Final 93 match to this. I am kinda surprised this is generally considered the best of Hansen/Misawa. The finish stretch is a mess. I liked the arm psychology and I can get behind the Facelock psychology to sap Hansen of his energy but the transitions were so weird. Its still a good match, but not quite as great as the other Hansen/Misawa matches. ***1/4

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