MID-Tier Match Reviews: Mitsuharu Misawa vs. Gary Albright – AJPW March 2, 1996

Mitsuharu Misawa is a pro wrestling legend. Even if his name might not be as well-known as, say, Hulk Hogan or The Rock, he still left an undeniable impact on the wrestling business. An entire generation of wrestlers were inspired by his wrestling style and with it helped create the American wrestling indies of the 2000s and 2010s. But even the most inspirational and influential wrestlers can have underwhelming performances and Misawa is no exception. Though his matches with the likes of Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi, Akira Taue, Jun Akiyama, and others are still some of the best and most timeless matches still available for free on the internet, he wasn’t able to have such tremendous matches with every opponent imaginable. Such was the case when Misawa took on a newcomer to All Japan after years of strictly enforced isolationism and the end result was…meh.

The Story

After making something of a name for himself as a knockout artist in UWFi with a German suplex that would win him matches via referee’s decision/TKO, Albright jumped to All Japan in late 1995. This was a big deal since walled garden AJPW had a cloistered main-event scene that had great matches conducive to maintaining existing strong live gates but wasn’t necessarily conducive to growing the company’s business. So with Albright coming to All Japan there was a huge curiosity and excitement factor: finally, someone new and credible being added to the mix. But first Albright had to earn his main-event spot…and boy did he ever. His first AJPW singles match against Toshiaki Kawada on October 25, 1995 was, to put it mildly, one of the greatest singles matches I have ever seen in my life.

It was a styles clash that had everyone screaming in shock and excitement with every move and the company’s lead commentator shouting so loudly and passionately I’m amazed he didn’t have an aneurysm. And although he lost in the end Albright was instantly over as a star, so much so that within only a few short months Albright earned a title shot against Misawa.

Though this match didn’t have as much of a novelty factor as the first match, it was refreshing enough to see someone new and with “legit” credentials entering what had up to that point been a closed circle of title challengers. Though Albright was new to All Japan he was still believable. His training had been overseen by legendary grapplers Billy Robinson, Danny Dodge, and Lou Thesz. He cut his teeth in Stampede Wrestling. He worked with some of the most noted “shooters” in Japan at a time when “shootfighting” was growing in Japan and MMA was starting to take off.

Albright was a big deal, but he was taking on an in-his-prime Mitsuharu Misawa. Sure Albright was bigger, but Misawa was known for inhuman toughness, even by wrestling standards. Sure Albright was bigger, heavier, and had a solid ground game. But if Misawa was backed into a corner he had his own mat pedigree as well. But could that be enough to topple this mammoth challenger?

The Match

This is for Misawa’s Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. The match was rated ***1/2 out of five by the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer.

They tease some lock-ups but nothing happens. Albright powers Misawa to the ropes and then launches him overhead with a belly-to-belly suplex. He goes for his OHKO German suplex but Misawa elbows out. Misawa hits back with more elbows and goes for a rolling elbow. Albright blocks and attempts another German. Misawa hits more elbows. But this time Albright lands his super German. Misawa sells like death. The crowd and commentators go nuts. But Albright opts not to cover; instead, he goes for a cross armbreaker presuming Misawa isn’t in the right mind to resist. Albright pulls as hard as he can but Misawa’s close enough to the ropes to get a break. Albright tries wrenching the arm again but Misawa gets a ropebreak again.

Misawa takes his time recovering ringside and returns to the ring, at which point he finds himself struggling to land anything. Albright blocks some elbows but eats a free-leg enzuigiri. Misawa tries a cross armbreaker of his own but Albright gets a break. Misawa peppers Albright with elbows and lands a back suplex. He applies his facelock but again Albright gets a ropebreak. Albright blocks both a Tiger Driver and a Tiger Suplex and catches Misawa with a counter powerslam for two.

Albright applies a full nelson and tries a dragon suplex but Misawa gets a ropebreak so Albright lands two snap suplexes. Misawa resists another full nelson so Albright switches to a deep chinlock with bodyscissors. Misawa starts fading so Albright cover but only gets two. Albright gets another full nelson in. Misawa slips out. Albright catches Misawa on his escape and lands a bridging German. One, two, Misawa kicks out.

Misawa rolls out of the ring but Albright drags him back in and tries another armbreaker but Misawa holds onto the bottom rope for dear life. Misawa hits some elbows to create some space bit Albright closes it again with another belly-to-belly for two. Misawa fires back with more elbows and charges off the ropes. Albright blocks a running elbow and tries another German. Misawa escapes and Germans Albright. Misawa lands more elbow smashes for a two-count. Another facelock and another ropebreak. They trade waistlocks until Albright lands another, albeit weaker, German. Running elbow smash by Misawa. Albright hits back with a football tackle. Albright tries a butterfly suplex. Misawa counters with a backdrop for two. Misawa lands another elbow flurry and a rolling elbow to drop Albright to the mat like a stone. Misawa follows with another super-powered rolling elbow smash. One, two, and three! Misawa retains!

Winner and STILL AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion after 14:20: Mitsuharu Misawa

Review

A much more trimmed down Misawa main event than what most of us are used to. It didn’t even go fifteen minutes, which seems like sacrilege during peak the peak Misawa era. But that’s what made it refreshing: why go a bog-standard twenty minutes minimum when you can get the same result in less? But let’s be clear: Albright vs Kawada this was not. That match was MUCH better than this in every conceivable way: it had a wilder crowd, had more of an era of concern and worry on the part of the All Japan guy, and a far greater sense of desperation. Here, the end result was a foregone conclusion. Point blank, there was no chance Albright was winning, and he proved that within the first two minutes. His knockout German suplex didn’t leave Misawa out cold; hell, he still had enough resistance seconds later to avoid full application of a cross armbreaker. Once Misawa survived Albright’s ultimate weapon it became a matter of waiting…waiting when and how Misawa would pull out the victory. Once that mindset was established this match suffered as a result. I wouldn’t say it’s an outwardly bad match by any means, just a painfully predictable and therefore by-the-numbers one.

Part of this match’s flaw came from the sequencing of events. There was barely and teasing or build towards Albright’s game-changing German suplex. He just landed it and, unlike in the Kawada match, there wasn’t that much time for that high spot to breathe and settle with the audience. It was a match opening big moment and once Misawa survived the heat for the match largely died down. With that early peak the match lost much of its drama; now that Misawa had survived Albright’s most powerful weapon what else could he do? While there was still a mild bit of curiosity in seeing just how Misawa would win, the match more or less settled into more of a pedestrian affair that lacked any noted dramatic peaks. Additionally, the match had a sort of secondhand negative effect on Kawada: he struggled so much in his match with Albright yet Misawa had a much easier time. It goes to show that a wrestling match isn’t just a bell-to-bell contest in a vacuum; what happens in one match can have a spillover effect onto others in the same company based on stuff that happens beforehand.

Final Rating: ***1/2

Meltzer isn’t always right but he was here: this match is alright and serviceable but a notch below the high standard expected of 1990s All Japan. It doesn’t hold up anywhere near as well as other singles matches that took place before and after. It’s a bit disappointing considering how much All Japan gets praised in many corners of the wrestling fandom, but I guess even a golden age will have a blemish or two.

Though Albright’s wrestling career ended tragically when he passed away from a heart attack during a match, his legacy will still live on. Not in this match, though, but in that match with Kawada. So even though this was the biggest match of his career it is far from his best.

Thanks for reading.