Mitsuharu Misawa

Mitsuharu Misawa, born Mitsuharu Kotake on June 18, 1962 and died on June 13, 2009, was a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter. He spent most of his career with All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he was the leading wrestler of the 1990s and one of the Four Heavenly Kings alongside Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi and Akira Taue. He wrestled as the second Tiger Mask from 1984 until 1990, won the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship five times, and in 2000 founded Pro Wrestling Noah, where he became the first GHC Heavyweight Champion. He died at 46 after taking a back suplex in a tag match in Hiroshima, which prompted discussion of safety in Japanese wrestling.