(NOAH) A "promise" made by Akitoshi Saito, Mitsuharu Misawa's final opponent on the anniversary of his death fifteen years ago.

Tokyo Sports

13th June 2024

It's been fifteen years since Pro Wrestling Noah founder, Mitsuharu Misawa (aged 46) passed away in an accident during a match. Akitoshi Saito, who was Misawa's final opponent at the Hiroshima event on June 13th 2009, won the ZERO ONE World Heavyweight Championship in March of this year. He will face former champion, Chris Vice, in his third defense at Noah's Korakuen Hall on the 19th. After winning his first singles title in his career, Saito revealed the promise he made to Misawa. 

Q: Fifteen years have passed since Misawa passed away. 

SAITO: Every morning I put my hands together and pray (thinking of Misawa). This year, there won't be a memorial event, but I feel that not doing anything special is what makes Misawa live on in Noah.

Q: You started wrestling in Noah in October 2000.

SAITO: In 1998, I left New Japan Pro Wrestling, and opened a bar in Nagoya. After that, Noah was launched and Misawa came to Tokai Radio in Nagoya. I wanted to talk to him directly, so I went to see him.

Q: The first meeting. 

SAITO: I told him I wanted to wrestle in Noah and he said, "Let's set up an assessment match in October." It was only a minute or two, but the moment I met him I thought, "I want to work under this guy". After that, he called me and asked me how I much I got paid in New Japan, and when I answered, he said "You don't have to force yourself to come." But I told him, "I don't care about the money, I just want to be in Noah". When I joined I said, "I'll become a virus for Noah". Misawa just laughed.

Q: You signed an exclusive contract with Noah in 2006. 

SAITO: One day, Misawa told me, "You've become an indispensable part of Noah". I was so happy to feel that I was needed. Misawa asked me if I wanted to go for a drink, so we went out drinking together a few times.

Q: You faced Misawa in his last match.

SAITO: I remember everything from that day clearly. There was a chance that he could be revived within twenty-four hours, so I prayed in Misawa's hospital room after the match*. In the morning, Nakata (Ryu = General Manager at the time*), told me "Misawa's wife is coming, and you have a match, so you should go back to the hotel now". While walking home, I asked myself at the river, "Should I quit wrestling? But then I thought, "If I vanish from sight, where will the bereaved family and fans direct their anger? So I'll stand in front of everyone and accept everything." That was my promise to Misawa and to myself.

Q: You still keep your promise to stand in the ring. 

SAITO: I still get messages on social media calling me a murderer, but I reply to them all saying, "I'm very sorry, but even if I'm told to quit wrestling, there are things I have promised myself I must do, so please forgive me." 

Q: You won your first singles title just before the anniversary of Misawa's death. 

SAITO: The day I won this belt was March 31st, 33 years and 3 months into my career. This is the third time a championship has combined with Go Shiozaki and the GHC Heavyweight, and before I knew it, I had three in a row. It's not something I intended to do, but I think it's Misawa's three. 

Q: What about the future? 

SAITO: Up until now, I've been fighting in pursuit of my own answer, but now that I have all three, I think it's time to find the answer. So now I'm thinking about what the value of this belt will be. I'll be fighting Chris Vice next, and although I don't know how the match will go, I'd like to find out the answer during the fight. 

Translated from Tokyo Sports

Picture credit: Tokyo Sports

Notes 

Praying in Misawa's hospital room: Saito remembered an old legend that the soul could return to the body within forty-eight hours. See "The Testament of Misawa"

Ryu Nakata: Nakata had a funny career, he started off as Giant Baba's driver, then became a ring announcer, then general manager of Noah. After Misawa's death he was implicated in the Yakuza Ticket Scandal, and demoted to a general employee. He died mysteriously in February 2014 when he was found in his car outside a rural service station after being reported missing. Ironically, all of those implicated in the scandal: Junji Izumida (the whistleblower), Haruka Eigen and Ryu Nakata, all died of heart attacks.