Austin Region, Third Round, Pure Rules Match: (3) Triple H vs. (6) Mitsuharu Misawa

[klunderbunker]

This is a third round match in the Austin Region. It is a Pure Rules match. It will be held at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

Rules: This match is won by pinfall, submission, countout or disqualification. There are three special rules.

1. Wrestlers can only be saved by the ropes three times. If their rope breaks are used up, reaching the ropes in a pin or hold has no effect whatsoever.

2. Closed fists are illegal. The first punch thrown will result in a warning, the second in the loss of a rope break, and the third is an automatic DQ.

3. The wrestlers have a twenty count to return to the ring instead of ten.

#3. Triple H

Vs.

#6. Mitsuharu Misawa

​

Polls will be open for four days following a one day period for discussion. Voting will be based on who you feel is the greater of the two competitors. Post your reasons for why your pick should win below. Remember that this is non-spam and the most votes in the poll win. Any ties will be broken by the amount of posts of support for each candidate, with one vote per poster. Assume that the wrestlers are coming in fresh after their first round match.

Also remember that this is a non-spam forum. If you post a response without giving a reason for your selection, it will be penalized for spam and deleted.

 

[Tastycles]

Lots of Triple H's big wins came via bullshit, lots of Misawa's didn't. I can conceivably see that this is the only state of affairs where Misawa stands a chance, but I still don't really buy it. This is in the US, Triple H was a megastar and very few are more decorated than he is. I think it's probably Triple H's to lose, but I'm sufficiently open minded that I'll hear out any arguments for Misawa before voting.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

I am having difficulty seeing Misawa go over Triple H in the American deep South, regardless the stipulation. From what I gather, Misawa was a big deal mid 80s-90s, and here in the US we were going through a heavy bit of patriotism/jingoism at the time, with Hulkamania running wild and foreign wrestlers being their most villainous. Triple H never ran around screaming U-S-A, but then again I don't see how anybody would book a popular Japanese wrestler over a passable American one in a place whose football team is literally called the Cowboys.

It's all kinds of messed up, but history isn't always so open-minded. They'd most likely have this in a way that the rednecks can go home happy. I will also abstain from voting right away, as I do hate my argument, however logical it sounds to me. Hoping to see a solid discussion here on why Misawa should beat The Game in a Pure Rules Match in Dallas. Until that time though, I see Triple H advancing and my written vote is going to him.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

What is particularly interesting about this is the second rule: Triple H's most basic offence is more or less closed fists. That's his bread and butter and he can't use it. He knows a lot of other holds and maneuvers etc... but I'd be interested to see just how off his game he is as a result of not being able to use those fists and if he'd slip up and potentially even get himself DQ'd.

Aside from that, Triple H and Misawa are fairly evenly matched. They both established their own off-shoot promotion with great success, can sustain massive amounts of pain and agony, held numerous top heavyweight championships and have had countless classic encounters. Obviously with Misawa's passing Hunter has the edge in terms of longevity, while most would probably say Misawa was a better in-ring performer than Haitch, though that is a contentious point.

Essentially, if we are to assume that Trips doesn't mess up and start using his fists, then as everyone else has noted, the location becomes the deciding factor. Misawa was a mega star at home. Abroad? Not so much. WWE's status as a global juggernaut gives it a reach that neither All Japan or NOAH have ever had and as such Triple H is known throughout the world, let alone deep in the heart of Texas.

 

[Dave]

I want to make one point clear before we go any further – Triple H is one of the very best that the business has had to offer. Not just in the last 20 years but ever. And I truly say that with my hand on my heart. And the reason he got there, isn't because he slept with the bosses daughter. It's because he was worth it.

People don't give Triple H enouhg credit for the way he wrestles. It might not be the most exciting thing to watch but he grinds his opponents down until they simply can't stand with him him any more. Ask yourself, how many times have you seen the rules beat Triple H as opposed to Triple H beating the rules? Triple H is one of the dirtiest players in the game, that much is undoubtedly true. But he always maximises the rules to the best of his abilities. Or, moreover, better than anyone.

Triple H is a ring general, in the words of every WWF/E lead commentator there has been in the last 20 years. He knows the rules better than anyone, so I don't see him being so stupid as to get himself disqualified. Think about who we are talking about here. He made a living on being smarter and more sly than his opponent and this match will be no different.

Listen, Misawa is a legend, there is no doubt about it. But this match takes place in fucking Dallas. How many people in Dallas know how Misawa is? Hell, I'm a wrestling fan and my knowledge of him is quite bleak in spots. No booker in their right mind is gonna put Misawa over an American legend in Dallas.

Triple H all the way.

 

[Hyorinmaru]

the second where I may flip a coin to see who I vote for.

This stipulation favors Misawa more but this match is in the American south where I can't see a Japanese star being booked to go over an American one short of the American being the drizzling shits which is far from the case here.


Woo me with your arguments or I'll have to flip a coin.

 

[Bernkastel]

Listen, Misawa is a legend, there is no doubt about it. But this match takes place in fucking Dallas. How many people in Dallas know how Misawa is? Hell, I'm a wrestling fan and my knowledge of him is quite bleak in spots. No booker in their right mind is gonna put Misawa over an American legend in Dallas.

And no Japanese promoter is going to send a top star like Misawa to the States to job without getting something really sweat in return.

Unlike Inoki/Austin, Misawa didn't have the long standing pull over the WWE that Inoki did. AJPW were an NWA affiliate for years, and by the time Misawa hit his prime, the NWA no longer held much power over the industry. Triple H was never a major NWA property either, so that doesn't work for Misawa's favor.

If location is to mean anything, then Trips should win. That's reality. As for the match stipulation, it favors Misawa. Misawa was a top notch amateur wrestler before turning pro. Triple H? Not so much. Normally Trips would be completely out of his element in a match like this one. Cheating is very risky. He can't throw closed fists, which is a staple of his offense. He'd be a sitting duck for most of Misawa's offense, which involves suplexes, dives, and submission holds.

The way I see it you can either vote for whom the location favors, and that's Triple H. Or you can vote for whom the match itself favors, and that's Misawa.

 

[enviousdominous]

Let's please not sell Mitsuhara Misawa short here.

I realize that Triple H is a living legend, but know that he's going up against one of the greatest wrestlers in history. I don't hate Triple H, but I'll never buy the idea that he got where he is by working hard. He deserved to be at the top when he was there, but a lot of dumb luck went into getting him there.

Mitsuhara Misawa became a top guy by fighting harder than anybody else. Hard work and flawless expertise -- not having friends in high places -- mandated that Misawa would be a top guy.

I'm voting for Misawa here, not just on principle but because he could slap the shit out of the best of them and take the worst of what they had to give.

Vote Misawa.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

Why have any foreign wrestlers in this tournament if we're just going to assume that crowds who know every single Japanese wrestler that comes over to NXT won't have a clue who they are?

The crowds smart enough to know Misawa, and Misawa is a lot better than Triple H in a regular match.

The Game is best when he's got a gimmick he can work with. When he doesn't have to worry about the rules. He doesn't have that here, and that puts him at a severe disadvantage against someone of Misawa's credentials.