Misawa wins GHC title

By JOHN F. MOLINARO -- SLAM! Wrestling
Mitsuharu Misawa defeated Yoshihiro Takayama today in the finals of a tournament to crown Pro Wrestling NOAH's first ever Global Honored Crowns champion.

Pro Wrestling NOAH President Mitsuharu Misawa with the Global Honored Crowns title. (Photo courtesy Sankei Sports)

A reported crowd of 12 000 fans jammed into Tokyo's Ariake Colosseum as Misawa squared off against Takayama in a physical battle. Both men exchanged a series of stiff elbow smashes and Tiger Suplexes as Misawa bled from the mouth before scoring the pinfall in 21:12 following his 'Emerald Flowsion' finisher.

By virtue of his victory Misawa, who is the president and booker of Pro Wrestling NOAH, becomes the promotion's first ever world champion.

The month-long tournament kicked off on March 18 at Tokyo's Differ Ariake, the promotion's home base. Misawa advanced to the finals after defeating Akitoshi Saito and Yoshinari Ogawa in the opening rounds and tournament favourite Jun Akiyama in the semi-finals on April 11th in Hiroshima.

Takayama advanced to the finals with victories over Jun Izumida and Kentaro Shiga in the first two rounds before 'upsetting' Vader in the semi-finals on April 12th in Osaka.

Misawa formed Pro Wrestling NOAH last June when he left All Japan Pro Wrestling after a fallout with owner Motoko Baba.

-- With files from Zach Arnold