10 pro-wrestlers who’ve had the most matches outside WWE

#2 Mitsuharu Misawa - 3,208

Misawa is widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers ever, as well as one of the most passionate about wrestling

The legendary Mitsuharu Misawa is on many fans’ shortlist for greatest wrestler of all time. A masterful worker and naturally-tough man, Misawa wrestled more or less nonstop between his debut on August 21, 1981, and his sudden and shocking death on June 13th, 2009. Misawa’s career spanned almost twenty-eight years, and he was in his prime throughout the entire 1990s decade.

Misawa logged 3,208 matches between his debut and his final match, most of them in his native Japan for either All Japan Pro-Wrestling or his own company, Pro Wrestling NOAH.

Sadly, Misawa’s dedication and commitment to pro wrestling were the sources of his downfall. He kept wrestling on a full schedule between 2006 and 2009, despite being riddled with injuries and those around him begging him to retire.

But because of NOAH’s struggles towards the end of that decade, Misawa had to use his own established star power to keep his company successful.

Ultimately, Misawa’s legacy is one of both incredible matches and dedication on one hand, and the consequences of stiff wrestling and high-risk moves on the other.