Nickname revenge! Phil ‘Mitsue’ Anning has LJ Hooker Pakenham branch manager Keith Popovits in an arm-lock. Keith was responsible for giving Phil the nickname when the pair were watching professional wrestling 40 years ago. By Glen Atwell
WORLD Championship Wrestling was all about flying elbows, neck-breakers and torture racks.
But for Pakenham resident Phil Anning, his love of the sweaty canvas has landed him with a lifelong nickname.
It was a defining moment for Phil and his good mate Keith Popovits when a small Japanese wrestler named Mitsue came bounding through the WCW curtain.
Keith burst into laughter, instantly creating a connection with his own tag-team partner Phil.
“I looked at Mitsue, then looked at Phil.
“Mitsue was short and chubby, and I hate to say it, but he looked like Phil,” Keith laughed.
Phil was just eight years old at the time and little did he know he had just been given a nickname life sentence.
“It took a while to dawn on me that I had a nickname based on the physical appearance of a Japanese tag-team wrestler,” Phil said.
Now 48, Mitsue has just celebrated 40 years with his bone-breaking nickname and Keith is all too happy to take full responsibility.
“I think most people have given someone a nickname, but this was a good one, it has stood the test of time,” Keith said.
Phil said he couldn’t count the number of times he has explained the story of Mitsue to people, and when he met his now wife Donna, he didn’t know how to go about it.
“I think in the end I just sat her down and explained it all.
“But I didn’t get a photo of Mitsue to show her,” Phil laughed.
Phil is a regional manager of Coles supermarkets and takes care of stores from Bairnsdale through to Fountain Gate.
“I’m tipping one day I’ll bump into someone that knows me as Mitsue and then the nickname will spread through work.
“I might need a Mitsue name tag made up,” Phil said.
