After an astounding 31 years entertaining fans around the world, Tiger Mask IV has retired. Yoshihiro Yamazaki had his final matches in Korakuen Hall, the place where he debuted all those years ago.
Yamazaki is the fourth iteration of Tiger Mask and has been the Tiger Mask persona since 1995, the longest portrayal of the character in its history following in the footsteps of names such as Satoru Sayama, Mitsuharu Misawa, and Koji Kanemoto.
In NJPW, Mask has been the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship six times, IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion twice, once with Jushin Thunder Liger and once with Robbie Eagles. He won the Best of the Super Juniors twice, in 2004 and 2005.
Tiger Mask became a cultural icon though transcending the squared circle with his own manga comics and animated series.
In his first retirement match of the evening, Tiger Mask and NJPW recreated some history. In 1981, Satoru Sayama made his first appearance as the original Tiger Mask facing British great the Dynamite Kid. The feud entranced fans everywhere from Kuramae in Tokyo to Madison Square Garden in New York and left an indelible mark on the pro wrestling industry changing the face of the business by introducing a whole new style while inspired many to follow in their footsteps. Dynamite never, ever pinned Tiger Mask though.
Now, forty-five years later, Tiger Mask took on Tommy Billington, the nephew of the original Dynamite Kid, Thomas Billington, tonight. Before the match began, another legend joined the commentary team, Jushin Thunder Liger.
Liger! Liger! Liger!
Before sitting down, Liger bowed to the fans chanting his name.
Longtime NJPW ring announcer Kero Tanaka took over the announcing duties for the match. As Mask made his way to the ring, all of Korakuen Hall clapped and chanted along with his iconic theme song. Mask appeared to be very emotional but focused. The match was announced as a five minute bout with exhibition rules.
Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!
Mask and Billington shook hands before things got under way. Billington backed Mask into a corner but gave a clean break respecting the wrestling legend before him. The fans cheered. Mask extended Billington the same courtesy minutes later. Billington flips out of an arm bar and took Mask over in a suplex. Billington catches Mask with a elbow off the ropes but missed an elbow drop.
Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!
Punches and head butts from Billington stagger Mask back to a corner. Billington smashes Mask’s head into a corner before sending him off the ropes. Mask counters an arm drag but gets German Suplexed moments later. Billington charges at Mask. Mask sends him over the top rope to the floor. Mask drops off the apron giving Billington an elbow smash. They battle on the floor. Billington gets thrown into the steel guardrail. Billington hits a missile drop kick on Mask back in the ring.
With 30 seconds left, Billington gives Mask one of those famous snap suplexes for a two count.
Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!
Billington tries for a Tombstone Piledriver but Tiger Mask breaks the hold, almost reverses it and then…the bell rings signaling the end of the match.
As music plays and Billington shakes Mask’s hand, Black Tiger (Rocky Romero) storms into the ring. He attacks Billington knocking him out of the ring and starts beating down Tiger Mask!
This match is also for five minutes and is an exhibition match.
“How you like that!” he shouts ripping off his jacket.
Billington takes Black Tiger out with a clothesline. Mask gives Black Tiger some stiff kicks and punches. Black Tiger hauls off and chops Tiger Mask. Mask no-sells it, hauls off and just slaps him in the face.
Black Tiger fires back with punches and a knee drop of his own for a two count. Black Tiger puts Tiger Mask on the top rope. He starts untying Tiger Mask’s mask. Red Shoes tries to stop him. The fans boo.
Back down on the mat, Black Tiger chops Tiger Mask in the ropes.
“Come on, Tiger! Is that all that you’ve got?” shouts Black Tiger in his face.
Tiger Mask back drops Black Tiger over the top rope to the floor. Tiger Mask dives through the ropes hitting Black Tiger and knocking him over the barricade into the first row. The fans go crazy!
Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!
Tiger Mask drops Black Tiger with a Tiger Driver off the top rope for a two count. Black Tiger escapes a Tiger Suplex. It is time for some Forever Clotheslines…until Tiger Mask puts Black Tiger down with a crucifix for a two count.
As both men back into the official, Black Tiger mule kicks Tiger Mask in the “lower abdomen” with one minute left on the clock. Black Tiger gets a two count.
“Come one, ref!” shouts Black Tiger. He kicks Tiger Mask as he gets to his knees.
Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!
A stiff punch knocks Tiger Mask to the canvass.
“Is that all you’ve got?” shouts Black Tiger again.
The bell rings. The mat is over but Black Tiger doesn’t care. He spikes Tiger Mask with the Black Tiger Driver in the middle of the ring.
Red Shoes refuses to make a count as the match is officially over.
Black Tiger grabs the microphone.
“Tiger, I have been in your shadow for the last 20 years! Tonight it is NOT about you, it is about Black Tiger! I want five more minutes!” demands Black Tiger.
The crowd cheers.
The match is restarted. Black Tiger is immediately upon Tiger Mask with stiff forearm shots to the head. Tiger Mask escapes another Tombstone Piledrive to pin Black Tiger with the Tiger Suplex.
Billington shakes Tiger Mask’s hand. Black Tiger returns to the ring, takes off his mask and shakes Tiger Mask’s hand and raises it.
Wrestlers gather in the ring to pay tribute to Tiger Mask. He is given his ceremonial flowers. NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi shakes his hand, handing him more flowers. Members of the pop group AKB48 also thank Tiger Mask.
Jinsei Shinzaki, the owner and president of Michinoku Pro Wrestling, Jushin Thunder Liger, Tatsumi Fujinami, the original Tiger Mask Satoru Sayama and some baseball players honor Tiger Mask. The original Tiger Mask even locks up with Mask one last time.
Mask said it was always his dream to become a pro wrestler and tried his best to live up to Sayama’s portrayal of the character.
“I was able to make Tiger Mask my own over the years,” he said. “I was of a smaller size but I had big dreams.”
“People said I would never be a pro wrestler but I lived my dream and I want to say that all of you can do the same. Don’t give up on your dreams no matter your size, who you are or where you are from, make your dreams come true,” he continued.
Mask then stayed in the ring as the lights went down and he received his ten bell salute.
Tiger Mask IV Retirement Event Results
Shota Umino, Yuji Nagata and Satoshi Kojima versus Togi Makabe, Toru Yano and Taisei Nakahara
Umino, who just lost the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship to Gabe Kidd under controversial circumstances yesterday, makes Nakahara tap out to a Boston Crab.
Winners: Shota Umino, Yuji Nagata and Satoshi Kojima
Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, YOH, Ryusuke Taguchi and Tatsuya Matsumoto vs United Empire (Jake Lee, Great-O-Khan, Francesco Akira, Jakob Austin Young and Zane Jay)
Jake Lee takes out Matsumoto with his running knee smash.
Winners: United Empire (Jake Lee, Great-O-Khan, Francesco Akira, Jakob Austin Young and Zane Jay)
Aaron Wolf, Boltin Oleg and Jado versus Unbound Co. (Yuto-Ice, OSKAR and Gedo)
Wolf makes Gedo submit to his triangle choke. Ice and Oleg throw their weight around and then trade blows in the ring.
Winners: Aaron Wolf, Boltin Oleg and Jado
Yuya Uemura, Taichi, El Desperado, Master Wato and Masatora Yasuda vs HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita, SANADA, DOUKI, SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
Douki cracks Yasuda with his steel pipe. Sho pins him with a piledriver. Narita chokes out Uemura with a towel from a fan. He then smashes his head against a steel post over and over.
Winners: HOUSE OF TORTURE (Ren Narita, SANADA, DOUKI, SHO and Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
Unbound Co. (Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi, Taiji Ishimori and Daiki Nagai) vs TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita and Hartley Jackson)
Nagai is pinned with a German Suplex.
Winners: TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita and Hartley Jackson)
Tiger Mask IV Retirement Match I- Tiger Mask IV vs Dynamite Kid Tom Billington
Winner: None. Time Limit Draw.
Tiger Mask IV Retirement Match II- Tiger Mask IV vs Black Tiger IV
Winner: Tiger Mask.
