Tiger Mask IV
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| Statistics | |
| Ring name(s) | Tiger Mask IV |
| Billed height | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) |
| Billed weight | 84 kg (176 lb) |
| Born | October 20, 1970 Urayasu, Chiba |
| Trained by | Tiger Mask The Great Sasuke |
| Debut | July 15, 1995 |
Tiger Mask (IV) (タイガーマスク) is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
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[edit] Career
Tiger Mask IV was trained by the original Tiger Mask, Satoru Sayama, and The Great Sasuke. The first six years of his career he worked in Sasuke's Michinoku Pro. He debuted in NJPW on January 20, 2002, and at first wrestled as a Michinoku Pro star. In December 2002 he joined NJPW officially, and quickly became a popular wrestler in their Junior Heavyweight division. He won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title in April of 2003 from Koji Kanemoto. He held the title for five months before it was vacated.
In 2005 he defeated HEAT for his second IWGP Junior Heavyweight title reign, but would lose the title to Black Tiger. Tiger Mask defeated Black Tiger in a rematch on February 19, 2006, in a match where Black Tiger put both his IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title and his NWA Junior Heavyweight Title on the line. His reign as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion was ended on May 3, 2006 by Koji Kanemoto.
He was appointed as an 'ace' of WRESTLE LAND alongside Hiroshi Tanahashi, but after a lackluster first main event he had only one more match before apparently leaving the brand.
On July 22, 2006 he married a 32-year-old woman whose given name is unknown (former last name Nishimura).
[edit] Finishing and signature maneuvers
- Tiger suplex
- Millennium Suplex (Crossface chickenwing suplex)
- Rounding Body Press (Rolling moonsault)
- Avalanche double underhook suplex
- Crossface chickenwing hold
- High angle German suplex
- Rear naked choke
[edit] Championships and accomplishments
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time, current)
- New Japan Pro Wrestling
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion (3 times)
- Stampede Wrestling
- British Commonwealth Jr. Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Universal Wrestling Association
- UWA Middleweight Championship (1 time)
- Michinoku Pro Wrestling
- APEX OF TRIANGLE Six Man Tag Team Championship (1 time, with The Great Sasuke and Gran Hamada)
