Keiichi Yamada (born November 30, 1964), better known as Jushin Liger and later Jushin Thunder Liger is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He has wrestled and beaten many of the top wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior heavyweights of all time.
Professional wrestling career[]
Training and early career (1984–1986)[]
All-Star Wrestling (1986–1987, 1989)[]
Stampede Wrestling (1987, 1989)[]
New Japan Pro Wrestling (1987–2010)[]
World Championship Wrestling (1991–1999)[]
Ring of Honor (2004–2015, 2016)[]
Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2005–2006)[]
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (2007–2011, 2013)[]
North American Independent promotions (2007–present)[]
WWE (2015, 2017–present)[]
NXT (2015)[]
On July 16, 2015, WWE announced that Liger would wrestle a match at the NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn WWE Network special event on August 22, 2015, against Tyler Breeze. According to NJPW, WWE had approached them about bringing Liger in for the event as a special guest. At the event, Liger was victorious over Breeze.
Cruiserweight Division (2017–present)[]
On the April 17, 2017 episode of Raw it was announced that WWE Cruiserweight Champion Rey Mysterio would defend his title at the One Night Stand pay-per-view against Liger. The following day WWE co-owner James Harrison spoke in an interview with Chris Jericho stating that the original plan was to bring in Liger for a one-off match as the PPV is a joint WWE and NJPW event but he stated Liger had agreed to work several dates for the company, but he also said Liger could work any days he wanted to and their was no restriction on indie work.
In Wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Brainbuster, sometimes from the top rope
- CTB – Crash Thunder Buster (Belly-to-back wheelbarrow facebuster)
- Elevated DDT – Late 1980s–early 1990s; used rarely thereafter
- Kuchu Dojime Otoshi (Lou Thesz press pin) – 2009–present
- Liger Bomb (Standing or a running high-angle sitout powerbomb)
- Liger Suplex (Bridging wrist-clutch leg hook belly-to-back suplex)
- Shooting star press – Innovated; 1987–1997
- Signature moves
- Abisegeri (Rolling koppu kick)
- Fisherman buster, sometimes from the top rope
- Frankensteiner, sometimes from the top rope
- Frog splash
- Kneeling reverse piledriver
- Moonsault
- Shotei (Palm thrust)
- Surfboard
- Nicknames
- "Flying"
- "Shooting Star"
- "Sekai no Shishigami"
- "Symbol of Junior"
- Managers
- Sonny Onoo
- Entrance themes
- "Ikari no Jushin" by Yumi Hiroki (NJPW; 1989–present)
- "Thuhn-Der" by CFO$ (NXT/WWE; August 22, 2015, April 24, 2017–present)
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