Jushin Thunder Liger

[HarmonicGenerator 2,896]

The amazing Jushin Thunder Liger has his last matches this weekend, with a retirement ceremony on Monday. If that’s not worthy of a thread, what is?

What are everyone’s thoughts and favourite memories on Liger?

I admit I haven’t seen tons of his stuff - especially considering how long he’s been going - but every match I’ve seen he’s had this incredible aura around him. A lot of it is due to his costume and his mask and the colours and the hair, all of which combine to make one of the most iconic looking wrestlers ever.

His 90s stuff in New Japan and WCW is something else, like you were watching a guy from a different world. And it’s much more recent but I’m so pleased NXT got him in that one time a few years ago.

And It won’t embed but I always, always loved it when The Wrestling Channel showed their little Liger video: https://youtu.be/skfrncg-0GQ

Anyway, loads of wrestlers have been sharing their thoughts on social, and the likes of @IANdrewDiceClay and @BomberPat have already tweeted much more interesting and knowledgeable things than me about Liger, so I open it to them and everyone else. Best matches, moments, legacy? Lots to talk about I hope.

[Snitsky's back acne 663]

I first remember seeing a picture of his outfit and mask in PWInsider in 1992. I was about 10 so I thought 'Wow does this guy stab people with those horns?!'. If ever the word 'legend' applied to a wrestler though, it is now.

Liger was a pioneer in Junior Heavyweight wrestling. Inventor of the shooting star press and by all accounts had no problem putting anyone over.

I loved his UK matches with Rocco, Moran and others and his bouts with Benoit in Japan and Pillman in the States were ahead of their time.

An amazing performer. Tomorrow is a sad day. Happy retirement to Jushin Thunder Liger. 

[Divorced Dad 373]

Someone on reddit has been compiling a Liger career retrospective over the last month or so. Some absolutely cracking matches here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/SquaredCircle/comments/eipgb5/ligeretrospective_master_list_sixtytwo_full/

Edited January 4 by Divorced Dad
Link.

[PunkStep 5,755]

[jazzygeofferz 1,355]

I remember watching him job to Dean Allmark at a PCW show. Very selfless of him. Not a bad match either. 

Obviously his matches with Pillman in WCW were groundbreaking at the time. Still entertaining nowadays. He's certainly had a storied career. 

[Snitsky's back acne 663]

Didnt he come back from a brain tumour in the 90s too?

[The King Of Swing 934]

Think I read something about that in Power Slam back in the day along with it resulting in him going deaf in one ear.

[RIDDUM_N_STYLE 285]

Ironically I’ve clicked on this thread as I’ve got WrestleKingdom on and Liger-san has just made his entrance for his penultimate match, it’s still one of my all time favourite wrestling themes and it was gutting that WWE couldn’t get the rights for it when Liger had that amazing match with Breeze at Takeover a few years back

One of the wrestling accounts I follow on Instagram has been putting up random Liger matches for the past 2 days and it’s been phenomenal reliving some of his great US matches against the likes of Eddie, Pillman and others 

[Divorced Dad 373]

Enjoyed Ligers match at Wrestle Kingdom night 1 but would have preferred to see him in a singles match on one of the nights. 

Been watching some of the matches I posted on that list earlier. Not a bad match among them (well maybe his MMA fight). 

Also one of the most iconic wrestling themes ever. 

[WyattSheepMask 2,731]

I was absolutely gutted that he wasn’t on the Royal Quest show last year. Never had the chance to see him before, and New Japan running their first ‘proper’ show in the UK, you’d have thought that Liger, being on his farewell tour and all, would’ve been a certainty.

Nope, RevPro at Cheltenham Town Hall got it 2 weeks earlier

[TildeGuy~! 980]

I was lucky enough to see him live when he was over here winning the British J Cup a couple of years back as he beat Ospreay, Scurll and Kushida in a 4 way in the Finals, initially bought tickets because Riddle/Ishii was on the card but just being in the same room was special when he appeared.

Absolute Legend

[chokeout 1,738]

12 hours ago, jazzygeofferz said:

I remember watching him job to Dean Allmark at a PCW show. Very selfless of him. Not a bad match either. 

Obviously his matches with Pillman in WCW were groundbreaking at the time. Still entertaining nowadays. He's certainly had a storied career. 

Worked backstage on that show and he was the nicest, most down to earth guy you'll ever meet. Didn't say no to anything and ended up filming a power rangers spoof for the Sci Fi lot. 

[King Pitcos 2,960]

Can't believe his last match is some tag team shite, just shows how much NJPW hate the fans. Hopefully it's a bait and switch and on the night he'll have a proper retirement match with John Cena.

Edited January 5 by King Pitcos

[wandshogun09 5,487]

Loved Liger. First clapped eyes on him when my old man brought me back the Superbrawl II tape one day. First match on there was Liger vs Pillman and it blew me away. At that point I’d only really seen Worldwide on ITV and the odd bit of WWF. So mostly Greg Valentine vs Marcus Bagwell main events and a load of squash matches. I’d seen nothing like Liger before. The way he looked and the moves he pulled off, I was mesmerised. I think to kids in the 90s, that Pillman match probably had a similar effect as the Dynamite Kid vs Tiger Mask matches would’ve had in the 80s. Mind blowing at the time. 

What a gimmick. What a look. The old red and white get-up is a classic but I used to like it when he’d switch his attire and colours up from time to time as well. 

He’s even added a little Bet Lynch style leopard print twist on occasion;

What a man. 

And is there any major promotion he hasn’t had at least one match in? Even WWE he had that NXT match. He’s been pretty much everywhere, hasn’t he? New Japan, WCW, Mexico, TNA, ROH, NOAH, some independents. Christ. Then there’s his pre-Liger stuff over here and in Stampede etc. He’s got about a bit. 

Haven’t kept up with what he’s been doing in recent years but I’ll definitely be making the effort to check out his final matches at some stage this week. 

Edited January 5 by wandshogun09

[Merzbow 2,612]

The Green Power Ranger Liger always looks ace.

Before waching his retirement matches make sure to catch up on the fued with Suzuki from last year, he went old school and brought out a couple of his other personas/looks.