Black Tiger (professional wrestling)
Encyclopedia
Black Tiger has been the persona
used by five different professional wrestlers in New Japan Pro Wrestling
as opponents of the four incarnations of Tiger Mask. The character is drawn from the original Japan
ese Tiger Mask
anime
. The trademark of the character is to always wear a mask and tights in an almost identical design to that of his perennial rival only with entirely black and silver coloring.
-like organisation called the Tiger's Cave. The Tiger's Cave desire veangence upon the wrestler Tiger Mask, a former trainee of theirs, for publicly turning his back on them and no longer paying them monetary tributes. With the anime's protagonist translated by Antonio Inoki
to actual NJPW wrestling events (in the form of Satoru Sayama
) it was perhaps inevitable that his arch-enemy would also appear in the promotion.
The wrestlers portraying Black Tiger have always been gaijin
, somewhat of a throwback to the days in which non-Japanese were portrayed as heels to fight against national heroes such as Rikidōzan
. In other countries this has varied. Black Tiger IV was a member of Team Japan
during the TNA 2006 World X-Cup Tournament and during his CMLL
career Black Tiger III was overtly portrayed as being Japanese.
, an established British wrestler, was the first to assume the persona in 1982 to oppose the original Tiger Mask, Satoru Sayama
. His pinnacle of success was defeating Gran Hamada
in a tournament final for the vacant WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship
on May 6, 1982 and was defeated twenty days later by Tiger Mask for the belt. Sayama left NJPW in 1983 and the rights to Tiger Mask were purchased by All Japan Pro Wrestling
the following year for the use of Mitsuharu Misawa
. AJPW were not to create a Black Tiger counterpart. Rocco continued to portray Black Tiger in NJPW until 1990.
. His Tiger Mask rival at this time was Koji Kanemoto
. Kanemoto unmasked in 1994, at which time Guerrero was winning the NJPW Junior Heavyweight Super Grade Tag League Title with the Great Sasuke
. He came third in the 1994 and 1995 'Best of the Super Junior' tournaments and was victorious in 1996.
. Tiger Mask IV
would not sign with NJPW until early 2003 and the highlight of Black Tiger III's Japanese run would be a failed attempt at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
alongside his real-life brother Dr. Wagner, Jr.
before he devoted himself full-time to his CMLL career. González continued to use the Black Tiger name in Mexican independent companies even after CMLL repackaged him as "El Bronco" following NJPW unveiling Black Tiger IV in 2005. His final match under the persona came when he lost a Mask versus Mask match to L.A. Park
on February 4, 2006.
debuted as Black Tiger IV by NJPW and immediately thrust into a feud with Tiger Mask IV
, facing him for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
on May 14. He made his debut for Ring of Honor
in America, making him the first Black Tiger to wrestle as Black Tiger in America. After winning the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
on August 25 he defeated Tiger Mask for the his IWGP title on October 8, defending them until losing both to Tiger Mask on February 19, 2006. Black Tiger would join Jushin Liger
's CTU faction and represent NJPW as a member of Team Japan in TNA Wrestling's World X-Cup. Black Tiger IV returned to New Japan in February 2009, joining GBH
and restarting his feud with Tiger Mask IV. On April 5, 2009, at Resolution '09 Tiger Mask IV defeated Black Tiger IV in a title vs. mask match. After the match Romero removed his mask and then raised the arm of Tiger Mask thus ending his run as Black Tiger.
, breaking the Black Tiger tradition of foreigners under the mask. Takaiwa reprised his role as Black Tiger V in 2011 in Toryumon Mexico, where he lost the mask for the second time on May 14, 2011, to Último Dragón.
Ring name
A ring name is a stage name used by a professional wrestler, martial artist, or boxer. While some ring names may have a fictitious first name and surname, others may simply be a nickname, such as The Undertaker.-Wrestling:...
used by five different professional wrestlers in New Japan Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
is a major professional wrestling promotion in Japan, founded by Antonio Inoki in June 1972 and owned by Yuke's since 2005, when Inoki sold the promotion. Naoki Sugabayashi is the current President of the promotion and has held that position from 2007. Owing to its TV program aired on TV Asahi, it...
as opponents of the four incarnations of Tiger Mask. The character is drawn from the original Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Tiger Mask
Tiger Mask
is a Japanese manga series written by Ikki Kajiwara and illustrated by Naoki Tsuji. The series was first published in Kodansha's Bokura Magazine from 1968 to 1969 and was later published in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from 1970 to 1971...
anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
. The trademark of the character is to always wear a mask and tights in an almost identical design to that of his perennial rival only with entirely black and silver coloring.
Origins
According to the storyline set forth by the original anime, Black Tiger is a wrestler trained and sent by a YakuzaYakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
-like organisation called the Tiger's Cave. The Tiger's Cave desire veangence upon the wrestler Tiger Mask, a former trainee of theirs, for publicly turning his back on them and no longer paying them monetary tributes. With the anime's protagonist translated by Antonio Inoki
Antonio Inoki
is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who now resides between New York City and Tokyo. He was also the founder and former owner of New Japan Pro Wrestling before selling his controlling share in the promotion to Yukes...
to actual NJPW wrestling events (in the form of Satoru Sayama
Satoru Sayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known as the original Tiger Mask. He's wrestled under his real name as well as the names Sammy Lee, and masked Super Tiger, Tiger King, Tiger Mask and The Mask of Tiger...
) it was perhaps inevitable that his arch-enemy would also appear in the promotion.
The wrestlers portraying Black Tiger have always been gaijin
Gaijin
is a Japanese word meaning "non-Japanese", or "alien". This word is a short form of gaikokujin , which literally means "person from outside of the country". The word is composed of two kanji: , meaning "outside"; and , meaning "person". Thus, the word technically means "outsider"...
, somewhat of a throwback to the days in which non-Japanese were portrayed as heels to fight against national heroes such as Rikidōzan
Rikidozan
, better known as Rikidōzan , was a Korean Japanese professional wrestler, known as the "Father of Puroresu" and one of the most influential men in wrestling history. Initially, he had moved from his native country Korea to Japan to become a sumo wrestler...
. In other countries this has varied. Black Tiger IV was a member of Team Japan
Team Japan
Team Japan is a wrestling faction that was brought together as a part of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's World X Cup Tournament.-2004:Team Japan started as six-man team as team captain Nosawa from All Japan Pro Wrestling teamed with Osaka Pro Wrestling's Ebessan and Kamen competed in...
during the TNA 2006 World X-Cup Tournament and during his CMLL
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
career Black Tiger III was overtly portrayed as being Japanese.
Black Tiger I
Mark "Rollerball" RoccoMark Rocco
Mark Hussey is a retired English professional wrestler who competed for All-Star Wrestling as Mark "Rollerball" Rocco and as the original masked Black Tiger in New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 1970s and 80s...
, an established British wrestler, was the first to assume the persona in 1982 to oppose the original Tiger Mask, Satoru Sayama
Satoru Sayama
is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known as the original Tiger Mask. He's wrestled under his real name as well as the names Sammy Lee, and masked Super Tiger, Tiger King, Tiger Mask and The Mask of Tiger...
. His pinnacle of success was defeating Gran Hamada
Gran Hamada
, better known by his ring name , is Japanese professional wrestler, the first to adopt the high-flying Mexican lucha libre style. He has wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling, the Universal Wrestling Federation, Michinoku Pro, and All Japan Pro Wrestling, and was the founder of Universal Lucha Libre...
in a tournament final for the vacant WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship
WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship
The WWWF Junior Heavyweight Championship is a former championship recognized by the World Wrestling Federation and New Japan Pro Wrestling for wrestlers of smaller size. The title existed from 1967 through 1985.-Title history:-External links:*...
on May 6, 1982 and was defeated twenty days later by Tiger Mask for the belt. Sayama left NJPW in 1983 and the rights to Tiger Mask were purchased by All Japan Pro Wrestling
All Japan Pro Wrestling
is a Japanese professional wrestling promotion established in 1972. All Japan Pro Wrestling still remains one of the most popular puroresu promotions still in operation.-The Giant Baba Era :...
the following year for the use of Mitsuharu Misawa
Mitsuharu Misawa
was a Japanese professional wrestler. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling . From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling...
. AJPW were not to create a Black Tiger counterpart. Rocco continued to portray Black Tiger in NJPW until 1990.
Black Tiger II
In late 1993 Black Tiger made a return, this time portrayed by Eddie GuerreroEddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
. His Tiger Mask rival at this time was Koji Kanemoto
Koji Kanemoto
is a professional wrestler. He is of Zainichi Korean descent.-Career:Kanemoto practiced Judo during his high school days and won a few championships as a professional before being recruited by the New Japan Dojo. He debuted in November 1990, wrestling against Michiyoshi Ohara. In March 1992, he...
. Kanemoto unmasked in 1994, at which time Guerrero was winning the NJPW Junior Heavyweight Super Grade Tag League Title with the Great Sasuke
Masanori Murakawa
, , is a Japanese professional wrestler who is best known by his stage name The Great Sasuke, as well as a former Iwate Prefectural Assembly legislator. He has wrestled in Japan and in the United States in various wrestling promotions...
. He came third in the 1994 and 1995 'Best of the Super Junior' tournaments and was victorious in 1996.
Black Tiger III
Following the fall of WCW, alumnus César Cuauhtémoc González, better known as Mexican star Silver King began wrestling for NJPW through their working relationship with his home promotion Consejo Mundial de Lucha LibreConsejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre is a Lucha Libre-style professional wrestling promotion based in Mexico City while running cards in Guadalajara, Puebla and elsewhere in central and southern Mexico...
. Tiger Mask IV
Tiger Mask IV
Yoshihiro Yamazaki , best known by his ring name Tiger Mask , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Yamazaki is the fourth wrestler to portray the Tiger Mask image / persona; having used it since 1995...
would not sign with NJPW until early 2003 and the highlight of Black Tiger III's Japanese run would be a failed attempt at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship is a professional wrestling tag team championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was introduced on August 8, 1998 at a NJPW live event...
alongside his real-life brother Dr. Wagner, Jr.
Dr. Wagner, Jr.
Juan Manuel González Barrón is a Mexican Luchador Enmascarado who is best known under the ring name Dr. Wagner, Jr.. As Dr. Wagner, Jr...
before he devoted himself full-time to his CMLL career. González continued to use the Black Tiger name in Mexican independent companies even after CMLL repackaged him as "El Bronco" following NJPW unveiling Black Tiger IV in 2005. His final match under the persona came when he lost a Mask versus Mask match to L.A. Park
Adolfo Tapia
Adolfo Margarito Tapia Ibarra is a Mexican Luchador enmascarado, or masked professional wrestler. For years he has worked under the ring name L.A. Park, but is best known throughout the world as La Parka, especially from his many years in World Championship Wrestling . He was forced to change his...
on February 4, 2006.
Black Tiger IV
In 2005 Rocky RomeroRocky Romero
John R. Rivera is a Cuban American professional wrestler better known by his ring name Rocky Romero and as the fourth incarnation of Black Tiger. As Romero he was one half of the tag team The Havana Pitbulls , along with Ricky Reyes...
debuted as Black Tiger IV by NJPW and immediately thrust into a feud with Tiger Mask IV
Tiger Mask IV
Yoshihiro Yamazaki , best known by his ring name Tiger Mask , is a Japanese professional wrestler who currently works for New Japan Pro Wrestling. Yamazaki is the fourth wrestler to portray the Tiger Mask image / persona; having used it since 1995...
, facing him for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
The IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling junior heavweight championship owned by the New Japan Pro Wrestling promotion. "IWGP" is the acronym of NJPW's governing body, the International Wrestling Grand Prix. The title was introduced on February 6, 1986 at a NJPW show....
on May 14. He made his debut for Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor
Ring of Honor ' is an American professional wrestling promotion, founded in 2002 by Rob Feinstein and Gabe Sapolsky. From 2004 to 2011, the promotion was under the ownership of Cary Silkin before being sold to the Sinclair Broadcast Group in May 2011...
in America, making him the first Black Tiger to wrestle as Black Tiger in America. After winning the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship
The NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship is a professional wrestling world championship and secondary title in the National Wrestling Alliance that was for the lighter wrestlers. It started in 1945 and still exists today. The title was unified with the National Boxing/Wrestling Association's...
on August 25 he defeated Tiger Mask for the his IWGP title on October 8, defending them until losing both to Tiger Mask on February 19, 2006. Black Tiger would join Jushin Liger
Jushin Liger
, better known as and later, is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling.He has wrestled and beaten many of the top smaller wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior...
's CTU faction and represent NJPW as a member of Team Japan in TNA Wrestling's World X-Cup. Black Tiger IV returned to New Japan in February 2009, joining GBH
Great Bash Heel
Great Bash Heel, often abbreviated to G・B・H, was a professional wrestling stable, and is currently a tag team, in New Japan Pro Wrestling . It was the top heel group in New Japan Pro Wrestling, before April 2009, when the rest of the group turned on their leader, Togi Makabe, and formed a new...
and restarting his feud with Tiger Mask IV. On April 5, 2009, at Resolution '09 Tiger Mask IV defeated Black Tiger IV in a title vs. mask match. After the match Romero removed his mask and then raised the arm of Tiger Mask thus ending his run as Black Tiger.
Black Tiger V
Black Tiger's fifth Generation (V) arrived in NJPW at Tokyo Dome February 15, 2009, attacking Tiger Mask IV. For the next couple of months, the new Black Tiger disappeared and was replaced at shows by Black Tiger IV. On April 5, 2009, at Resolution '09 after Tiger Mask had defeated Black Tiger IV for the last time, he was once again attacked by the fifth Black Tiger, who gave him a Death Valley Driver and then unmasked him. On June 20, 2009, at Dominion Tiger Mask defeated Black Tiger V in a mask vs. mask match. After the match Black Tiger removed his mask revealing himself as Tatsuhito TakaiwaTatsuhito Takaiwa
Tatsuhito Takaiwa is a Zainichi-Korean professional wrestler. Takaiwa is one of the more well-traveled junior heavyweights in Japan, having wrestled for New Japan, and Zero-One, as well as making special appearances in All Japan and NOAH....
, breaking the Black Tiger tradition of foreigners under the mask. Takaiwa reprised his role as Black Tiger V in 2011 in Toryumon Mexico, where he lost the mask for the second time on May 14, 2011, to Último Dragón.
Signature moves associated with the character
- Black Tiger Bomb (Sitout crucifix powerbomb)
- Kneeling belly to belly piledriver
- Tiger suplex