Jushin Thunder Liger, Japanese wrestler and mixed martial artist
Keiichi Yamada (山田恵一, Yamada Keiichi, born November 30, 1964), better known as Jushin Liger (獣神ライガー, Jūshin Raigā) and later Jushin Thunder Liger (獣神サンダー・ライガー, Jūshin Sandā Raigā) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who is best known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he is the longest-tenured member of the roster, having remained with the company since his debut in 1984 until his retirement in January 2020. Throughout his career, which spanned three-and-a-half decades, he wrestled over 4,000 matches and performed in major events for various promotions across the globe.
Debuting under his real name for NJPW in 1984, he was given the gimmick of Jushin Liger in 1989, based on the anime series of the same name. Becoming Jushin "Thunder" Liger the following year, he saw unprecedented success in the junior heavyweight division when he won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship a record 11 times and set the record for its longest reign during his second reign, which lasted for 628 days. Liger was the first three-time Best of the Super Juniors tournament winner (a record eventually tied by Koji Kanemoto and Hiromu Takahashi), is a former six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, won the Super J Cup twice (in 1995 and 2000), and was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1999. Liger also wrestled the opening match for the first January 4 Tokyo Dome Show in 1992, as well as the first ever match on WCW Monday Nitro. He is frequently cited as one of the greatest junior heavyweight wrestlers of all time. He was also inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2020.Liger had his retirement match at Wrestle Kingdom 14 on January 5, 2020, 35 years after his career began.
1964Nov, 30
Jushin Thunder Liger
Choose Another Date
Events on 1964
- 6Mar
Muhammad Ali
Nation of Islam leader Elijah Muhammad officially gives boxing champion Cassius Clay the name Muhammad Ali. - 26Apr
Tanzania
Tanganyika and Zanzibar merge to form Tanzania. - 12Jun
Nelson Mandela
Anti-apartheid activist and ANC leader Nelson Mandela is sentenced to life in prison for sabotage in South Africa. - 12Aug
Apartheid in South Africa
South Africa is banned from the Olympic Games due to the country's racist policies. - 28Nov
Lyndon B. Johnson
Vietnam War: National Security Council members agree to recommend that U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson adopt a plan for a two-stage escalation of bombing in North Vietnam.