Tiger Mask

[Japanese Wrestlers GALLERY]

Title History

• NWA World Middleweight title defeating Ringo Mendoza (September 9, 1979);
• WWF Junior Heavyweight title defeating Dynamite Kid for vacant title (January 1, 1982);
• NWA World Junior Heavyweight title (May 1982);
• WWF Junior Heavyweight title defeating Black Tiger (May 26, 1982);
• NWA World Junior Heavyweight title defeating Kuniaki Kobayashi for vacant title (June 2, 1983);
• WWF Junior Heavyweight title defeating Fishman for vacant title (June 12, 1983);

Career Highlights

Debut in New Japan Pro Wrestling

• November 24, 1957: Satoru Sayama was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan..
• May 28, 1976: Satoru Sayama made his wrestling debut being defeated by Shouji Kai..

Tiger Mask

• Antonio Inoki created the “Tiger Mask” character and asked Satoru Sayama to play the character..
• April 23, 1981: Tiger Mask (Sayama) defeated Dynamite Kid in Tokyo to ignite a legendary feud..
• Tiger Mask held the WWWF and NWA Junior Heavyweight titles..

The UWF

• 1984: Satoru Sayama jumped to the UWF, where he was not allowed to use the Tiger Mask gimmick..

Disenchantment

• Satoru Sayama walked away from the wrestling world after becoming disenchanted with the industry..
• September 1985-96: Satoru Sayama was inactive as a wrestler..

More Sayama

• Satoru Sayama invented countless manuevers and set the standard for junior heavyweight wrestling in Japan..
• Satoru Sayama paved the way for wrestlers such as Jushin Lyger, Ultimo Dragon, Great Sasuke etc..
• Satoru Sayama eventually aquired the rights to the “Tiger Mask” name and gimmick..
• May 1996: Satoru Sayama was inducted into the Puroresu Hall of Fame..

Real Japan Pro Wrestling

• Satoru Sayama opened a promotion called “Real Japan Pro Wrestling”..
• May 2005: Satoru Sayama returned to Mexico for a tour..
• June 9 2005–Real Japan Pro Wrestling: Shinjiro Otani defeated Super Tiger (Satoru Sayama)..
• March 10, 2006–RJPW: The ORIGINAL Tiger Mask defeated Naomichi Marufuji in the main event.