Tag: naoki sano

NJPW reveals Jushin Thunder Liger’s retirement match

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The past will meet the present in the final match of Jushin Thunder Liger’s legendary career.

NJPW has revealed the cards for Wrestle Kingdom 14 nights one and two. The shows will feature the final two matches of Liger’s career, with a retirement ceremony then being held for him at New Year Dash.

Rivals Liger & Naoki Sano will team together against Hiromu Takahashi & Ryu Lee (Dragon Lee’s new name in NJPW) on Wrestle Kingdom 14 night two. Liger & Sano will be managed by Yoshiaki Fujiwara.

Lee issued a challenge to Liger on the last show of NJPW’s World Tag League, and Liger replied by saying he wanted to face both Lee and Takahashi.

Liger’s match for night one had already been announced. It will be Liger, Tatsumi Fujinami, The Great Sasuke & Tiger Mask IV (w/ El Samurai) vs. Sano, Shinjiro Otani, Tatsuhito Takaiwa & Ryusuke Taguchi (w/ Kuniaki Kobayashi). Norio Honaga will referee the eight-man tag.

Liger’s matches will open both Tokyo Dome shows. Night one is taking place on January 4, night two is on January 5, and New Year Dash is on January 6. New Year Dash is taking place at Ota City General Gymnasium.

Liger’s first retirement match set for Wrestle Kingdom 14 night one

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Jushin Thunder Liger’s first retirement match has been announced.

New Japan Pro Wrestling held a Wrestle Kingdom 14 press conference this morning and announced Liger’s first retirement match that will take place on January 4. He will team with Tatsumi Fujinami (marking his first appearance in the promotion since 2008), The Great Sasuke and Tiger Mask to take on the team of Naoki Sano, Shinjiro Otani, Tatsuhito Takaiwa and Ryusuke Taguchi.

El Samurai will be cornering Liger’s team, while Kuniaki Kobayashi will be cornering Sano’s team.

Liger has feuded with many of the wrestlers taking part in the match. His debut match under the Jushin Thunder Liger gimmick was a victory over Kobayashi. His match against Sano on January 31, 1990 won Match of the Year in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

NJPW also confirmed that a second retirement match will take on January 5. The retirement ceremony will take place on January 6  at New Year Dash at Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.