Jushin Thunder Liger

[10.0] "One of my early favourites when I became a bigger wrestling fan. Loved a lot of his NJPW and WCW work. His matches with Ultimo Dragon blewwww my mind!"

[10.0] "The epitome of raising the bar. He put the Junior Heavyweight on the stage and showed the world how cool it is. Wrestling revolution he started has never stopped. His persona was unmatched and was must watch everywhere he went."

[10.0] "If Tiger Mask is the guy who codified Junior Heavyweight wrestling, Jushin Thunder Liger is the guy who made it a draw. He did one better than Tiger Mask ever did and he used his fame to springboard a load of people into stardom. That '90s Japanese indie boom doesn't happen without Jushin Thunder Liger helping it along and giving it exposure like he did. Great worker, hell of a character, instantly recognizable legend."

[10.0] "One of the most innovative wrestlers ever. Grew up watching him vs Brian Pillman. Two personal favourites."

[10.0] "Liger's wrestling skills are unparalleled. Whether it was his breathtaking high-flying maneuvers or his in-depth understanding of psychology, every match he entered was a spectacle. His signature moves like the Shotei palm strike, the Shooting Star Press, and his devastating Brainbuster, left crowds in awe. Liger had the uncanny ability to blend traditional Japanese wrestling with high-octane, gravity-defying moves that later inspired an entire generation of wrestlers, including the likes of Chris Jericho, Daniel Bryan, and Finn Bálor. What made Liger truly exceptional was his versatility. He could go toe-to-toe with heavyweights and make them look like a million bucks, while also putting on stellar matches with cruiserweights. He was equally capable of crafting intense, story-driven bouts as he was in delivering fast-paced, high-energy contests that kept fans on the edge of their seats."

[10.0] "Jushin Thunder Liger is the Man, he just oozes coolness, he's one of the best high flyers of all time and is one of the most important wrestlers ever. A Bunch of moves are still being used today. He's had a bunch of bangers and is an Super iconic look and amazing Wrestler"

[10.0] "Jushin has to be one of the most recognizable masked wrestlers right behind Rey Mysterio. He has such a cool look, fantastic in-ring skills, and is respected by wrestlers and fans all around the world. I'm also glad that he also knew the right time to retire unlike some other wrestlers. Overall Jushin is a crazy talented wrestler that I really enjoy his old matches."

[10.0] "One of the greatest wrestlers of all-time. Jushin "thunder" Liger is one of the most iconic wrestlers ever with his distinctive look, ground-breaking offence and incredible match catalogue. Liger had it all, he obviously was an incredible high-flyer, which was made even better by his super hero look, but his great grappling and striking ability is far to overlooked. I've watch Liger matches from NJPW, WCW, WAR, NOAH, TNA, CWA (Austria/Germany) and All Star Wrestling (UK), and in each promotion I can name at least one extremely good match he had there. Liger was also an ideas man, creating the Super J Cup and the J Crown. His matches with the Great Sasuke (especially at the first ever Super J Cup), with Mark Rocco, with Brian Pillman...they have left a hell of a legacy. Liger defined a generation of Junior Heavyweights and as a result, his appeal is inter-generational and international. One of my GOAT."

[10.0] "I'd argue he has the most iconic look of any wrestler that is not North American based of all time. He had it all really and is a true legend of wrestling who could still even give believable performances in his later years."

[10.0] "Not only is he one of the very best Japanese wrestlers of all time, he's one of the best wrestlers of all time, period. Just like Rey Mysterio, Jushin Liger changed the game for juinor heavyweight wrestlers throughout the world. The guy was just incredible, so damn fun to watch and his ability to "transform" from Jushin Liger to Kishin Liger was really well done and executed. I loved the fact he would wear a different mask and overall attire when wrestling the heavyweight guys too. Putting his wrestling aside for a moment, the guy was just a complete badass in real life. The guy had a brain tumor for crying out loud, he overcame that and still managed to perform at an elite level. Revolutionary wrestler, changed the landscape of professional wrestling forever. One of the greatest of all time."

[10.0] "He was a revolutionary performer, with one of the most memorable gimmicks. A true legend deserves a 10 out of 10 for his tremendous contributions to professional wrestling and in-ring work."

"[10] What can you say? a true Legend, a workhorse, the best Cruiserweight ever, the man who got me into watching Japanese wrestling."

[10.0] "Would be a 9.5, but sod it. Nobody is more beloved and respected than Jushin Thunger Liger, and it helped that he chose to retire while still in pretty decent shape and go out a legend rather than do the usual habit of slumming it up in the undercard for years as a New Japan Dad."

[9.0] "Moyase, moyase. Bring out your masks and fans, it's Jyushin Liger. A man whose legacy can be considered by many to be one of the most important to-date. Even when he had been in the same realm as other Lucharesu stars such as Satoru "Tiger Mask" Sayama, Yoshihiro "Ultimo Dragon" Asai and many more, Kei'ichi Yamada, who we all know as Jyushin "Thunder" Liger, had always been a stand-out among the crowd. He has even brought in a similar way to that of the mystical Tiger Mask, wherein he was made to be an advertisement for a show. Yeah, you heard me right. A show! And it was... pretty good? Well, if you can tell based on the comparisons, he definitely did change; in-fact, he looks so vast and unique compared to the original get-up they had for Yamada. One aspect of Liger's that I do have to get out of the way is that his wrestling style, even if it had evolved to make himself safer and more stable before retirement (which he did not want to have young, hence why he retired at the age that he did), he had still made himself recognized in spite of the troubles he had in his body. The Beast God transformed himself from a high-flyer with little cause and big trouble, to a striker and a technician that had built upon the rage that he had stored; a move that his trainers, Kotetsu, Kumicho and Fujinami, would be proud of, indeed. At the midst of his retirement, he had built up a reputation as a workhorse and an undeniable force within the world of Japanese professional wrestling, and for good reason too; like Sayama, Asai and the stars of AJPW and NJPW past, he had been built and transformed into a mystical being, one that would only be seen to be believed that such a person could've truly existed in the time he did. His wrestling ability surely made up for it, too. We shall remember Jyushin Liger for the evolution and processes of progression that made him what he had been ended as; an undeniable figure who truly holds the mantle of the greatest Junior Heavyweight in wrestling history. Keep raging, Liger; we shall remember you fondly."

[10.0] "perhaps the greatest japanese wrestler to ever step foot inside a squared circle, the wrestler with the biggest amount of matches in wrestling history and perfect for his role, A WORKHORSE."

[8.0] "One of the best Japanese wrestler ever, period. One of the best cruiserweights we had in WCW in the 90's. Wish he could have stuck around longer over here."

[10.0] "In my opinion, the greatest cruiserweight of all time. There wouldn't be a Rey Mysterio without Liger. Innovative, flawless in the ring, a worldwide recognizable mask and the eternal Junior Ace of NJPW. The word "legend" is not enough to describe him."

[10.0] "One of the greatest of all time, Liger was a trailblazer for junior heavyweight wrestling. Completely selfless and always giving, I also love him these days on commentary as he's always super excited"

[10.0] "Probably the greatest Junior/Cruiserweight of All-Time, Liger is a man that pushed the boundaries of what Juniors could do in the ring and in the box office, and managed to reinvent himself to keep wrestling day-in and day-out despite suffering from a brain tumor in the middle of his prime. A trailblazer for the current crop of Juniors."

[10.0] "Liger is one of the best to ever do it. He's a phenomenal junior heavyweight and a true titan of the industry."

[10.0] "The greatest junior ever. Could work many styles and had such a long career that his legacy is unmatched. Incredible innovative offence along with the psychology to make it sensical. Obviously a great unique look that connected with fans through multiple eras. Even Kishin and heel Liger were great in their own right."

[10.0] "The greatest Junior Heavyweight OF ALL TIME, the legacy that this man has left behind in professional wrestling cannot be denied."

[10.0] "An inovator, a pioneer and simply the greatest Junior Heavyweight in the history of wrestling. Delivered awesome matches literally up until his final one."

[10.0] "Jushin Thunder Liger is arguably the greatest junior heavyweight pro wrestler ever. During the 1990s, he played a huge role in the NJPW junior heavyweight division being so popular. Many of his feuds with some of the best junior heavyweights from all over the world are classics. He was involved in some of the best junior heavyweight matches of the 1990s. He had a long career, and even when he was getting older and winding down his career, he still tried to contribute as much as he could to the matches he was involved in."

"Liger had a super goofy gimmick based off of a forgettable anime and turned it into one of the greatest ones ever. The best Junior of all time, produced some fantastic matches. Wrestled across the world and just about never had a bad match. Absolute legend, easy 10."

[10.0] "One of the all-time greatest ever in any weight division. Jushin Liger first came on to my screen when I was 11 years old in WCW. I was mesmerized. I bought Superbrawl 92 to see Pillman-Liger and was not disappointed. And Liger lost! Further, he made a remarkable transformation from inventive high-flyer to incredible mat wrestler after his cancer surgery. And, without knowing much English, he was able to translate his personality and charm to American and European audiences as easily as he connected with Japanese fans. In my opinion, the greatest junior heavyweight of all-time and one of the best to ever do it anywhere."

[10.0] "That's a Ten. 10. Not like Tye Dillinger. But he's also a perfect Ten. A Better Ten. Facts. Face the Facts. Not like Curt Hawkins. But face them."

[10.0] "He's a 10. I know it. You know it. We all know it. Why argue with this fact? It's just true. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk."

[10.0] "Liger is simply the best! Iconic and Legendary! Best Junior ever, best mask and a really nice guy with fans. Over 35 years in the ring and 30 years with the same gimmick. A true love story with the business, crowd and wrestlers. Thank you Mr Liger/Yamada for this 35 years and more with this commentary career thanks for everything!"

[10.0] "The absolute legend of japanese wrestling scene and one of the most unique personas in pro wrestling. Over 30 years in the same gear, mask and with the love of the crowd. Such dedication for this business. Technically skilled, awesome gimmick and he was still in great shape wrestling at 56 years old. Thank You Jushin for Your whole career."

[10.0] "Based on an anime character he'd become more iconic than Jushin's career is more incredible than it had any right to be, given a strange gimmick, committing and making this character his own, his odd and crazy look drew people in and his incredible talent while eyes were on him turned them to fans, he was in some of the best 90s NJPW matches, he had high level in-ring skill and top tier charisma, he's the most successful super junior ever, his legacy will live forever"

[10.0] "There are a few people in the wrestling world who giving anything less then a 10, is straight up disrespectful. Tanahashi and Undertaker for example. Liger is one of those guys. An iconic look and is one of the most revolutionary junior heavyweights ever. His battles with Sano and Sasuke helped pave the way for the likes of Matt Sydal and Ricochet. An easy 10 and the greatest junior heavyweight ever. Sorry Rey, you can be no. 2. Because Liger is king."

[10.0] "Over 30 years of career, and were by far, the best three decades of professional wrestling. Jushin Thunder Liger is simply a legend, he was the best Junior Heavyweight to exist on planet Earth, I'm really sad that he's going to retire and I'm not mentally prepared to watch his last match. Thank you, Liger, you'll be missed."

[10.0] "One of the most influential wrestlers of all time. Amazing in the ring from day one until now. Could work both smaller man matches & with more main event players. Helped establish WCW's cruiserweight division. Invented the shooting star press. A total legend."

[10.0] "One of, if not THE most iconic junior heavyweight of all time. Delivered many classics with his high flying technical style and still can put amazing matches at 54 years old. An impressive longevity for a huge legend who totally deserves the honor of retiring at the Tokyo Dome. His influence can't be understated."

[10.0] "The guy has stayed one of the best wrestlers in the world for over 30 years. He has slowed down a little due to age but thats to be expected after 30 years of consistant amazing wrestling without any long breaks. Has become an icon of wrestling."

[10.0] "What can you even say about Liger? He's had one of the longest, most consistently great careers in wrestling history and is still able to put on absolute banger matches at age 54. One of the all time greats."

[10.0] "A true legend that has stood the test of time. Quite possibly the best Junior heavyweight in the history of the business. Technical high flyer that will always be one of the best."

[10.0] "Who doesn't love this man? Absolutely can still go at 50+ years and with a reputation and history that long surpasses 99% of other wrestlers, Liger is one of the most universally cherised as well as talented wrestlers in the history of the sport. With a run through the 90s that made him into an undoubtable world class talent to be remembered for decades, Liger has managed to cement his place in the hall of fame of professional wrestling. On top of that he is a delightful person."

[8.0] "Jushin Liger is one of my all-time favourite wrestlers. His life story is inspiring and he has always managed to be entertraining and provide good matches when push comes to shove. I do have to admit that he is far from being the greatest Junior every as some people hail him to be. Liger has done basically everything he could, including holding titles in NJPW, CMLL, Dragon Gate and WCW not to mention the J-Crown and the fact he has technically also wrestled for WWE. His ring work is not exactly on par with guys like Sayama, Kanemoto, Fujita or Sasuke in terms of innovation and how exciting they can be, but Liger in his prime could put out a good match against basically anyone. His matches over the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship and the J-Crown stand out, as well as his matches against Brian Pillman for WCW. I am also a huge fan of his match against CIMA for the Open the Dream Gate title, altought admitely it's far from being both men's greatest performance."

[7.0] "Hot take which will probably be excused as a 'newbie'/'attention-seeking' comment: Liger is massively overrated. I know he is a 'legend', but that's mostly just because he got pushed as such. My issue is that he simply never impressed me as much as his contemporaries. Straight up: his offence was painfully average. These days people love to say Liger "looks like he hasn't missed a step! "... but that's more a criticism of his work at his 'peak', because he NEVER looked like a proper athlete. I have honestly yet to see a match from Liger in his 90s that has shown me evidence of his supposed legendary in-ring work. The guy had creative moves, but compared to the likes of Sayama, Otani, Kanemoto, Ultimo Dragon, and Minoru Tanaka, he simply wasn't as acrobatic, intense, flexible, athletic, or energetic. Liger's limbs would flail all over the place when delivering an aerial move, and his body-shape made him look like a flying bag of potatoes. His chemistry also wasn't anything special; I can't remember too many fluidly constructed sequences he was part of. Thus I struggled getting excited for much of Liger's offence, because his movements and attacks didn't look finely polished like so many other 90s juniors. Liger still produced plenty of very good performances, but all of his 'great' matches I would argue were ones he was mostly carried in by his opponent. God, I can only imagine how heretical what I'm saying must sound to like 99% of puro fans lol. Well, let me now mention the positives of Liger: Firstly, I actually enjoy his work in the 2010s WAY more than any other era. He plays the veteran role extremely well, and because he isn't bothering with as many lame aerial attacks he is able to focus more on getting his character's passion across and showing off his power moves (which were always his speciality imo), so he's MUCH more enjoyable to watch in the current day. To my mind, Liger's 2017 match with Taichi was his greatest performance."

[10.0] "Jushin Liger was the best junior heavyweight/light heavyweight wrestler of the 90s and an unquestionable hall of fame-level talent. Liger was known for his flying, but he could wrestle as well, as shown by how well he adapted to having to tone his flying as the years went by."

[10.0] "Hard to deny his status. Whilst I prefer Kanemoto over him as the great Junior Wrestler at least in the modern time (Post 50's), he is still up there with him. Great innovator, very adaptable to any situation whether it was him wrestling as a heel, a spot fest, fighting babyface, even comedy. He was excellent in these situations. Even if his heavyweight run is unremarkable and very short, that Muta match is a big highlight which says it all about how great Liger was in the 90's. Legendary wrestler without a doubt."

[10.0] "I have a bad habit of gushing about Liger all day whenever I talk about him with my friends. If there's one word I'd use to sum him up it's consistent. He's the Jerry Rice of Wrestling, he's always been good ever since he adopted the great Jushin Liger gimmick. The look will go down in history as one of the most iconic. It's hard to appreciate it nowadays, but he truly was one of Wrestling's greatest innovators as well."

[10.0] "He is the best high flyer that i have ever seen. Legend but not just any legend hes a living legend for all highflyer, cruirserweight wrestler and the numbers of his fans."

[10.0] "Jushin Thunder Liger is legitimately a personal hero of mine, and I say that having not gotten into pro wrestling until 2013. I actually respect him most for what he's done in his later years: adapting his style to suit his age while maintaining all the charm that only he can bring, helping and supporting Junior Heavyweights of the future, giving his all for professional wrestling. The way he overcame a full-on brain tumor and got right back into the game and adapted to that in the ring is truly inspiring, having known somebody very close that went through brain surgery. His history, his influence, his legendary body of work, his inspirational story, his love of the business, his support for the future, and my personal enjoyment of seeing veterans still have it (he's had good, great, and fantastic matches even after turning 50). Indisputably a Top 25 talent of all time, and Top 10 in Japan, but in my heart he is the #1 GOAT."

[10.0] "What an amazing man ! The bedazzling look and entrance are met with prime innovative skills. But the most impressive part is that is career consists of 33 years of solid-to-perfect performances, even after suffering a brain tumor ! Liger is the definition of a living legend."

[10.0] "The greatest junior heavyweight in the history of NJPW and the guy can still go even today! Jushin Thunder Liger also played a role in showing American wrestling fans how good cruiserweight wrestling can be with his sporadic appearances in WCW in the 90s."

[10.0] "The greatest Junior Heavyweight of all time, and a true trailblazer of the high flying style. Nowadays, more likely to be wrestling a technically focused match than busting out Shooting Star Presses, but he aged his style well."

[10.0] "Ive been catching up on some of the stuff I haven't seen from Liger and Ive gotta say hes a true king of adaption and one of the greatest all rounders in the history of puroresu. He isn't a hard hitter (though his spinning wheel kick can be pretty brutal from time to time), but his technical ability is better then Benoits I'd argue. His aerial game has diminished over the years understandably but hes swapped it out for the sake of better psychology. Hes always had a butt-load of charisma and knows how to adapt better then anyone (for example one of his matches with The Great Sasuke involved Sasuke slipping on the rope and Liger making something out of it). A few days ago I was going to 9 him but it wouldn't have been fair given I hadn't watch too much from him. Now, hes pretty easily a ten out of ten. His latest work hasn't been outstanding but hes in his 50s anyone that old will be worn down."