Koji Kanemoto: Profile, Career Stats, Face/Heel Turns, Titles Won & Gimmicks

On this page, you find the full wrestling profile of Koji Kanemoto, with his Career History, real name, age, height and weight, the Promotions he worked for, all the Face/Heel turns, the Championship Titles he won, his Finishers, Theme Songs, Tag Teams and Stables, his appearance changes through the years, and more.

Kōji Kanemoto (金本浩二) (born Kim Il-Sung (김일성)) was born in Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan on October 31, 1966, and he is currently 57 years old.

He is currently working for Independent promotions, under the ring name of Koji Kanemoto.

Currently, he is a member of the team of Junior Stars (with Minoru Tanaka).

He is the namesake of the Koji Clutch, though he never used the move variant popularized in the West himself.

Profile Info

Gender Male
Real Name Kōji Kanemoto (金本浩二) (born Kim Il-Sung (김일성))
Ring Names
- Koji Kanemoto ( October 21, 1994 - Present)
- Tiger Mask ( February 25, 1994 - October 20, 1994)
- Koji Kanemoto ( January 5, 1994 - February 24, 1994)
- Tiger Mask ( July 13, 1993 - January 4, 1994)
- King Lee ( January 31, 1993 - July 12, 1993)
- Tiger Mask ( March 1, 1992 - May 3, 1993)
- Koji Kanemoto ( November 6, 1990 - January 30, 1993)
Born October 31, 1966 (age 57)
Nationality JapanSouth Korea
Birth Place Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan
Billed From
- Kobe, Hyōgo, Japan
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight
- 176 lbs (80 kg)
Nicknames Fighting Chief
Notes He is the namesake of the Koji Clutch, though he never used the move variant popularized in the West himself.

Career History

Roles
- Wrestler ( November 6, 1990 - Present)

Promotions / Brands

Promotion	from	to
Promotion INDY	March 6, 2011	Present
Promotion NOAH	October 14, 2018	January 26, 2019
Promotion DDT	February 14, 2018	June 3, 2018
Promotion ZERO1	December 10, 2016	September 30, 2017
Promotion WXW	March 10, 2017	March 12, 2017
Promotion BJW	August 21, 2014	December 23, 2014
Promotion WRESTLE 1	September 8, 2013	July 6, 2014
Promotion AJPW	September 11, 2011	June 30, 2013
Promotion NJPWBrand Junior Heavyweight	January 4, 1995	December 14, 2011
Promotion NOAH	August 22, 2010	December 24, 2010
Promotion DRAGON GATE	January 23, 2009	March 22, 2009
Promotion ZERO1	January 1, 2008	May 25, 2008
Promotion WCW	November 2, 1995	December 27, 1995
Promotion AAA	February 25, 1994	June 20, 1994
Promotion NJPWBrand Junior Heavyweight	July 3, 1993	January 4, 1994
Promotion NJPWBrand Junior Heavyweight	March 1, 1992	December 14, 1992
Promotion NJPWBrand Young Lions	November 6, 1990	February 28, 1992

Face / Heel Turns

Alignment	from	to
Tweener	March 10, 2003	Present
Heel	October 8, 2001	March 9, 2003
Tweener	October 21, 1994	October 7, 2001
Face	March 1, 1992	October 20, 1994
Tweener	November 6, 1990	February 28, 1992

Images History

Sep 2023
Dec 2021
Oct 2018
Sep 2011
Jun 2004
Oct 2001
Jan 1997
Oct 1994
Feb 1994
Jan 1994
Jul 1993
Jan 1993
Mar 1992
Nov 1990

Finishers
- Ankle Lock ( October 8, 2001 - Present)
- Tiger Suplex ( March 1, 1992 - October 7, 2001)
- Moonsault ( November 6, 1990 - October 7, 2001)
Theme Songs
- Theme Song “Jaguar ’13” by Michiya Haruhata - Single ( January 1, 2013 - Present)
- Theme Song “The Way of the Ring” (Instrumental) by Dale Oliver - with Minoru Tanaka/TNA - Team ( July 4, 2014 - July 4, 2014)
- Theme Song “GOLD” by Tripolithm - Single ( November 7, 2010 - December 14, 2011)
- Theme Song “Jaguar '08” by Michiya Haruhata - Single ( May 6, 2009 - November 6, 2010)
- Theme Song “Bring It Back + HIGH ENERGY” (Mashup) by Zin with Masashi & Julia Claris - with Hiroshi Tanahashi - Team
- Theme Song “Tears In Rainbow” by Tube - NJPW - Single
- Theme Song “Bring It Back” by Zin with Masashi - NJPW/TEAM2000 - Team
- Theme Song “Semete Konya Wa” by Eikichi Yazawa - NJPW - Single
- Theme Song “Junction ~Whirlwind~” by NJP Unit - NJPW - Single
- Theme Song “Yokahama” by Steve Everitt - WCW - Single ( December 27, 1995 - December 27, 1995)
- Theme Song “Let's Go Tiger” by Osamu Suzuki - as Tiger Mask - Single
- Theme Song “Cobra Negra / In Venice” by Bernd Steidl - as Tiger Mask - Single
- Theme Song “Omae Wa Tora Ni Nare” by Muramatsu Toru - as Tiger Mask - Single
- Theme Song “Dog Fight” by Flame - NJPW - Single
- Theme Song “Quick As Lightning” by Kenji Kawai - NJPW - Single

Titles & Accomplishments

Titles Won
New Japan Pro Wrestling
- 5 IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
- 4 IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 with Minoru Tanaka, 1 with Jushin Thunder Liger, 1 with Wataru Inoue, 1 with El Samurai)
- 1 UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship
All Japan Pro Wrestling
- 2 All Asia Tag Team Championship (with Minoru Tanaka)
Pro Wrestling Noah
- 1 GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (with Tiger Mask IV)
4 Front Wrestling
- 1 4FW Junior Heavyweight Championship
Apache Pro-Wrestling Army
- 1 WEW Heavyweight Championship
Chō Sentō Puroresu FMW
- 1 FMW World Street Fight 8-Man Tag Team Championship (with with Black Tiger V, Black Tiger VII & Great Tiger)
Pro Wrestling Zero1
- 1 NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Championship (with Minoru Tanaka)
VKF Pro-Wrestling
- 1 VKF King of Wrestle Naniwa Championship
Other Accomplishments
- NJPW Best of the Super Juniors Winner (1998, 2002, 2009)
- NJPW National District Tournament Winner (2006 - with Shinsuke Nakamura)
- NJPW Super J Tag Tournament Winner (2010 - with El Samurai)
- NJPW Outstanding Performance Award (2002)
- NJPW Tag Team Best Bout Award (2003 - with Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Kotaro Suzuki and Naomichi Marufuji on June 10)
- WON Most Outstanding Wrestler (1998)
- 24° in PWI 500 (2003)

Relations

Tag Teams & Stables
- Junior Stars - Minoru Tanaka ( November 6, 2011 - Present)
- Stack of Arms - Minoru Tanaka, Masakatsu Funaki, Masayuki Kono ( October 12, 2012 - June 30, 2013)
- Koji Kanemoto & Wataru Inoue - Wataru Inoue ( July 9, 2004 - July 22, 2009)
- Hiroshi Tanahashi & Koji Kanemoto - Hiroshi Tanahashi ( June 7, 2004 - May 5, 2009)
- Unbeatables - Jushin Thunder Liger ( January 4, 2003 - July 4, 2004)
- TEAM2000 - Masahiro Chono, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Hiro Saito, Jado, Gedo, Tatsutoshi Goto, Giant Singh, AKIRA, Scott Norton, Eddie Guerrero, Satoshi Kojima, Michiyoshi Ohara, Mike Rotunda, Black Tiger (III), GOKU-DO/Pat Tanaka, Giant Silva, nWo Sting/Super J ( October 8, 2001 - March 9, 2003)
- Junior Stars - Minoru Tanaka ( October 11, 1999 - March 6, 2001)
- Shinjiro Otani & Koji Kanemoto - Shinjiro Otani ( April 23, 1995 - August 13, 2000)