On this page you find the full wrestling profile of Jushin Thunder Liger, 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.
Keiichi Yamada (山田恵) was born in Hiroshima, Japan on November 30, 1964, and he is currently 60 years old.
He is currently a Commentator and Coach, working for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
Jushin "Thunder" Liger is a 1-time World Champion, and has won a total of 30 championships in major promotions during his career.
Jushin Thunder Liger was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020.
Jushin Thunder Liger Profile Index
Profile Info
- GenderMale
- Real NameKeiichi Yamada (山田恵)
- Ring Names
- Jushin "Thunder" Liger (August 12, 2007 - Present)
- C.T.U Ranger Yellow (March 13, 2005 - August 11, 2007)
- Jushin "Thunder" Liger (January 5, 1990 - March 12, 2005)
- Jushin Liger (April 24, 1989 - December 31, 1989)
- Keiichi Yamada (May 8, 1987 - April 23, 1989)
- Fuji Yamada (September 27, 1986 - May 7, 1987)
- Keiichi Yamada (March 3, 1984 - September 26, 1986)
- Kishin Liger (October 20, 1996 - September 22, 2019)
- Born November 30, 1964 (age 60)
- Nationality
Japan - Birth PlaceHiroshima, Japan
- Billed From
- Tokyo, Japan
- Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
- Weight
- 210 lbs (95 kg)
- NicknamesShooting Star; Sekai no Shishigami; Symbol of Junior
Career History
-
Roles
- Commentator (December 9, 2015 - Present)
- Coach (January 6, 2020 - Present)
- Wrestler (March 3, 1984 - January 5, 2020)
-
Promotions History
Promotion from to Promotion
NJPWJanuary 6, 2020 Present Promotion
NJPWBrand
Junior Heavyweight
January 4, 2001 January 5, 2020 Promotion
ROHMarch 27, 2015 December 4, 2016 Promotion
NOAHBrand
Junior Heavyweight
January 27, 2013 December 6, 2014 Promotion
CMLLSeptember 16, 2011 December 9, 2011 Promotion
CMLLJune 18, 2010 October 1, 2010 Promotion
NOAHBrand
Junior Heavyweight
May 6, 2009 October 31, 2009 Promotion
CMLLSeptember 11, 2009 September 28, 2009 Promotion
DGNovember 19, 2006 July 1, 2007 Promotion
NOAHBrand
Junior Heavyweight
January 26, 2003 July 10, 2004 Promotion
NJPWBrand
Heavyweight
August 7, 2000 January 3, 2001 Promotion
NJPWBrand
Junior Heavyweight
August 19, 1987 August 6, 2000 Promotion
WARDecember 13, 1995 June 29, 1997 Promotion
WCWSeptember 4, 1995 December 30, 1996 Promotion
WCWDecember 25, 1991 December 29, 1992 Promotion
CWA AUSTRIADecember 19, 1992 December 19, 1992 Promotion
UWASeptember 19, 1991 October 6, 1991 Promotion
STAMPEDEMay 8, 1987 August 12, 1987 Promotion
NJPWBrand
Young Lions
March 3, 1984 September 23, 1986 -
Images History
May 2009
Oct 1996
Oct 1996
Apr 1991
Jan 1990
Apr 1989
May 1987
Mar 1984 -
Face / Heel Turns
Alignment Details from to Face July 7, 2007 Present Heel July 6, 2004 July 6, 2007 Face April 24, 1989 July 5, 2004
-
Finishers
- Vertical Brainbuster (March 3, 1984 - January 5, 2020)
- Liger Bomb - Standing or Running High-angle Sitout Powerbomb (August 19, 1987 - January 5, 2020)
- Kuchu Dojime Otoshi - Lou Thesz Press Pin (January 1, 2009 - January 5, 2020)
- Shooting Star Press (August 19, 1987 - July 6, 1997)
- Elevated DDT (March 3, 1984 - December 29, 1992)
-
Theme Songs
- Theme Song"Ikari no Jushin" by Yumi Hiroki - Single (May 25, 1989 - Present)
Titles & Accomplishments
Career Awards
WWE Hall of Fame - Individual (Year2020)
-
Dragon Gate
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
-
x1 CMLL Universal Championship -
x1 CMLL World Tag Team Championship (with Hiroshi Tanahashi) -
x1 CMLL World Middleweight Championship
New Japan Pro Wrestling
-
x6 IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 with The Great Sasuke, 1 with El Samurai, 1 with Minoru Tanaka, 1 with Koji Kanemoto, 1 with Akira Nogami / AKIRA, 1 with Tiger Mask IV / Yoshihiro Yamazaki) -
x11 IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship -
x3 NJPW Top/NJPW Best of the Super Juniors (1992, 1994, 2001) -
x2 NJPW Super J-Cup (1995, 2000) -
x1 NJPW Young Lion Cup (1986)
Pro Wrestling NOAH
-
x1 GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (with Tiger Mask) -
x1 GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship
Wrestle Association R / Wrestle and Romance
-
x1 WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (with El Samurai) -
x1 WAR International Junior Heavyweight Championship
New Japan Pro Wrestling & Michinoku Pro Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling & National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance & Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
-
New Japan Pro Wrestling
- 1 J-Crown Octuple Unified Championship
- 1 NWA World Welterweight Championship
- 1 UWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship
- 1 WWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship
National Wrestling Alliance
All-Star Promotions
- 2 World Heavy Middleweight Championship
Jersey All Pro Wrestling
- 1 JAPW Light Heavyweight Championship
Michinoku Pro Wrestling
- 2 British Commonwealth Junior Heavyweight Championship
Osaka Pro Wrestling
- 1 Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championship - with Takehiro Murahama
-
Other Accomplishments
- NJPW Naeba Cup Tag Tournament Winner (2001 - with Yuji Nagata)
- NJPW IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership Tournament Winner (1990)
- NJPW Outstanding Performance Award (2000)
- NJPW Tag Team Best Bout (2003 - with Koji Kanemoto vs. Kotaro Suzuki & Naomichi Marufuji on 06/10)
- CMLL Universal Championship Winner (2010)
- RPW British J Cup Winner (2017)
- MPW Super J Cup Winner (2000)
- PW Noah NTV G+ Cup Junior Heavyweight Tag League Winner (2013 - with Tiger Mask IV)
- WAR Super J Cup Winner (1995)
- VPW Vendetty Award: Special Guest Star of the Year (2015)
- 8° in PWI 500 (2000)
- 12° in PWI Years Top 500 (2003)
- Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame induction (class of 1999)
- WON Most Outstanding Wrestler (1990–1992)
- WON Best Gimmick (1989)
- WON Best Flying Wrestler (1989–1993)
- WON Best Technical Wrestler (1989–1992)
- WON Best Wrestling Maneuver (1987, 1988 - Shooting Star Press)
- WON Match of the Year (1990 - vs. Naoki Sano on 01/31)
- WON Rookie of the Year (1984 - tied with Tom Zenk)
- Tokyo Sports Newcomer Award (1985)
- Tokyo Sports Outstanding Performance Award (1994)
Teams & Relations
-
Tag Teams & Stables
- Jushin Thunder Liger & Tiger Mask - Tiger Mask IV / Yoshihiro Yamazaki (June 6, 2008 - January 5, 2020)
- Jushin Thunder Liger & El Samurai - El Samurai (May 31, 1992 - November 13, 2010)
- La Ola Amarilla - Tetsuya Naito, YOSHI-HASHI, Yujiro Takahashi, Okumura (September 11, 2009 - September 7, 2010)
- Jushin Thunder Liger & AKIRA - Akira Nogami / AKIRA (August 26, 2007 - June 10, 2010)
- LEGEND - Masahiro Chono, Riki Choshu, Shiro Koshinaka, Super Strong Machine / Junji Hirata, Akira Nogami / AKIRA (September 1, 2007 - December 5, 2009)
- C.T.U. - Dick Togo, Finn Bálor, Gedo, Hirooki Goto, Jado, Super Strong Machine / Junji Hirata, Minoru Tanaka, Katsushi Takemura (July 6, 2004 - July 6, 2007)
- Jushin Thunder Liger & Koji Kanemoto - Koji Kanemoto (January 26, 2003 - July 4, 2005)
- Dragon Bombers - Black Cat, Shiro Koshinaka, Takashi Iizuka, Tatsumi Fujinami (October 14, 1990 - February 8, 1992)
- Managers



