Keiichi Yamada (山田恵一, Yamada Keiichi, born November 30, 1964), better known as Jushin Liger (獣神ライガー, Jūshin Raigā) and later Jushin Thunder Liger (獣神サンダー・ライガー, Jūshin Sandā Raigā) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and mixed martial artist who is best known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was the longest-tenured member of the roster, having remained with the company since his debut in 1984 until his retirement in January 2020. Throughout his career, which spanned three-and-a-half decades, he wrestled over 4,000 matches and performed in major events for various promotions across the globe.
Debuting under his real name for NJPW in 1984, he was given the gimmick of Jushin Liger in 1989, based on the anime television series of the same name. Becoming Jushin "Thunder" Liger the following year, he saw unprecedented success in the junior heavyweight division, winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship a record 11 times, as well as setting the record for longest reign with the title during his second reign at 628 days. Liger was the first three-time Best of the Super Juniors tournament winner (a record eventually tied by Koji Kanemoto), is a former six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, won the Super J Cup twice (in 1995 and 2000), and was inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame in 1999. Liger also wrestled the opening match for the first January 4 Tokyo Dome Show in 1992. He is frequently cited as one of the greatest junior heavyweight wrestlers of all time.
Liger had his retirement match at Wrestle Kingdom 14 on January 5, 2020, 35 years after his career began.
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