[Japanese Wrestlers GALLERY]
Title History
- NWA World Middleweight title defeating Ringo Mendoza (September 9, 1979);
- WWF Junior Heavyweight title defeating Dynamite Kid for vacant title (January 1, 1982);
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight title (May 1982);
- WWF Junior Heavyweight title defeating Black Tiger (May 26, 1982);
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight title defeating Kuniaki Kobayashi for vacant title (June 2, 1983);
- WWF Junior Heavyweight title defeating Fishman for vacant title (June 12, 1983);
Career Highlights
Debut in New Japan Pro Wrestling
- November 24, 1957: Satoru Sayama was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan..
- May 28, 1976: Satoru Sayama made his wrestling debut being defeated by Shouji Kai..
Tiger Mask
- Antonio Inoki created the “Tiger Mask” character and asked Satoru Sayama to play the character..
- April 23, 1981: Tiger Mask (Sayama) defeated Dynamite Kid in Tokyo to ignite a legendary feud..
- Tiger Mask held the WWWF and NWA Junior Heavyweight titles..
The UWF
- 1984: Satoru Sayama jumped to the UWF, where he was not allowed to use the Tiger Mask gimmick..
Disenchantment
- Satoru Sayama walked away from the wrestling world after becoming disenchanted with the industry..
- September 1985-96: Satoru Sayama was inactive as a wrestler..
More Sayama
- Satoru Sayama invented countless manuevers and set the standard for junior heavyweight wrestling in Japan..
- Satoru Sayama paved the way for wrestlers such as Jushin Lyger, Ultimo Dragon, Great Sasuke etc..
- Satoru Sayama eventually aquired the rights to the “Tiger Mask” name and gimmick..
- May 1996: Satoru Sayama was inducted into the Puroresu Hall of Fame..
Real Japan Pro Wrestling
- Satoru Sayama opened a promotion called “Real Japan Pro Wrestling”..
- May 2005: Satoru Sayama returned to Mexico for a tour..
- June 9 2005–Real Japan Pro Wrestling: Shinjiro Otani defeated Super Tiger (Satoru Sayama)..
- March 10, 2006–RJPW: The ORIGINAL Tiger Mask defeated Naomichi Marufuji in the main event.