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 was inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020.
Jushin Thunder Liger Profile Index
Profile Info
- Gender Male
- Real Name Keiichi 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 Place Hiroshima, Japan
- Billed From
- Tokyo, Japan
- Height 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
- Weight
- 210 lbs (95 kg)
- Nicknames Shooting 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 
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 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
-
Halls of Fame
- WWE Hall of Fame - Year 2020, Individual
-
New Japan Pro Wrestling & Michinoku Pro Wrestling
New Japan Pro Wrestling
- 11 IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
- 6 IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 with Tiger Mask IV / Yoshihiro Yamazaki, 1 with Akira Nogami / AKIRA, 1 with Koji Kanemoto, 1 with Minoru Tanaka, 1 with El Samurai, 1 with The Great Sasuke)
- 2 NJPW Super J-Cup (1995, 2000)
- 3 NJPW Top/NJPW Best of the Super Juniors (1992, 1994, 2001)
- 1 NJPW Young Lion Cup (1986)
World Championship Wrestling & National Wrestling Alliance
National Wrestling Alliance
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
- 1 WAR International Junior Heavyweight Championship
National Wrestling Alliance
Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre
- 1 CMLL World Middleweight Championship
- 1 CMLL World Tag Team Championship (with Hiroshi Tanahashi)
Dragon Gate
- 1 Open the Dream Gate Championship
Pro Wrestling Noah
- 1 GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship
- 1 GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (with Tiger Mask IV)
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
Wrestle Association R
- 1 WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship - with El Samurai
-
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
