Tiger Mask IV Confirms Retirement, Ending His 31-Year Wrestling Career
Tiger Mask IV's retirement is no longer a future announcement; it is twelve days away. On July 7, 2026, Yoshihiro Yamazaki will walk into Korakuen Hall in Tokyo for the last time as an active wrestler, step into the ring twice in the same night, and bring down the curtain on 31 years as one of Japanese professional wrestling's most enduring figures. The same venue where it all started on July 15, 1995, will be where it ends. That is not a coincidence. That is a full circle.
Here is everything you need to know about Tiger Mask IV's retirement. The show, the matches, the career, and what comes next for the character he carried longer than anyone.
When and Where Is Tiger Mask IV's Retirement Show?
Korakuen Hall, Tokyo - July 7, 2026
Tiger Mask IV's retirement show takes place on July 7, 2026, at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, presented by New Japan Pro-Wrestling as a special retirement event for Yoshihiro Yamazaki.
The retirement card will serve as a tribute not only to Tiger Mask IV's own career but to the history of the Tiger Mask character as a whole.
Why Korakuen Hall Is the Perfect Venue to End It All
Tiger Mask IV made his professional wrestling debut on July 15, 1995, and that debut match against his trainer, The Great Sasuke, also took place at Korakuen Hall. Coming back to the same building to end the career he started there was a deliberate, full-circle choice that speaks to how much that venue has meant to his journey.
Korakuen Hall holds roughly 2,000 people. It is not the biggest arena in Japan. But for puroresu fans, it is the most sacred place where careers are built, where legends are made, and where moments get remembered for decades. For a wrestler of Tiger Mask IV's character, there was never going to be a more appropriate room.
He's Also Wrestling the Day Before Road to G1 Climax
The day before his retirement show, Tiger Mask IV will compete at NJPW Road to G1 Climax, also at Korakuen Hall, teaming with Jado and Taiji Ishimori against Gedo, Yoshinobu Kanemaru and Dick Togo.
Two consecutive nights in the ring at 55 years old. The second one is his last ever.
Who Will Tiger Mask IV Face in His Final Matches?
Match 1: vs Black Tiger (Rocky Romero Under the Mask One Last Time)
Tiger Mask IV's first match on the retirement show is against Black Tiger, with Rocky Romero donning the Black Tiger mask for one night only. Both matches have a five-minute time limit.
Their rivalry ran through the mid-2000s and flared up again in 2009, ending in a marquee IWGP Junior Heavyweight title versus mask match at Ryogoku Hall. Black Tiger lost the apuestas bout and was unmasked as Rocky Romero. Now, 17 years later, Romero will put the mask back on for one final encounter with his old rival.
Match 2: vs "Dynamite Kid" Tommy Billington
Tiger Mask IV will also face AEW and ROH talent "Dynamite Kid" Tommy Billington in a singles match on the retirement card.
A match between the two was originally supposed to happen at Jersey J-Cup 2026 for GCW, but Tiger Mask IV had a personal emergency and could not make it. Romero filled in for him on that occasion, facing Billington as Black Tiger. The retirement show gives them the match they were supposed to have earlier in the year.
Why Both Matches Were Chosen: The Story Behind Each Rivalry
Both opponents were chosen with intent. The Black Tiger match is about history, the most personal and storied rivalry of Tiger Mask IV's career, brought back one last time with the actual man behind the mask. The Tommy Billington match is about lineage, carrying the name of one of the most influential wrestlers in Tiger Mask history, Tom Billington, whose matches with the original Tiger Mask Satoru Sayama in the early 1980s helped define the junior heavyweight style that Yamazaki spent 31 years building upon.
Why Did Tiger Mask IV Decide to Retire?
His Own Words: "The Tiger Mask I've Built No Longer Satisfies Me"
When announcing his retirement in July 2025, Tiger Mask IV cited personal dissatisfaction with his current performance level as a key factor, stating: "The Tiger Mask I've built since my debut no longer satisfies me." He acknowledged the toll of cumulative injuries over three decades but emphasised he did not wish to attribute his decision to them, instead vowing: "I'll show an even better Tiger Mask in my remaining year."
He is not leaving because the body quit. He is leaving because he holds himself to a standard he is no longer willing to compromise.
The Role of Injuries Over Three Decades
In a pre-retirement interview with NJPW, Tiger Mask IV was direct about his physical condition: "My body is a mess. You learn to work around and cover for one injury, and that just damages something somewhere else. I need back surgery after I retire, and my doctor's always amazed I can still wrestle at all. My neck isn't great either, but for some reason, when the bell rings, I can still go somewhat."
Back surgery waiting after the retirement match. Neck problems are managed match by match. Thirty-one years of wear that would have ended most careers years ago, and he kept going anyway.
The 30th Anniversary That Started the Goodbye
The retirement announcement came on July 6, 2025, at Korakuen Hall during the New Japan Soul event, following a match against Hiroshi Tanahashi, as part of celebrations for his 30th anniversary as Tiger Mask IV.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Yamazaki said, "I've been Tiger Mask for 30 years now. I have decided to retire next July. This is something I've decided on my own. My debut was on July 15. I've completed 30 years and move on to 31, so next July, I will retire."
One full year between announcement and final match. He gave himself and his fans twelve months to say goodbye properly.
Tiger Mask IV Career 31 Years in Numbers
Debut: July 15, 1995, Michinoku Pro Wrestling
Yoshihiro Yamazaki debuted on July 15, 1995, after training under the original Tiger Mask, Satoru Sayama, and The Great Sasuke. He began his career in Michinoku Pro Wrestling, where he captured the UWA World Middleweight Championship.
His debut opponent was The Great Sasuke, one of the men who trained him. That first match at Korakuen Hall set the tone for everything that followed: technically sharp, emotionally invested, and rooted in respect for the tradition he was stepping into.
NJPW Journey: 2002 Onwards
After joining New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2002, Tiger Mask IV became a pillar of the junior heavyweight division. He spent the next two-plus decades in NJPW, becoming the face of a division and the living definition of what the Tiger Mask character was supposed to represent.
Championships and Major Achievements
Tiger Mask IV is a six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, a two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, and a two-time Best of the Super Juniors tournament winner.
He became the first wrestler to win the Best of the Super Juniors tournament in consecutive years, claiming the tournament in both 2004 and 2005.
His tag title reigns came with two very different partners: Jushin Thunder Liger in one reign and Robbie Eagles in another, with the Eagles team competing under the name Flying Tiger.
The Record That Stands Alone: Oldest IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Champion at 51
During his 2021 reign with Robbie Eagles, Tiger Mask IV became the oldest wrestler to hold the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship, achieving the record at 51 years old.
Winning a championship at 51 in a division built around speed and high-impact wrestling is not something that gets repeated. That record will last a long time.
The Tiger Mask Legacy: Who Came Before Him?
Tiger Mask I - Satoru Sayama (1981–1984)
The original Tiger Mask was portrayed by Satoru Sayama between 1981 and 1984. Sayama's matches during this period, particularly against Tom Billington, the original Dynamite Kid, are considered foundational to the junior heavyweight style as it exists today. He was also one of Yamazaki's trainers, which makes the lineage direct and personal.
Tiger Mask II - Mitsuharu Misawa (mid-1980s–1990)
After All-Japan Pro Wrestling purchased the rights to the Tiger Mask character, Mitsuharu Misawa wore the mask through the mid-1980s until 1990. Misawa would later become one of the most celebrated wrestlers in puroresu history under his own name, but his time as Tiger Mask II built the bridge between Sayama's era and what came after.
Tiger Mask III - Koji Kanemoto (1992–1994)
When the rights reverted to NJPW, Koji Kanemoto took over as Tiger Mask III between 1992 and 1994, before losing his mask to Jushin Thunder Liger in a mask versus mask match.
Tiger Mask IV - The Longest Reign of Them All
Tiger Mask IV is the longest-tenured performer to wear the Tiger Mask mantle. Three predecessors, each distinguished in their own right. None of them wore the mask for anywhere close to 31 years. Yamazaki did not just inherit the character; he became synonymous with it for an entire generation of fans.
What Happens to the Tiger Mask Character After July 7?
What Tiger Mask IV Said About a Successor
When asked whether NJPW should introduce a new Tiger Mask, Yamazaki responded: "I don't really have an opinion one way or the other. I think it would be fine if somebody wanted to do it. Purely when it comes to the different techniques and athleticism, today's young wrestlers are even better than Sayama-sensei, but with the overall level so high, it's hard to stand out from the crowd."
He is not pushing for a Tiger Mask V. He is not opposing one either. He is leaving that decision where it belongs with NJPW and whoever might be ready to carry it.
Will NJPW Introduce a Tiger Mask V?
After 31 years of the same man under the mask, whoever comes next has an almost impossible act to follow. NJPW has said nothing. For now, the question stays open.
What Tiger Mask IV Plans to Do After Retirement
Staying Connected to NJPW
Tiger Mask IV has made clear he will not be disappearing after his retirement match. In his pre-retirement interview with NJPW, he stated: "Even though Tiger Mask IV the wrestler is retiring, I'll still be around, I'll still be working, and I'll be keeping a stern eye on NJPW, so I hope you'll keep supporting New Japan."
The role he takes on behind the scenes has not been specified. Stepping away from the ring, not from the industry.
Back Surgery First
Before anything else, Tiger Mask IV has confirmed he will need to undergo back surgery after his retirement match. Thirty-one years of professional wrestling leave a physical toll that does not disappear the moment the boots come off. The surgery comes first. Everything after gets figured out from there.
Closing Thoughts
Thirty-one years. Six IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championships. Two Best of the Super Juniors titles. A record for the oldest tag champion in division history. Matches across Japan, Mexico, America, England, and Italy. And through all of it, the same mask, the same character, the same standard. Tiger Mask IV never became the biggest name in professional wrestling. That was never the point. He became something harder to define and harder to replace, the man who kept a tradition alive longer than anyone thought possible, who showed up for three decades in one of the most physically demanding divisions in the sport, and who decided to leave on his own terms before the character slipped below the level he set for it. July 7, 2026. Korakuen Hall. Where it started. Where it ends.
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FAQs
When is Tiger Mask IV's last match?
Tiger Mask IV's retirement show takes place on July 7, 2026, at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, presented by New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Where is Tiger Mask IV's retirement show?
The retirement show is being held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, the same venue where Tiger Mask IV made his debut in July 1995.
Who is Tiger Mask IV?
Tiger Mask IV is the ring name of Yoshihiro Yamazaki, a Japanese professional wrestler who has portrayed the fourth incarnation of the Tiger Mask character since his debut on July 15, 1995. He is the longest-tenured performer to wear the Tiger Mask mantle.
What is Tiger Mask IV's real name?
Tiger Mask IV's real name is Yoshihiro Yamazaki, born on October 20, 1970. He has portrayed the Tiger Mask IV character since his debut in 1995.
Why is Tiger Mask IV retiring?
Tiger Mask IV cited personal dissatisfaction with his current performance level as a key reason, stating: "The Tiger Mask I've built since my debut no longer satisfies me." He also confirmed he will need back surgery after his retirement match, though he did not cite injuries as the primary reason for his decision.
Who will Tiger Mask IV face in his retirement matches?
Tiger Mask IV will face Black Tiger, with Rocky Romero under the mask for one night only, and "Dynamite Kid" Tommy Billington in two separate singles matches on the retirement card. Both matches have a five-minute time limit.
How long did Tiger Mask IV wrestle?
Tiger Mask IV wrestled for 31 years, debuting in July 1995 and retiring in July 2026.
What championships did Tiger Mask IV win?
Tiger Mask IV is a six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, a two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, and a two-time Best of the Super Juniors tournament winner.
Will there be a Tiger Mask V in NJPW?
Tiger Mask IV said he has no strong opinion either way on a successor, stating it would be fine if someone wanted to take on the character. NJPW has made no announcement regarding a Tiger Mask V.
What will Tiger Mask IV do after retirement?
Tiger Mask IV has confirmed he will still be around and working after his retirement, with plans to keep a close eye on NJPW. He will also undergo back surgery following his final match.