One of the greatest Japanese wrestlers of all time, Jushin Thunder Liger has announced he will retire following next years WrestleKingdom event.
At a press conference for 2019 New Japan Cup, the 54 year old Liger announced he’ll be retiring at next January’s Tokyo Dome shows on Jan. 4 – 5.
In his press conference, he stated;
“Thank you for joining me here. I will retire next year in January at the Tokyo Dome. Yesterday’s match made me see I have nowhere else to grow. I can still do it, still get in there, but have no room for growth. I think if I do manage to get the belt and still retire in January that adds some value in itself.”
Liger also stated that he wants to be on the G1 Supercard event in Madison Square Garden, and following a reporter receiving a text from Hiromu Takahashi, he asked for him to hurry back so he could face him before he finished up.
【Jyushin Thunder Liger will retire in the Tokyo Dome, January next year! 】
Live video of the press conference on YouTube!https://t.co/dKhKFcSFtL
Also broadcast on 'NJPW World' at the same time!https://t.co/4s1BYig1y7
# njpw # Liger pic.twitter.com/22jotsKLxh
— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) March 7, 2019
Liger has been in the wrestling business for over thirty years, becoming an 11-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion in the process, as well as multiple reigns, winning six Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship reigns, GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion and three Best of The Super Junior titles.
He has wrestled in NJPW, CMLL, Pro Wrestling NOAH, WCW, TNA and for WWE, facing Tyler Breeze at an NXT TakeOver.