AEW’s Kazuchika Okada makes surprise appearance after Tiger Mask IV’s final match

Tiger Mask IV enjoyed his retirement ceremony in Japan a few weeks ago, but he has been busy since then honoring his prior commitments. Tonight, he wrestled what could be his final match, and a special guest came out to honor him afterwards.

Following Tiger Mask’s tag team match at PRODUCE Wrestling in Brooklyn, AEW wrestler Kazuchika Okada made a surprise appearance. He flipped off the crowd, presented Tiger Mask with a bouquet of flowers, and bowed to the retiring star. 

Okada and Tiger Mask wrestled many times in New Japan. Most of those were in various forms of tag team matches, though Tiger Mask did defeat Okada in a singles match in Osaka in December of 2009. 

Monday’s match paired Tiger Mask IV with “Dynamite Kid” Tom Billington against Black Tiger IV (Rocky Romero) and Black Tiger IX (formerly Magnus in CMLL). Billington’s uncle, the original Dynamite Kid, was a notable rival of the original Tiger Mask.  

Tiger Mask IV was trained by Satoru Sayama, the original Tiger Mask. He wrestled for Michinoku Pro in Japan from 1995 to 2001, then moved to New Japan in 2002, and has wrestled there ever since. He is a six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and a two-time Best of the Super Juniors winner, and he also won IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships with Jushin Liger and Robbie Eagles. 

He also won championships in All Japan and Pro Wrestling Noah in Japan, and in CMLL and UWA in Mexico. He has also wrestled for TNA in the United States, competing in a four-way match against Alex Shelley, Jerry Lynn, and Senshi (Low Ki) at Sacrifice in 2007.