Tiger Mask pulled from GCW Jersey J-Cup match against Dynamite Kid
A rivalry that was set to be reborn will have to wait a bit longer as Tiger Mask will no longer appear as part of this Friday’s GCW Jersey J-Cup action.
Tiger Mask was set to face the new “Dynamite Kid” Tommy Billington in Jersey City, New Jersey, in a revival of the legendary feud between the original Tiger Mask and the original Thomas Billington.
However, “due to a personal emergency, Tiger Mask will no longer be able to travel to the US for the GCW/JCW Jersey J-Cup. We will be doing everything in our power to reschedule his match with Tommy Billington as soon as possible on a GCW/JCW event in the region.”
Billington will now face Black Tiger IV (Rocky Romero) on Friday while Billington will team with Joey Janela against Gabe Kidd and Mad Dog Connelly on Saturday.
Yoshihiro Yamazaki — who has portrayed Tiger Mask since 1995 — is set to retire from the ring in July 2026. Originally played by Satoru Sayama, the character debuted in 1981 with a victory over Billington’s uncle and the original Dynamite Kid, Thomas Billington. The two then had a series of matches and a feud that set a new standard for wrestling.
“We apologize for this unavoidable change and are dedicating to presenting the best show possible,” the promotion wrote.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.