Kuniaki Kobayashi, finest recognized to followers of New Japan Professional-Wrestling for his epic battles with Tiger Masks, has handed away at 68, in response to a press launch.
Kobayashi started coaching on the well-known NJPW Dojo in 1972 earlier than getting his ft moist internationally, wrestling in Mexico and varied U.S. territories, together with NWA Los Angeles. He returned to Japan in 1982 and commenced his famend feud with the nation’s widespread new babyface, Tiger Masks, with Kobayashi typically billing himself because the “Tiger Hunter” in these matchups. The contests shortly grew to become fan favorites.
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Within the mid-80s, Kobayashi defeated the second Tiger Masks (Mitsuharu Misawa) for the World Junior Heavyweight Championship. He additionally captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship after a short stint within the WWE as Chin Kobiashi.
Past his affiliation with Tiger Masks, Kobayashi can be tied to a different Japanese wrestling legend that U.S. followers are accustomed to: Jushin Liger. In 1989, Kobayashi made historical past as the very first opponent of Keiichi Yamada’s new Jushin Liger persona, the character that might outline Yamada’s total profession. Although Kobayashi misplaced that first encounter on the Tokyo Dome, the 2 would lock up a number of extra occasions within the years that adopted, together with Kobayashi’s official retirement match in 2000, which Kobayashi as soon as once more misplaced. Nevertheless, in true wrestling trend, his “retirement” would not actually stick, as Kobayashi would return for particular appearances and the occasional battle royale, most not too long ago in 2017 at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom XI. In a full-circle second, Kobayashi stood at ringside throughout Jushin Liger’s personal retirement match at Wrestle Kingdom 14 in 2020.
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Kobayashi remained lively behind the scenes, serving to prepare the subsequent era on the NJPW Dojo, the place his personal profession started.
