Trivia

A brain tumor left him deaf in one ear. After the tumor was found to be benign it was removed and he returned to wrestling 14 days later.

Professional wrestler

Two-time winner of the Super J-Cup Tournament in 1995 and 2000.

Lost to Toshiaki Kawada in the finals of an amateur wrestling tournament while a junior in high school.

Inventer of the Shooting Star Press. A forward moving back flip from the top turnbuckle to his downed opponent on the mat.

Liger is an 11-time winner of the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title, though only 10 of those reigns are recognized by New Japan Pro Wrestling. The match he had in the United States on WCW Monday Nitro where he lost the title to Juventud Guerrera was scripted by controversial head booker, Vince Russo. The match was considered so embarrassing to Liger and New Japan that they refused to recognize it. Liger regained the title a week later, however, it was handled by New Japan as if he never lost the title and his matches in the U.S. over that period were not reported on by any Japanese sport periodical. However, in 2007, New Japan relented and now recognize both Liger's 11th reign and Guerrera's short reign.

Currently the leader of the CTU group, which is the junior heavyweight faction of the New Japan Black army. (June 2005)

WWE Hall of Famer.