Tiger Mask

[smacks]

Does anyone know how they pick the new Tiger Mask? Does Sayama pick them or does someone just decide to become Tiger Mask? And how did Misawa get chosen, he isn't really like the other three as far as style goes. He isn't really the traditional shooter/high-flyer combo that TM4 and Kanemoto are. Also does anyone have pics of Kanemoto or Misawa as Tiger Mask?

[Muiyan]

As far as i know, Tiger Masks are decided by whoever owns the rights to the gimmick at the moment. For instance, back then NJPW owned the rights to it, and the promoter picked Sayama to take the role. Then the rights were sold to All Japan and they picked Misawa to take the role (don't ask me why). Then i guess it went back to NJ (Kanemoto) before finally settling in Michinoku Pro.

[Peru-Yakuza]

The one from Michinoku Pro was actually trained and endorsed by Sayama, the original. I think Sayama owns the copyright to the name now.

[Hijo de Carlos]

Did TM4 actually debut as TM? Or did he wrestle under any other names previously?

Also, didn't Candy Okutsu have a short run as a female Tiger Mask a while back? Or did I dream that?

[Peru-Yakuza]

Originally posted by Hijo de Carlos
Did TM4 actually debut as TM? Or did he wrestle under any other names previously?

Yes, he did. He was apparently trained by Sayama in the Shooto dojo when he ran it. His first match was against Sasuke; it was a tie.

Also, didn't Candy Okutsu have a short run as a female Tiger Mask a while back? Or did I dream that? [/B]

Yes, with authorization from Sayama she became "Tiger Dream." However, later Aja Kong, who was then booking ARSION, failed to renew the copyright contract and the persona was canned. Okutsu was injury-prone anyway so given her long absence no one noticed.

[greenman]

Deflin has a "tiger's mask" in osaka pro but I think he got round the copyright issue by claiming a connection with an osaka baseball team called the tigers.