And so the Thunder fell silent: Saying goodbye to Jushin Liger.

"To try and describe just how much Jushin Liger means, not only to me but to wrestling makes me nervous because I hold an enormous amount of respect for this man... He's timeless. He redefined and revolutionised this industry, decade after decade after decade" - Finn Balor.

On March 7th of 2019, legendary wrestler Jushin "Thunder" Liger announced his retirement from professional wrestling. Wrestling retirements often come with an audible groan from longtime wrestling fans, the in joke being that wrestlers never retire, but this one felt different. After 31 years as a mainstay of the pro wrestling game, one of its most iconic figures was finally bowing out.

Liger had determined his own fate as to not simply wrestle one last match but to do a farewell tour of the world so as fans across the globe could properly say goodbye. Giving the dates of January 4th & 5th 2020 as those of his final matches.

The sheer enormity of Liger's impact on the sport of professional wrestling has been huge. Spanning 31 years, he has done too much to cover in a simple blog, nevertheless, I shall attempt to do the great man justice.

As a young lad growing up in Hiroshima, Japan, Keiichi Yamada watched the New Japan great Tatsumi Fujinami in elementary school and knew from that moment that he wanted to become a pro wrestler. These moments of epiphany often happen for those aspiring to become wrestlers but few have the hard road that Yamada would endure in order to become successful. As he moved into High school, Yamada would compete as an amateur wrestler so as to give him the basic tools he would need to move up into the pro ranks.

As a young teenager he applied to become a "Young Lion" in the New Japan dojo, the most comprehensive wrestling school in the world, yet did not meet the height requirement to be successful in his application. Refusing to kowtow to failure Yamada left for Mexico where he trained to fulfill his dream. Life in the Mexican wrestling circuit is notoriously dangerous, with raucous crowds who believe passionately in the masked luchadore style, the young Yamada was near enough starving as he continued to work towards his dream. Were it not for visiting New Japan officials who saw Yamada's dire circumstances then a very different blog may have been written.

Seeing his passion and the lengths he was willing to go to in order to achieve his dream, Yamada was gifted with a place in the Dojo and promptly left Mexico for home.

Training in the New Japan dojo is notoriously strict but Yamada rose to the occasion and would eventually graduate alongside other legendary japanese names as Keiji Mutoh, Masahiro Chono and Shinya Hashimoto. He would have his debut match at 19 and for the next few years would, as is customary for Dojo graduates, travel world and learn his craft further. He would dabble in mixed martial arts so as to add a layer of legitimacy to his moveset while also returning to Mexico so as to study the Luchadore style in more depth.

When he returned he would debut the move that would change his entire career. One of Japanese cultures most popular and well known elements is of course Manga comics. Yamada would read the popular title Fist of the North star and, feeling inspired, would christen his new finisher the "Shooting Star Press". Nothing like this had ever been seen before and it took the world by storm.

The wrestling world took note of just how different this one move was and so did the New Japan office. After a second excursion overseas, Yamada would return home to be told by the New Japan office that they were intending to create a new "gimmick" for him based on the popular Japanese superhero, Jushin Liger. The company had done this before with the legendary Tiger Mask to great success and was looking to replicate this for the modern age. Dressing him in a full body suit of colourful red and white and having him don a mask they sent him out to ply his trade under his now infamous moniker on April 24th 1989.The Liger gimmick would be tweaked over the years, replacing the original mask with the now famous spiked demonic one, but more or less retained the same look.

Winning his debut against Kuniaki Kobayashi, Liger would go on to become a top contender for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight championship before eventually winning the belt he would become synonymous with on May 25th 1989. To date, no other man has held the Junior heavyweight belt as many times as Liger, a record 11 title reigns over ten years show just how much faith the office had in him carrying the Junior heavyweight banner.

For the next ten years Liger would engage in feuds with the likes of Ultimo Dragon, Brian Pillman and all of the Black Tigers. These matches were fast and aerial classics but still retained enough classic mat action so as to keep the feel of it as a competitive, athletic contest. He was met with cheers and welcomed as a hero in every arena he wrestled in. Taking on the name "Thunder" the role was complete and Liger was now a star that could not be denied. He was colourful and exciting and fans across the world could not get enough of the high flying superstar.

The adoration and respect he received was not limited to the fans. Amongst his peers he was considered one of the most giving and humble men to work with. Liger had no objection to putting people over when the time came and took his role as a mentor and teacher seriously.

That is not to say he did not remain every bit the intense competitor he had always been. Even as the ravages of time called for his body to slow down and change his style, Liger's matches were well received across the globe even as he adapted a more ground based game and utilised more power moves than high flying offence.

The Liger gimmick itself would undergo several radical transformations. On October 20th 1996, during a brutal bout with fellow classmate, Keiji Mutoh (known as The Great Muta), Liger mask would be ripped from his head to reveal ghostly white face paint and black Kanji writing. He would then spray Muta with his own "Mist" and begin a furious beatdown - Kishin Liger was born.

The Kishin Liger character was a radical departure from what had come before. He now rejected his former hero aspect and reveled in inflicting pain and suffering on those he faced. Liger had successfully reinvented himself and would continue on in this vein until eventually departing back to his original masked gimmick.

As he moved into a new decade, the 2000's saw Liger adopt more of a mentors approach to his wrestling. As he traveled the globe, he would go into companies seeking to make their top wrestlers look the very best they could. His bouts with "American Dragon" Bryan Danielson in Ring of Honour are among some of his most celebrated, while his match with Samoa Joe in TNA is considered a true classic for the companies X Division. It was not just in the ring that he became a mentor, seeking to give back to the industry he loved so much, Jushin Liger would himself become a coach at the Dojo, educating newcomers in the basics and guiding them in what it means to be a Young Lion.

Time, however, has a way with us all and is kind to no one, let alone wrestlers. As he came into his 31st year as a pro, Liger knew that it was his time to bow out. Ever the giving performer and teacher he would announce his intention to retire at a press conference in March, citing his desire to leave before he was pushed out. He did not wish to tarnish his legacy by outstaying his welcome, that he did not want the fans to ask "Why is Old Man Liger still coming out?" He wanted to do the right thing and the right thing was to make as many stars as possible over the next year.

And to settle old scores.

Jushin Liger and Minoru Suzuki had a past together that included Liger facing off against Suzuki in his very last MMA fight. It would be a bout that Suzuki would win and eventually lead to his return to wrestling full time.

As the only true wrestling heel left in the business (in my opinion) Suzuki was and still is an intimidating figure. Striking fear into the audience wherever he goes as well as taking exceptional glee in tormenting the ever present Young Lions at ringside, it was only natural that the two would clash. Over the course of several months, Suzuki would vent his frustrations at not being included in the G1 tournament (the toughest tournament in all of pro wrestling) by physically assaulting the Young Lions. As a teacher, Liger took exception to this and would eventually intervene on his students behalf.

For the next few months, both men would engage in tag bouts, using their respective students as partners. It was Liger and his Young Lions against the Suzuki Gun thugs. When both men did eventually get their hands on each other there was nothing fancy about their work. They were fighting each other, brawling and beating one another with no quarter and no pity. The storytelling was simple yet so believable and in the day of saturated wrestling products it truly stood out. Suzuki was the clear cut heel, even going so far as to rip Liger's mask from his head, leading to the Young Lions piling in on top of their mentor so his face would not be revealed (a tradition of the masked wrestler is that he should never publicly show his face).

The war would reach its eventual conclusion at King Of Pro Wrestling on October 14th 2019 when the two would square off one on one. Liger looked in the best shape of his career and Suzuki, himself now at the age of 50, had still not lost a step in all the years of his career. What followed was a hard fought bout with both men laying stiff strikes that could be heard from one side of the arena to the other. Suzuki would eventually land the Gotch pile driver for the win but what happened next would steal the breath from the audience.

In spite of his victory and with every reason to gloat and show just how much contempt he held for his opponent, Suzuki got down on his knees and bowed to Liger. The ultimate mark of respect in Japan.

The Liger vs Suzuki feud has been a true delight to watch and, in many ways, has been the best possible end to a rich and storied career. All too often, wrestlers today break character, citing a change of times as the reason but Suzuki and Liger, men who have had one foot in two generations have known when the right time for such moments was to come. This was the right moment for Suzuki's respect as was Liger's thanks to his opponent once he had left.

To think of a future that doesn't include Jushin Thunder Liger wrestling somewhere in the world is one that leaves me more than a little sad but it is one I feel that has come at the right time. Liger, ever the professional has had his time and is now looking forward to watching the new generation carry forth the industry he loves so much. Whatever the outcome on January 4th & 5th, whether he decides to do the right thing and put over the new guys or leave on a heroes exit is, at this moment, completely unknown. What is known is that Jushin Liger has given more to a business filled with those seeking to take than most and for that he has truly earned the title of Legend.