NJPW: Does Jushin Thunder Liger Have One More Run in Him?
By Jay Sichler
With Jushin Thunder Liger’s career nearing the end, does the greatest light heavyweight of all time have one more run left in him?
On Sunday, Jr. Heavyweight Icon, Jushin Thunder Liger announced that within the next five years he will be hanging up his boots and taking off his icon mask for good. He addressed this in a media appearance in Japan on Sunday and according to Japanese wrestling reporter Enuhito, Liger talked about the situation.
Liger : I don't know it will be 1 year, 2 years or 3 years. But It won't be 5 years. It is true. pic.twitter.com/o20ODjMnhJ
— enuhito(English) (@enuhito_eng) April 24, 2016
At age 51, this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. The fact that Liger has been able to perform at this level is an accomplishment and the how he thinks he has five more years is incredible. With his career now nearing the end, the question now arises if Liger has one more good run in him.
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In recent years, Liger has been viewed as an afterthought in New Japan Pro Wrestling. For the most part, he has been used in opening tag matches that involve the same cast of characters (Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi, Jay White, David Finlay and Juice Robinson). After spending years and years as one of the top draws in NJPW, Liger has been relegated to opening events in tag matches that always seem the same.
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Well, Liger has returned to a relevant program. He recently challenged Kushida for the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship and if the Shooting Star wins, it would be his 12th reign with the belt. This would also be Jushin’s first time holding the strap since 2000 when he lost the championship to Tatsuhito Takaiwa.
NJPW should also start to use Liger as a perennial player in the Jr. Heavyweight division due to the group’s lost luster. With Kenny Omega now in the heavyweight class and Finn Balor with WWE, Kushida is really the only real star the division has.
When given the chance, Liger has shown that he can still hang with the best and put on a solid match. He had a great match with AJ Styles in England last year and a marquee bout against Tyler Breeze at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn in August 2015.
Liger could really help bolster the Jr. Heavyweight division with an impressive showing against Kushida. Liger doesn’t have to win the championship again but he should be working with the competitors in that division, helping to mold a fresh new crop of stars.
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If Jushin Thunder Liger, really has five years left, then NJPW should be using him to the best of his abilities. He will go down as the greatest light heavyweights of all time and with that legacy, he should now work with the future stars of the division.
Liger has shown he still has some left in the tank, helping save and rebuild the division he helped formed into one of the best in New Japan. He should end his career by helping rebuild the division for the future.