Satoru Sayama

Satoru Sayama (佐山 聡, Sayama Satoru) (born November 24, 1957) is a Japanese professional wrestler, best known as the original Tiger Mask. He has wrestled under his real name as well as the names Sammy Lee, and masked Super Tiger, Tiger King, (Original) Tiger Mask and The Mask of Tiger. He is the only man to hold the WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship and the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship at the same time.

Satoru Sayama
Born	(1957-11-24) November 24, 1957 (age 67) Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s)	Satoru Sayama (Original) Tiger Mask Super Tiger Tiger King Sammy Lee The Mask of Tiger The Tiger
Trained by	Karl Gotch Antonio Inoki
Debut	May 28, 1976 April 23, 1981 (as Tiger Mask)

In wrestling

• Finishing moves
  • Tiger suplex

• Signature moves
  • Kneeling belly to belly piledriver
  • Multiple kick variations
    • Backflip
    • Shoot followed by a spin followed by a jumping rolling sole
    • Tiger feint - innovated
    • Tiger Wall Flip (Corner backflip)
  • Multiple suplex variations
    • Double underhook
    • German
    • Underhook
  • Rolling moonsault
  • Surfboard
  • Space Flying Tiger Drop (Cartwheel plancha)
  • Swan dive headbutt

Championships and accomplishments

• Empresa Mexicana de la Lucha Libre
  • NWA World Middleweight Championship (1 time)
  • WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

• New Japan Pro Wrestling
  • NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
  • WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)

• Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
  • 5 Star Match (1983) vs. Dynamite Kid on April 23
  • Best Flying Wrestler (1982, 1983)
  • Best Technical Wrestler (1982, 1983)
  • Match of the Year (1982) vs. Dynamite Kid, August 5, Tokyo, Japan
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame (Class of 1996)