Izanagi

Izanagi at a AJPW event in 2020

###

Osaka, Japan

**Atsushi Maruyama** (丸山 敦, *Maruyama Atsushi*, born on June 1, 1976 in Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to Osaka Pro Wrestling under the ring name **Izanagi** (イザナギ, *Izanagi*). He previously worked under the ring name **Tigers Mask** (タイガースマスク, *Taigāsu Masuku*), a name and original wrestling attire that were inspired by the Hanshin Tigers baseball team. On February 8, 2014, Tigers Mask announced his resignation from Osaka Pro, effective April 20, after which he will begin working in the Tokyo area under a new persona. On April 22, 2014, Maruyama made his first appearance unmasked, announcing that in the future he would be working under his real name. Maruyama also adopted two new ring names, when he started to work for Pro Wrestling Heat Up as **Akatora** (アカトラ, *Akatora*) and Kaientai Dojo as **Teppei** (TEPPEI). In January 2018, Maruyama signed with AJPW. In December 2022 Maruyama left AJPW to re-sign with Osaka Pro.

## Professional wrestling Career

After five years practicing amateur wrestling, Maruyama entered the world of professional wrestling in 2001. He kept his real name anonymous for personal reasons and did not reveal it until 2014.

### Osaka Pro Wrestling (2001-2014)

Maruyama debuted on Osaka Pro Wrestling on May 19, 2001 under the ring name **Tigers Mask** losing to Super Demekin. His gimmick began as a parody of the famous wrestler Tiger Mask, wearing a mask similar to his, but basing his name Tigers inspired by the Hanshin Tigers baseball team, with this affinity, Maruyama wore a uniform of white and yellow stripes similar to the uniform of the equipment and made several references to the baseball in its matches. Initially, his gimmick was a comic character with a little ability, Tigers then accumulated a losing streak until March 22, 2003 when he defeated Black Tigers in a Mask vs. Mask Match, which would be his first victory. After that, Tigers became a much more powerful wrestler, defeating Ebessan to win the Osaka Meibutsu Sekaiichi Championship.

Tigers ended up vacating the title in order the 2003 Tennozan tournament, where he lost to Billyken Kid  at the semifinals. However, shortly after he teamed up with Kid to defeat Jushin Thunder Liger and Takehiro Murakama, winning the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship on December 6, 2003. In the following years Tennozan, Tigers lost again at the semifinals this time to Black Buffalo. This led on December 19 the two losing the titles to Buffalo and Daio QUALLT.

In July 2005, Tigers Mask and Super Dolphin competed at the 2005 Osaka Tag Festival for the Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championships, losing at the finals to Hideyoshi and Masamune. That same year, Tigers then took part in the Tennozan tournament losing at the first round to Toru Owashi.

In early 2006, Tigers teamed up with Flash Moon to unsuccessfully challenge Billyken Kid and Black Buffalo for the Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championship. This didn't end their partnership with the two winning the 2006 Osaka Tag Festival defeating Kid and Buffalo at the finals. Then Tigers won the MWF World Junior Heavyweight Championship defeating Asian Cougar. Then he took part of the Tennozan tournament losing to GAINA at the finals. On November 25 Tigers lost the title to Gran Hamada .

In February 2007, Tigers defeated Billyken Kid to win the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship. Later Tigers teamed up with Kid for the Osaka Tag Festival. The two ended up winning the tournament defeating Black Buffalo and GAINA. This led Tigers defeating Zeus in the finals of the Tennozan on December 2. On December 8, Tigers was pinned by Black Buffalo in a Captain's Fall tag team match, and afterwards he was challenged by Buffalo to a match for the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship. On December 22, the two men agreed to the match with the added stipulation, that the loser of the match would also be unmasked. On February 11, 2008, Tigers Mask and Black Buffalo faced each other in a Mask vs. Mask match for the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship in the main event of Osaka Pro's biggest annual event, Osaka Hurricane. After Tigers won the match, Buffalo was forced to unmask and reveal himself as Keisuke Yamada of IWA Japan . Then after Buffalo was kicked out Bad Force, Tigers invited him to join the Osaka Pro Seikigun, which he accepted on March 29.

In October 2008, the Osaka Pro Seikigun was broken into two camps following problems between Tigers and Billyken Kid, which eventually led to Tigers Mask, Black Buffalo and Masamune breaking away from the group and forming a new villainous alliance, unofficially referred to as the "Rudo Army". On November 15, Buffalo and Tigers Mask defeated Atsushi Kotoge and Daisuke Harada, with help from the debuting Orochi, to become the interim Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champions. Osaka Pro had been forced to introduce the title, after one half of the reigning Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champions, Asian Cougar, had been injured at the hands of the Rudo Army.

On January 1, 2009, Buffalo and Tigers Mask defeated Mucha Lucha (Asian Cougar and Tsubasa) in a title unification match to become the new Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Champions. They would lose the title to Asian Cougar and The Great Sasuke on February 15 at Osaka Hurricane 2009, only to regain it on May 20 at Osaka Pro's tenth anniversary event. The team's second reign ended on July 18, when they were defeated by Sengoku (Hideyoshi and Masamune). Tigers and Buffalo's stable, which now also included The Bodyguard, Orochi and Tadasuke, was officially named LOV in reference to Osaka Pro's original villainous alliance. In December Tigers took part of NJPW 's Super J-Cup defeating Taichi at the first round, but lose to the eventual winner Pro Wrestling NOAH 's Naomichi Marufuji  in the second round.

In January 2010, LOV, still villains within Osaka Pro, became de facto babyfaces by starting an interpromotional storyline rivalry with the Dragon Gate promotion, starting on January 17, when Tigers Mask and Black Buffalo invaded a Dragon Gate event and attacked CIMA , who had publicly been making disparaging remarks about Osaka Pro. The following weeks several members of the WARRIORS stable, which was led by CIMA, appeared in Osaka Pro to attack Tigers and his allies, while they appeared in Dragon Gate with similar intentions. Although Tigers Mask and Black Buffalo looked for revenge on CIMA, this one did not appear in Osaka Pro, since it was ordered by Gamma that Super Shisa replaced him. A month later, Tigers Mask won the Open The Brave Gate Championship against Shisa, to which CIMA responded by finally appearing at Osaka winning the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship from Billyken Kid. In June, a group of Osaka Pro heel wrestlers led by Mask battled WARRIORS in an attempt to conquer Dragon Gate, leading to a match on July 11, when he, Black Buffalo and The Bodyguard unsuccessfully challenged CIMA, Gamma and Genki Horiguchi for the Open The Triangle Gate Championship. Therefore, CIMA and Tigers Mask faced each other in an singles match dor the Osaka Pro and the Open The Brave Gate Championship, where Tigers Mask defeated CIMA and took the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship back to his company. However, on August 14, Tigers Mask lost the Open The Brave Gate Championship to Masato Yoshino.

LOV's babyface turn would be finalized on August 28, when Orochi turned on the stable, helping Asian Cougar defeating Mask for the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship. The newly renamed Kuuga, Orochi and another LOV turncoat, The Bodyguard, would then form the Joker stable, which took over LOV's spot as the promotion's top villainous alliance. On January 29, 2011, Tigers and Buffalo challenged Kuuga and Orochi for the Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championship, but were defeated, when Tadasuke also turned on them and jumped to Joker. After Buffalo was forced to leave LOV, Tigers kept LOV alive by recruiting Naoki Setoguchi as his new partner. On March 13 Buffalo returned to LOV after turning on JOKER. After LOV picked up two big wins over Joker, first on April 10, when Tigers, Buffalo, and Naoki Setoguchi defeated Kuuga, Tadasuke and HAYATA to win the 12th Anniversary Six Man Tag Team Tournament, and then, when Tigers Mask regained the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship from Kuuga on April 29, Tigers Mask suddenly announced that he was disbanding LOV and rejoining the Osaka Pro Seikigun, along with Buffalo and Setoguchi. In June, Tigers and Buffalo entered the 2011 Osaka Tag Festival. After two wins and one loss, they advanced to the finals, where, on June 26, they defeated Billyken Kid and Joker leader Kuuga to win the tournament. On August 14 at Osaka Pro's biggest annual event, Osaka Hurricane Tigers lost the Osaka Pro Championship to Billyken Kid. Then on December Tigers took part of the Tennozan tournament, this time he wrestled Kid in a rematch at the quarter finals ending in a double countout.

In the rest of 2011 until May 2013, Tigers was mainly in mid-card matches. During this on February 24, Tigers, Billyken Kid, Kazuaki Mihara and Naoki Setoguchi of the Osaka Pro Seikigun faced Daisuke Harada , Black Buffalo, HAYATA and Tadasuke of Glare in an elimination match, where the losing team would be forced to disband. The match eventually came down to Harada and Kid and ended with Harada scoring the deciding pinfall, saving Glare and forcing Seikigun to disband. Later on May 19 Tigers defeated Kid in a tournament final to win the Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship for the fourth time. He then entered in a feud with Bad Stream's Quiet Storm after his mask was ripped by Storm and afterwards challenged him into a title match. This led Tigers along nine other wrestlers revived the Osaka Pro Seikigun in order to battle the new Bad Stream stable. On July 21 Tigers ended up losing the title to Storm in a no DQ match. Later in September Tigers returned to the mid-card winning the Osaka Pro Wrestling Owarai Championship from Yutaka.

He would lose the title to Hof Senyo Zeong on November 2, only to regain it on March 20, 2014 in a battle royal. During this on February 8, Tigers announced his resignation from Osaka Pro, effective April 20, after which he would began working in the Tokyo area under a new persona. The announcement also led to him relinquishing the Osaka Pro Wrestling Owarai Championship.

### Pro Wrestling Guerrilla (2004)

In March 2004 Tigers Mask made his debut in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla in thier event PWG 88 Miles Per Hour!, where he lost to Bobby Quance.

### Michinoku Pro Wrestling (2006-2008, 2012, 2014-2017)

In July 2006, Tigers Mask appeared in Michinoku Pro Wrestling as heel participating in the 2006 *Tetsujin Tournament*. Tigers would defeat Rasse, Yoshitsune and Rei but he lost in the semifinals to Hayato Fujita. Tigers Mask and Flash Moon defeated Kei and Shu Sato to win the Tohoku Tag Team Championships but they would lost the titles back to them a month later.

In August 2007, Tigers would qualify for the 2007 Fukumen World League Tournament, where he Rasse and Último Dragón but he would lost in the semifinals to Tiger Mask IV.

In 2008, Tigers Mask appeared in the 2008 *Tetsujin Tournament* he would eventualy win the tournament by defeating Kesen Numajiro. Following that he would recieve a a championship shot for the Tohoku Junior Heavyweight Championship, but he would lost to Yoshitsune on September 20. In 2012 he would return to the promotion taking part the 2012 Fukumen World League losing in the first round to HEAT. After that, he would return in 2014 and he would began work regulary for the promotion under the ring name of **Eagles Mask**.

### Pro Wrestling Zero1 (2013-2015)

Tigers made his debut in Pro Wrestling Zero1 on August 4, 2013 teaming alongside old Osaka Pro Wrestling wrestler HUB and Billyken Kid defeating Ikuto Hidaka, Mineo Fujita and Takuya Sugawara. Tigers then took part of the Tenkaichi Jr. tournament, finishing at the semifinals losing to Fujita. After HUB won the Tenkaichi Jr. his was to Tigers and Kid recieving a championship shot for the NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Championship. Tigers and Kid ended up winning the vacant titles defeating Fujita Hayato and Ikuto Hidaka, and Jason Lee and Mineo Fujita on March 30, 2014. During their reign Tigers competed under his real name **Atsushi Maruyama**. They lost the titles to Takuya Sugawara and "brother" YASSHI on Septembr 19. On January 1, 2015 Maruyama took part in a three-way match for the International and NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship including Jason Lee and Mineo Fujita. Maruyama ended up losing the match. Maruyama's last appearance in Zero1 was on February 8, when he and Lee unsucessfully challenged Shuji Kondo and Seiki Yoshioka for the NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Championship.

### DDT Pro-Wrestling (2011-2019)

Maruyama started to compete in DDT Pro-Wrestling in 2011 under the ring name Tigers Mask, he would then sporadic compete in the promotion until 2015. He would then started to regulary compete in the promtion, winning the IMGP World Heavyweight Championship for the second time, he would then compete in a mid-carded.

### All Japan Pro Wrestling (2016-2022)

Maruyama debuted in All Japan Pro Wrestling on February, 2016 taking part of the Jr. Battle of Glory, he would then finish the tournament with one win, one loss and one draw, failing to advance to the finals. However due to another block participant Kazuki Hashimoto had to withdrew due to a hand injury. This led Maruyama facing Hikaru Sato to earn a spot in the finals of the tournament in which Maruyama ended up losing to Sato. On October 15, Maruyama and Masashi Takeda unsuccessfully challenged Evolution (Atsushi Aoki and Sato) for the All Asia Tag Team Championship. Then on February 2017, Maruyama took part of the 2017 Jr. Battle Of Glory, this time he finshed the tournament with one win, one loss and two draws, failing to advance to the finals. On September 3 Maruyama unsucessfully challenged Jun Akiyama for the Gaora TV Championship. In November 2017 Maruyama and Takeda won the 2017 Jr. Tag Battle of Glory.

On January 1 Maruyama signed with AJPW. On February 5, Maruyama was temporarily released from his contract from March 7 to 15 due to hosting a self-produced show on March 12 to retire his Weekday Mask gimmick. AJPW President Jun Akiyama made an ultimatum that if he didn't draws more that a 100 people, Maruyama wouldn't receive his contract renewal with AJPW. Later that same month, Maruyama took part of the Jr. Battle of Glory, finishing the tournament with a record of two wins and three losses, failing to advance to the finals. In August, Maruyama and Takeda took part of their second Jr. Tag Battle of Glory, finishing the tournament with a record of three wins and three losses, failling to win the tournament. In 2020 Murayama would turn heel and join Zeus, UTAMARO and Shigehiro Irie and Lucas Steel to from Purple Haze under new ring name and gimmick **Izanagi**. On August 15, 2020, Izanagi and his new Purple Haze stablemate, Zeus defeated Isami Kodaka and Yuko Miyamoto to win All Asia Tag Team Championships. From November 22 until December 7, Izanagi and Irie took part in the 2020 World's Strongest Tag Determination League, finishing the tournament, with a record of two wins and six losses, failling to win the tournament. On September 7, 2021 Izanagi and Zeus lost the All Asia Tag Team Championships to Strong Hearts (T-Hawk and El Lindaman). On October 16, 2021, Izanagi defeated SUGI to win the World Junior Heavyweight Championship for the first time. On December 16, Izanagi lost the World Junior Heavyweight Championship to Super Crazy. Shortly after Zeus left AJPW, Purple Haze quietly disbanded in 2022. On June 6, Izanagi defeated Shigehiro Irie for the Gaora TV Championship. He lost the title on June 19, to Toshizo in a four-way ladder match also involving Black Menso～re and Yusuke Kodama. On December 8, Murayama announced his resignation from AJPW with Murayama having his last match for the promotion on December 21, after he re-signed with Osaka Pro Wrestling.

## In wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Akuma Kumikyo/10 Million Powers Buzzsaw Kick* (High speed roundhouse kick to the head of a seated or kneeling opponent, sometimes with a tonfa hidden in his shin guard)
	+ *Sennin no Inside Cradle* (Hammerlock small package)
	+ *Tigers Suplex Hold* (Bridging tiger suplex, sometimes while applying a wrist-clutch)
	+ *Tigers Special #0* (Rope-rebound bridging tiger suplex) - used rarely
* **Signature moves**
	+ *160km/h Chop* (High-impact open-handed chop, with theatrics)
	+ Brainbuster
	+ Bridging German suplex
	+ Cartwheel over the top rope suicide moonsault
	+ Cross armbreaker
	+ Diving crossbody
	+ Diving cutter
	+ Double knee backbreaker
	+ Figure four leglock
	+ Grounded octopus stretch
	+ Multiple kick variations
		- *0725* (Tiger feint)
		- Baseball slide drop
		- Corner backflip
		- Drop
		- Missile
		- Roundhouse
		- Super
		- *TAJIRI Kounin Buzzsaw Kick / Mangetsu no Yoru* (Roundhouse to a kneeling opponent) - adopted from TAJIRI
	+ Multiple suplex variations
		- Bridging German
		- Double chickenwing
		- Snap belly to back
		- *Tigers Special #1* (German transitioned into a reverse rolling prawn hold)
	+ Over the top rope suicide somersault senton
	+ Running double knee strike into a cornered opponent
	+ Sitout double underhook powerbomb
	+ *Tiger Driver* (Sitout double underhook powerbomb)
	+ *Tigers Swing* (Giant swing)
	+ Tornado DDT
	+ Ura-nage
	+ *Zatopec* (Hammerlock guillotine choke with bodyscissors)

## Championships and accomplishments

* **All Japan Pro Wrestling**
	+ All Asia Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Zeus
	+ Gaora TV Championship (1 time)
	+ World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
	+ Jr. Tag Battle of Glory (2017) – with Masashi Takeda
* **Dragon Gate**
	+ Open The Brave Gate Championship (1 time)
* **Dramatic Dream Team**
	+ Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship (2 times)
	+ IMGP World Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
* **Kaientai Dojo**
	+ Independent World Junior Heavyweight Championship (3 times)
* **Mexican Wrestling Federation**
	+ MWF World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
* **Michinoku Pro Wrestling**
	+ Tohoku Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Flash Moon
	+ Tetsujin Tournament (2008)
* **Osaka Pro Wrestling**
	+ CMLL World Super Mexico Championship (1 time)
	+ Osaka Pro Wrestling Battle Royal Championship (1 time)
	+ Osaka Pro Wrestling Owarai Championship (2 times)
	+ Osaka Meibutsu Sekaiichi Championship (1 time)
	+ Osaka Pro Wrestling Championship (4 times)
	+ Osaka Pro Wrestling Tag Team Championship (3 times) – with Billyken Kid (1) and Black Buffalo (2)
	+ Osaka Tag Festival (2006) – with Flash Moon
	+ Osaka Tag Festival (2007) – with Billyken Kid
	+ Osaka Tag Festival (2011) – with Black Buffalo
	+ Tenno-zan (2007)
* **Pro Wrestling Zero1**
	+ NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Billyken Kid

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 4･26Heat-Up Mon☆Star13 試合レポート～メインイベント～  (in Japanese). *Pro Wrestling Heat Up* (2014-04-30). Retrieved on 2014-05-06.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Leung, Jonathan 2014-04-24. 4/20 Results: Roster Says Goodbye . *Osaka Holiday Paradise*. Archived from the original on 2014-04-26. Retrieved on 2014-04-25.
3. ↑ ガン女5.16王子大会　ガンバレ☆女子プロレス旗揚げ戦　Best of the Super Cinderella  (in Japanese). *Battle News* (2015-05-16). Retrieved on 2015-05-16.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 GWSP4にタイガースマスク改めTeppei参戦決定  (in Japanese). *Kaientai Dojo*. Livedoor (2014-04-27). Retrieved on 2014-05-06.
5. ↑ 丸山敦選手全日本プロレス入団のお知らせ  (in Japanese). *All Japan Pro Wrestling* (2017-01-02). Retrieved on 2017-01-02.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 Puroresu Central profile .
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Osaka Pro Wrestling profile .
8. ↑ Boutwell, Josh 2010-04-23. Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly . WrestleView. Retrieved on 2010-04-24. “Open the Brave Gate Title: Tigers Mask def. Super Shisa (c) to win the title [...] Osaka Pro's Tigers Mask upsets Super Shisa for the Brave Gate Title”
9. ↑ *ja:【大阪リポート】メインの新世代タッグマッチはDDTの未来を見せた激闘28分…フルタイム間際に竹下が樋口をジャーマン葬／飯伏、菊くいワールドを凌駕。菊タローに変身!!／ササダンゴと丸山の一戦はIMGP世界ヘビー級戦に。感動の超大作が誕生!?* (in Japanese). *Dramatic Dream Team* (2015-07-12). Retrieved on 2015-07-12.
10. ↑ *ja:９月１８日試合結果* (in Japanese). *Osaka Pro Wrestling* (2013-09-18). Retrieved on 2013-09-20.
11. ↑ Boutwell, Josh 2010-07-30. Viva La Raza! Lucha Weekly: Dragon Gate . WrestleView. Retrieved on 2010-07-31. “Title vs. Title: Open the Brave Gate Champ: Tigers Mask def. Osaka Pro Champ: CIMA to win the Osaka Pro Title and retian [*sic*] the Brave Gate Title!”