Career
Takaiwa is one of the more well-traveled junior heavyweights in Japan, having wrestled for New Japan, and Zero1, as well as making special appearances in All Japan and NOAH. He"s a former holder of the Zero-One International Junior. Heavyweight Title, IWGP Junior. Heavyweight Title and a former holder of the Pro Wrestling Noah GHC Junior.
Heavyweight Title, and the Aging with Attitude World Junior.
Heavyweight Title. On February 15, 2009, Takaiwa debuted as the fifth Black Tiger, breaking the Black Tiger tradition of foreigners under the mask, by attacking Tiger Mask. On June 20, 2009, at Dominion 6.20 Tiger Mask defeated him in a mask versus mask match and afterwards Takaiwa revealed his identity by removing his mask.
Takaiwa lost his mask as Black Tiger V for the second time on May 14, 2011, when he was defeated at a Toryumon Mexico event by Último Dragón. Despite losing his mask twice, Takaiwa continues to make appearances as Black Tiger V.
Finishing moves
Death Valley bomb, sometimes from the top rope or preceded by a double powerbomb
Fireman"s carry dropped into either a reverse piledriver or a cradle pin
Lariat
Takaiwa Driller (Over the shoulder reverse piledriver)
Signature moves
Flapjack lifted and dropped into a powerslam, powerbomb or death valley driver
Mochizuki Bomb (Multiple powerbombs)
Powerslam
Samoan driver
Sitout scoop slam piledriver
Sitout suplex slam
Superbomb
Takaiwa Driver (Vertical suplex piledriver, sometimes from the top rope)
Entrance themes
"Goro Versus
Art" (NJPW; 1995-1997)
"One Way Up" (NJPW / Freelance.
1997-2001. Used occasionally)
"Hangin" Tough" (NJPW / ZERO1 / Freelance. 2001–present)
Dramatic Dream Team
Ganbare☆Kakutougi Open Tournament (2014)
Top of the Dramatic Cruiser (2013)
New Japan Pro Wrestling
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Shinjiro Otani
Best of the Super Juniors (2000)
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
PWI ranked him #52 of the 500 best singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2000
PWI ranked him #42 of the Top 100 Tag Teams of the "PWI Years" with Shinjiro Otani in 2003
Pro Wrestling Noah
GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
Pro Wrestling Zero1
Aging with Attitude World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Aging with Attitude/Zero1-Max/UPW/WORLD-1 International Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
NWA International Lightweight Tag Team Championship (2 times, current) – with Tomohiro Ishii (1) and Shinjiro Otani (1, current)
NWA/UPW/Zero-One International Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
WWA World Junior Light Heavyweight Championship (Disputed Branch) (1 time)
World-1 Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
Tenkaichi Junior.
(2004, 2008)
Tenryu Project
Tenryu Project International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Masao Orihara
Wrestle Association "R"
WAR International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Shinjiro Otani
Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards
Most Improved (1997)
Tag Team of the Year (1998) with Shinjiro Otani
Luchas de Apuestas record.