Tiger Mask IV Cites Visa Issues As Reason He Was Not Able To Wrestle ‘Dynamite Kid’ Tommy Billington At GCW/JCW Show

The reason why the match between Tiger Mask and Tommy Billington did not happen in early 2026.

Game Changer Wrestling and Jersey Championship Wrestling presented the Jersey J Cup in February 2026.

One of the advertised matches was a singles bout between Tiger Mask IV and ‘Dynamite Kid’ Tommy Billington. Tiger had to pull out of the match due to a ‘personal emergency.’

Tiger and Billington will get a chance to share the ring at Tiger’s retirement show on July 7th. He’ll be competing in two matches that night, one against Billington and the other against Black Tiger (Rocky Romero).

Following the July 2nd NJPW Road to G1 Climax show, Tiger Mask said the initial match against Billington did not happen because of visa issues.

“For me, a retirement fight was never an option. I’d decided not to do it, and I thought I wouldn’t even have a ceremony, but that was just my own ego talking. When I really thought about how Tiger Mask exists because of the fans, I realized I couldn’t act that way. I felt sorry and reflected on it. After all, I am the Tiger Mask created by Mr. Satoru Sayama, so I wanted to face a wrestler with a history as Tiger Mask. I actually had a chance to face Tom Billington in January or February. But I couldn’t do it due to visa issues. When I thought about that, I realized he was still around, and if he’s here, why not have Black Tiger here too? I thought that if this were my retirement match, these two were the only ones who would do.”

When the full card is announced for Tiger Mask’s retirement show, we’ll update you here on Fightful.