Some of the most popular WWE Superstars of all time made their big breakthroughs in the 2000s, filled with enough "Ruthless Aggression" to catapult them to the top of the industry. However, there are a number of performers who have developed a cult-like following since their time with WWE in the 2000s, and one of those men is none other than "The Japanese Buzzsaw," Tajiri.
Originally wrestling under his full name of Yoshihiro Tajiri, the Japanese legend originally got his first glimpse of the limelight in CMLL, where he won the company's World Light Heavyweight Championship (the same titleAEW star MJF recently held), before making a name for himself as one of the most exciting talents that Big Japan Wrestling had to offer. The world would eventually become familiar with Tajiri when he signed with Extreme Championship Wrestling, where he evolved into the man everyone would come to know and love when he joined WWE in 2001.
"The Japanese Buzzsaw" would make some cameo appearances for WWE when the company was establishing its Light Heavyweight division, but during his main run with the company, Tajiri would become one of the most successful Japanese stars to ever wrestle for WWE. He became a key member of the cruiserweight division that played a major part in making Paul Heyman's version of "WWE SmackDown" as popular as it was, and would win the WWE Cruiserweight Championship on three occasions. Tajiri also held the WWE Light Heavyweight Championship, the WCW United States Championship during the Invasion storyline, and the WWE Tag Team Championships twice, teaming with Eddie Guerrero and William Regal, respectively.
Tajiri would leave WWE at the end of 2005 as he had aspirations of becoming a journalist and winding down his wrestling career, while also wanting to spend more time with his family in Japan. He would make a handful of cameo appearances for WWE in the years since his exit, such as at ECW One Night Stand 2006, a house show in Tokyo back in 2008, and was even a part of the 2016 Cruiserweight Classic tournament. As for his journalism career, that didn't really last long as Tajiri would remain active in Japan, working for various promotions, and is still working to this day.
In September 2024, Tajiri celebrated his 30th year as a professional wrestler, and despite recently turning 55 years old, "The Japanese Buzzsaw" shows no signs of slowing down, given what he's been up to in Japan. Since 2023, Tajiri has been a full-time member of the Kyushu Pro Wrestling roster, where he has held the company's Heavyweight and Tag Team Championships (the latter of which being as recently as September 2025.
Even though he calls Kyushu Pro his home promotion, Tajiri's status as a freelancer means that he has been able to pop up in a number of promotions all over the world. In 2025 alone, he reunited with his old ECW friends in Super Crazy and Little Guido for GCW's "The People Vs. GCW" pay-per-view, which took place in a venue ECW made famous, the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Tajiri even played a small role in Hiroshi Tanahashi's final year as an in-ring performer as he appeared at New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestling Dontaku event in May, teaming up with "The Ace," Toru Yano, YOH, and Kyushu Pro founder Ryota Chikuzen to face TMDK. Tanahashi and Tajiri were briefly tag team partners in 2010 while the former WWE Superstar was making his travels around Japan.
Tajiri hasn't shown any signs that he might be retiring in the near future despite hinting at retirement before he joined Kyushu Pro, and is even traveling to the United States for a match on November 1 against Joey Avalon in Midwest All-Star Wrestling, an event that will also feature current AEW tag team Top Flight and former WWE Superstar Isla Dawn.
