Tiger Jeet Singh’s first appearance in Japan in 14 years took a worrying turn when a fan was accidentally struck on the forehead by the wrestling legend’s sword.

The 82-year-old attended Megumi Kudo’s 40th anniversary event at Yoyogi National Stadium Gymnasium No. 2 in Shibuya, Japan, on October 17. He was there as a special observer for the pre-main event, which saw Masakatsu Funaki and Tatsumi Fujinami defeat Mitsuya Nagai and Shiro Koshinaka.

Singh made his entrance alongside his son, Tiger Ali Singh, and his grandson. During the walk to the ring, he broke away from his family and moved towards the crowd while swinging his signature sabre.

His son intervened and brought him under control, but a fan was accidentally hit during the incident.

Ringside doctors treated the spectator before an ambulance took them to hospital. The injury was later reported to be minor.

Speaking at the post-show press conference, Kudo apologised and pledged support from the organisers.

“I believe there were shortcomings in our corner team setup. I deeply apologize for injuring the fans who came to enjoy the show. I’m truly sorry. I think you were able to see the Shin you all wanted to see. However, I’m truly sorry that he (the fan) got injured. As an organization, we will do everything we can to address the situation.”

Singh offered a different response when speaking to Tokyo Sports after the event, placing responsibility on the spectator.

“It was a mistake for him to be in front of me. It’s his fault. You know that, right? All he had to do was get out of my way.”

His son also pointed to warnings given during the entrance and described what happened as an accident.

“The announcer was saying, ‘Please be careful!’ They were warning him it was dangerous, but he didn’t move out of the way. I’m sure he won’t make the same mistake again. Just like my father said, this was an accident.”

Singh became one of wrestling’s most recognisable villains through his work in North America and Japan. His rivalry with Antonio Inoki in New Japan Pro-Wrestling during the 1970s remains a defining part of his career. He also briefly appeared in WWE in 1997 as his son’s manager.

What do you make of the incident and the responses afterwards? Share your thoughts in the comments.