Tizoc (The Griffon)

Tizoc, otherwise known as Griffon Mask (グリフォンマスク, Gurifon Masuku) or The Griffon in the Japanese version, is a character from both the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters series. He started out in Garou: Mark of the Wolves. He replaced Raiden for the The King of Fighters 2003 lineup.

He is voiced by Hikaru Hanada.

Fatal Fury
Tizoc is a famed star in the wrestling world who has gained exceptional favoritism amongst the children audience since his debut. As time passed, it seemed like he would be unbeatable until a mysterious man suddenly appeared and soundly defeated him (the fan Q&A implies that the man is Gato's father). Devastated by the loss, he has spent the following two years searching for the man. Seeing himself as a washed up has-been by the time Mark of the Wolves begins, he enters The King of Fighters tournament in order to gain his passion for the ring and to hopefully find the mystery man.

The King of Fighters
When the events of The King of Fighters 2003 occur, Tizoc is an up and coming superstar in the professional wrestling circuit and joins the Fatal Fury team after being invited by Terry Bogard himself after his brother, Andy, was unavailable since he was tending to his young student in Japan. B. Jenet summons him to join her team in KOF XI. He joins for the "heart" of the fight and is not concerned with winning the prize money.

It was revealed in KOF XIV that Tizoc was defeated by a certain boxer. To avenge his defeat and ensure he would not disappoint his fans with his revenge, Tizoc changes his persona into King of Dinosaurs in order to enact his plan.

Personality
Tizoc's gimmick in wrestling is his life. He loves to be the hero of poor children and even acts and speaks outside the ring the same way he does when he is fighting. It was for this reason that he didn't want to see the children heartbroken with their hero acting un-heroic by trying to take revenge while his pride as a fighter was wounded deeply by his defeat against a certain boxer that he had to settle his vengeance that he decided to change his persona into King of Dinosaurs.

Fighting Style
Tizoc fights with a style derived from Pro Wrestling. He uses several real moves such as drop kicks, clotheslines, suplexes, a highly exaggerated Hurricanranna, and a highly exaggerated piledriver among others. A majority of his moves are named after Greek and Norse mythology.

Music

 * Invincible Mask - Garou: Mark of the Wolves
 * Prolongation - The King of Fighters 2003
 * Kiss of Poison - The King of Fighters XI

Game Appearances

 * Garou: Mark of the Wolves
 * The King of Fighters 2003
 * The King of Fighters XI

Cameo Appearances

 * The King of Fighters 2002 - in the Mexico stage
 * The King of Fighters XIII - in the Brazil stage and cameo in cinematics
 * KOF: Maximum Impact 2 - background cameo, Hanzo Hattori's Another Outfit-Variation
 * The King of Fighters '94: Rebout - background cameo
 * The King of Fighters 2002: Unlimited Match
 * Days of Memories (second title) - in-text
 * Moeyo! KOF Daiundokai

Similar Characters

 * King of Dinosaurs

Gallery
Tizoc