In just two days, a 27-year wrestling career is coming to an end for NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi.
At Wrestle Kingdom 20 this Sunday Tanahashi will wrestle his final match against lifelong rival AEW’s Kazuchika Okada. It couldn’t be a more fitting goodbye as the older versus younger generation was always the focal point of their intense feud.
Tanahashi spoke to NJPW 1972 just days away from hanging up his boots for the very last time.
“It’s hard. Obviously I take responsibility as president seriously and part of that responsibility is to focus and leave wrestling behind, but when you hear the crowd come up that’s really hard to leave behind. I want to hear that support forever and there’s always that part of me screaming I want to keep wrestling. But I think now, I’m ready for this,” he said.
The Ace is proud that his goodbye will be before a sold out crowd in the Tokyo Dome.
“Thanks everyone! I’d been saying for so long that I want this show sold out, but I never thought we’d fill the place up in early December. You know, I’ve never heard what a sold out Tokyo Dome pop sounds like as a wrestler in the ring. As a fan I was at the October 9 1995 NJPW vs UWFI show, and the Inoki retirement, but right in the cheap stand area. To sell it out for my last match is a really neat way to end things,” he said.
Wrestling legend Antonio Inoki was the only other NJPW talent to retire in a sold out Tokyo Dome.
As far as facing Okada one last time, The Ace is ready.
“I always felt my retirement match should be against somebody I have a long tie to and with deep connections. There were a few it could have been, but I’m happy that Okada challenged. I don’t think I ever really got my revenge for the Rainmaker Shock, you know? In terms of overall wins and losses, I’m down against him, but also, it’s about that first impact, the moment that made him a superstar. In a way I’ve been waiting 14 years to get my win back from 2012…We’re 11 years apart in age, and I think that’s an interesting dynamic. Usually rivals are in the same age range in their career. Rivalries are the biggest selling point, the thing that stands out most to fans. In the 2000s for me it was Shinsuke Nakamura and in the 2010s, Kazuchika Okada,” Tanahashi said reflecting on those who shaped his career.
The Ace had one final message for his fans: “Thank you for all your support these 26 years. I was just a regular guy from Ogaki city, who became a pro-wrestler, an Ace, a president. The Legend of Hiroshi Tanahashi was created by all of you. I can’t truly repay all that gratitude, but I’ll be doing all that I can as President going forward and I look forward to your support of NJPW going forward. Thank you!”.
The Wrestle Kingdom card for January 4, 2026 at the Tokyo Dome, in Tokyo, Japan is:
Ranbo for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship
El Phantasmo (c) vs. Chris Brookes – NJPW World Television Championship Match
Saya Kamitani (Strong) vs. Syuri (IWGP) – Winner Takes All match for the IWGP Women’s Championship and Strong Women’s Championship.
Bullet Club War Dogs (David Finlay, Gabe Kidd and Drilla Moloney) and Unaffiliated (Shingo Takagi and Hiromu Takahashi) vs. United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan, and Henare), Andrade El Ídolo and TBA
El Desperado vs. Kosei Fujita vs. Taiji Ishimori vs. Sho – Four-way match to determine the #1 contender for IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship
Evil (c) (with Dick Togo and Don Fale) vs. Aaron Wolf – NEVER Openweight Championship Match
Konosuke Takeshita (World) vs. Yota Tsuji (Global) – Winner Takes All match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada – Tanahashi’s Retirement Match
Wrestle Kingdom is available on NJPW World.
