Wrestling World Pays Tribute To Hiroshi Tanahashi

John Powell

Wrestling World Pays Tribute To Hiroshi Tanahashi
The Ace poses with his peers. Courtesy: NJPW.

Tributes are flowing in for Hiroshi Tanahashi who retired at Wrestle Kingdom today after a 26-year career.

Here are what some of today’s talent had to say about The Ace and NJPW President.

“Tanahashi-san, thank you for your hard work. Let’s meet again, everyone in Japan.”

“Tonight I had the incredible honor of participating in Tanahashi’s retirement ceremony. To stand with him in that ring, to see what he saw in those final moments…I felt the reality of it all, the weight of his decision.
Once I returned backstage I sat in stand-by lost in thought watching the monitor. Before I knew it, everyone around me had left. Tana, Ibushi, and I made the final walk. I joked that all 3 of us had to take the stairs slowly one by one – something I’m usually self conscious about (it doesn’t look cool), but today was different. We owned it proudly.
In the car ride back to the dressing rooms we shared one last conversation. I could easily type what was said, but to explain the real meaning of it was probably different for all 3 of us.
Broken down rivals now turned comrades. It’s really a beautiful thing, isn’t it?
Thanks to all that tuned in to celebrate the retirement of one of the greatest to ever do it.”

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