NJPW’s Road to Tokyo Dome tour and Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement tour made a stop in Gunma this evening. In the main event, The Ace took on Hiroshi Tanahashi which would be their first and last singles match ever.
Hiroshi was a bit agitated that the crowd wasn’t cheering for him. Perhaps he didn’t get an invite to the retirement party. They traded headlocks and armlocks from the start. The Ace absorbed some chops in a corner before hitting back with some of his own and a body splash out of the corner. Hiroshi left the ring to catch his breath about a senton from Tanahashi.
Once back in the ring, Hiromu took over focusing on The Ace’s infamously weakened knees with submission moves. Hiromu wore down The Ace with more chops, clotheslines and a running drop kick for a two count. A moonsault off the top rope got The Ace a two count.
Red Shoes and The Ace chuckled at Hiromu for missing a Rainmaker clothesline in honour of The Ace’s last match ever at Wrestle Kingdom against Okada. After some elbows to the face, Hiromu would eventually hit The Rainmaker on The Ace. Tanahashi kicked out of that and a Time Bomb. The Ace put Hiromu away with a Slingblade, a crossbody off the top rope and High Fly Flow. Hiromu raised The Ace’s hand in victory after the match. They then shook hands and hugged.
The Ace now has just three matches left:
December 21, 2025 : vs. El Desperado
December 22, 2025 : vs. Kosei Fujita
January 4, 2026 : Retirement match vs. Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 20
NJPW Road To Tokyo Dome Results
Masatora Yasuda, Tomoaki Honma and Togi Makabe versus Zane Jay, Ryusuke Taguchi and Tiger Mask
Tiger Mask makes Masatora Yasuda to his Tiger Lock, arm lock.
Winners: Zane Jay, Ryusuke Taguchi and Tiger Mask
Shoma Kato, Master Wato, YOH and Toru Yano versus Tatsuya Matsumoto, Oleg Boltin, YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto
Oleg has Shoma Kato in a Boston Crab. Wato kicks and kicks Oleg but he won’t let go. Matsumoto keeps Wato and Yoh at bay with drop kicks. Kato finally submits.
Winners: Tatsuya Matsumoto, Oleg Boltin, YOSHI-HASHI and Hirooki Goto
House of Torture (Yujiro Takahashi, SHO and DOUKI) versus Katsuya Murashima, KUUKAI and El Desperado
Another Young Lion goes down in another predictable match as Douki makes Murashima submit to his Douki Chokie.
Winners: House of Torture (Yujiro Takahashi, SHO and DOUKI)
Satoshi Kojima, Taichi, Yuya Uemura and Shota Umino versus House of Torture (Yoshinobu Kanemaru, SANADA, Ren Narita and EVIL)
Sanada shoves Kojima into the official and mule-kicks Kojima in the “lower abdomen”. Sanada is thrown his guitar by Narita. Sanada slaps the guitar, tosses it to Kojima and falls on the mat. The official gets to his feet to survey the scene and immediately disqualifies Kojima. The House swarms Kojima and the rest of the faces. Aaron Wolf comes to their rescue but the numbers game is just too much. Togo attacks from behind garroting Wolf. Evil laughs in Wolf’s face. Taichi clears the ring with a steel chair.
Winners: House of Torture (Yoshinobu Kanemaru, SANADA, Ren Narita and EVIL) via disqualification.
United Empire (Jakob Austin Young, Callum Newman and The Great-O-Khan) versus Gedo, Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji
Takagi ducks so that Young and Newman collide. A lariat almost takes Young’s head off. Takagi tries to catch Young off the ropes in a fireman’s carry but both off are off balance and Takagi stumbled and collapsed to the ground dropping Young. Takagi gets back on track with a Pumping Bomber. Tsuji dives at Khan knocking him into the ringside barricade. Newman rushes into the ring throwing a steel chair at Takagi hitting him in the face. The official disqualifies The United Empire. Newman continues attacking Takagi after the match.
Winners: Gedo, Shingo Takagi and Yota Tsuji via disqualification.
T.M.D.K. (Kosei Fujita, Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa and Zack Sabre Jr.) versus Daiki Nagai, Taiji Ishimori, The Knock-Out Brothers (OSKAR and Yuto-Ice)
Jackson pins Young Lion Nagai with is Death Valley Bomb. The World Tag League winners Ryohei Oiwa and Zack Sabre Jr. get in the face of the IWGP Tag Team Champions, The Knock-Out Brothers (OSKAR and Yuto-Ice).
Winners: T.M.D.K. (Kosei Fujita, Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa and Zack Sabre Jr.)
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hiromu Takahashi
Winner: Hiroshi Tanahashi
