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AEW Star Admits Health Concern While Paying Tribute To Hiroshi Tanahashi

By Lyle Kilbane • Published Jan 05, 2026 05:50 EST
Hiroshi Tanahashi

One AEW star has had plenty to say following the retirement of NJPW’s Ace, Hiroshi Tanahashi.

2025 might have been the year of retirements in WWE, with both Goldberg and John Cena calling it a day with their final matches. The iconic stars have something in common as both of their final matches came against Gunther, with The Ring General standing tall over both men when all was said and done.

Gunther made John Cena tap out at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13th, leaving fans in the building upset and showering Triple H with a foul-mouthed chant.

In New Japan Pro Wrestling, fans knew that Hiroshi Tanahashi’s career was coming to an end, but he waited until 2026 for his final match. That took place at Wrestle Kingdom 20 in the sold out Tokyo Dome, where he took on his old rival, Kazuchika Okada.

Okada won that match before emotional scenes saw the likes of The Great Muta, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Tetsuya Naito, Jay White, and Will Ospreay among those who came to the ring to pay their own tribute to Tanahashi.

Kenny Omega Struggling Like Hiroshi Tanahashi

Taking to social media, AEW’s Kenny Omega explained exactly what it meant to him to be part of saying farewell to Hiroshi Tanahashi, as well as revealing that his own body is struggling in the same way as Hiroshi Tanahashi:

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.