Hiroshi Tanahashi Will Face Current AEW Champion In Retirement Match

The legendary Hiroshi Tanahashi will compete against one of his greatest rivals in his final pro wrestling match.

Hiroshi Tanahashi is planning on calling it a career as a pro wrestler at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 on January 4th.

While John Cena plans to retire from WWE on December 13th, Tanahashi is doing the same less than a month later. Tanahashi, who turns 49 years old next week, is considered by many to be like the Cena of NJPW, so it’s only fitting that they end their careers at around the same time.

For several weeks, there has been speculation about who Tanahashi may wrestle in his final match. As it turns out, the wrestler chosen to face the 8-time IWGP World Champion Tanahashi was the most obvious choice.

The legendary Kazuchika Okada returned to NJPW for the first time since New Beginning 2023 to confront Tanahashi, who is NJPW’s President. The confrontation happened on November 8th in Anjo after Tanahashi beat Yuto-Ice in a match. It was on Okada’s birthday as well.

Kazuchika Okada Warns Hiroshi Tanahashi Ahead Of NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20

When the AEW Unified Champion Kazuchika Okada got in the ring with Hiroshi Tanahashi, he challenged Tanahashi to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 20 on January 4th.

“Congratulations on your retirement and thanks for your hard work. Don’t get too tired before then.”

Okada’s former manager, Gedo, was with him and delivered this message as well: ‘The rain will fall on Wrestle Kingdom 20.” It’s a reference to Okada being nicknamed, The Rainmaker.

There’s a long history between Tanahashi and Okada as two of NJPW’s biggest stars ever, and especially in the last 20 years.

Their match at Wrestle Kingdom 20 will be their fourth time facing off at NJPW’s biggest show of the year. The veteran Tanahashi beat Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 7 and 9, which led to Okada finally beating Tanahashi at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in 2016.

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