Kazuchika Okada Warns Fans Following Shock NJPW Return

Kazuchika Okada is urging caution.

All the way back in October 2024, Hiroshi Tanahashi announced that he planned to retire from in-ring competition in January 2026. The NJPW legend will officially wrestle his last match at Wrestle Kingdom 20.

As the retirement date has moved ever closer, speculation about Tanahashi’s final opponent has been running wild, but finally, fans have an answer.

At NJPW New Japan Road In Anjo 2025 on November 8, Tanahashi was confronted by Kazuchika Okada. The AEW star appeared with his old theme music alongside his former manager, Gedo, to announce that he’ll face The Ace one more time at Wrestle Kingdom on January 4.

Kazuchika Okada Won’t Be The Same

During a press conference following his surprise return, Okada told fans not to expect the same wrestler who left NJPW in early 2024. As noted by NJPW, Okada said he won’t be the “Old Rainmaker” at Wrestle Kingdom, while reiterating that his comeback will be a one-off.

On the subject of Gedo, and his retro styled appearance in Anjo Saturday, Okada was quick to assert that the ‘nostalgia trip’ was ‘one night only’. ‘I won’t be the old Rainmaker from NJPW, I’ll be the AEW Rainmaker. In AEW I’m really doing whatever I want, so I might just hit Tanahashi low, roll him up and send everyone home crying.’

Okada said that his career favourite match was their last Tokyo Dome meeting at Wrestle Kingdom 10 ‘When I finally beat him,’ going on to say that ‘at the Tokyo Dome, I want there to be a lot of tears, on a lot of levels.’ Tanahashi responded that he hoped for ‘that money rain to fall on January 4, but for the sun to come out at bell time.’

Okada last wrestled on the November 1 episode of AEW Collision, where he teamed with Konosuke Takeshita to beat Anthony Bowens and Max Caster. Tension has continued to grow between Okada and Takeshita in recent weeks, with many expecting a huge singles match between the pair in the not-too-distant future.

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