Tetsuya Naito Bids Emotional Goodbye To NJPW
Tetsuya Naito’s legendary NJPW career has come to an end as he got in the ring one last time for the promotion he has been a part of for 20 years.
On April 16, NJPW announced the shock departure of Tetsuya Naito. The news came as a shock to many in the industry as Naito was considered a New Japan lifer and one of the promotion’s biggest stars.
Shortly after the news broke, NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi issued a statement on Tetsuya Naito’s departure, apologising to fans and saying he had asked El Ingobernable to stay with the company.
Tetsuya Naito hit out at suggestions that money was behind his NJPW exit and claimed Tanahashi only turned up in the fifth round of contract talks.
Tetsuya Naito Waves Goodbye To NJPW
On night two of Wrestling Dontaku on May 4, Tetsuya Naito had his final NJPW match, at least for now, and his swansong came with one final victory.
Naito teamed with his Los Ingobernables de Japon teammates BUSHI, Hiromu Takahashi, and Shingo Takagi to defeat Just 4 Guys in an eight-man tag team match. After the match, LIJ posed together as the fans cheered both Naito and BUSHI, who is also leaving the company.
.@s_d_naito & @BUSHI_njpw Gracias、Hasta Luego👋
Sign up Now & Stay tuned to https://t.co/CcdQ1X9P52#NJPW#njpwworld#njDONTAKUpic.twitter.com/wBX24XNWFJ
— NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) May 4, 2025
After Yota Tsuji successfully defended his IWGP Global Championship, the five members of LIJ were reunited to pose one last time before Naito and BUSHI made their exit. Tsuji admitted he was unsure if LIJ would continue in their absence.
Tetsuya Naito first joined NJPW as a Young Lion in 2005 before making waves on the company’s roster in 2014. One year later, his place in the company’s history was written in stone when he formed the hugely popular Los Ingobernables de Japon. Naito leaves NJPW as a two-time IWGP World Champion and a three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion.