Kenny Omega shares statement on Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement
Kenny Omega has released a statement on Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement.
Omega was one of several great opponents from Tanahashi’s past who came out to pay tribute to him following the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 20 in the Tokyo Dome on Sunday. Following the show, Omega posted the following to social media:
“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.”
Omega and Tanahashi previously headlined the Tokyo Dome against one another in 2019. Tanahashi defeated Omega for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 13. The bout went just under 40 minutes and was rated five and three-quarter stars by our own Dave Meltzer. Their only other singles match took place at the New Beginning in Niigata show on February 14, 2016. On that show, Omega defeated Tanahashi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship in a match that went just under 30 minutes and was rated four and three-quarter stars by Meltzer.
Omega’s post is below:
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has been featured in NOW Magazine, The Huffington Post, and more. A lifelong wrestling aficionado born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, he has covered the industry for a decade and a half. He joined the f4wonline.com team in 2019.