Hiroshi Tanahashi’s opponent for retirement match at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 revealed
Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada will wrestle one final time in the Tokyo Dome on January 4.
Tanahashi defeated Yuto-Ice in the main event of today’s Road in Anjo show, held in Okada’s hometown and on his 38th birthday. Following the match, Okada’s old coin-drop music played and he came out to confront Tanahashi along with his longtime manager Gedo.
“Congratulations on your retirement and thanks for your hard work,” Okada said before challenging him for Wrestle Kingdom 20, adding, “Don’t get too tired before then.”
“The rain will fall on Wrestle Kingdom 20,” Gedo said, although the match has yet to be officially confirmed.
It will be the fourth time the two have wrestled at Wrestle Kingdom. Tanahashi beat Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 7 and 9 before Okada finally beat him at Wrestle Kingdom 10.
The updated lineup for this year’s Wrestle Kingdom is available below:
NJPW WrestleKingdom 20 (January 4)
- IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Konosuke Takeshita vs. IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji in a winner takes all match
- Hiroshi Tanahashi retirement match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada
- EVIL vs. Aaron Wolf for NEVER Openweight title
- NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Saya Kamitani vs. IWGP Women’s Champion Syuri in a winner takes all match
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.