Hiroshi Tanahashi To Face Kazuchika Okada In 2026 Retirement Match
Hiroshi Tanahashi will end his wrestling career by facing Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingom 20, it has been confirmed. During NJPW’s Road To Anjo event on November 8, Tanahashi bested Yuto-Ice. After the match, Okada appeared alongside Gedo and was revealed as Tanahashi’s final opponent.
The match will be the fourth time that Tanahashi and Okada face off at New Japan’s biggest event. Currently, Tanahashi leads 2-1 with victories in 2013 and 2015, while Okada triumphed in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 10 in 2016. Wrestle Kingdom 20 will be the pair’s 18th match against one another.
Tanahashi first announced his plan to retire back in October 2024 and from the start, Wrestle Kingdom 20 was the goal. Tanahashi is also New Japan’s President and will commit full-time to his office role after his retirement.
Tanahashi’s career will end without him ever appearing in WWE, a promotion AJ Styles is confident he would have thrived in. Nevertheless, fans can expect a huge send-off when he faces Okada one final time at Wrestle Kingdom.
