Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement match is officially set to close NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20. NJPW has revealed the match order for the January 4 Tokyo Dome show, confirming that Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada will be the main event. It will be the final match Tanahashi — one of the greatest wrestlers of his time who helped lead NJPW into a new golden era — ever competes in.
Okada, now signed to AEW, is returning to NJPW for this match to help give Tanahashi a fitting sendoff. Throughout their careers, Tanahashi has been a rival, friend, and mentor to Okada. The decision to place this match last highlights the magnitude of Tanahashi’s contributions to the company over the past two decades.
The semi-main event of Wrestle Kingdom will be Konosuke Takeshita vs. Yota Tsuji in a matchup where the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship and IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship are both on the line.
Even after ending his in-ring career, the 49-year-old Tanahashi will remain hugely important to NJPW as the promotion’s real-life president. Tickets to the show have completely sold out, with this set to be the best-attended Wrestle Kingdom ever. The event will be broadcast live on NJPW World.
Here is the announced lineup for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 on January 4, 2026:
- Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Retirement Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Kazuchika Okada
- Winner-Take-All Match: IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Konosuke Takeshita vs. IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji
- NEVER Openweight Championship Match: EVIL vs. Aaron Wolf
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Title #1 Contender’s Match: El Desperado vs. SHO vs. Kosei Fujita vs. Taiji Ishimori
- Ten-Man Tag Team Match: David Finlay, Shingo Takagi, Gabe Kidd, Drilla Moloney & Hiromu Takahashi vs. Great-O-Khan, Callum Newman, Henare, and two mystery partners
- Winner-Take-All Match: IWGP Women’s Champion Syuri vs. NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Saya Kamitani
- NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship Match: YOH, Master Wato & Toru Yano defend in a multi-team Tornado Ranbo
