AEW Star Confirmed To Be Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Final Opponent

An AEW star is now officially set to be Hiroshi Tanahashi’s final opponent, after issuing a challenge for Wrestle Kingdom 20.

With Hiroshi Tanahashi announcing over a year ago that his retirement match was scheduled for January 4, 2026, there has recently been a lot of speculation about plans for his final opponent.

The Ace’s retirement bout appears to have been revealed, with a former rival laying down the challenge for Wrestle Kingdom 20.

At New Japan Road in Anjo, Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Yuto-Ice after 16 minutes of action.

Tanahashi’s celebrations were interrupted by Kazuchika Okada, with the AEW star returning to NJPW for the first time since 2023.

The AEW star challenged Tanahashi to a match on January 4, with Gedo – who was accompanying Okada – stating that the rain will fall on Wrestle Kingdom 20.

While NJPW didn’t confirm this match up during the segment, the company has now made this match official, sharing the following preview following an announcement press conference:

“After a surprise appearance Saturday in Anjo, Kazuchika Okada challenged Tanahashi for his final bout, and the match has now been made in what will be Okada’s first match in an NJPW ring since February of 2023.

“The greatest of all Tanahashi’s rivals, the Ace has gone head to head with the Rainmaker 17 times, including Okada’s last singles match before he left for AEW in 2024.

“It’s their Tokyo Dome battles that are the most memorable however. When Okada returned from excursion in 2012, he closed out Wrestle Kingdom 6 with a brash challenge to Tanahashi many saw as premature, but which sparked the infamous Rainmaker Shock and started a new era in NJPW.

“From there, their trilogy across Wrestle Kingdoms 7, 9 and 10 proved to be among the greatest matches to ever take place in the building.

“Ten years to the day since the last time they faced off in the Dome, when Okada finally scored a Wrestle Kingdom win over Tanahashi and asserted himself as the biggest star in wrestling in 2016, they now come full circle for Tanahashi’s final outing.”

Okada won’t be the only AEW star in action at Wrestle Kingdom 20, with IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Konosuke Takeshita set to face off against IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji in a double championship bout.

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