صدى البلد البلد سبورت قناة صدى البلد صدى البلد جامعات صدى البلد عقارات
Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie
ads

NJPW WK 20 Delivers Emotional Farewell as Tanahashi Ends Legendary Career


Sun 04 Jan 2026 | 02:51 PM
Rana Atef

Tokyo Dome hosted a historic night on Sunday, as New Japan Pro Wrestling staged Wrestle Kingdom 20 in front of a sell-out crowd, with the event centered on the retirement of Hiroshi Tanahashi, a.k.a. "The Ace." 

One of the most influential figures in NJPW history, Tanahashi closed his career in a final showdown against longtime rival Kazuchika Okada.

Tanahashi and Okada were instrumental in reviving New Japan Pro Wrestling during the 2010s, and their rivalry became the backbone of the promotion’s global rise. 

Their final encounter served as the emotional climax of the event, fittingly placed in the main event.

Earlier in the night, Yota Tsuji captured both the IWGP World Heavyweight and Global Championships by defeating Konosuke Takeshita in a winner-take-all match. 

The moment was quickly overshadowed when a returning Jake Lee attacked Tsuji after the bout, strongly hinting at a future title challenge.

The main event lived up to expectations, as Okada defeated Tanahashi after delivering multiple Rainmakers. 

The Tokyo Dome crowd responded with thunderous reactions throughout the match, fully aware they were witnessing the final chapter of Tanahashi’s in-ring career.

Following the main event, the Tokyo Dome transformed into a stage for an emotional retirement ceremony. 

Okada bowed respectfully to Tanahashi before leaving the ring, allowing the spotlight to belong entirely to “The Ace.” 

Tanahashi was later joined by several surprise guests, including Jay White, Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Katsuyori Shibata, Keiji Muto, Tatsumi Fujinami, and Tetsuya Naito, all paying tribute to his lasting influence on the sport.

Addressing the fans, a visibly emotional Tanahashi thanked them for their support and urged them to continue backing New Japan Pro Wrestling. 

He ended the night with his trademark air guitar performance, one final wave with the crowd, and a traditional 10-bell salute as nearly 47,000 fans honored one of wrestling’s most iconic careers.

The Full Results of the Event:

TMDK defeated Boltin Oleg and Bishamon to retain the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Titles

Syuri defeated Saya Kamitani in a winner-take-all match for the IWGP Women’s and Strong Women’s Titles

United Empire defeated Bullet Club War Dogs and Unaffiliated

El Desperado defeated Kosei Fujita, Taiji Ishimori, and SHO

Aaron Wolf defeated EVIL to win the NEVER Openweight Championship

Yota Tsuji defeated Konosuke Takeshita in a winner-take-all title match

Kazuchika Okada defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi in Tanahashi’s final match

Wrestle Kingdom 20 will be remembered not just for its championship implications but as a defining farewell to a man widely regarded as the heart and soul of modern NJPW.

read more
Japan Stun Spain 2-1 to Qualify for World Cup Last 16
World Cup 2022: Get to Know Confirmed Line-ups of Japan and Spain Group E Decider
Saudi Arabia Bid Farewell to World Cup after 2-1 Loss to Mexico
Tunisia Achieve Historic Win over France but Fail to Qualify
Tunisia to Clash against France in World Cup
Read also
World Cup
Sports
Get to Know Squad of Group D Teams in World Cup
Ahly Win Super Cup after beating Zamalek
Sports
Al Ahly Gift EGP 70,000 to Players After Claiming Egyptian Super Cup Title
Bencharki
Sports
Bencharki Hits First 2 Goals with Al Jazira Since Leaving Zamalek
Arsenal
Sports
Arsenal Possible Line-up for Nottingham Forest