Hiroshi Tanahashi will not take part in Kazuchika Okada's NJPW farewell match due to a right ankle injury.
NJPW announced just prior to bell time for night two of The New Beginning in Sapporo that Tanahashi would not be able to take part in Okada's farewell 10-man tag match due to a right ankle injury.
Toru Yano will replace Tanahashi in the tag match, which now consists of Okada, Yano, Tomohiro Ishii, Hirooki Goto & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Matt Riddle, Great-O-Khan, Jeff Cobb, Francesco Akira & Callum Newman.
Tanahashi presumably suffered the injury in his match on night one of The New Beginning in Sapporo on Friday in his NJPW World TV Championship defense against Riddle.
NJPW's statement:
Thank you for supporting New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Hiroshi Tanahashi, who was scheduled to wrestle on today’s card in Sapporo, has sustained an injury to his right ankle and will be unable to compete.
We apologise to fans who were looking forward to seeing Tanahashi wrestle, and appreciate your understanding.
The following change has been made to tonight’s card:
Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii vs Callum Newman, Jeff Cobb, Matt Riddle, Great-O-Khan & Francesco Akira–>
Kazuchika Okada, Toru Yano, YOSHI-HASHI, Hirooki Goto & Tomohiro Ishii vs Callum Newman, Jeff Cobb, Matt Riddle, Great-O-Khan & Francesco Akira
Okada will officially enter free agency following tonight's NJPW event. His NJPW deal originally expired at the end of January, but he agreed to work three final dates for the company this month.
Our live coverage of night two of The New Beginning in Sapporo is here. The show is headlined by Tetsuya Naito vs. SANADA for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, plus a Yota Tsuji vs. Yuya Uemura hair vs. hair match.
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