Hiroshi Tanahashi to retire, reveals date of final match

Originally posted on F4WOnline.com | By Ian Carey | Last updated Oct 14, 2024 8:00 AM ET

Hiroshi Tanahashi has revealed when his wrestling career will come to an end.

During today’s NJPW King of Pro Wrestling, Tanahashi marked his 25th anniversary in wrestling by teaming with Shota Umino and El Phantasmo to defeat House of Torture’s EVIL, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, and Yujiro Takahashi. After the match, he announced that his final bout will take place on January 4, 2026, at The Tokyo Dome.

Tanahashi promised to give everything he has until then. He was then ambushed by House of Torture, with EVIL standing over him and declaring that he will be the one to decide when Tanahashi’s career ends.

Tears in my eyes at the announcement of Hiroshi Tanahashi’s impending retirement. Heartbreaking, but a deserving rest deserved.

1/4/2026. Save the date. The Ace of the Universe. One last time. #njKOPW pic.twitter.com/Cffm9vom8x
— Walker Stewart (ウォーカー・スチュワート) (@VelvetVoiceWS) October 14, 2024

The 47-year-old made his debut in October 1999. He was one of “The New Three Musketeers” along with Shinsuke Nakamura and Katsuyori Shibata.

Tanahashi was voted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame Class of 2013. He won the Wrestler of the Decade for the 2010s, was Wrestler of the Year each year from 2011-2013, Most Outstanding Wrestling from 2012-13, his feud vs. Kazuchika Okada was the Feud of the Year from 2012-13, and he won Match of the Year awards in 2012 (vs. Minoru Suzuki), 2013 (vs. Kazuchika Okada), and 2016 (vs. Okada).

Live coverage of today’s NJPW King of Pro Wrestling event in Tokyo is available here.

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This article first appeared on F4WOnline.com and was syndicated with permission.

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