EVIL vs. Hiroshi Tanahashi Officially Set For NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19

Hiroshi Tanahashi will Officially kick off his last year in the ring against EVIL at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 19. NJPW announced on Thursday that Tanashashi and EVIL will do battle at the January 4th, 2025 event.

The full announcement reads:

Hiroshi Tanahashi to face EVIL at Wrestle Kingdom 19!
First match set for January 4 2025
Wrestle Kingdom 19 on January 4 in the Tokyo Dome has gained its first official matchup, as Hiroshi Tanahashi will be battling EVIL.

At King of Pro-Wrestling on October 14, Tanahashi made the earth shattering announcement that he would be retiring on January 4 2026. That drew the ire of EVIL, who barked that he would be putting an end to the Ace much earlier. The King of Darkness interrupted Tanahashi’s retirement press conference to issue a challenge that has now been accepted for the Tokyo Dome. Will the retirement road for one of the greatest of all time be put to an end before it properly begins, or will Tanahashi’s last year in pro-wrestling begin with a high?