Hiroshi Tanahashi Comments on Final Match & Opponent for Wrestle Kingdom 20

NJPW held a press conference today for Wrestle Kingdom 20, where longtime Ace, Hiroshi Tanahashi, commented on his final match, which will be featured at the event. New Japan has not yet announced Tanahashi’s final opponent for January, but he stated the following during the press conference:

“I know everyone is waiting for my opponent announcement… please wait just a little longer! I can’t say who it is just yet, but on the rest of this Final Road, like with O-Khan this past weekend, it’s been special to get in touch with those memories and connect something to their future. I said I wanted to wrestle everyone, but we’re running low on time…I want there to be a connection. I want to come full circle in a sense…. that’s all I’ll say!”

It appears Tanahashi already knows who his final opponent will be. Wrestle Kingdom 20, featuring the final match of Hiroshi Tanahashi, takes place at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on January 4, 2026. It will stream live on NJPW World.

Tanahashi: On tour in Hokkaido and then down to Kobe, we took the bus for six hours from Kobe back to Tokyo, and looking out that window brought back a lot of memories.

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) September 30, 2025

Tanahashi: I know everyone is waiting for my opponent announcement… please wait just a little longer! I can't say who it is just yet.

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) September 30, 2025

Tanahashi: But on the rest of this Final Road, like with O-Khan this past weekend, it's been special to get in touch with those memories and connect something to their future. I said I wanted to wrestle everyone, but we're running low on time…

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) September 30, 2025

Tanahashi: I want there to be a connection. I want to come full circle in a sense…. that's all I'll say!

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) September 30, 2025

Tanahashi: Some people have said me and Wolf, but we each have our own themes coming into this and it wouldn't be the right use of either of us. It won't be Tanahashi vs Aaron Wolf.

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) September 30, 2025