Konosuke Takeshita On Being Triple-Contracted Wrestler & Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Retirement Bout

Konosuke Takeshita recently opened up about being contracted to three different promotions and Hiroshi Tanahashi’s upcoming retirement bout.

Takeshita is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and DDT Pro-Wrestling. He is the reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. In a recent interview with NJPW1972.com, Takeshita was asked whether he has gotten used to being a triple-contracted wrestler. The 30-year-old talked about the mental aspect of it, stating:

“I don’t think it’s something anybody can get used to, hehe. But I’ve gotten to know what it takes. You have to have your mind in a few different places at once, but at the same time you have to have your focus on the thing that’s right in front of you, and once you do that, the mental aspect gets a lot easier. If you think too far ahead, then everything gets on top of you.”

Takeshita added that each company has its own style and fanbase with varying interests. He admitted that he found it tough adapting to the style and taste of fans when he started wrestling in the US.

“They’re definitely all different, and the way the fans of each see pro wrestling is very different. So there’s my own style, and then there’s adapting that to the different tastes. It’s been about three and a half years since I went to America, and at first it really was a difficult change of gears. Now I wrestle much more in America than in Japan, so when I’m in Japan, I have to change modes the other way.”

Konosuke Takeshita wrestled Hiroshi Tanahashi in the latter’s final match in the United States of America at Windy City Riot in April 2025. Tanahashi is set to wrestle his final match at Wrestle Kingdom 20 on January 4, 2026, when he takes on Kazuchika Okada.

While Takeshita is disappointed that he is not Tanahashi’s last-ever opponent, he is happy that he got to battle the latter in his final match in the US, attributing it to him being signed to NJPW.

“It was. To be honest, I wanted to have that match in Japan as well, but I think I was a fitting opponent for his last US match. There are definitely people who have a deeper connection to NJPW and to Tanahashi, but there was something with that match that only he and I could do. We could only have that match because I signed with NJPW as well, so I felt happy that decision was justified. This year has been about that, about walking my own path with confidence and being repaid in full.”

When asked about what he wants to see from Tanahashi in his retirement bout, the AEW star didn’t mince words, stating that he wants Tanahashi to beat the hell out of Okada.

“Oh, I definitely want to see him beat the hell out of Okada,” he said.