Hiroshi Tanahashi has confirmed his retirement match will be a 1-on-1 singles match at Wrestle Kingdom 20.
While promoting the worldwide on-sale of tickets to the Tokyo Dome event alongside Aaron Wolf, the ‘Ace’ shared a few vague details about the match and ruled out one possible opponent:
‘Please wait just a little longer,’ Tanahashi said before clarifying that his final bout would be a singles match and won’t be against Wolf. ‘I want things to come full circle, and I want there to be connection there…’ Tanahashi said, before pulling himself back from saying too much. Humble, Wolf said that at his level of experience he wouldn’t be choosing opposition but that ‘there are so many different kinds of wrestlers here I need to take on anyone. It’s up to me to take any fight that comes and try to win.’
Wolf, a gold medalist in Judo at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, is preparing for his in-ring debut on January 4 at Wrestle Kingdom and is one of the biggest signings NJPW has made in recent years.
Tanahashi, who holds the role of president of NJPW, will retire after a twenty-six-year career and wrestling for New Japan throughout his career.
He is an eight-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and a three-time G1 Climax winner.
