Hiroshi Tanahashi stated his desire to retire while performing at a high level during a public training session on Wednesday.
While speaking to the press at the Noge Dojo on December 17, the NJPW President emphasized that he does not want fans to view his retirement match as a fading veteran’s last gasp.
“I don’t want them to justify my retirement,” Tanahashi said. “I don’t want them to see me look older or slower, but to see a Tanahashi who can still go, and that everybody else is chasing right to the end.”
The comments came during a media event where Tanahashi sparred with Olympic gold medalist judoka Aaron Wolf. Wolf is scheduled to make his professional wrestling debut against EVIL for the NEVER Openweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 20.
The two exhibited counters for their upcoming opponents. Tanahashi demonstrated a sequence countering a Rainmaker lariat into a Slingblade, preparing for his final match against Kazuchika Okada. Wolf drilled takedowns and transitions designed to evade EVIL’s signature maneuvers.
“I definitely feel the benefit of having got in there with Tanahashi, and hopefully I can make use of this experience on January 4,” Wolf said. He noted that while he is making steady progress, sparring with Tanahashi helped him “move up a few levels at once.”
The event adds to the promotion of Wrestle Kingdom 20, which NJPW has announced is completely sold out. The event has reportedly distributed over 50,000 tickets, making it the highest-attended Wrestle Kingdom since the event was branded as such in 2007.
Tanahashi offered advice to the debuting Wolf, noting that while some wrestlers retire multiple times, “there’s only one debut.”
Wrestle Kingdom 20 will take place at the Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2026, and will stream live on NJPW World.
