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Hiroshi Tanahashi discussed his upcoming retirement from wrestling, before teasing a match with EVIL at Wrestle Kingdom next year.
Earlier this month, Hiroshi Tanahashi announced his plans to retire. The NJPW President revealed that he intends to work through 2025, finally hanging up his boots at Wrestle Kingdom 20 in 2026.
Few details about this final year had been revealed, so the former IWGP World Champion held a press conference to formally announce his retirement and discuss his final year as a competitor in pro wrestling. Tanahashi revealed that he wants to wrestle “everyone on our roster”. He also wants to be a part of every tour in 2025.
‘I want to be on every tour, going forward. I want to wrestle singles matches with everyone on our roster, from Young Lions to veterans.’
He added that he is targeting the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. Despite being an eight-time world champion, he never held the new belt that was first introduced by Kota Ibushi in 2021.
“Everyone targets the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. That’s a belt I’ve only challenged for once and that I’ve never held so I would like to win that title. That might make my retirement difficult, but that’s the ideal scenario for me.”
He also teased matches against his fellow “New Three Mustakeers”, Shinsuke Nakamura and Katsuyori Shibata in his retirement run. He admitted that those matches had “a lot of hurdles to overcome”, although Hiroshi Tanahashi didn’t rule them out.
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs EVIL Was Teased For Wrestle Kingdom 19
Hiroshi Tanahashi’s press conference was interrupted by the House of Torture leader EVIL.
The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion crashed the conference, signaling his intent to force Tanahasahi to retire on January 4th, 2025.
This looks to be Tanahashi’s match for Wrestle Kingdom 19, although no official announcement has been made.
“I told you in the ring at Ryogoku, you jump when I say jump, because this is my company!” EVIL told the NJPW President. “I decide when you retire, and on January 4, 2025 I will end your career”.
