As previously reported, AEW Unified Champion and member of the Don Callis Family, "The Rainmaker" Kazuchika Okada, has been announced as the opponent for Japanese pro wrestling legend Hiroshi Tanahashi at the upcoming NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 event. This match will mark Tanahashi's retirement bout.
Bryan Alvarez discussed this match on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, mentioning that it has been in the works for several weeks. Dave Meltzer added that NJPW delayed the announcement to confirm Okada's availability. The announcement was made after Okada was present on Saturday. This follows a previous press conference where Tanahashi urged fans to "be patient" regarding the news.
Meltzer emphasized that Okada was chosen over Shinsuke Nakamura and Tetsuya Naito due to his long-standing history with Tanahashi, stating, “It’s not even debatable… There’s no argument there. It’s not Naito, it’s not Nakamura.” While Nakamura had been considered as a candidate for Tanahashi's final match, and Naito was also approached and indicated he would have accepted, the decision ultimately favored Okada. The two have faced each other many times over the years, with their most recent match occurring at NJPW The New Beginning in Osaka 2024, where Okada emerged victorious.
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 is scheduled to take place on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan. The event will be broadcast live on NJPW World.
