Kazuchika Okada Announced As Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Final Opponent At NJPW Road In Anjo Event

Kazuchika Okada will face off with Hiroshi Tanahashi one last time on January 4th.

On January 4th, 2026, Hiroshi Tananashi will compete in his final wrestling match as part of Wrestle Kingdom 20 at the Tokyo Dome. Throughout this year, Tanahashi has been winding down his career with several milestones, including competing in a lights out multi man steel cage match at AEW x WWE Forbidden Door. Now, fans now know who will be standing on the opposite side of the ring to him on January 4th.

During NJPW’s Road To Anjo event early on November 8th, Tanahashi would defeat Yuto-Ice in singles action. Following the bout, Kazuchika Okada would make his way to the ring backed by Gedo, and would be revealed as Tanahashi’s final opponent this coming January.

https://twitter.com/DrainBamager/status/1987107473279574101?s=20

This will be the fourth time that Okada and Tanahashi will face off at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom, previously facing off in 2013, 2015 and 2016. The bout will also serve as the 18th time the two men have faced off with each other in the ring.

In a recent interview, Tanahashi admitted he was ‘a little jealous’ of Kenny Omega when he first arrived in New Japan Pro Wrestling. You can read more about that here.