Hiroshi Tanahashi Looks Back On Canceled IWGP Heavyweight Title Bout Against Brock Lesnar; Tanahashi Felt He Needed The Match So He Could Grow

The scrapped bout was going to take place in the summer of 2006.

When Brock Lesnar ventured to New Japan Pro-Wrestling, he became IWGP Heavyweight Champion. In 2006, he had a title defense lined up against Hiroshi Tanahashi.

Lesnar did not show up for the bout and was subsequently stripped of the championship. He was not able to obtain a visa due to contractual issues with the company. A tournament was then set up to crown a new champion, and Tanahashi emerged victorious to win his first IWGP Heavyweight Title.

Tanahashi wrote about that for his latest blog post on Tokyo Sports. The current NJPW President admitted that he was disappointed about the cancellation and felt it was necessary for his own growth.

On July 17, 2006, at the Tsukisamu Greer Dome event in Hokkaido, I earned a shot at IWGP Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar. Before the match, I relinquished the U-30 belt I had held… It was a belt that had helped me grow, but I decided I didn’t need it anymore if I was going to aim for the IWGP.

But even though I entered Hokkaido with that determination, Lesnar canceled his trip to Japan because he couldn’t get a visa due to contractual problems. When I heard that at the Kushiro tournament two days before the title match, my soul left my body for a moment. There was pressure, and it was really hard to betray the expectations of the fans who wrote a lot of messages on the big flag… I was so disappointed that I commented, “If there is a god of pro wrestling, please help me just once.”

I have no regrets or lingering feelings about not fighting Lesnar. I thought it was a test, but I thought it was something I needed to grow. This happened before I even called myself the “Ace,” but I always thought an Ace was someone who finds a way, who blazes a trail, even when everyone else has given up.

Tanahashi is now gearing up for his retirement match at Wrestle Kingdom 20 on January 4th, 2026. He’ll be facing Kazuchika Okada in his final match.