Kazuchika Okada Returns To NJPW And Challenges Hiroshi Tanahashi For One Final Match At WRESTLE KINGDOM 20

By: Lewis Carlan

The fans at Tosho Arena Anjo were shocked on Nov. 8th as AEW superstar” The Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada made a surprise return to New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Okada was there with one thing in mind, to challenge Hiroshi Tanahashi and be his final opponent at WRESTLE KINGDOM 20.

At New Japan Road, Tanahashi faced Yuto-Ice in the main event. Tanahashi defeated Yuto-Ice in a little over sixteen minutes with his High Fly Flow. While Tanahashi was addressing the crowd, Okada’s music hit and he appeared with Gedo as the crowd of 1,483 fans erupted and began chanting Okada’s name.

Okada entered the ring and challenged Tanahashi to a match at WRESTLE KINGDOM 20 on Jan. 4th at the Tokyo Dome. At WRESTLE KINGDOM 20, Tanahashi will have his final match and will retire from in-ring competition, we now know his opponent will be The Rainmaker.

Photo Credit: NJPW

This was the first time Okada has set foot inside a NJPW ring in Japan since Feb. 2024 as he left the promotion after signing with AEW.

Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi have been perfect rivals for 15 years. The first singles match they had was back on Jan. 31st 2010, a bout that was won by Tanahashi. Since that first match in 2010, they have had 15 more singles matches and they have all been classics. They have traded the IWGP Heavyweight Championship multiple times between each other.

The Okada vs. Tanahashi rivalry has been one of the greatest feuds in the history of NJPW. It’s only fitting that Tanahashi ends his career against his greatest opponent.

Here are the full results for NEW JAPAN ROAD IN ANJO courtesy of purolove.com:

• Katsuya Murashima defeated Tatsuya Matsumoto (7:23) with a crab hold.
• Taichi & Masatora Yasuda defeated Shoma Kato & Zane Jay (9:08) after a Dangerous Backdrop Suplex from Taichi against Jay.
• Great-O-Khan, Callum Newman & Jakob Austin Young defeated Oleg Boltin, Tomoaki Honma & Tiger Mask (9:02) after Newman’s Fire Bottle against Honma.
• Shingo Takagi, Taiji Ishimori & Gedo defeated Yujiro Takahashi, DOUKI & SHO (9:33) after Ishimori’s Bloody Cross against SHO.
• Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura & Ryusuke Taguchi defeated Yota Tsuji, OSKAR & Daiki Nagai (11:03) after a chicken wing armlock by Uemura against Nagai.
• Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Taichi & El Desperado defeated Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita & Hartley Jackson (8:53) after Goto’s shoto against Jackson.
• NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Title: Toru Yano, YOH & Master Wato (c) defeated “King of Darkness” EVIL, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & Dick Togo (11:55) after Wato’s Vendaval vs. Togo (2nd defense).
• Hiroshi Tanahashi Final Road ~ Enishi: Hiroshi Tanahashi defeated Yuto-Ice (16:32) with the High Fly Flow.