NJPW Announces Wrestle Kingdom 20 Card with Tanahashi Retirement Match

New Japan Pro-Wrestling announced the full card for Wrestle Kingdom 20, set for January 4, 2026, at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, marking the promotion's flagship event and the retirement match of longtime ace Hiroshi Tanahashi. The show has already sold out, becoming the first Wrestle Kingdom to do so and poised to set a new record for gate revenue, with an expected attendance nearing 50,000, the largest for NJPW since 1998.

Tanahashi will face his longtime rival Kazuchika Okada in the main event, a bout steeped in history that spans over a decade. The two have clashed multiple times, including three previous Tokyo Dome main events where Tanahashi holds a 2-1 edge. Their rivalry began with Okada's upset victory over Tanahashi in 2012, capturing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and launching Okada's rise. Recent encounters, including one in Osaka in 2024, have kept the tension alive, with Okada now competing under All Elite Wrestling while Tanahashi defends NJPW's legacy. The match will precede a special retirement ceremony for Tanahashi, who plans to step away from in-ring competition but remain with the company as president.

The card opens with a Tornado Ranbo battle royal for the...