Top NJPW star Hiroshi Tanahashi announced that he will retire from in-ring competition in 2026, with his final match taking place at Wrestle Kingdom on January 4, 2026.
Tanahashi is the current President and Representative Director for NJPW.
Tanahashi has held the IWGP World Championship a record of eight times. He is also a three-time G1 Climax winner and a Triple Grand Slam Winner in NJPW.