When Hiroshi Tanahashi announced that he would wrestle his final match at Wrestle Kingdom 20, thoughts immediately fell on who would retire The Ace. There were plenty of candidates to choose from, with some of his greatest rivals still at NJPW and others plying their trade at promotions around the world. One of those leading suitors was Tetsuya Naito.
However, when Naito shockingly exited NJPW earlier this year, the chances of him retiring Tanahashi unsurprisingly plummeted. Despite ending a long association with the Japanese promotion, Naito was still disappointed to have not been selected as the NJPW President’s final opponent.
That honor has instead been bestowed upon another of Tanahashi’s great rivals, Kazuchika Okada. The seven-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion’s feud with Tanahashi throughout the 2010s is frequently labeled as one of the greatest rivalries of modern professional wrestling.
There were, of course, a number of significant names in the conversation for The Ace’s final bout. Shinsuke Nakamura sent social media into a spin during WWE’s recent Japan tour. Still, ultimately, a collaboration between the two promotions was always going to be difficult given NJPW’s affiliation with AEW. There was also the possibility of his frequent 2000s opponent Yuji Nagata taking the honor, given their history and his role in developing Tanahashi’s Ace persona.
But ultimately, Okada fittingly received the opportunity given the circumstances. And with the match just days away, Naito reflected on not being chosen in an interview with web Sportiva and the disappointment that came with the announcement.
Tetsuya Naito Reflects on Tanahashi’s Disappointment in Candid Interview
“I’ve always had that feeling. It was my job to end the era of Hiroshi Tanahashi,” revealed Naito. “But in the end, I wasn’t the opponent in Tanahashi’s retirement match, so I’m very disappointed that I wasn’t able to make that happen.”
Naito also expressed his deep admiration for The Ace, having followed the arc of his career. An NJPW fan from a very young age, Naito was also present at Tanahashi’s debut in 1999.
“As a pro wrestling fan, the first wrestlers I’d watched since their debut were Shibata, Inoue, and Tanahashi, and I was watching from the north side of Korakuen Hall that day in row A,” reminisced Naito. “I was also sitting behind the ring announcer’s seats, so I can be seen staring blankly at the match on the video.
“When I saw the three rookies, the one who made the biggest impression on me was Tanahashi. Even though it was his debut match, he had a great physique, and as a high school student at the time, I already wanted to become a professional wrestler, so I thought, ‘Who is this guy?’ After that, I thought, ‘I’m going to go see that young wrestler.'”
Naito has wrestled a handful of matches since departing NJPW in May. He has teamed up with his Los Tranquilos de Japon teammate BUSHI during several of those encounters. BUSHI also left NJPW in May.
Heading into the new year, Los Tranquilos de Japon are scheduled to challenge for the GHC Tag Team Championship at NOAH The New Year 2026. BUSHI has been confirmed to wrestle alongside a mystery partner, with many predicting that Naito will team up with his fellow NJPW alum once again.
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