Subhojeet Mukherjee on January 3, 2026
Just hours before Wrestle Kingdom 20 takes over the Tokyo Dome, a new update has fans rethinking who won’t be in attendance—specifically, anyone from WWE.
According to Fightful Select, despite rumors flying online, there are currently no WWE talents scheduled to appear at the event, including Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement ceremony.
“We’ve not heard of any WWE names planned for the show as of yet, despite speculation. If we hear of any, we’ll let you know.”
Tanahashi’s farewell match against Kazuchika Okada is the main event of Wrestle Kingdom 20, set for January 4, 2026. The retirement ceremony will follow immediately after in the Tokyo Dome, and NJPW has confirmed appearances from top names like Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay, both of whom will be present to honor The Ace.
Fans also believe that more NJPW legends will return for the tribute—and Fightful confirmed at least one surprise is locked in:
“There’s at least one more name that hasn’t been around NJPW in a while that is planned to make an on-screen appearance for the show.”
With Tanahashi’s Final Ace tour coming to a close and over 50,000 tickets distributed, the stage is set for an emotional sendoff. But don’t expect WWE to be part of the farewell—for now.
Do you think WWE stars should have appeared at Wrestle Kingdom for Hiroshi Tanahashi’s sendoff? And who do you hope the surprise NJPW return will be? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
January 3, 2026 11:49 pm
Disqus Comments Loading...