Hiroshi Tanahashi's Final Match In The UK Announced For AEW X NJPW Forbidden Door

By Ella Jay
Hiroshi Tanahashi wearing a ring jacket Etsuo Hara/Getty Images

Recently, Hiroshi Tanahashi competed for the final time on American soil. Soon, he will do the same in the United Kingdom.

As announced by New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Tanahashi will head to London, England on August 24 for what will be his last in-ring performance in the UK. This will specifically be part of the fourth annual AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door event, which emanates from the O2 Arena.

No opponent has been named for Tanahashi as of this writing, though he notably returned to the AEW bubble at Double or Nothing. Tanahashi, together with Tomohiro Ishii and Brody King, helped stop The Don Callis from furthering a post-match on Paragon's Adam Cole, Roderick Strong and Kyle O'Reilly. Moments before, The Don Callis Family had defeated The Paragon in tag team action, but after, Kyle Fletcher found himself taken out by a Slingblade, courtesy of "The Ace."

Across his 26-year career, Tanahashi has collected a number of titles under the NJPW banner, with the most recent being the NEVER Openweight Six Man Tag Team Championships alongside Oleg Boltin and Toru Yano. Additionally, he has enjoyed reigns as IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, NJPW World Television Champion, IWGP Tag Team Champion, and IWGP Heavyweight Champion, the latter of which he held eight times.

In late 2023, Tanahashi expanded his work with NJPW by rising up as the new President and Representative Director of NJPW in the wake of Takami Ohbari stepping down. Following this move, Tanahashi revealed his aim to strengthen the company's ties with both AEW and STARDOM and boost the existing NJPW championships. Aside from Tanahashi's, no other matches for AEW x NJPW Forbidden Foor have been confirmed at this time. His in-ring retirement is slated for Wrestle Kingdom 20 in January 2026.

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