Hiroshi Tanahashi was met by a handful of familiar faces after his retirement match against Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 20.
Tanahashi was pinned after 33 minutes of action in his final match after 26 years of wrestling in the main event of Sunday's show, sharing a brief moment with his opponent before he had the chance to bask in the adulation of the crowd and his peers.
Jay White's music was the first to break, with the absent AEW star and former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion coming down the ramp to hand his old foe a bouquet of flowers. Then followed Will Ospreay, another former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and sidelined AEW star with his own bouquet. A short while after, Kenny Omega's "Devil's Sky" entrance played, preceding his entrance alongside Kota Ibushi notable considering the nature of his departure from NJPW in 2023, as well as also being on AEW's injured list to give their own bouquet to the NJPW President.
Ibushi and Tanahashi shared an emotional moment before Katsuyori Shibata's music played, breaking Tanahashi down into tears; Shibata got in the ring, removed his top and engaged in a quick grappling contest with Tanahashi, the pair embracing to end the faux fight to the cheer of the crowd.
Keiji Mutoh and Tatsumi Fujinami rose from their positions at ringside to enter the ring and have their moment with Tanahashi. And lastly, Pro Wrestling NOAH star Tetsuya Naito made his entrance, taking his time to get to the ring before grabbing a microphone. Naito couldn't help but take a cheeky dig at his departure from NJPW, saying he probably will not wrestle there again but hopes to see Tanahashi somewhere further down the line.
Tanahashi then received the ten-bell salute in the middle of the ring, drawing an official close to his 26-year career.
