New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s biggest night of the year lived up to the hype and then some. Wrestle Kingdom 20 took over the Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2026, and by the time the dust settled, NJPW had closed one legendary chapter while kicking the door wide open on its future.
The show will forever be remembered as the night Hiroshi Tanahashi wrestled his final match, but it was also packed with title changes, surprise moments, and major statements from the next generation.
Hiroshi Tanahashi’s legendary career came to an emotional close on Saturday night, but not before New Japan Pro-Wrestling delivered another historic Wrestle Kingdom from the Tokyo Dome. The January 4, 2026 event blended title changes, faction warfare, surprise appearances, and one final bow for “The Ace.”
Below is a full recap of Wrestle Kingdom 20.
Opening Match
Katsuya Murashima & Masatora Yasuda def. Shoma Kato & Tatsuya Matsumoto
The young lions set the tone with a hard-fought opener. After a competitive back-and-forth featuring suplexes and power wrestling, Murashima sealed the victory by forcing Kato to submit to a Boston Crab, giving the Tokyo Dome crowd an early glimpse of NJPW’s future.
NJPW World Television Championship
El Phantasmo (c) def. Chris Brookes
Phantasmo retained his title after a spirited clash with Brookes. Despite Brookes repeatedly cutting off the champion’s momentum and coming close with a Brainbuster, Phantasmo rallied with CR2 and capped things off with a decisive Thunderkiss 86 to remain champion.
NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship Rambo
TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa & Hartley Jackson) win the match
Chaos reigned in the multi-team Rambo, with War Dogs, House of Torture, Bishamon, Team 100, and the defending champions all colliding. In the closing stretch, Zack Sabre Jr. neutralized Oleg Boltin’s power game and scored the final pinfall, crowning TMDK as the new NEVER six-man champions.
IWGP Women’s & NJPW Strong Women’s Championship (Winner Takes All)
Syuri (IWGP Women’s Champion) def. Saya Kamitani (Strong Champion)
Two champions entered, but only one left with both belts. Kamitani pushed the pace and came within inches of victory multiple times, but Syuri’s technical precision proved decisive. A Fujiwara Armbar followed by Syu-Sekai sealed Syuri’s status as double champion.
Eight-Man Tag Match
United Empire (Jake Lee, Andrade El Idolo, Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan & HENARE) def. War Dogs & Hiromu Takahashi/Shingo Takagi
This fast-paced faction battle broke down into chaos. Takahashi briefly stole the spotlight before Jake Lee shut things down with the Facebreak Shot for the pinfall. Post-match surprises followed, as Jakob Austin Young aligned with United Empire, along with the returning Francesco Akira.
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Contender Match
El Desperado def. Taiji Ishimori, SHO & Kosei Fujita
Alliances were temporary and chaos constant in this four-way. SHO attempted to evade danger but ultimately paid for it, as El Desperado capitalized with Pinche Loco to secure future title contention.
Event Announcements
NJPW officially announced “Death Vegas Invitacional” for April 16, 2026, in Las Vegas. Additional upcoming events include the New Japan Cup, Sakura Genesis, Wrestling Dontaku, Wrestling Red Zone (Hiroshima), and G1 Climax 36, including U.S. dates.
NEVER Openweight Championship
Aaron Wolf def. EVIL (c)
In a physical and interference-heavy bout, Wolf shed his judogi and embraced a gritty approach. Despite House of Torture’s involvement and EVIL’s trademark shortcuts, Wolf survived everything thrown at him. He ultimately rendered EVIL unconscious with a brutal submission to capture the NEVER Openweight Championship.
IWGP World Heavyweight & Global Heavyweight Championship
Yota Tsuji def. Konosuke Takeshita (c)
One of the night’s standout matches saw Tsuji outlast Takeshita in a grueling war. After surviving multiple Power Drives and near-falls, Tsuji locked in a deep Boston Crab, forcing Takeshita to tap out. Tsuji walked away as both IWGP World Heavyweight Champion and still Global Champion. Post-match, Jake Lee blindsided Tsuji, immediately establishing new tension.
Retirement Match
Kazuchika Okada def. Hiroshi Tanahashi
In the main event, Tanahashi’s final match delivered emotion, callbacks, and intensity. The longtime rivals pushed each other to the limit, with Tanahashi summoning flashes of his prime. Ultimately, Okada’s relentless Rainmakers proved too much, and Tanahashi was pinned in the center of the ring.
Post-Match Tribute to Hiroshi Tanahashi
After the bell, Okada bowed to Tanahashi and simply said, “Thank you.” The ring filled with flowers and tributes from NJPW legends and former stars, including Jay White, Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Kota Ibushi, Katsuyori Shibata, Keiji Muto, and Tatsumi Fujinami. Even former NJPW stars BUSHI and Tetsuya Naito appeared to pay their respect. Tanahashi closed the night with heartfelt words and his trademark air guitar, greeting fans as Wrestle Kingdom 20 faded to black.
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