Hiroshi Tanahashi, the esteemed NJPW President and former wrestling star, was a featured guest at the 2025 Tokyo Sports Awards. At the event, he shared his reflections on retiring from in-ring competition following the recent NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 event. Tanahashi expressed a mix of emotions, revealing a sense of relief now that he has stepped away from wrestling. “Yes, I do [feel a sense of relief]. Until I retired as a professional wrestler, every morning I would wake up and think, ‘Oh, where’s my match today?’ and I always had that feeling of tension. But when I woke up this morning and thought, ‘Oh, I won’t be having any more matches,’ I felt a little sad, but I also felt like I’ve moved on to a different stage,” Tanahashi noted.
As he transitions into this new chapter of his life, Tanahashi plans to mark this change with a significant alteration to his appearance. He is set to cut his long hair, a signature look throughout his wrestling career, stating, “I’m getting a little break next week, so I’ll get my hair cut around the weekend. Yes, I’ll be cutting off all the hair at the back. Well, I’m going to become a handsome older man. Just a handsome older man, just a cool guy.”
These reflections not only highlight Tanahashi’s personal journey but also tap into a broader narrative of growth and reinvention that many athletes experience after their competitive careers come to an end.
In related wrestling news, CMLL announced exciting matchups for their upcoming International Weekend events set for January 16-18 at Arena Mexico in Mexico City. The card includes the AEW National Championship match pitting Titan against the defending champion, Ricochet. Additionally, the event will feature a ROH Pure Championship match with Xelhua challenging Lee Moriarty, as well as another significant contest for the ROH World Championship between Templario and the titleholder Bandido.
Moreover, TNA Wrestling has revealed the lineup for tonight’s Impact! show, marking the final broadcast of the AXS TV era. The show will feature a TNA International Championship match between Steve Maclin and Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo, an eight-man tag team battle involving The Hardys, as well as a TNA World Championship contract signing segment between Mike Santana and Frankie Kazarian.
As these promotions unveil their upcoming events, wrestling fans have much to look forward to, offering excitement and anticipation for the new directions these beloved organizations are heading towards.