With the reveal of Tanahashi's last matches over the next week, the numbers are finally locked in. From January 4th 2025, to January 4th 2026, the Ace wrestled a staggering 149 matches. The closest members of the roster to him are his own attendant, Katsuya Murashima, with 117 (assuming he does not wrestle on January 4th) and fellow Hontai member Boltin Oleg, with 118 (assuming he does not wrestle on January 4th)
At the start of the year, Tana made a declaration that he wanted to wrestle every member of the NJPW roster, so how did he fare?
With a total of 42 singles matches, he wrestled 36 different roster members, only facing Uemura, EVIL and Tsuji more than once. He also faced/will face three "outsiders" in Katsuyori Shibata, Danshoku Dino & Kazuchika Okada. When looking at notable roster members he didn't face, the four I can see are Ishii, KUSHIDA, Moloney, and Narita.
So, how did the year look for the Ace? Thus far, he has had 25 wins and 12 losses in these singles matches, with four more to come.
January 4: vs EVIL (Lumberjack Deathmatch)
The year opened with the feel good moment of Tanahashi defeating the most "evil" man in New Japan… EVIL
January 5: vs Katsuyori Shibata ("Technical Exhibition")
The very next day, he faced down one of his generational rivals and fellow "New" Three Musketeers in Shibata. While billed as an exhibition match it broke down into strikes before the five minute time limit was called, because what is New Japan going to do? Fire the President?
January 22: vs Shoma Kato
The first of a series Tana would put on with the current Young Lion generation a show opening match to give Kato the opportunity to say "I wrestled the Ace"
January 23: vs Katsuya Murashima
While similar to the Kato match, this had the added emotion of Murashima being Tanahashi's last attendant while he his a in ring competitor
February 3: vs Daiki Nagai
Another match to give the fiery youngster who at the time was only 7 months into his career a chance to face off with the Ace
February 11: vs Togi Makabe
While a Makabe singles match in 2025 is a rare find and a hard watch this match had emotional importance and 25 years of history behind it, as on October 10, 1999, a Young Lion would face down a then "Shinya" Makabe in a losing effort in his debut. That Young Lion being no other than Tanahashi.
March 6: vs Hirooki Goto (IWGP World Heavyweight Title)
On the 53rd anniversary of New Japan's foundation the man who is synonymous with holding the promotions top prize would take one final go at holding it. This match told the story of the man who many thought could never win the big one, facing down a man who had been champion through dark times and light. with Goto not just beating the Ace, but reaching V1 of his first world title reign.
March 20: vs Satoshi Kojima
Due to the previously mentioned title challenge, Tana would not compete in the New Japan Cup, however, he would find himself facing down an old rival instead in Kojima. Flashes of G1 2010, where Tana was knocked out of the finals by Kojima.
April 2: vs Shingo Takagi
A special match in Takagi's home town that would see the Ace face down the Dragon one last time.
April 4: vs Rysuke Taguchi
Former Taguchi Japan stablemates would face off in a friendly competition in the build up to Tana's next big match.
April 5: vs Shota Umino
The past and the present collide at Sakura Genesis as the Ace faces down one of the men who wish to take the moniker. the first of many matches with the new generation would see Tana taking a loss for his last Sakura Genesis tour.
April 11: vs KONOSUKE TAKESHITA
Tanahashi would make a flight to Chicago for his last match on US soil, facing the then NEVER Openweight champion TAKESHITA. the history of this match goes deeper than some may think, as in August of 2014, Tanahashi would make a trip to DDT and face a young TAKESHITA at DDT's largest show of the year, submitting him in the semi-main event. The years would do TAKE well as he bested the Ace for the last time in the United States.
April 19: vs Jeff Cobb
This match proved to be a swansong for Cobb in NJPW, as Titan Towers were calling, and money talks. An emotional night for the Imperial Unit as he faced down the Ace in both their final encounter and his final New Japan match.
April 29: vs Masatora Yasuda
An injury would take Yasuda away from competition earlier in the year, meaning he could not face the Ace with his fellow Young Lions, but the Ace still wished to face the young man and give him a moment with the greatest.
May 3: vs Zack Sabre Jr
In his last ever Wrestling Dontaku singles match, the Ace would face down a familiar rival in the Frontman of TMDK, the technical master, getting the better of his rival one last time.
May 7: vs TAKA Michinoku
The Ace would make a special trip to Michinoku's own promotion, JTO, for this appearance, facing down Michinoku in the main event of TAKATaichiMania. This would be Tana's first singles match outside of NJPW of the year.
June 15: vs Yuya Uemura
In the Ace's last Dominion match, he would face down one of the most promising young stars New Japan has to offer. "The Sun" would take the Ace to his limit, nothing pays off quite like experience, and a quick roll up would get the Ace a win.
June 26: vs Tomoaki Honma
Hey look! It's Honma!
July 4: vs Gabe Kidd (IWGP Global Heavyweight Title)
An emotional match would see Tanahashi face down a man he sees as the world, a man whose life he may have saved simply by staying in contact with him. With the Global title on the line, two men whose souls are set in New Japan face down, and after the match, Kidd shows his respects to a man who helped pull New Japan, and later on down the line, his own life, out of the darkness.
July 5: vs Tiger Mask
Two legends face down, both on their roads to retirement. Post match, Tiger Mask would announce that he himself would be hanging up the boots in June of 2026.
July 19: vs Taichi (G1 Climax)
Tana would start his last ever G1 strong with a win over Taichi in his own hometown, scoring his 98th career G1 match win. Last G1 score 1/0
July 20: vs Callum Newman (G1 Climax)
The young Brit would see through a victory over the Ace this night, outlasting Tana, for the victory. Last G1 score 1/1
July 22: vs Boltin Oleg (G1 Climax)
Tana would than face a man he knows well, a man in which he held two NEVER 6-man championships with in Boltin Oleg. The Kazakhstani would, however, come out on top of his former partner. Last G1 score 1/2
July 25: vs David Finlay (G1 Climax)
Next, the Ace would face down the leader of BULLET CLUB and a former member of Hontai in David Finlay, and despite the odds being stacked against him, Tana would prevail, winning his 99th career G1 match win. Final G1 score 2/2
July 27: vs Ryohei Oiwa (G1 Climax)
The Ace would find himself standing across from yet another young talent in Oiwa; this time, the Ace would not stand up to the test and would fall short. Final G1score 2/3
August 1: vs Yuya Uemura (G1 Climax)
Once more, the Ace faces the Sun, and this time the young man finds a victory, pinning the Ace and evening the score for once and for all. Final G1 score 2/4
August 3: vs Yota Tsuji (G1 Climax)
The Ace would find himself across from yet another young man on the cusp of the main event in Tsuji. However, unlike Uemura, Tsuji could not get the better of the Ace this time and fell to a High Fly Flow, giving Tanahashi his record 100th career G1 match win. Final G1 score 3/4
August 7: vs SANADA (G1 Climax)
The Snake vs the Ace would see Tanahashi come out on top, putting away with House of Torture's foul tactics. Final G1 score 4/4
August 10: vs EVIL (G1 Climax)
But not for long, as the Ace sees out his last ever G1 match facing the man he beat in the Tokyo Dome, but this time he is not nearly as successful. EVIL pulls all his tricks out to pull off one last dastardly win over Tana. Final G1 score 4/5
August 31: vs Danshoku Dino (DDT Pro)
Tanahashi would take one final trip to DDT to face the… Character of Dino. On the same stage where he beat TAKESHITA 11 years ago, he would also put down the ever unique Dino.
September 7: vs Yuji Nagata
Tana would face the man from who he stole the IWGP Heavyweight defence record from one last time in Nagata's home town of Togane, marking the end of his matches with the Third Generation.
September 15: vs Toru Yano
Tana faces his old friend and tag partner, Yano, but this is far from the Yano who is part of "Be-Bop Tag Team." Upon his arrival, the bleached hair is revealed, and a GBH Yano steps forward to face his rival one last time, in Tanahashi's last Hokkaido tour.
September 24: vs Master Wato
On his last road to Destruction, Tana faces fellow Hontai member and not quite grandmaster Wato. This match would also see the end of Tanahashi's singles matches in Hokkaido.
September 28: vs Great-O-Khan
Tana was looking for a match with his old attendant, Tomoyuki Oka, but all he could find was the Dominator. This match had Tana roll up a man who looked an awful lot like Oka, and, if it was Oka, clearly Tana hadn't taught him every trick in the book.
October 13: vs El Phantasmo (NJPW World TV Title)
King of Pro Wrestling would see Phantasmo and Tana face down in both Tana's last KOPW show and for Phantasmo's 20th anniversary in the business. The two men would fight hard and, in the end, bring the match to a time limit draw.
November 2: vs Yota Tsuji (IWGP Global Heavyweight Title)
In a rematch from the G1 requested specifically by Tsuji, the Ace would face Tsuji for the final title match of his career. In front of a packed arena in Tana's hometown, the Ace would give one final show to the people of the town he grew up in.
November 8: vs Yuto-Ice
Gifu native faces Gifu native as these two men face down, both alums of the same high school, one looking up to the other and following him into the sport to get this chance, and after a hard fought match, another rival steps out. The Rainmaker.
November 12: vs Taiji Ishimori
The final singles match to date would see Tana step into Ishimori's own show to face him one on one. A brief match that would see the Ace prevail.
December 19: vs Hiromu Takahashi
A fierce fight to come as the Ace faces down one of, if not the face, of Junior wrestling in Japan
December 21: vs El Desperado
Tana will continue his facing of the faces of junior wrestling by taking on the technical/deathmatch wrestling in Desperado.
December 22: vs Kosei Fujita
Tanahashi will step into Korakuen Hall for the 486th and last time as a professional wrestler, in the building where he debuted, he will face the newest shining star in the junior division, Kosei Fujita, where he will lay it all on the line in the building where the heart of Japanese professional wrestling lies.
January 4: vs Kazuchika Okada (Retirement)
The journey begins where it began one year ago, against a man you could say is his greatest rival. The Rainmaker will see the sun set on the Ace's career in the main event of the biggest Dome show in over 25 years.
The Ace has put in the work over the last year. Were all of these matches good? No. but that is not the point of them. The point was to see him wrestle full time to the best of his ability for one more year before he rides off most fittingly, in front of 50,000+ at the biggest show of the year in front of the people he loves performing for.
Thank you Ace.
by moagrieve