Hiroshi Tanahashi is one of the all-time greats in Japanese wrestling, but his last match in the United Kingdom should play on his history in the country.
While he is a multi-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the current President of New Japan Pro Wrestling, Tanahashi also had a substantial run in RevPro.
The Japanese star beat Zack Sabre Jr at NJPW Royal Quest in 2019 to take home the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship. He earned it as part of RevPro’s partnership with New Japan, which saw him make appearances in England between 2013 and 2024.
He wrestled mainly in tag team matches, but The Ace Big Damo and Marty Scurll in his only singles match. Tanahashi even lost the belt back to Zack Sabre Jr after just 15 days at a NJPW show, but that shouldn’t take away from his history in the company.
The NJPW President announced that 2026 will be his final year in wrestling. Wrestle Kingdom 20 will be the last match of the Ace of the Universe, with a year-long string of “final matches” planned across the globe.
April 11th, 2025 will mark his last match in the US at Windy City Riot, although a potential date in the United Kingdom has yet to be announced.
While he could wrestle for RevPro or at NJPW’s Royal Quest event, wherever and whenever Hiroshi Tanahashi has his last match in the UK. Which promotion it is in should give us a clue on who he will face, but we’ll still give our view on who he could face on foreign soil.
Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Last Match In The UK
Here are five of our picks of wrestlers who Hiroshi Tanahashi’s last match in the UK could be again.
This will include wrestlers from NJPW and RevPro, with explanations as to why they would be good picks for him to face off against as the Japanese legend winds down his career as a professional wrestler.
5. Michael Oku (RevPro)
Who wouldn’t love to see the Ace of Japanese wrestling against the Ace of British wrestling in a RevPro ring?
I certainly would!
Michael Oku has been on a tear in recent years. While his matches against Will Ospreay were exceptional, he has proved he isn’t a one-trick pony with fantastic fights against the likes of Luke Jacobs and Leon Cage.
Oku even uses his own version of the High Fly Flow as a finishing move, so this could be a “passing of the torch” of sorts. That is if the President of NJPW will lay down for the Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion, which could stop this match from coming to fruition.
4. Zack Sabre Jr (NJPW)
A lot of people want to see Hiroshi Tanahashi win one last IWGP World Heavyweight Championship before he hangs up his boots at Wrestle Kingdom 20.
He has eight world title reigns already in NJPW, although the last of them was ended by Jay White in 2020 and lasted a very short space of time.
Zack Sabre Jr currently holds that title, following his historic victory in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom. That clash with Shota Umino cemented him as an all-time great foreigner in Japanese wrestling, although he will never be as legendary as he is in his home country.
A clash at Royal Quest in Britain between the two would be ideal. I don’t think Hiroshi Tanahashi will win the title again before his last match, and having the match in the UK won’t get the Japanese fan’s hopes up too much.
Zack Sabre Jr’s style will be easy on Tanahashi’s knees and other aching joints and he can prove he is the new top wrestler in NJPW by beating the beloved Ace to keep the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
3. Connor Mills (RevPro)
A bit of an outside choice for Hiroshi Tanahashi’s last match in Britain. Connor Mills hasn’t hit the heights of others on this list yet but looks destined to become a top star in the UK.
The 26-year-old wrestles with the experience of a man much older and is one of RevPro’s top wrestlers. He may be one-half of the Undisputed British Tag Team Champions, alongside Jay Joshua, but his future is as a singles champion.
Learning from somebody like Tanahashi in his final outing would be invaluable to the youngster while they put on a mat classic to the British crowd.
The Ace of the Universe must win this encounter but I’m sure Connor Mills would be honoured to do the job for the NJPW President.
2. Gabe Kidd (NJPW)
Gabe Kidd has to go over Hiroshi Tanahashi this year as he cements himself as a top star in New Japan. However, if he is to do it anywhere then it has to be in the UK.
The Bullet Club War Dogs star is one of the world’s top English wrestlers. Despite being just 27 years old he has grown into a fantastic wrestler, as shown by his clash with Kenny Omega at Wrestle Dynasty.
His brawling style and excellent character work would be a great way to bring the best out of an ageing Ace in front of a big crowd in the UK. NJPW Royal Quest V would be the best place for this match, although if RevPro could book this match then it’d be a fantastic achievement by Andy Quildan.
1. Luke Jacobs (RevPro)
A dream match of mine is seeing Luke Jacobs and Hiroshi Tanahashi battling it out in a New Japan ring, and I’m sure Luke Jacobs thinks the same.
He has been clear in being inspired by Japanese wrestling in his style. While the Four Pillars like Misawa and Kobashi were his favourite, stepping into the ring with a legend like Tanahashi would be a huge honour.
Hiroshi Tanahashi having his last match in the UK against Luke Jacobs would be a fantastic way to end his career. They could have a hard-hitting match that wouldn’t require much on Tanahashi’s part.
He could save his knees, letting Jacobs do the bulk of the work as they tear lumps out of each other with big chops and deadly dragon screws.
While you should go out on your back, I don’t think anybody would be upset at Tanahashi hitting a final High-Fly Flow in London to beat Luke Jacobs in his final match in the UK. Whether at the 13th Anniversary show or Uprising 2025, Hiroshi Tanahashi’s last match in Britain should be an emotional event.
